Most filmmakers dream of scoring a big studio deal, but not Gary Hustwit. The “Helvetica” director applies a “do it yourself” model to the release of his movies. “Rams,” his recent documentary about German industrial designer Dieter Rams, is Hustwit’s latest venture into self-distribution.
“I don’t want to be paying someone else’s overhead,” said Hustwit. “I can reach our core audience better than anyone else can, and I don’t have to share the profits. A lot of filmmakers have this illusion that if you sign with a distributor they’ll do all the work, and that’s just not the case.”
Instead, Hustwit serves as his own marketer and booker. He rents the theaters that play his films, and the filmmaker often shows up in person to do a Q&A following a showing.
In the case of “Rams,” Hustwit hosted some 40 events. Most of the engagements were sellouts.
“I don’t want to be paying someone else’s overhead,” said Hustwit. “I can reach our core audience better than anyone else can, and I don’t have to share the profits. A lot of filmmakers have this illusion that if you sign with a distributor they’ll do all the work, and that’s just not the case.”
Instead, Hustwit serves as his own marketer and booker. He rents the theaters that play his films, and the filmmaker often shows up in person to do a Q&A following a showing.
In the case of “Rams,” Hustwit hosted some 40 events. Most of the engagements were sellouts.
- 12/19/2018
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy has announced the new class of invited members for 2014 and, as is typical, many of which are among last year's nominees, which includes Barkhad Abdi, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Mads Mikkelsen, Lupita Nyong'o and June Squibb in the Actors branch not to mention curious additions such as Josh Hutcherson, Rob Riggle and Jason Statham, but, okay. The Directors branch adds Jay and Mark Duplass along with Jean-Marc Vallee, Denis Villeneuve and Thomas Vinterberg. I didn't do an immediate tally of male to female additions or other demographics, but at first glance it seems to be a wide spread batch of new additions on all fronts. The Academy is also clearly attempting to aggressively bump up the demographics as this is the second year in a row where they have added a large number of new members, well over the average of 133 new members from 2004 to 2012. As far as...
- 6/26/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 271 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.
Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2014.
“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”
The 2014 invitees are:
Actors
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”
Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”
Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”
Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,...
Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2014.
“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”
The 2014 invitees are:
Actors
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”
Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”
Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”
Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,...
- 6/26/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o of 12 Years a Slave were two of the 271 artists and industry leaders invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which determines nominations and winners at the annual Oscars. The entire list of Academy membership—which numbers about 6,000—isn’t public information so the annual invitation list is often the best indication of the artists involved in the prestigious awards process. It’s worth noting that invitations need to be accepted in order for artists to become members; some artists, like two-time Best Actor winner Sean Penn, have declined membership over the years.
- 6/26/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Pop quiz: What do Chris Rock, Claire Denis, Eddie Vedder and Josh Hutcherson all have in common? Answer: They could all be Oscar voters very soon. The annual Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences invitation list always makes for interesting reading, shedding light on just how large and far-reaching the group's membership is -- or could be, depending on who accepts their invitations. This year, 271 individuals have been asked to join AMPAS, meaning every one of them could contribute to next year's Academy Awards balloting -- and it's as diverse a list as they've ever assembled. Think the Academy consists entirely of fusty retired white dudes? Not if recent Best Original Song nominee Pharrell Williams takes them up on their offer. Think it's all just a Hollywood insiders' game? Not if French arthouse titans Chantal Akerman and Olivier Assayas join the party. It's a list that subverts expectation at every turn.
- 6/26/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Gary Hustwit, the director behind the design trilogy of "Helvetica," "Objectified" and "Urbanized," has figured out a way to take the over 100 hours of footage that weren't used in his films to the audience that he knows is super interested. He's in the last days of the Kickstarter campaign for his book project, "Helvetica/Objectified/Urbanized: The Complete Interviews." Indiewire spoke to Hustwit, who is currently in development on a new doc and a new narrative project, about the process of transforming his video interviews into print form, and here's what he said: So what provoked you to bring this unused interview content out of your archives? Anyone that's made a documentary can understand the shooting to edit ratio. On certain projects, it's high as 100:1, or even more than that. I have all of these conversations that I got to have with these designers over the past eight years.
- 10/14/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
1. Rebel Directors: The iTunes store lists 12 "Rebel, and Renegade Directors" as part of their "iTunes Essentials: Independent Films." The list, which features directors such as Alex Cox, Michel Gondry and Gus Van Sant, doesn't feature any women. But there are other issues with the list too -- commenters are pointing out that most of the directors on the list are "Hollywood approved," which doesn't exactly qualify them as rebels. See the list here. 2. History of the High Rise: Katerina Cizek's new interactive documentary "A Short History of the Highrise" has debuted on the website for the New York Times. The new film sucks you in immediately. "A Short History of the Highrise" works as an interactive and more focused companion piece to Gary Hustwit's "Urbanized," the "Helvetica" director's examination of urban design, but more directly, it's the masterpiece behind Cizek's larger "Highrise" project. Read Bryce Renniger's story on...
- 10/9/2013
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
As transmedia has come and gone as a buzz word and various other words have come to take its place (will we agree on "Interactive storytelling"?), two things remain certain: The National Film Board of Canada has devoted the most resources, time, and energy to ensuring this mode of storytelling evolves and excites, and the work of Katerina Cizek is absolutely unmissable. Today, her new interactive documentary "A Short History of the Highrise" has debuted on the website for the New York Times. The new film sucks you in immediately. "A Short History of the Highrise" works as an interactive and more focused companion piece to Gary Hustwit's "Urbanized," the "Helvetica" director's examination of urban design, but more directly, it's the masterpiece behind Cizek's larger "Highrise" project. Read More "Filmmakers You Should Know" articles now. If you're unfamiliar with Cizek's work, you may want to take a break and dig in now.
- 10/8/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
From mosh-pits to moon-men, and food to fonts, the New View documentary season showcases the unusual, the unlikely and the utterly obsessed
It's time for another treat courtesy of the Guardian Screening Room: a five-film season of cutting-edge documentaries that should contain something for everyone. All life is here: secrets of the master chefs, the inside scoop on classic monster movies; what life is like for learning-disabled punk rockers; the intricacies of lettering and typeface design; and the story behind a Russian orthodox nunnery. It all kicks off a week today, but now's the time to enter our competition to give away free viewings to 1000 people.
So, on 15 April, we begin launching our film season: one film a day for five days.
First out of the traps is El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, a film about the legendary Spanish restaurant, which closed in 2011. During its heydey it pioneered "molecular gastronomy...
It's time for another treat courtesy of the Guardian Screening Room: a five-film season of cutting-edge documentaries that should contain something for everyone. All life is here: secrets of the master chefs, the inside scoop on classic monster movies; what life is like for learning-disabled punk rockers; the intricacies of lettering and typeface design; and the story behind a Russian orthodox nunnery. It all kicks off a week today, but now's the time to enter our competition to give away free viewings to 1000 people.
So, on 15 April, we begin launching our film season: one film a day for five days.
First out of the traps is El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, a film about the legendary Spanish restaurant, which closed in 2011. During its heydey it pioneered "molecular gastronomy...
- 4/8/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
The Nerve Mixtape With El Ten Eleven The loop-happy instrumentalists gift us their boots-knockin' playlist. by Kristian Dunn You might know El Ten Eleven from their tunes' appearances in Gary Hustwit's design documentaries, like Helvetica or Urbanized, but their brand of catchy, loop-heavy instrumental rock has plenty to offer beyond soundtracking movies about fonts. Their fifth album, Transitions, was released last November, and the band is currently on tour. We caught up with the band's mastermind, Kristian Dunn, for his personal soundtrack for lovin'. 1. "Playground Love," Air This is a really great one to get things going between you and your partner. It's really emotionally moving, but sexy and hip-moving as well. There's also a bearable, non-anachronistic sax solo, which is rare these days (the '80s just killed that poor instrument's credibility). And those spine-tingling strings — yum! 2. "More Than This," [...]...
- 1/30/2013
- by Kristian Dunn
- Nerve
Ed Burns, whose debut film The Brothers McMullen premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival, was announced today as a jury member for next month’s Sundance in Park City, Utah. Burns joins documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, executive Tom Rothman and 16 others named to five juries that will award prizes at independent film’s most high-profile showcase.
Short Film Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Jan. 22, with feature film awards announced at a separate ceremony on Jan. 26. The festival runs this year from Jan. 17-27.
Click below for the entire Sundance jury list:
U.S. Documentary Jury
Liz Garbus is a prolific documentary filmmaker.
Short Film Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Jan. 22, with feature film awards announced at a separate ceremony on Jan. 26. The festival runs this year from Jan. 17-27.
Click below for the entire Sundance jury list:
U.S. Documentary Jury
Liz Garbus is a prolific documentary filmmaker.
- 12/19/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
The 3rd Annual Doc NYC festival has announced a full list of their Doc-a-Thon panelists and competition jury members. Its twenty Doc-a-Thon panels and masterclasses will spread over five days, with different themes each day ("Get the Money"; "Shoot Your Doc"; "Finish Your Doc"; "Protect Your Rights"; and "Reach Your Audience"). Filmmakers Liz Garbus ("Love, Marilyn"), Bart Layton ("The Imposter"), Alex Gibney ("Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God") and New York Magazine's David Edelstein will be among participants present at the events. The full lineup is below. Get The Money: Tap Into TV (Fri., Nov. 9) - David McKillop (A&E indieFilms), Sara Bernstein (HBO Documentary Films), Chris White (Pov), Vinnie Malhotra (CNN Films), Angela Tucker (moderator) Get The Money: Tap Into Crowds (Fri., Nov. 9) - Slava Rubin (Indiegogo), Gary Hustwit (Urbanized), Cheryl...
- 11/5/2012
- by Justin Krajeski
- Indiewire
The beginning of each month is an exciting time wherein Netflix dumps a large number of new titles onto their streaming service. Comb through those titles as well as others added in the past couple of weeks, and a few great titles bubble to the surface. Let’s take a look at a documentary about urban design, a drama about adolescent sexual identity, an existential Western from the vaults, and a few more movies worth streaming this week. The New and Noteworthy Ubranized (2011) Following his documentaries on typefaces (Helvetica) and industrial design (Objectified), director Gary Hustwit completes his Design Trilogy with Urbanized, a look at urban planning and the design challenges of cities. Featuring interviews with many of the world’ s leading planners and architects, Urbanized pours through an incredible amount of information relating to urban design methodologies and how they have changed through the centuries. The film is neatly presented by dividing its time between different...
- 7/10/2012
- by Brian Kelley
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
When the World's Fair, the World Cup or the Olympics come to town, neighborhoods are cleaned up and ostentatious architecture rises up as the world's eyes fall on the chosen city. Photographers Gary Hustwit and Jon Pack have just launched their new project, a photographic examination of what the Olympics leave behind when they leave a city. Just hours after launching the project on Kickstarter, the photogs have already raised $3,000 for what looks like an awesome book. Last year, Hustwit, who was doing crowdfunding before it was cool for his films "Helvetica" and "Objectified" launched his first Kickstarter campaign for his film "Urbanized," about urban design. The campaign ended up raising over $100,000. Watch the pair's Kickstarter video below, where they show off some of the work they've shot and talk about the project:...
- 5/30/2012
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
I dropped in on the Ifp Documentary Labs a couple of times, and one of the highlights for me was the “Web Tools for Documentary” workshop run by guest speaker Gary Hustwit, a filmmaker who used the web to great effect in the production and self-distribution of his “Design trilogy” of Helvetica, Objectified and Urbanized. Hustwit, who worked in publishing and distribution before he moved behind the camera, really knows this stuff inside out – and considers his engagement with the web an integral part of what he does now. “I think of all this stuff as filmmaking – it’s all part of the process,” Hustwit says. “I want to pay the rent and make the next film, [so I do] whatever I’ve got to do to make that happen.”
Below are 10 bits of indispensable advice from Hustwit’s workshop:
1. Connect with the audience early
With his most recent film, Urbanized, Hustwit launched...
Below are 10 bits of indispensable advice from Hustwit’s workshop:
1. Connect with the audience early
With his most recent film, Urbanized, Hustwit launched...
- 5/29/2012
- by Nick Dawson
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Artist Damien Hirst plans to build 500 eco-homes, Riba puts 250 years of housing on display and the notorious Heygate estate is transformed from urban film location into romcom residence
It's all been about housing this week, spearheaded by the surprise announcement of a new celebrity developer in the game: Damien Hirst. It turns out the zillionaire spot-merchant is planning to build 500 eco-homes on land he owns in glamorous Ilfracombe, Devon. It's early days – building won't start till next year – but his architect, Mike Rundell, spoke to locals about Hirst's plans this week, according to the North Devon Journal.
"He has a horror of building anonymous, lifeless buildings," Rundell told the meeting. "He wants these houses to be the kind of homes he would want to live in." Although seeing as Hirst bought Toddington Manor, a 300-room Gloucestershire mansion, a few years ago, that might be a bit of a stretch.
Rundell...
It's all been about housing this week, spearheaded by the surprise announcement of a new celebrity developer in the game: Damien Hirst. It turns out the zillionaire spot-merchant is planning to build 500 eco-homes on land he owns in glamorous Ilfracombe, Devon. It's early days – building won't start till next year – but his architect, Mike Rundell, spoke to locals about Hirst's plans this week, according to the North Devon Journal.
"He has a horror of building anonymous, lifeless buildings," Rundell told the meeting. "He wants these houses to be the kind of homes he would want to live in." Although seeing as Hirst bought Toddington Manor, a 300-room Gloucestershire mansion, a few years ago, that might be a bit of a stretch.
Rundell...
- 2/17/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
★★★★☆ We tend to identify our sense of a city with its architecture; Paris for its artful designs throwing back to the country's rich history and Manhattan, a city created like Lego blocks. Like so many other cities in the world, both have had architects take scalpels to their streets in an effort to create the most beautiful and habitable buildings within their imaginations. Serving either art or social function can often be difficult, as Gary Hustwit's Urbanized (2011) explores.
Read more »...
Read more »...
- 2/14/2012
- by CineVue
- CineVue
Going by the feverish buzz around city planning documentary Urbanized (the third of Gary Hustwit's recent series of films on modern design, after Helvetica and Objectified), you could be forgiven for expecting some kind of rapturous epiphany on how the world works. While the film is good - very good, in places - it's not quite as transcendent as some of the more enthusiastic pull quotes would have you believe. Much of this is simply down to the sheer scale of the subject the director decides to tackle; how cities work, why they work that way and what people are doing to change the status quo.There's simply too much material here, to be fair, too many possible angles for anyone bar a genius to adequately...
- 2/6/2012
- Screen Anarchy
After bringing us illuminating takes on graphic design and industrial design wit Helvetica and Objectified, director Gary Hustwit turns his eye toward larger things with Urbanized. In a way, this is the first in the series to feel “important”. By looking at the very real ways urban planning and design affect the lives of people of all stripes, Urbanized takes on greater meaning.
Where Urbanized finds most success is in the presentation of workable solutions. Sure, there is some education on just what urban planning involves, but it’s much more a film about philosophies and practical problem solving. For example, there’s an interview with the mayor of Bogota, who explains how the city reduced a good deal of its traffic congestion by restricting parking spaces in the city. Less parking, less driving. It’s a simple solution that then allowed the city to implement a wide range of...
Where Urbanized finds most success is in the presentation of workable solutions. Sure, there is some education on just what urban planning involves, but it’s much more a film about philosophies and practical problem solving. For example, there’s an interview with the mayor of Bogota, who explains how the city reduced a good deal of its traffic congestion by restricting parking spaces in the city. Less parking, less driving. It’s a simple solution that then allowed the city to implement a wide range of...
- 1/12/2012
- by Corey Atad
- SoundOnSight
Ove the past few years, documentarian Gary Hustwit has been putting out entries in his so-called Design Trilogy. Beginning Friday, January 13th, to highlight the release of the third entry in the trilogy, the Tiff Bell Lightbox will be presenting all three films with Gary Hurstwit in person.
Helvetica
The first entry in the Design Trilogy was 2007′s Helvetica. You wouldn’t think a documentary about a ubiquitous font would be interesting, but Helvetica proved to be one of the best documentaries of recent years. While the topic was typography—and one font in particular—the documentary was really an exploration of the prevalence of design and how it shapes our perception of the world around us. I don’t say this about documentaries very often, but Helvetica actually changed the way I see the world around me. I look at things differently and I’m much more aware of...
Helvetica
The first entry in the Design Trilogy was 2007′s Helvetica. You wouldn’t think a documentary about a ubiquitous font would be interesting, but Helvetica proved to be one of the best documentaries of recent years. While the topic was typography—and one font in particular—the documentary was really an exploration of the prevalence of design and how it shapes our perception of the world around us. I don’t say this about documentaries very often, but Helvetica actually changed the way I see the world around me. I look at things differently and I’m much more aware of...
- 1/12/2012
- by Corey Atad
- SoundOnSight
Documentaries have come a long way in the past twenty years, especially in the past decade. Ten years ago, I would have been at a loss for words had you asked me to name ten “great” documentaries released in a single year. Documentary film has developed into a popular and visible form of entertainment, while having a bigger effect on society, usually addressing important issues with the goal of informing the public and pushing for social change.
The shortlist of documentary nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced recently. As expected, many bloggers have commented on their disappointment with the number of misfires. I doubt that these same bloggers have seen the majority of the films listed, so it is a bit unfair that they presume these 15 titles aren’t worthy of consideration. With that said, I can say that two of the best films I’ve seen...
The shortlist of documentary nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced recently. As expected, many bloggers have commented on their disappointment with the number of misfires. I doubt that these same bloggers have seen the majority of the films listed, so it is a bit unfair that they presume these 15 titles aren’t worthy of consideration. With that said, I can say that two of the best films I’ve seen...
- 11/22/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Urbanized premiered in Toronto and now opens for a five-day run at the IFC Center in New York before rolling on to further cities in the coming weeks, but this past weekend saw it "playing to a packed house at the London School of Economics," and Justin McGuirk was there for the Guardian. "It is directed by Gary Hustwit, who made the cult hit Helvetica in 2007 (an unlikely film about a Swiss typeface) before taking on the much broader topic of industrial design in 2009's Objectified. With Urbanized, he zooms out even further to complete his trilogy, a cinematic story about design moving from the micro to the macro. With each leap in scale, Hustwit risks pointing his camera at a topic so big he ends up saying nothing at all. Yet Urbanized is a brave and timely movie that manages to strike almost exactly the right tone. For a...
- 10/28/2011
- MUBI
For those unacquainted with documentarian Gary Hustwit, his small body of work may seem like bland pills that are hard to swallow. To date he has made a movie about a font ("Helvetica"), our relationship with manufactured objects ("Objectified"), and now urban design ("Urbanized"). These aren't the most enticing subjects--they all have a vague stench of "homework" or "PBS"--but no one is more aware of these pre-judgements better than the filmmaker, who has managed to confound expectations and instead compose films that are enjoyable and, at times, very fascinating. He continues in this mode with "Urbanized," the final entry in…...
- 10/28/2011
- The Playlist
It’s not that fonts aren’t interesting. They are. To some people. It’s that director/producer Gary Hustwit managed to make them downright fascinating in his documentary Helvetica. He continued that visual lust with Objectified – which explored manufactured things in a way that made assembly lines seem riveting. Even the assembly lines where literal riveting was taking place. Now, his love of objects grows bigger and more complex with Urbanized, a documentary about the design of whole cities and the flow of human beings though them. The trailer displays the same playful-yet-poignant tone of his other projects, and his resume speaks for itself. There’s no doubt that this will be another interesting entry into filmic exploration of the things that we live with (and in and around and on). Check it out for yourself: Would you go see it?...
- 10/11/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Director Gary Hustwit is fast making a name for himself as a documentary filmmaker focused on the seemingly mundane. His first movie, 2007′s Helvetica, was entirely about the titular font. In 2009, he tackled industrial design in Objectified. Now he’s wrapping his design film trilogy with another documentary about something you see every day and never think twice about. This time it’s urban planning and design in Urbanized.
Urbanized premiered this year at Toronto, and we’ve got the trailer below.
Synopsis:
The final documentary in director Gary Hustwit’s design film trilogy (Helvetica and Objectified), Urbanized asks who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? How does the design of our cities affect our lives? Traveling to over 40 cities and exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, from massive infrastructure initiatives to temporary interventions, Urbanized frames a global discussion on the future of cities.
Urbanized premiered this year at Toronto, and we’ve got the trailer below.
Synopsis:
The final documentary in director Gary Hustwit’s design film trilogy (Helvetica and Objectified), Urbanized asks who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? How does the design of our cities affect our lives? Traveling to over 40 cities and exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, from massive infrastructure initiatives to temporary interventions, Urbanized frames a global discussion on the future of cities.
- 9/23/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Fans of director Gary Hustwit’s previous films Helvetica and Objectified will not be disappointed with the final instalment in his trilogy. A good number of us here at Sound On Sight had a chance to see the film at the Toronto International Film Festival where it premiered. Greg listed it as one of his three favourite films from the festival, saying, “This doc brings closure to Gary Hustwit’s design trilogy in breathtaking fashion. Moving from the methodic to the reductive, national to international, personal to impersonal- Hustwit provides a truly human face to the ever-demanding challenges of urban planning in today’s modern metropolises – a must-see”.
Meanwhile Dave Robson had this to say:
“I expect that fans of director Gary Hustwit’s previous films Helvetica and Objectified are already making plans to see his latest work. They won’t be disappointed. The audience at Friday’s screening certainly wasn’t.
Meanwhile Dave Robson had this to say:
“I expect that fans of director Gary Hustwit’s previous films Helvetica and Objectified are already making plans to see his latest work. They won’t be disappointed. The audience at Friday’s screening certainly wasn’t.
- 9/23/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Urban design is the language of the city. Thanks to a tip from The Playlist, the first official trailer for Gary Hustwit's new documentary Urbanized has been posted. This stylish and inspiring documentary from the director behind design docs Helvetica and Objectified examines ideas about cities and urban design with examples from around the world and interviews with architects, politicians, artists and city planners. This looks like another great film to follow-up Hustwit's past design documentaries. If anything, it'll be inspiring to see all the stunning cities from around the world they visit. I'm definitely planning to see this when I can. Watch the first official trailer for Gary Hustwit's Urbanized documentary, via YouTube: An independent documentary about the design of cities, looking at the issues and strategies behind urban design, featuring some of the world's foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders and thinkers. Urbanized is the third film...
- 9/22/2011
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Sometimes the most beautiful things are the ones we take for granted on a daily basis. One example of that is also the subject of Urbanized, the new documentary by Gary Hustwit: our cities. From the roads, to the trees, to the buildings and sidewalks, almost every square foot of every city in the world is carefully planned, yet we drive around not thinking about the intricate detail that was considered years and years ago to try and control congestion, pollution and a million other things. Hustwit's previous documentaries, Helvetica and Objectified [1], were also about seemingly mundane subjects but, once he was done with them, you couldn't look at typography or everyday objects the same way again. Urbanized will certainly do the same for your place of residence. Read a plot description and see the new trailer after the jump. Thanks to I Watch Stuff [2]for the heads up.
- 9/20/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
The Toronto International Film Festival ended yesterday and I have to say, it is the most exhausting film festival I have ever attended. Even compared to Fantasia, which runs nearly four weeks long, Tiff manages to suck all my energy. Perhaps the main reason why I find it so tiring is because screenings start as early as 9:00 Am and go until midnight, and somewhere in between you have to find time to write about the festival. This year’s Cadillac People Choice Award winner was a bit of a surprise, awarded to a film that no one I know saw, Nadine Labaki’s Where do We Go Now, a film Tiff describes as: “heartwarming tale of a group of women’s determination to protect their isolated, mine-encircled community from the pervasive and divisive outside forces that threaten to destroy it from within”. Our crew posted thier list of their...
- 9/19/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
The Toronto International Film Festival website.
Well The Toronto International Film Festival has finally ended tonight. After posting the festival award winners earlier this evening, the Sound On Sight staff – those who were present at the festival this year, decided to submit a list of their three favourite films. We should have some more reviews and articles posted in the next two days before we head out to Fantastic Fest, so keep coming back. In the meantime here are our lists. Enjoy!
Ricky D
1- Shame
Few filmmakers have probed so deeply into the soul-crushing depths of sexual addiction as bravely as McQueen does here. Shame is a remarkable snapshot of addiction and self-harm: daunting, powerful, disturbing, provocative, enthralling and visually arresting. It is also quite simply the best film of 2011.
2- Take Shelter
Anchored by Michael Shannon’s awards-worthy performance, Take Shelter is a brilliant paranoid thriller that taps into contemporary dread.
Well The Toronto International Film Festival has finally ended tonight. After posting the festival award winners earlier this evening, the Sound On Sight staff – those who were present at the festival this year, decided to submit a list of their three favourite films. We should have some more reviews and articles posted in the next two days before we head out to Fantastic Fest, so keep coming back. In the meantime here are our lists. Enjoy!
Ricky D
1- Shame
Few filmmakers have probed so deeply into the soul-crushing depths of sexual addiction as bravely as McQueen does here. Shame is a remarkable snapshot of addiction and self-harm: daunting, powerful, disturbing, provocative, enthralling and visually arresting. It is also quite simply the best film of 2011.
2- Take Shelter
Anchored by Michael Shannon’s awards-worthy performance, Take Shelter is a brilliant paranoid thriller that taps into contemporary dread.
- 9/19/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Well the Toronto International Film Festival has provided another incredible lineup again this year. Among the best of the fest is Steve McQueen’s Shame (so far the best of the year), Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive. Sadly I had to cut my trip short by three days, so I will be missing some key films, including Ben Wheatley’s Kill List, Bela Tarr’s Turin Horse and Bruce McDonald’s Hard Core Logo 2. We still have plenty of reviews to come in the next few days so make sure to check back for more coverage.
Luckily for me I dodged all the movies that received unanimous negative feedback. Perhaps the six films that have been panned the most by critics and audiences alike are, Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, Guy Maddin’s Keyhole, Madonna’s W.E., Joel Schumacher...
Luckily for me I dodged all the movies that received unanimous negative feedback. Perhaps the six films that have been panned the most by critics and audiences alike are, Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, Guy Maddin’s Keyhole, Madonna’s W.E., Joel Schumacher...
- 9/16/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Urbanized
Directed by Gary Hustwit
2011, USA/United Kingdom, 82 minutes
I expect that fans of director Gary Hustwit’s previous films Helvetica and Objectified are already making plans to see his latest work. They won’t be disappointed. The audience at Friday’s screening certainly wasn’t. Observing the sea of people armed with library books, copies of The New Yorker, and NPR on iPods, Hustwit remarked that the output of Toronto’s creative community had been brought to a halt. To everyone else, then: the object of this review is to convince you that Urbanized is a witty, informed, and essential examination of one of the world’s most vital issues.
This documentary is a heady (but not at all overwhelming) mix. Urban design experts—architects, developers, city planners, academics, urban activists, and more—discuss their part of the field over slick cinematography featuring the some of world’s most iconic cities.
Directed by Gary Hustwit
2011, USA/United Kingdom, 82 minutes
I expect that fans of director Gary Hustwit’s previous films Helvetica and Objectified are already making plans to see his latest work. They won’t be disappointed. The audience at Friday’s screening certainly wasn’t. Observing the sea of people armed with library books, copies of The New Yorker, and NPR on iPods, Hustwit remarked that the output of Toronto’s creative community had been brought to a halt. To everyone else, then: the object of this review is to convince you that Urbanized is a witty, informed, and essential examination of one of the world’s most vital issues.
This documentary is a heady (but not at all overwhelming) mix. Urban design experts—architects, developers, city planners, academics, urban activists, and more—discuss their part of the field over slick cinematography featuring the some of world’s most iconic cities.
- 9/14/2011
- by Dave Robson
- SoundOnSight
The best way for a film audience's eyes to light up is to produce vivid images on the screen. Gary Hustwit, director of documentaries like Helvetica and Objecitified now brings us Urbanized about urban planning around the world. It has an opening montage, despite being at least four shots long, that absolutely rivals or even betters the ones in Woody Allen's movies, because it depicts different and more rustic angles on certain landmarks. The Kremlin as seen on the background from a nearby bridge, the foreground populated by young people including one wearing an I ♥ NY shirt. A close-up of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, as silver and white as the rising moon. Unlike Allen, these visions are devoid of tourist-y romantic schmaltz.
The movie took me on a grand tour. It concentrates less on the touristy areas and more towards where the residents live and move around, these...
The movie took me on a grand tour. It concentrates less on the touristy areas and more towards where the residents live and move around, these...
- 9/10/2011
- by Paolo
- FilmExperience
With Urbanized, filmmaker Gary Hustwit brings his celebrated documentary trilogy to a close. Beginning in the world of typography by exploring a single font in Helvetica, the series gained weight by moving to the world of objects in Objectified and now telescopes miles overhead to examine contemporary urban design. We spoke to Hustwit about what’s changed and what’s stayed the same as he has produced — and distributed — these stylish and intellectually engaging films.
Filmmaker: Your previous two design oriented docs have wound up dealing with subjects other than the the explicit ones of their titles. For example, Helvetica deals in part with corporate messaging, and Objectified about commodity culture and the future role of the object. What areas of discussion does Urbanized lead the viewer into?
Hustwit: I’m always fascinated by how design affects our daily lives, and how a lot of people are oblivious to it.
Filmmaker: Your previous two design oriented docs have wound up dealing with subjects other than the the explicit ones of their titles. For example, Helvetica deals in part with corporate messaging, and Objectified about commodity culture and the future role of the object. What areas of discussion does Urbanized lead the viewer into?
Hustwit: I’m always fascinated by how design affects our daily lives, and how a lot of people are oblivious to it.
- 9/9/2011
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
There are a couple of reasons for revisiting the Toronto International Film Festival's lineup for its documentary program, Real to Reel. One of them is Aj Schnack's interview with Thom Powers, Tiff's Documentary and Mavericks Programmer, posted just hours after the Mavericks lineup was announced on Tuesday. Discussing the highlights of both programs, they touch on another reason: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is making all sorts of headlines. Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's third film chronicling the odyssey of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr, aka the West Memphis Three, through the labyrinth of the Us legal system, follows Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000). All three films deal with what Powers calls in his Programmer's Note "an 18-year-old murder case that has become an iconic example of a legal witch hunt." In 1993, when all three men were still teens,...
- 8/25/2011
- MUBI
News is rolling out of Toronto for this year's festival, with the Galas and the Special Presentations sections announced. As always with Tiff, the sheer number of films can seem overwhelming, but with new films by David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method, pictured above), Terence Davies (!), Francis Ford Coppola, Wang Xiaoshuai, Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud, and William Friedkin added to big names that premiered already this year (including Almodóvar, Von Trier, Nanni Moretti, and Nicolas Winding Refn) it looks like the 2011 iteration will be as packed with must-see cinema as ever before. We'll be updating this listing as new lineups are announced. See Tiff's official website for details.
Galas
Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia, Ireland) Butter (Jim Field Smith, USA) A Dangerous Method (David Cronenberg, France/Ireland/UK/Germany/Canada) From the Sky Down (Davis Guggenheim, USA) A Happy Event (Rémi Bezançon, France) The Ides of March (George Clooney, USA) The Lady (Luc Besson,...
Galas
Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia, Ireland) Butter (Jim Field Smith, USA) A Dangerous Method (David Cronenberg, France/Ireland/UK/Germany/Canada) From the Sky Down (Davis Guggenheim, USA) A Happy Event (Rémi Bezançon, France) The Ides of March (George Clooney, USA) The Lady (Luc Besson,...
- 8/9/2011
- MUBI
The Toronto International Film Festival has released the complete line-up of their impressive documentary slate which include new works from directors such as Morgan Spurlock, Werner Herzog and Alex Gibney. Herzog explores a triple homicide case in Texas in Into the Abyss; Morgan Spurlock follows fans to San Diego’s Comic-Con in Comic-Con: Episode IV – A Fan’s Hope; Jessica Yu delivers a wake-up call about the world’s water supply in Last Call at the Oasis; and Nick Broomfield visits Wasilla, Alaska in his search for the ‘real’ Sarah Palin in Sarah Palin – You Betcha! Here is the complete line-up. Enjoy
Masters
Pina Wim Wenders, Germany/France
Canadian Premiere
German master filmmaker Wim Wenders shoots in 3D to capture the brilliantly inventive dance world of Pina Bausch and her company, Tanztheater Wuppertal. Excerpts from many of her most famous pieces are shot outside in the streets and parks of...
Masters
Pina Wim Wenders, Germany/France
Canadian Premiere
German master filmmaker Wim Wenders shoots in 3D to capture the brilliantly inventive dance world of Pina Bausch and her company, Tanztheater Wuppertal. Excerpts from many of her most famous pieces are shot outside in the streets and parks of...
- 8/3/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
A week after the announcement of the first, and largest, wave of films added to this year’s Toronto International Film Festival slate, the festival is now finally rounding out its list, with some of the most interesting additions yet.
Criterion Collection fans will again see a few of their more beloved filmmakers involved here, as Wim Wenders will be bowing his latest film, Pina, during the festival, as will Werner Herzog (not truly a Criterion Collection approved filmmaker, but we’ll count it). Herzog will be bringing his new documentary, Into The Abyss, which looks at those behind at triple homicide, including one man who is on death row and will be put to death just days after speaking with the filmmaker.
Other additions include Ron Fricke’s Baraka follow up, Samsara, Nick Broomfield’s surely controversial documentary Sarah Palin – You Betcha!, and documentaries from Alex Gibney and Morgan Spurlock.
Criterion Collection fans will again see a few of their more beloved filmmakers involved here, as Wim Wenders will be bowing his latest film, Pina, during the festival, as will Werner Herzog (not truly a Criterion Collection approved filmmaker, but we’ll count it). Herzog will be bringing his new documentary, Into The Abyss, which looks at those behind at triple homicide, including one man who is on death row and will be put to death just days after speaking with the filmmaker.
Other additions include Ron Fricke’s Baraka follow up, Samsara, Nick Broomfield’s surely controversial documentary Sarah Palin – You Betcha!, and documentaries from Alex Gibney and Morgan Spurlock.
- 8/3/2011
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Shannyn Sossamon, Dominic Monaghan and Cory Hardrict in The Day
Photo: Content Media The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival announced 56 more movies added to its festival line-up this year with selections in the Vanguard, Midnight Madness, Documentaries, City to City and Tiff Kids programs. And to be honest, the line-up is filled with titles, most of which are absolutely new to me.
I have seen one of the films under the Vanguard banner, a selection of young and cutting edge features and I've heard of Joachim Trier's Oslo, August 31, Ben Wheatley's Kill List (watch the trailer to the right) was a hit at South by Southwest earlier this year and the documentary selections include familiar names such as Werner Herzog, Morgan Spurlock, Jonathan Demme, Alex Gibney and Wim Wenders, the latter of which is delivering a 3D documentary centered on the dance world of Pina Bausch and her company.
Photo: Content Media The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival announced 56 more movies added to its festival line-up this year with selections in the Vanguard, Midnight Madness, Documentaries, City to City and Tiff Kids programs. And to be honest, the line-up is filled with titles, most of which are absolutely new to me.
I have seen one of the films under the Vanguard banner, a selection of young and cutting edge features and I've heard of Joachim Trier's Oslo, August 31, Ben Wheatley's Kill List (watch the trailer to the right) was a hit at South by Southwest earlier this year and the documentary selections include familiar names such as Werner Herzog, Morgan Spurlock, Jonathan Demme, Alex Gibney and Wim Wenders, the latter of which is delivering a 3D documentary centered on the dance world of Pina Bausch and her company.
- 8/3/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
We had an smidgen of an idea that the Real to Reel section might be especially strong this year, but with the likes of Frederick Wiseman, Rithy Panh, Jonathan Demme, Werner Herzog, Jessica Yu, Alex Gibney, Joe Berlinger, Ron Fricke, Nick Broomfield and Michael Glawogger, we're now beginning to think that Thom Powers' section has not only outclassed Toronto's sister event Hot Docs, but just about any other doc-related film festival. Among the noteworthy World Premieres announced, we look forward to Gary Hustwit (Helvetica, Objectified) Urbanized, Andrey Paounov's The Boy Who Was King, Werner Herzog's Into the Abyss and the mind-numbing miscarriage of justice that has produced a trilogy of films from Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory). Chronos and Baraka helmer Ron Fricke brings us what will be a visual feast in Samsara, and certainly good for a couple of laughs we have Jessica Yu's...
- 8/3/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
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