“Everything.”
That’s how veteran producer and PGA president Stephanie Allain kicked off a special panel about the ins and outs of the Sundance Film Festival and all things producing, presented by Hyundai. Taking place on Jan. 19 inside The Hollywood Reporter’s studio (sponsored by Heineken, Hyundai, Bogner and Sixt), Allain was explaining how best to describe a producer’s job and the all-encompassing duties they shoulder.
“What don’t we do? The producer is the uber champion of the film, and what that means is when I have a project, no one gets in that circle unless they love the movie, they understand the movie, they can contribute 150 percent to the movie,” said the Hollywood veteran, who returned to Sundance for the world premiere of Titus Kaphar’s Exhibiting Forgiveness, starring Andre Holland and Andra Day. “We work on the script, we work on casting. We go by the costume department,...
That’s how veteran producer and PGA president Stephanie Allain kicked off a special panel about the ins and outs of the Sundance Film Festival and all things producing, presented by Hyundai. Taking place on Jan. 19 inside The Hollywood Reporter’s studio (sponsored by Heineken, Hyundai, Bogner and Sixt), Allain was explaining how best to describe a producer’s job and the all-encompassing duties they shoulder.
“What don’t we do? The producer is the uber champion of the film, and what that means is when I have a project, no one gets in that circle unless they love the movie, they understand the movie, they can contribute 150 percent to the movie,” said the Hollywood veteran, who returned to Sundance for the world premiere of Titus Kaphar’s Exhibiting Forgiveness, starring Andre Holland and Andra Day. “We work on the script, we work on casting. We go by the costume department,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paris-based sales house Charades has acquired international sales rights to “In a Violent Nature,” the debut feature film from writer and director Chris Nash that is set to premiere in Sundance’s Midnight Section on Jan. 22.
Produced by Shudder under the streaming service’s Shudder Original banner, the film follows a vengeful undead monster as he methodically slaughters a group of campers in the wilderness after they remove a pendant from his resting grounds. Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer are also producers on “In a Violent Nature,” which is set for release in 2024.
“‘In a Violent Nature’ reminded us of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘Angst,’ but most of all, it’s the discovery of an incredibly talented director,” said Charades co-founders Pierre Mazars, Yohann Comte and Carole Baraton. “We are very grateful to be working with Shudder once again with whom we are building an incredible track record of genre films from ‘Revenge,...
Produced by Shudder under the streaming service’s Shudder Original banner, the film follows a vengeful undead monster as he methodically slaughters a group of campers in the wilderness after they remove a pendant from his resting grounds. Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer are also producers on “In a Violent Nature,” which is set for release in 2024.
“‘In a Violent Nature’ reminded us of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘Angst,’ but most of all, it’s the discovery of an incredibly talented director,” said Charades co-founders Pierre Mazars, Yohann Comte and Carole Baraton. “We are very grateful to be working with Shudder once again with whom we are building an incredible track record of genre films from ‘Revenge,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Among the myriad reasons we could call the Criterion Channel the single greatest streaming service is its leveling of cinematic snobbery. Where a new World Cinema Project restoration plays, so too does Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. I think about this looking at November’s lineup and being happiest about two new additions: a nine-film Robert Bresson retro including L’argent and The Devil, Probably; and a one-film Hype Williams retro including Belly and only Belly, but bringing as a bonus the direct-to-video Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club. Until recently such curation seemed impossible.
November will also feature a 20-film noir series boasting the obvious and the not. Maybe the single tightest collection is “Women of the West,” with Johnny Guitar and The Beguiled and Rancho Notorious and The Furies only half of it. Lynch/Oz, Irradiated, and My Two Voices make streaming premieres; Drylongso gets a Criterion Edition; and joining...
November will also feature a 20-film noir series boasting the obvious and the not. Maybe the single tightest collection is “Women of the West,” with Johnny Guitar and The Beguiled and Rancho Notorious and The Furies only half of it. Lynch/Oz, Irradiated, and My Two Voices make streaming premieres; Drylongso gets a Criterion Edition; and joining...
- 10/24/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Josh and Benny Safdie, the filmmaking duo behind “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” are producing a documentary about Paul Reubens for HBO.
HBO announced on Thursday that the two-part documentary, which is currently untitled, will center on the life of Reubens, the longtime comedian and actor best known for creating the Pee-wee Herman character. The premium cabler’s logline for the project reads:
A kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts, the Paul Reubens documentary traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue my long history there. I love HBO, but I’m not going to marry them,” Reubens said in a statement.
The project is an HBO Documentary Films and Elara production, directed by Matt Wolf (“Spaceship Earth...
HBO announced on Thursday that the two-part documentary, which is currently untitled, will center on the life of Reubens, the longtime comedian and actor best known for creating the Pee-wee Herman character. The premium cabler’s logline for the project reads:
A kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts, the Paul Reubens documentary traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue my long history there. I love HBO, but I’m not going to marry them,” Reubens said in a statement.
The project is an HBO Documentary Films and Elara production, directed by Matt Wolf (“Spaceship Earth...
- 3/12/2021
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
A two-part documentary about Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens is in production at HBO Documentary Films and the Safdie Brothers.
Matt Wolf (Spaceship Earth) will direct the features, which are described as “a kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts” that “traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.”
Josh and Benny Safdie will produce with their Elara partner Sebastian Bear-McClard, as well as Joker producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue ...
Matt Wolf (Spaceship Earth) will direct the features, which are described as “a kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts” that “traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.”
Josh and Benny Safdie will produce with their Elara partner Sebastian Bear-McClard, as well as Joker producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue ...
- 3/11/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
A two-part documentary about Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens is in production at HBO Documentary Films and the Safdie Brothers.
Matt Wolf (Spaceship Earth) will direct the features, which are described as “a kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts” that “traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.”
Josh and Benny Safdie will produce with their Elara partner Sebastian Bear-McClard, as well as Joker producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue ...
Matt Wolf (Spaceship Earth) will direct the features, which are described as “a kaleidoscopic portrait told in two parts” that “traces the life of the imaginative artist behind one of pop culture’s most celebrated and unlikely icons: Pee-wee Herman.”
Josh and Benny Safdie will produce with their Elara partner Sebastian Bear-McClard, as well as Joker producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
“I’ve been working with HBO since they were called Home Box Office! I’m honored and excited to continue ...
- 3/11/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wavelength, the New York-based indie studio behind Sundance players like “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” and “Farwell Amor,” has named producer Joe Plummer as president.
Founded by CEO Jenifer Westphal in 2015, the company recently saw Plummer serving as supervising producer across the slate. As president, he will oversee operations and spearhead development, production and investment efforts across both the film division and the newly-launched commercial division. He’s also been elevated to executive producer across all titles.
“At Wavelength, I have had the opportunity to produce ground-breaking and beautiful films and to build an unparalleled team, I’m beyond excited about what Wavelength has planned for the future,” Plummer said. “In my role as President, I will continue to develop our slate with Jen while expanding our efforts to launch emerging filmmakers and growing our commercial and branded work.”
Wavelength’s mission is to develop, produce and finance films that reveal common humanity.
Founded by CEO Jenifer Westphal in 2015, the company recently saw Plummer serving as supervising producer across the slate. As president, he will oversee operations and spearhead development, production and investment efforts across both the film division and the newly-launched commercial division. He’s also been elevated to executive producer across all titles.
“At Wavelength, I have had the opportunity to produce ground-breaking and beautiful films and to build an unparalleled team, I’m beyond excited about what Wavelength has planned for the future,” Plummer said. “In my role as President, I will continue to develop our slate with Jen while expanding our efforts to launch emerging filmmakers and growing our commercial and branded work.”
Wavelength’s mission is to develop, produce and finance films that reveal common humanity.
- 1/13/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The physical experience of the cinema in 2020 has been a fragmented stop and start scenario. Not being able to visit the cinema has been discouraging, but in putting this mix together I was reminded, pandemic aside, there have been new movies worth getting excited about and distinctive music and sounds to accompany them. Over the 1 hour, 39 minute run time this mix stops and starts in different mood zones, symmetrical to the year it represents. Between pieces of original score and soundtrack are voices and sounds, sometimes of hope, sometimes more sinister. Meandering in pace, this mix is a snapshot of feelings, as quickly as they come they move into different territory. We open with extracts from Garrett Bradely’s Time, these echoes of childhood and family swirl forward years as if inside a sonic time capsule. We hear voices weave in and out, “lots of things changed since the beginning of this tape.
- 12/28/2020
- MUBI
One of the big documentaries from the Sundance Film Festival is now jockeying for a slot in the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature. “Spaceship Earth” premiered to rave reviews in January and was acquired by Neon, which released it in May. The film from Matt Wolf is now currently available to stream on Hulu.
“Spaceship Earth” looks back at the private semi-scientific experiment called Biosphere 2. The experiment was a three-acre structure that housed a closed ecological system and would also house eight researchers for a period of two years as they run experiments meant to test whether these systems could be maintained for the purposes of space colonization. As the first group of researchers were in their two-year stint inside Biosphere 2 (between 1991 and 1993), the spectacle received a lot of media coverage. While some of it was, indeed, positive, other coverage was much more critical of what was going on,...
“Spaceship Earth” looks back at the private semi-scientific experiment called Biosphere 2. The experiment was a three-acre structure that housed a closed ecological system and would also house eight researchers for a period of two years as they run experiments meant to test whether these systems could be maintained for the purposes of space colonization. As the first group of researchers were in their two-year stint inside Biosphere 2 (between 1991 and 1993), the spectacle received a lot of media coverage. While some of it was, indeed, positive, other coverage was much more critical of what was going on,...
- 12/12/2020
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
“We’ve had to figure out ways to make our films just as exciting and vibrant,” Neon’s Elissa Federoff told an IDFA panel.
Releasing films during a pandemic is not a one-size-fits-all approach, said Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US distributor Neon, during an IDFA panel on November 19 entitled ’Innovations in online distribution (beyond Covid-19)’.
Federoff explained Neon has been experimenting with several different models since the beginning of the US cinema closures in March.
“We’ve always played with different types of distribution, day and date or compressed windows,” she noted, even of pre-Covid times. “Every movie...
Releasing films during a pandemic is not a one-size-fits-all approach, said Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US distributor Neon, during an IDFA panel on November 19 entitled ’Innovations in online distribution (beyond Covid-19)’.
Federoff explained Neon has been experimenting with several different models since the beginning of the US cinema closures in March.
“We’ve always played with different types of distribution, day and date or compressed windows,” she noted, even of pre-Covid times. “Every movie...
- 11/23/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The Academy dropped another 33 feature films into the online screening room for members of its Documentary Branch on Oct. 30, giving the Oscars doc race its biggest influx of new films to date. The branch now has 86 films to consider, with two or three more batches of films (and potentially more than 50 additional contenders) likely to be added to the field by early January.
Coming the same week that the Critics Choice Documentary Awards announced its nominees and the International Documentary Association’s Ida Documentary Awards revealed the 30-film shortlist from which it will make its final choices, the Academy move kicked the Oscar doc race into another gear in a year that promises to be highly competitive.
Among the docs that were made available to voters this week were Bryce Dallas Howard’s film about fatherhood, “Dads,” which means she’ll be competing against her father, Ron Howard, who is...
Coming the same week that the Critics Choice Documentary Awards announced its nominees and the International Documentary Association’s Ida Documentary Awards revealed the 30-film shortlist from which it will make its final choices, the Academy move kicked the Oscar doc race into another gear in a year that promises to be highly competitive.
Among the docs that were made available to voters this week were Bryce Dallas Howard’s film about fatherhood, “Dads,” which means she’ll be competing against her father, Ron Howard, who is...
- 11/2/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
“Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” “Gunda” and “Mr. Soul” lead the fifth annual Critics Choice Association’s documentary nominations, with five apiece. Among the eclectic list of nominees are Taylor Swift, Greta Thunberg, veteran filmmaker Werner Herzog and longtime disability advocate Judith Heumann, as well as docs about such notables as John Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Frank Zappa.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
- 10/26/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
It makes sense that this year’s AFI Fest closed on Thursday night with the premiere of director Errol Morris’ wild and entertaining documentary “My Psychedelic Love Story.” In a year in which reality has smacked all of us in the face, nonfiction filmmaking is in the spotlight more than ever, from a string of docs that deal with issues at stake in the upcoming election to more freewheeling works like Morris’ film, a Wtf concoction from a director who only gets this playful once in a while.
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
It’s undeniable that the Oscars race for Best Picture is off to a slow start, with fewer films than usual playing the scaled-down fall film festivals and studios reluctant to commit to theatrical openings as the pandemic stretches on. But the race for Best Documentary Feature promises to be a robust one. More than 50 films are now available in the Academy...
- 10/23/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Now in its second year, Wavelength Productions is opening submissions for its annual Wave (Women at the Very Edge) Grant which supports women and non-binary individuals of color with a $5,000 grant and mentorship from Wavelength, the production company behind 2020 Sundance titles Feels Good Man, Spaceship Earth and Farewell Amor. Submissions will be open until December 1.
The Wave Grant looks to help a first-time filmmaker with the production of their first short documentary or narrative film. In addition to the grant, Wavelength will provide mentorship in the producing, development and post-production of the filmmaker’s story as well as fundraising and distribution strategy.
“We introduced the Wave Grant last year as a way to champion under-represented female filmmakers in the industry,” said Jenifer Westphal, Founder of Wavelength Productions. “We are thrilled to once again be bringing this opportunity to emerging female and non-binary voices and look forward to supporting and learning...
The Wave Grant looks to help a first-time filmmaker with the production of their first short documentary or narrative film. In addition to the grant, Wavelength will provide mentorship in the producing, development and post-production of the filmmaker’s story as well as fundraising and distribution strategy.
“We introduced the Wave Grant last year as a way to champion under-represented female filmmakers in the industry,” said Jenifer Westphal, Founder of Wavelength Productions. “We are thrilled to once again be bringing this opportunity to emerging female and non-binary voices and look forward to supporting and learning...
- 9/14/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Can the indie ecosystem that’s at the heart of the European film industry survive with streaming giants encroaching on its underlying business model, just as the theatrical experience is teetering?
Maybe. But if the indie filmmaking ethos does survive, its business model will definitely be different.
That was the main takeaway of a webinar on the state of independent film production held with a group of top international producers and talents as part of the Locarno 2020 digital StepIn initiative in collaboration with Variety.
In line with StepIn’s mission as a think tank when, prior to the coronavirus crisis, it was possible to hold it as a physical event some tips and possible solutions emerged.
Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, who has been instrumental in bringing to the screen films such as “Call Me by Your Name” and “Ad Astra,” kicked things off warning against the danger to filmmakers posed...
Maybe. But if the indie filmmaking ethos does survive, its business model will definitely be different.
That was the main takeaway of a webinar on the state of independent film production held with a group of top international producers and talents as part of the Locarno 2020 digital StepIn initiative in collaboration with Variety.
In line with StepIn’s mission as a think tank when, prior to the coronavirus crisis, it was possible to hold it as a physical event some tips and possible solutions emerged.
Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, who has been instrumental in bringing to the screen films such as “Call Me by Your Name” and “Ad Astra,” kicked things off warning against the danger to filmmakers posed...
- 8/10/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros.’ game-changing plans for the international-led roll-out of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” are helping distributors such as Neon hammer out their own release strategies into the fall.
Speaking as part of a Variety Streaming Room event with the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry program, Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff said the global release — which will see the thriller launch in countries such as the U.K., France, Korea and Turkey a week ahead of the Sept. 3 U.S. release — is “great re-strategizing and pivoting” on the part of the studio.
“It’ll be really good for the U.S. to see how that goes because we’re trying to make plans of our own and the best thing we’ve had to look at, science-wise and industry-wise, are other parts of the world and seeing how they’re moving forward,” added the executive, noting that some of...
Speaking as part of a Variety Streaming Room event with the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry program, Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff said the global release — which will see the thriller launch in countries such as the U.K., France, Korea and Turkey a week ahead of the Sept. 3 U.S. release — is “great re-strategizing and pivoting” on the part of the studio.
“It’ll be really good for the U.S. to see how that goes because we’re trying to make plans of our own and the best thing we’ve had to look at, science-wise and industry-wise, are other parts of the world and seeing how they’re moving forward,” added the executive, noting that some of...
- 8/6/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
From eco fantasies to dystopian nightmares, cinema has long explored how life might be different. Our post-lockdown existence could look to them for pointers
As we emerge blinking into the sunlight after lockdown, many of us will be daring to dream of a more harmonious, ecological future. It’s what the subjects of Spaceship Earth were hoping to create when they locked down voluntarily for two years as part of an experiment around communal, self-sufficient living. The new documentary tells the story of Biosphere 2, an Earth system science research facility located in the Arizona desert. Back in 1991, eight people moved into the huge vivarium as a dress rehearsal in case humans had to repopulate to Mars. Matt Wolf’s film is a fascinating watch that vividly recalls classic sci-fi cinema: the “biospherians” wear designer space suits and their mission references 1972’s Silent Running, in which a botanist astronaut tries to...
As we emerge blinking into the sunlight after lockdown, many of us will be daring to dream of a more harmonious, ecological future. It’s what the subjects of Spaceship Earth were hoping to create when they locked down voluntarily for two years as part of an experiment around communal, self-sufficient living. The new documentary tells the story of Biosphere 2, an Earth system science research facility located in the Arizona desert. Back in 1991, eight people moved into the huge vivarium as a dress rehearsal in case humans had to repopulate to Mars. Matt Wolf’s film is a fascinating watch that vividly recalls classic sci-fi cinema: the “biospherians” wear designer space suits and their mission references 1972’s Silent Running, in which a botanist astronaut tries to...
- 7/31/2020
- by Anna Smith
- The Guardian - Film News
The Independent Filmmaker Project on Wednesday announced the slate for its upcoming Project Forum, to take place during its long-running signature event, IFP Week, running September 20 – 25. The sales and development forum — which is going fully virtual this year — includes 144 feature and series projects, and for the first time 36 audio projects.
Among the featured narrative projects are “Mouse” from Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, whose “Saint Frances” won Jury and Audience awards at last year’s SXSW. Producer Emile Lesclaux, who produced the Cannes Jury Prize-winning “Bacurau,” will be at the forum with “Heartless.”
Producers Cait Panesgroux and Elias Ribero, who produced the Sundance award winner “This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection,” will be there with “The Spirit Guest.” And “Short Term 12” producer Asher Goldstein will have “First Generation.”
Notable nonfiction producers will also be there with new documentary projects, including “Bitterbrush” from Oscar-nominated Su Kim, plus “Cain and Abel...
Among the featured narrative projects are “Mouse” from Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, whose “Saint Frances” won Jury and Audience awards at last year’s SXSW. Producer Emile Lesclaux, who produced the Cannes Jury Prize-winning “Bacurau,” will be at the forum with “Heartless.”
Producers Cait Panesgroux and Elias Ribero, who produced the Sundance award winner “This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection,” will be there with “The Spirit Guest.” And “Short Term 12” producer Asher Goldstein will have “First Generation.”
Notable nonfiction producers will also be there with new documentary projects, including “Bitterbrush” from Oscar-nominated Su Kim, plus “Cain and Abel...
- 7/29/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Eight years after his feature directorial debut “Antiviral” premiered at Cannes and went on to win the the Best Canadian First Feature Film prize at TIFF, Brandon Cronenberg returned in a big way in 2020 with the world premiere of his new project at Sundance. That project is a gruesome body horror-thriller titled “Possessor,” which stars a powerhouse indie film duo in leading actors Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott.
“Possessor” finds Cronenberg playing in the same science-fiction horror sandbox as “Antiviral,” only this time he escalates the body horror to such gory extremes that his father David Cronenberg must certainly be proud.
“Possessor” stars Riseborough as Tasya Vos, a corporate agent who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people’s bodies in order to commit assassinations for the benefit of the company. Per Sundance’s synopsis: “While Tasya has a special gift for the work, her experiences on these jobs have...
“Possessor” finds Cronenberg playing in the same science-fiction horror sandbox as “Antiviral,” only this time he escalates the body horror to such gory extremes that his father David Cronenberg must certainly be proud.
“Possessor” stars Riseborough as Tasya Vos, a corporate agent who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people’s bodies in order to commit assassinations for the benefit of the company. Per Sundance’s synopsis: “While Tasya has a special gift for the work, her experiences on these jobs have...
- 7/16/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
In the 1990s, a troupe of hippies spent two years sealed inside a dome called Biosphere 2. They ended up starving and gasping for breath. As a new documentary Spaceship Earth tells their story, we meet the ‘biospherians’
It sounds like a sci-fi movie, or the weirdest series of Big Brother ever. Eight volunteers wearing snazzy red jumpsuits seal themselves into a hi-tech glasshouse that’s meant to perfectly replicate Earth’s ecosystems. They end up starving, gasping for air and at each other’s throats – while the world’s media looks on.
But the Biosphere 2 experiment really did happen. Running from 1991 to 1993, it is remembered as a failure, if it is remembered at all – a hubristic, pseudo-scientific experiment that was never going to accomplish its mission. However, as the new documentary Spaceship Earth shows, the escapade is a cautionary tale, now that the outside world – Biosphere 1, if you prefer – is...
It sounds like a sci-fi movie, or the weirdest series of Big Brother ever. Eight volunteers wearing snazzy red jumpsuits seal themselves into a hi-tech glasshouse that’s meant to perfectly replicate Earth’s ecosystems. They end up starving, gasping for air and at each other’s throats – while the world’s media looks on.
But the Biosphere 2 experiment really did happen. Running from 1991 to 1993, it is remembered as a failure, if it is remembered at all – a hubristic, pseudo-scientific experiment that was never going to accomplish its mission. However, as the new documentary Spaceship Earth shows, the escapade is a cautionary tale, now that the outside world – Biosphere 1, if you prefer – is...
- 7/13/2020
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Julia Sawalha has shared an open letter via her social media profiles expressing disappointment and anger at being left out of Aardman Animations’ upcoming “Chicken Run” sequel, confirmed as a Netflix pickup at June’s Annecy festival. Sawalha voiced Ginger in the Oscar-nominated original, which remains the top grossing stop-motion feature ever, 20 years after its release.
“To say that I am devastated and furious would be an understatement,” she said in the letter. “I feel totally powerless, something in all of this doesn’t quite ring true. I trust my instincts and they are waving red flags.”
According to Sawalha, she was informed about the decision last week by her agent, who speculated it was because her voice now sounds “too old” after receiving a letter of dismissal in which it was indicated that Mel Gibson would not be returning as Rocky for that very reason.
Sawalha says that voice...
“To say that I am devastated and furious would be an understatement,” she said in the letter. “I feel totally powerless, something in all of this doesn’t quite ring true. I trust my instincts and they are waving red flags.”
According to Sawalha, she was informed about the decision last week by her agent, who speculated it was because her voice now sounds “too old” after receiving a letter of dismissal in which it was indicated that Mel Gibson would not be returning as Rocky for that very reason.
Sawalha says that voice...
- 7/10/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The London arts venue has been closed since March 17 due to the Covid-19 crisis.
London arts venue the Barbican has launched its first streaming service while its cinemas remain closed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Cinema On Demand is a pay-per-view service and will host acclaimed international films, children’s titles and virtual Q&As. It has been supported the Mayor of London’s Culture at Risk business support fund (launched in response to the virus crisis) and the BFI Film Audience Network, using National Lottery money.
The streaming service will feature a rolling four-week programme of titles and events,...
London arts venue the Barbican has launched its first streaming service while its cinemas remain closed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Cinema On Demand is a pay-per-view service and will host acclaimed international films, children’s titles and virtual Q&As. It has been supported the Mayor of London’s Culture at Risk business support fund (launched in response to the virus crisis) and the BFI Film Audience Network, using National Lottery money.
The streaming service will feature a rolling four-week programme of titles and events,...
- 7/10/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Most moviegoers know Amy Seimetz as an actress thanks to her work in films such as “Upstream Color” and “Pet Sematary,” but she’s also carved out an acclaimed filmography of directing projects with her 2011 feature debut “Sun Don’t Shine” and episodes of “The Girlfriend Experience” and “Atlanta.” Seimetz’s filmmaking career is getting elevated to a new level this year with “She Dies Tomorrow,” her acclaimed thriller that IndieWire named one of the best titles in this year’s SXSW Film Festival lineup.
“She Dies Tomorrow” reunites Seimetz with her “Sun Don’t Shine” star Kate Lyn Sheil for the story of a woman who gets infected by an illness that convinces her she will die the following morning. The supporting cast includes Jane Adams, Kentucker Audley, Katie Aselton, Chris Messina, Tunde Adebimpe, and Michelle Rodriguez.
IndieWire praised “She Dies Tomorrow” as a “gripping thriller that combines classic...
“She Dies Tomorrow” reunites Seimetz with her “Sun Don’t Shine” star Kate Lyn Sheil for the story of a woman who gets infected by an illness that convinces her she will die the following morning. The supporting cast includes Jane Adams, Kentucker Audley, Katie Aselton, Chris Messina, Tunde Adebimpe, and Michelle Rodriguez.
IndieWire praised “She Dies Tomorrow” as a “gripping thriller that combines classic...
- 7/8/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
With the first half of 2020 nearly in the books, the Hollywood Critics Association (including Daily Dead Managing Editor Heather Wixson), has announced the nominees for their 3rd Annual Midseason Awards, and the horror and sci-fi genres and their innovative creators are once again well-represented, with The Invisible Man, Shirley, The Vast of Night, What We Do in the Shadows, and Westworld among the nominations.
You can check out the full list of nominees below (including two separate performances by Elisabeth Moss), and to learn more about the Hollywood Critics Association, visit their official website.
Press Release: –The Hollywood Critics Association has revealed its full list of nominees for the 3rd Annual Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards.
Every June, the members of the Hca vote on the best in film, television, and streaming for the first half of the year. “We weren’t 100% certain that we were going to do the...
You can check out the full list of nominees below (including two separate performances by Elisabeth Moss), and to learn more about the Hollywood Critics Association, visit their official website.
Press Release: –The Hollywood Critics Association has revealed its full list of nominees for the 3rd Annual Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards.
Every June, the members of the Hca vote on the best in film, television, and streaming for the first half of the year. “We weren’t 100% certain that we were going to do the...
- 6/29/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Neon and Topic Studios have acquired the U.S. rights to Pablo Larraín’s “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, out of the virtual Cannes market for $4 million, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
Steven Knight wrote the screenplay, and production is set to begin in early 2021. Larraín (“Jackie”) is producing alongside Juan de Dios Larraín through their Fabula banner. Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski and Paul Webster are also producing.
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon alongside Ryan Heller for Topic Studios with CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content on behalf of the filmmakers. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international rights. The film was introduced to buyers at the Cannes virtual market. The film will be released by Neon — a release date will be announced soon.
Also Read: Kristen Stewart to Play Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín's 'Spencer'
“Spencer” will look at Princess Diana over the...
Steven Knight wrote the screenplay, and production is set to begin in early 2021. Larraín (“Jackie”) is producing alongside Juan de Dios Larraín through their Fabula banner. Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski and Paul Webster are also producing.
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon alongside Ryan Heller for Topic Studios with CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content on behalf of the filmmakers. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international rights. The film was introduced to buyers at the Cannes virtual market. The film will be released by Neon — a release date will be announced soon.
Also Read: Kristen Stewart to Play Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín's 'Spencer'
“Spencer” will look at Princess Diana over the...
- 6/26/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Virtual Cannes conference also included the artistic director of the Mumbai Film Festival, who issued a grim warning for Indian cinemas.
The recent boom in drive-in cinemas will continue beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, suggests a leading executive at Us distributor Neon.
“I do think [drive-ins] will become a part of the typical theatrical footprint,” said Jeff Deutchman, executive vice president of acquisitions and production, at Neon. “A lot of people have discovered the pleasure of the drive-in that had never experienced it previously. I think it is something that will hold over from this experience.”
Deutchman was speaking on a virtual...
The recent boom in drive-in cinemas will continue beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, suggests a leading executive at Us distributor Neon.
“I do think [drive-ins] will become a part of the typical theatrical footprint,” said Jeff Deutchman, executive vice president of acquisitions and production, at Neon. “A lot of people have discovered the pleasure of the drive-in that had never experienced it previously. I think it is something that will hold over from this experience.”
Deutchman was speaking on a virtual...
- 6/23/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Titles were sold with a special Covid-19 era marketing package devised by Neon.
Paris-based sales company Charades has announced a raft of deals on Spaceship Earth, The Painter And The Thief and She Dies Tomorrow, which it added to its slate at the end of April under an innovative deal with leading Us arthouse distributor Neon.
Under the operation, buyers were offered a special marketing package devised by Neon in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The package combined digital distribution with socially-distanced screenings in drive-in venues; pop-up cityscape projections; and revenue-sharing virtual cinemas.
Neon tried and tested the strategy with documentary Spaceship Earth,...
Paris-based sales company Charades has announced a raft of deals on Spaceship Earth, The Painter And The Thief and She Dies Tomorrow, which it added to its slate at the end of April under an innovative deal with leading Us arthouse distributor Neon.
Under the operation, buyers were offered a special marketing package devised by Neon in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The package combined digital distribution with socially-distanced screenings in drive-in venues; pop-up cityscape projections; and revenue-sharing virtual cinemas.
Neon tried and tested the strategy with documentary Spaceship Earth,...
- 6/18/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦69¦
- ScreenDaily
Variety Streaming Room: Film, TV Executives on Adapting to New Production Challenges During Pandemic
When Covid-19 forced television studios to close their doors, long-running late-night shows such as “Conan” were faced with a dilemma. Was it possible to keep being funny and lifting audiences’s spirits from home? So, Conan O’Brien and his team set out to recreate their particular brand of comedy via Zoom.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
- 5/27/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
And We Go Green, a documentary about the rise of Formula E electric car racing, will stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu.
Oscar winner Fisher Stevens (Before the Flood) and Malcolm Venville directed the movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, who previously collaborated with Fisher on Before the Flood, produced the doc that deals with combating global warming and air pollution under his Appian Way banner.
RadicalMedia, the non-fiction company behind What Happened, Miss Simone? and recent release Spaceship Earth, and Bloomfish Productions, the banner behind HBO doc Bright Lights, also produced.
The doc is a behind-the-scenes look at the Abb Fia Formula ...
Oscar winner Fisher Stevens (Before the Flood) and Malcolm Venville directed the movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, who previously collaborated with Fisher on Before the Flood, produced the doc that deals with combating global warming and air pollution under his Appian Way banner.
RadicalMedia, the non-fiction company behind What Happened, Miss Simone? and recent release Spaceship Earth, and Bloomfish Productions, the banner behind HBO doc Bright Lights, also produced.
The doc is a behind-the-scenes look at the Abb Fia Formula ...
- 5/19/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
And We Go Green, a documentary about the rise of Formula E electric car racing, will stream exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu.
Oscar winner Fisher Stevens (Before the Flood) and Malcolm Venville directed the movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, who previously collaborated with Fisher on Before the Flood, produced the doc that deals with combating global warming and air pollution under his Appian Way banner.
RadicalMedia, the non-fiction company behind What Happened, Miss Simone? and recent release Spaceship Earth, and Bloomfish Productions, the banner behind HBO doc Bright Lights, also produced.
The doc is a behind-the-scenes look at the Abb Fia Formula ...
Oscar winner Fisher Stevens (Before the Flood) and Malcolm Venville directed the movie. Leonardo DiCaprio, who previously collaborated with Fisher on Before the Flood, produced the doc that deals with combating global warming and air pollution under his Appian Way banner.
RadicalMedia, the non-fiction company behind What Happened, Miss Simone? and recent release Spaceship Earth, and Bloomfish Productions, the banner behind HBO doc Bright Lights, also produced.
The doc is a behind-the-scenes look at the Abb Fia Formula ...
- 5/19/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
I’m sitting in my living room doing press for the release of Spaceship Earth. Normally I’d be at a distributors’ office or running around to different studios, but this week I’m wearing a nice shirt with sweatpants and a cat on my lap. In the past two weeks in anticipation of being on Zoom a lot, I put together a modest Zoom studio. Besides doing press days, I’m pre-recording a lot of intros and Q&As for virtual cinema presenters. Neon has partnered with over 200 different venues and small businesses to present the film digitally. We pre-recorded an intro and […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Matt Wolf
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
I’m sitting in my living room doing press for the release of Spaceship Earth. Normally I’d be at a distributors’ office or running around to different studios, but this week I’m wearing a nice shirt with sweatpants and a cat on my lap. In the past two weeks in anticipation of being on Zoom a lot, I put together a modest Zoom studio. Besides doing press days, I’m pre-recording a lot of intros and Q&As for virtual cinema presenters. Neon has partnered with over 200 different venues and small businesses to present the film digitally. We pre-recorded an intro and […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Matt Wolf
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“Theater engages the whole organism,” says Biosphere 2 Director of Systems Engineering William Dempster. “Movement, through emotion — [it] gives you insight into yourself. Building a foundation from which we could go on and do other projects.” Accompanying Dempster’s voiceover early in Matt Wolf’s engrossing and unexpectedly stirring documentary, Spaceship Earth, is black-and-white footage from the first public activity of John Allen’s band of “Synergists”: a traveling theater production called The Theater of All Possibilities. The artistic value of the production is indeterminate; seen in brief clips, it falls somewhere on the continuum between The Living Theater and an Allan […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“Theater engages the whole organism,” says Biosphere 2 Director of Systems Engineering William Dempster. “Movement, through emotion — [it] gives you insight into yourself. Building a foundation from which we could go on and do other projects.” Accompanying Dempster’s voiceover early in Matt Wolf’s engrossing and unexpectedly stirring documentary, Spaceship Earth, is black-and-white footage from the first public activity of John Allen’s band of “Synergists”: a traveling theater production called The Theater of All Possibilities. The artistic value of the production is indeterminate; seen in brief clips, it falls somewhere on the continuum between The Living Theater and an Allan […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
U.S.-based distributor Neon, which handled best picture winner “Parasite,” has closed on a revolving credit facility with Mufg Union Bank.
The three-year-old company did not disclose the dollar amount of the facility. Neon said it will use the capital to continue building upon its core film business, as well as to expand its production slate.
“Parasite” landed four Academy Awards and grossed over $54 million at the domestic box office, the third-best result ever for a foreign-language film in the U.S. Neon recently launched Matt Wolf’s Sundance documentary “Spaceship Earth” across traditional and non-traditional venues, as a way to address current social-distancing limitations due to Covid-19.
Neon has amassed a library of titles that include Todd Douglas Miller’s “Apollo 11,” the highest grossing documentary of 2019; Tim Wardle’s Sundance special jury award winner “Three Identical Strangers,” which made $13 million at the box office; and Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya,...
The three-year-old company did not disclose the dollar amount of the facility. Neon said it will use the capital to continue building upon its core film business, as well as to expand its production slate.
“Parasite” landed four Academy Awards and grossed over $54 million at the domestic box office, the third-best result ever for a foreign-language film in the U.S. Neon recently launched Matt Wolf’s Sundance documentary “Spaceship Earth” across traditional and non-traditional venues, as a way to address current social-distancing limitations due to Covid-19.
Neon has amassed a library of titles that include Todd Douglas Miller’s “Apollo 11,” the highest grossing documentary of 2019; Tim Wardle’s Sundance special jury award winner “Three Identical Strangers,” which made $13 million at the box office; and Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya,...
- 5/13/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Quinn and Tim League’s Neon has partnered with Mufg Union Bank on a new revolving credit facility that will help the 3-year-old film company continue to grow its film footprint, Neon announced Wednesday.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed, but a studio spokesperson described it is “significant.” The “Parasite” studio will use the capital to build upon its core film business and expand its production slate.
Tom Quinn, Jessica Nickelsberg, Jeff Deutchman and Jim Wehrfritz negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio along with Mufg Director Matt Rosenberg and Managing Director Tony Beaudoin. Neon is represented by Sidley Austin and Mufg Union Bank by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Llp.
Also Read: Neon to Release 'Spaceship Earth' Via Pop-Up Projections and Virtual Cinemas Amid Coronavirus
Like all others in Hollywood has seen the effects of Covid-19, Neon has sought fresh ways to release content.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed, but a studio spokesperson described it is “significant.” The “Parasite” studio will use the capital to build upon its core film business and expand its production slate.
Tom Quinn, Jessica Nickelsberg, Jeff Deutchman and Jim Wehrfritz negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio along with Mufg Director Matt Rosenberg and Managing Director Tony Beaudoin. Neon is represented by Sidley Austin and Mufg Union Bank by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Llp.
Also Read: Neon to Release 'Spaceship Earth' Via Pop-Up Projections and Virtual Cinemas Amid Coronavirus
Like all others in Hollywood has seen the effects of Covid-19, Neon has sought fresh ways to release content.
- 5/13/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Neon, distributor of multi-Oscar winning and Best Picture Parasite, has inked a revolving credit facility with Mufg Union Bank.
Neonwill use the capital to continue building upon its core film business, and to expands its production slate.
Tom Quinn, Jessica Nickelsberg, Jeff Deutchman, and Jim Wehrfritz negotiated the deal on behalf of Neon along with Mufg Director Matt Rosenberg and Managing Director Tony Beaudoin. Neon is repped by Sidley Austin and Mufg Union Bank by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Llp.
Parasite, which was the first South Korean movie to take home the Cannes Film Festival Palme D’Or a year ago, went on to win four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Bong Joon Ho, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature. Within a three year span, Neon has built a 50 film library, which has yielded $150M at the box office, plus 12 Oscar noms and five wins.
Last Friday,...
Neonwill use the capital to continue building upon its core film business, and to expands its production slate.
Tom Quinn, Jessica Nickelsberg, Jeff Deutchman, and Jim Wehrfritz negotiated the deal on behalf of Neon along with Mufg Director Matt Rosenberg and Managing Director Tony Beaudoin. Neon is repped by Sidley Austin and Mufg Union Bank by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Llp.
Parasite, which was the first South Korean movie to take home the Cannes Film Festival Palme D’Or a year ago, went on to win four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Bong Joon Ho, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature. Within a three year span, Neon has built a 50 film library, which has yielded $150M at the box office, plus 12 Oscar noms and five wins.
Last Friday,...
- 5/13/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
By Glenn Dunks
Would you believe that I also dream about documentaries? You probably would. We surely all dream about movies in some form. Well, just a few weeks ago I found myself awakening after a dream about a (non-existent) documentary that went back to the first ever series of Big Brother and interviewed the participants—none of whom I would know or have any sort of facial recognition of as I surprisingly did not watch turn-of-the-century Dutch TV—about living in isolation and what we could all learn while in our own contemporary Covid-19 isolation.
At the time it struck me as actually quite an interesting concept, a rare occurrence of wishing I had any inclination towards actually making documentaries instead of simply watching them. I needn’t have spent the mental energy. While crass reality television isn’t the theme of Matt Wolf’s Spaceship Earth, what it...
Would you believe that I also dream about documentaries? You probably would. We surely all dream about movies in some form. Well, just a few weeks ago I found myself awakening after a dream about a (non-existent) documentary that went back to the first ever series of Big Brother and interviewed the participants—none of whom I would know or have any sort of facial recognition of as I surprisingly did not watch turn-of-the-century Dutch TV—about living in isolation and what we could all learn while in our own contemporary Covid-19 isolation.
At the time it struck me as actually quite an interesting concept, a rare occurrence of wishing I had any inclination towards actually making documentaries instead of simply watching them. I needn’t have spent the mental energy. While crass reality television isn’t the theme of Matt Wolf’s Spaceship Earth, what it...
- 5/13/2020
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Movie fans focused on VOD value this week — an easy choice, with no new major releases. (That will change in a few days with the Warner Bros. original family title “Scoob!” at $19.99.) Sony’s “Bloodshot” opened the last weekend theaters operated, became a $19.99 premium VOD offering a few weeks later, and last Tuesday it dropped to $5.99. It now stands in the top three for all of our reported charts, including #1 at Amazon Prime, and #2 at FandangoNow which ranks by amount paid, not transactions.
“I Still Believe” dropped its prices to $5.99 this week, and their chart placements improved. This flags a potential issue: How many people will get used to holding off for a few weeks, in exchange for seeing the price drop by 60 percent or more? Many of these viewers were content to wait three months after initial theatrical play, so delaying rental for a month might not be a tough choice.
“I Still Believe” dropped its prices to $5.99 this week, and their chart placements improved. This flags a potential issue: How many people will get used to holding off for a few weeks, in exchange for seeing the price drop by 60 percent or more? Many of these viewers were content to wait three months after initial theatrical play, so delaying rental for a month might not be a tough choice.
- 5/12/2020
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
“Have a Good Trip,” a documentary that premieres on Netflix on Monday, May 11, is a history lesson about the way that hallucinogenic drugs were once used in military testing by the U.S. government.
And it’s a discussion of why hallucinogens like LSD have the potential to be used to fight a wide array of conditions, including Ptsd, depression and addiction.
But really, if you want to see “Have a Good Trip,” it’s not because of those things. It’s because this is the movie where famous people talk about their most memorable experiences while on drugs.
That’s the real appeal of director Donick Cary’s film, whose subtitle is “Adventures in Psychedelics” — to listen to Sting, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, A$AP Rocky, Deepak Chopra, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, Paul Scheer, Rosie Perez, Nick Kroll and others talk about their, well, adventures in psychedelics.
Also Read: Netflix's...
And it’s a discussion of why hallucinogens like LSD have the potential to be used to fight a wide array of conditions, including Ptsd, depression and addiction.
But really, if you want to see “Have a Good Trip,” it’s not because of those things. It’s because this is the movie where famous people talk about their most memorable experiences while on drugs.
That’s the real appeal of director Donick Cary’s film, whose subtitle is “Adventures in Psychedelics” — to listen to Sting, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, A$AP Rocky, Deepak Chopra, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, Paul Scheer, Rosie Perez, Nick Kroll and others talk about their, well, adventures in psychedelics.
Also Read: Netflix's...
- 5/10/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Neon has acquired global worldwide rights to Matt Wolf’s Sundance documentary Spaceship Earth, and has released it today across a footprint of traditional and non-traditional venues.
The film will play theatrically in participating drive-ins, and select pop-up city-scape projections (accessible by quarantined city dwellers). In addition, Neon has worked with exhibitors to launch the film on theater websites, plus websites of other affected businesses interested in participating.
Current confirmed distribution partners include film festivals, museums, and first-time film purveyors like bookstores, restaurants and more. The footprint is rounded out by a simultaneous digital launch on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, FandangoNow, Vudu, Directv, Dish and longtime Neon partner Hulu.
Impact Partners’, RadicalMedia and Stacey Reiss Productions Spaceship Earth, directed by Matt Wolf, debuted at Sundance. Spaceship Earth is the true adventure of eight visionaries who, in 1991, spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem...
The film will play theatrically in participating drive-ins, and select pop-up city-scape projections (accessible by quarantined city dwellers). In addition, Neon has worked with exhibitors to launch the film on theater websites, plus websites of other affected businesses interested in participating.
Current confirmed distribution partners include film festivals, museums, and first-time film purveyors like bookstores, restaurants and more. The footprint is rounded out by a simultaneous digital launch on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, FandangoNow, Vudu, Directv, Dish and longtime Neon partner Hulu.
Impact Partners’, RadicalMedia and Stacey Reiss Productions Spaceship Earth, directed by Matt Wolf, debuted at Sundance. Spaceship Earth is the true adventure of eight visionaries who, in 1991, spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem...
- 5/8/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
In the ’80s, a group of scientists and artists wanted to know if they could recreate Earth’s ecosystem, so they built Biosphere 2 (Earth was known as Biosphere 1) in Oracle, Ariz.
The experiment was not only scientific, but a social one where eight scientists locked themselves in the Biosphere from 1991 to 1993. There would be no supplies and no physical contact with the outside world.
On September 26,1991, Mark Van Thillo, Sally Silverstone, Mark Nelson, Linda Leigh, Taber McCallum, Roy Walford, Abigail Alling, and Jane Poynter, collectively known as “the synergists” were locked in the biosphere, a 3.15-acre home, a self-sustaining mini-world.
The media and scientists deemed the experiment a huge failure as rumors of food being sent to the “enclosed ecosystem” and lack of oxygen started to circulate.
Almost 30 years later, documentary filmmaker Matt Wolf’s new film, “Spaceship Earth” tells a captivating and uncannily timely story in this era of quarantine and social distancing.
The experiment was not only scientific, but a social one where eight scientists locked themselves in the Biosphere from 1991 to 1993. There would be no supplies and no physical contact with the outside world.
On September 26,1991, Mark Van Thillo, Sally Silverstone, Mark Nelson, Linda Leigh, Taber McCallum, Roy Walford, Abigail Alling, and Jane Poynter, collectively known as “the synergists” were locked in the biosphere, a 3.15-acre home, a self-sustaining mini-world.
The media and scientists deemed the experiment a huge failure as rumors of food being sent to the “enclosed ecosystem” and lack of oxygen started to circulate.
Almost 30 years later, documentary filmmaker Matt Wolf’s new film, “Spaceship Earth” tells a captivating and uncannily timely story in this era of quarantine and social distancing.
- 5/8/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
They were going to make history on that day in September, 1991. The eight members of Biosphere 2, a closed-system laboratory filled with both living environments (rain forests, desert landscapes, deep-sea coral gardens) and living quarters, were entering the elaborate research facility in Oracle, Arizona. Amidst a lot of media fanfare, they were about to embark on a two-year journey inside the biomes and away from the outside world. The glass windows surrounding the buildings would allow them to see out and let visitors, tourists and other lookie-loos to peer in. But...
- 5/8/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
The story of “Spaceship Earth” sounds like the premise of a sci-fi movie, but in true stranger-than-fiction manner, this Sundance premiere (which starts streaming Friday on Hulu) is truly out of this world.
How else do you explain how a theater troupe from San Francisco would, decades after the fact, attempt a large-scale ecological experiment to prove humans could create sustainable habitats for life in outer space?
Rich with archival footage and first-hand accounts of people who were a part of this earthbound interstellar trial, Matt Wolf’s documentary shares many a tall tale that would be almost unbelievable were it not for the vintage footage.
Also Read: New Space Force Uniforms Mocked for Camo Design: 'Are They Fighting on the Forest Moon of Endor?'
Not to be confused with the Epcot attraction of the same name (although it does make a cheeky cameo), “Spaceship Earth” beams us from...
How else do you explain how a theater troupe from San Francisco would, decades after the fact, attempt a large-scale ecological experiment to prove humans could create sustainable habitats for life in outer space?
Rich with archival footage and first-hand accounts of people who were a part of this earthbound interstellar trial, Matt Wolf’s documentary shares many a tall tale that would be almost unbelievable were it not for the vintage footage.
Also Read: New Space Force Uniforms Mocked for Camo Design: 'Are They Fighting on the Forest Moon of Endor?'
Not to be confused with the Epcot attraction of the same name (although it does make a cheeky cameo), “Spaceship Earth” beams us from...
- 5/8/2020
- by Monica Castillo
- The Wrap
The earth is humanity’s greatest asset in its fight for survival, yet the universe has only equipped it with a finite set of natural resources that cannot be replenished. So the dire need to protect and save those supplies that are quickly depleting has become increasingly prevalent in recent history. The process of synergy has […]
The post Interview: Mark Nelson and Linda Leigh Talk Spaceship Earth (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Mark Nelson and Linda Leigh Talk Spaceship Earth (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/8/2020
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
It’s been a pretty good couple of months for streaming fans, and it seems like every platform is aiming to ensure viewers stuck inside have plenty to watch and enjoy until life resumes some sense of normalcy again. On that note, this weekend marks yet another few days of further content drops from all of your favorite streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime.
Up first, Netflix is releasing the second season of its hit show, Dead to Me, a dark comedy about loss, grief, and friendship with incredible performances from veteran TV actresses Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.
Hulu, meanwhile, is debuting the very first season of the new animated show, Solar Opposites, created by Rick and Morty masterminds Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan. If you’re a fan of Roiland’s foul-mouth, wacky brand of humor, it might be worth checking out for a weekend binge.
Up first, Netflix is releasing the second season of its hit show, Dead to Me, a dark comedy about loss, grief, and friendship with incredible performances from veteran TV actresses Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.
Hulu, meanwhile, is debuting the very first season of the new animated show, Solar Opposites, created by Rick and Morty masterminds Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan. If you’re a fan of Roiland’s foul-mouth, wacky brand of humor, it might be worth checking out for a weekend binge.
- 5/8/2020
- by Billy Givens
- We Got This Covered
With movie theaters shutting down, many distributors have embraced “virtual cinema” releases and made their films available through theaters’ websites and split the profits with the venues. For “Spaceship Earth,” a new documentary about the famous 1991 “Biosphere-2” experiment, Neon is partnering with a wider range of business for the online release.
IndieWire is joining forces with the distributor to release the film, and donating our portion of the proceeds from every rental to support coronavirus relief efforts. Starting Friday, May 8, you can rent the film for $3.99 starting at this link.
Fifty percent of all proceeds will go to Team Rubicon, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that mobilizes military veterans to continue their service through recovery efforts associated with disasters and humanitarian crises.
Our partnership on the release of “Spaceship Earth” provides us with a unique opportunity to explore the infrastructure of the virtual cinema release and potentially share data with readers about viewer habits over time.
IndieWire is joining forces with the distributor to release the film, and donating our portion of the proceeds from every rental to support coronavirus relief efforts. Starting Friday, May 8, you can rent the film for $3.99 starting at this link.
Fifty percent of all proceeds will go to Team Rubicon, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that mobilizes military veterans to continue their service through recovery efforts associated with disasters and humanitarian crises.
Our partnership on the release of “Spaceship Earth” provides us with a unique opportunity to explore the infrastructure of the virtual cinema release and potentially share data with readers about viewer habits over time.
- 5/8/2020
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
Matching jumpsuits. Soaring white geodesic Fuller domes. Desert setting. Beaming smiles from people who appear not unfamiliar with things like Est seminars and primal scream therapy. Grainy film footage. The sense of embarking on a mission that is technically Earth-bound but holds within it the potential for cosmic transcendence. In other words, the story that lies at the core of Matt Wolf’s documentary “Spaceship Earth” bears more than a passing resemblance to the Dharma Initiative in “Lost.”
The movie tells the story of the ill-fated Biosphere 2 project.
Continue reading ‘Spaceship Earth’: Fascinating Doc About Troubled Biosphere 2 Project Isn’t What You Think [Review] at The Playlist.
The movie tells the story of the ill-fated Biosphere 2 project.
Continue reading ‘Spaceship Earth’: Fascinating Doc About Troubled Biosphere 2 Project Isn’t What You Think [Review] at The Playlist.
- 5/7/2020
- by Chris Barsanti
- The Playlist
Alamo Drafthouse has partnered with ScreenPlus and Vista Cinema to serve another helping of cinematic goodness with their own VOD platform Alamo On Demand. The new “video store” is curated by Drafthouse programmers, with studio partners that include Lionsgate, Magnolia Pictures, Neon, among others.
Launching today, Alamo On Demand will include a library of entertainment for rental or purchase that is suitable for the discerning Drafthouse audience.
“I’ll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and Executive Chairman. “Alamo Drafthouse had been promoting Portrait of a Lady on Fire to our guests for months. We love people to see films in the cinema first and foremost, but the reality is not everyone can always make the time for every movie they want to see. This platform allows us to give folks who missed Portrait of a Lady on Fire in...
Launching today, Alamo On Demand will include a library of entertainment for rental or purchase that is suitable for the discerning Drafthouse audience.
“I’ll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and Executive Chairman. “Alamo Drafthouse had been promoting Portrait of a Lady on Fire to our guests for months. We love people to see films in the cinema first and foremost, but the reality is not everyone can always make the time for every movie they want to see. This platform allows us to give folks who missed Portrait of a Lady on Fire in...
- 5/7/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Boutique cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse is getting into the VOD space, and has today announced the launch of a new VOD platform that allows users to rent or buy a wide selection of recent and classic films curated by the chain’s programmers. Some of the first available titles include the Best Picture-winning “Parasite,” the lauded “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” and the newly released “Spaceship Earth.”
Alamo On Demand is now live on the company’s website and will soon be available via iPhone and Android apps. The platform was created in partnership with ScreenPlus and Vista Cinema, a pair of companies that last month created a VOD program to help cinemas earn revenue during a time when theaters are closed.
“I’ll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and newly named executive chairman in a statement. “Alamo...
Alamo On Demand is now live on the company’s website and will soon be available via iPhone and Android apps. The platform was created in partnership with ScreenPlus and Vista Cinema, a pair of companies that last month created a VOD program to help cinemas earn revenue during a time when theaters are closed.
“I’ll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform,” said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and newly named executive chairman in a statement. “Alamo...
- 5/7/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
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