Not since the late Leonard Bernstein has a conductor captured the imagination of the American public quite like Gustavo Dudamel.
The Venezuelan-born phenom with the flashing baton and flying curls has been featured on 60 Minutes, profiled in The New Yorker, inspired a TV series (Mozart in the Jungle), and even been animated on The Simpsons (the surest sign of broad cultural penetration). The music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and music director of the Paris Opera is the subject of a new documentary, ¡Viva Maestro!, opening today in New York (Film Forum) and L.A. (The Landmark Westside Pavilion).
“This is a very, very rare cat — very, very special musician,” declares director Ted Braun. “It’s the quality of his music-making and that emotional vitality and transparency that he brings. It’s just a magnet for musicians all over the world, from every walk of life and...
The Venezuelan-born phenom with the flashing baton and flying curls has been featured on 60 Minutes, profiled in The New Yorker, inspired a TV series (Mozart in the Jungle), and even been animated on The Simpsons (the surest sign of broad cultural penetration). The music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and music director of the Paris Opera is the subject of a new documentary, ¡Viva Maestro!, opening today in New York (Film Forum) and L.A. (The Landmark Westside Pavilion).
“This is a very, very rare cat — very, very special musician,” declares director Ted Braun. “It’s the quality of his music-making and that emotional vitality and transparency that he brings. It’s just a magnet for musicians all over the world, from every walk of life and...
- 4/8/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The U.S. may be the biggest recorded music market on the planet — it generates 37 percent of the globe’s trade revenues, according to 2020 data from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry — but its music business is curiously un-American.
Whether due to historical precedent or recent deals, most of the country’s biggest rights-holding entities are currently owned by players that do not ground themselves on U.S. soil. For instance, Sony Music Group is wholly owned, via Sony Corporation of America, by Sony Group Corp in Tokyo; BMG...
Whether due to historical precedent or recent deals, most of the country’s biggest rights-holding entities are currently owned by players that do not ground themselves on U.S. soil. For instance, Sony Music Group is wholly owned, via Sony Corporation of America, by Sony Group Corp in Tokyo; BMG...
- 6/24/2021
- by Tim Ingham
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: HBO and HBO Max are eyeing more stories of larger-than-life rock stars and social issues with a first-look deal with Gunpowder & Sky.
The two-year agreement will see the WarnerMedia cable network and streamer have first look at Gunpowder & Sky’s library of documentaries and docuseries.
The studio is behind projects such as music docs 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, which told the story of controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Everybody’s Everything, a film about the life of Soundcloud rapper Lil Peep, otherwise known as Gustav Elijah Åhr.
It is also the company responsible for Werner Herzog’s Last Exit: Space, political doc Kid Candidate, Bill Ackman’s crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history in Betting on Zero and Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop.
It was founded by former MTV chief Van Toffler, together with Floris Bauer...
The two-year agreement will see the WarnerMedia cable network and streamer have first look at Gunpowder & Sky’s library of documentaries and docuseries.
The studio is behind projects such as music docs 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, which told the story of controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Everybody’s Everything, a film about the life of Soundcloud rapper Lil Peep, otherwise known as Gustav Elijah Åhr.
It is also the company responsible for Werner Herzog’s Last Exit: Space, political doc Kid Candidate, Bill Ackman’s crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history in Betting on Zero and Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop.
It was founded by former MTV chief Van Toffler, together with Floris Bauer...
- 3/24/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
With a new year nearly upon us, it's already time to start looking forward to the fourth annual Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. Submissions have now opened for next year's festival, which will run October 17th–24th and will feature a new partnership with Gunpowder & Sky's short film and series platform Alter.
Press Release: Following the festival’s biggest year yet, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will return October 17-24, 2019, for its fourth edition. Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway and Withoutabox for short and feature films, and badges are on sale via the official website, making for the perfect stocking stuffer!
Bhff will once again grow in 2019 with the addition of Cobble Hill Cinemas as one of our primary screening locations. The festival will continue our engagements with Nitehawk Cinema, Made in NY Media Center at Ifp, and various locations throughout Brooklyn, confidently bringing together the dynamic cinephile culture that sets the borough apart.
Press Release: Following the festival’s biggest year yet, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will return October 17-24, 2019, for its fourth edition. Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway and Withoutabox for short and feature films, and badges are on sale via the official website, making for the perfect stocking stuffer!
Bhff will once again grow in 2019 with the addition of Cobble Hill Cinemas as one of our primary screening locations. The festival will continue our engagements with Nitehawk Cinema, Made in NY Media Center at Ifp, and various locations throughout Brooklyn, confidently bringing together the dynamic cinephile culture that sets the borough apart.
- 12/13/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Teacher story “Ms. Bixby’s Last Day” is in development as a feature film with Gunpowder & Sky and Walden Media.
Gunpowder & Sky announced Thursday that it has acquired the rights to the novel “Ms. Bixby’s Last Day,” written by John David Anderson. The adapted script has been penned by the writing team of Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark.
“I don’t have a sentimental bone in my body, yet we all remember teachers — who have had an impact on us. Ms. Bixby is an homage to those teachers who make our family, school and life feel okay,” said Van Toffler, CEO of Gunpowder & Sky. “Walden Media has a long tradition of producing great adaptations of children’s books such as ‘Wonder’ and ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,’ so we knew they were the perfect partner for this story.”
The story centers on a trio of students...
Gunpowder & Sky announced Thursday that it has acquired the rights to the novel “Ms. Bixby’s Last Day,” written by John David Anderson. The adapted script has been penned by the writing team of Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark.
“I don’t have a sentimental bone in my body, yet we all remember teachers — who have had an impact on us. Ms. Bixby is an homage to those teachers who make our family, school and life feel okay,” said Van Toffler, CEO of Gunpowder & Sky. “Walden Media has a long tradition of producing great adaptations of children’s books such as ‘Wonder’ and ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,’ so we knew they were the perfect partner for this story.”
The story centers on a trio of students...
- 11/29/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Up and coming award-winning filmmaker Silas Howard has been tapped to direct Moonshadow, the forthcoming LGTBQ horror about gay conversion therapy. Gunpowder & Sky and Justin Lin’s digital production company Yomyomf have partnered for the film along with Ki Jin Kim and Giulia Caruso’s Nonetheless Productions.
Howard is known as a co-executive producer and director on Ryan Murphy’s groundbreaking FX series Pose as well as being the first trans director for Transparent. He also directed the drama A Kid Like Jake starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Octavia Spencer, Priyanka Chopra, and Transparent actress Amy Landecker. The film debuted earlier this year at Sundance and was distributed by IFC Films in June.
Moonshadow is written by Ernesto Foronda (Better Luck Tomorrow) and Daniel Foerste. The film was inspired by Foerste’s own experience with Lgbtq conversion therapy and chronicles a transgender teen who is sent to a science-based...
Howard is known as a co-executive producer and director on Ryan Murphy’s groundbreaking FX series Pose as well as being the first trans director for Transparent. He also directed the drama A Kid Like Jake starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Octavia Spencer, Priyanka Chopra, and Transparent actress Amy Landecker. The film debuted earlier this year at Sundance and was distributed by IFC Films in June.
Moonshadow is written by Ernesto Foronda (Better Luck Tomorrow) and Daniel Foerste. The film was inspired by Foerste’s own experience with Lgbtq conversion therapy and chronicles a transgender teen who is sent to a science-based...
- 11/12/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the biggest surprises on Oscar nominations morning on January 23 was the absence of “Jane” from Best Documentary Feature. The film recounts the life and career of famed primatologist Jane Goodall, and going into the announcement it had actually been our front-runner to win the award based on the combined predictions of thousands of awards watchers at Gold Derby. Despite that omission, however, its script by Brett Morgen is the overwhelming favorite to win Best Documentary Screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards on February 11. It has leading odds of 1/10. But Morgen will have to watch out for one of the WGA’s favorite documentarians, Alex Gibney (“No Stone Unturned”).
As of this writing more than 1,200 users have made their WGA Awards predictions. That includes nine Expert journalists we’ve polled from top media outlets, who are unanimous that “Jane” will win: Thelma Adams (Gold Derby), Erik Davis (Fandango), Edward Douglas,...
As of this writing more than 1,200 users have made their WGA Awards predictions. That includes nine Expert journalists we’ve polled from top media outlets, who are unanimous that “Jane” will win: Thelma Adams (Gold Derby), Erik Davis (Fandango), Edward Douglas,...
- 2/7/2018
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” and Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber’s “The Disaster Artist” are among the screenplays nominated for the Writers Guild Awards, the WGA, West and WGA, East announced on Thursday. In the original screenplay category, “Lady Bird” and “Get Out” will compete with “The Big Sick,” “I, Tonya” and “The Shape of Water.” In the adapted category, “The Disaster Artist” will face off against “Call Me by Your Name,” “Logan,” “Molly’s Game” and “Mudbound.” Documentary nominees are “Betting on Zero,” “Jane,” “No Stone Unturned” and “Oklahoma City.” Also Read: 'Darkest Hour,...
- 1/4/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
iTunes has released its list of the best-selling independent, documentary, and foreign films of 2017, most of which are unsurprising. “Manchester by the Sea,” “Moonlight,” and “The Big Sick” were watched the most overall, whereas subtitle-inclined users were fans of “Kedi,” “Raw,” and “The Salesman.”
Most of the surprises come on the nonfiction front: “Unacknowledged: An Exposé of the World’s Greatest Secret” takes the top spot, followed by “Fittest on Earth: A Decade of Fitness.” All of them will be featured in a new room called Top Discoveries. Find the full list below.
Read More:‘The Big Sick’ Star Kumail Nanjiani’s New Reason to See ‘Last Jedi’ is a Sweet Story About Director Rian Johnson
Top-Selling Indies
“Manchester by the Sea” “Moonlight” “The Big Sick” “Lion” “Gifted” “Wind River” “Jackie” “The Lost City of Z” “Nocturnal Animals” “The Zookeeper’s Wife”
Top-Selling Documentaries in 2017
“Unacknowledged: An Exposé of the...
Most of the surprises come on the nonfiction front: “Unacknowledged: An Exposé of the World’s Greatest Secret” takes the top spot, followed by “Fittest on Earth: A Decade of Fitness.” All of them will be featured in a new room called Top Discoveries. Find the full list below.
Read More:‘The Big Sick’ Star Kumail Nanjiani’s New Reason to See ‘Last Jedi’ is a Sweet Story About Director Rian Johnson
Top-Selling Indies
“Manchester by the Sea” “Moonlight” “The Big Sick” “Lion” “Gifted” “Wind River” “Jackie” “The Lost City of Z” “Nocturnal Animals” “The Zookeeper’s Wife”
Top-Selling Documentaries in 2017
“Unacknowledged: An Exposé of the...
- 12/13/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
*Updated with the official press release.* We've been excited for Daily Dead readers to watch MacIntyre's Tragedy Girls since our own Heather Wixson saw it at the SXSW Film Festival, saying that it "brilliantly turns the slasher genre on its head" in her five-star review. Thankfully, it looks like horror fans won't have to wait much longer to see it.
Press Release: Los Angeles – July 31, 2017 -- Gunpowder & Sky, the global content studio, today announced the acquisition of the teen-slasher-comedy, Tragedy Girls. The film follows two death-obsessed teens played by Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse) and Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool) who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small midwestern town into frenzy and cement their legacy as modern horror legends. The acquisition comes just as the film made its Canadian debut at the Fantasia Film Festival.
Tragedy Girls was directed by Tyler MacIntyre, who also co-wrote the script with Chris Lee Hill.
Press Release: Los Angeles – July 31, 2017 -- Gunpowder & Sky, the global content studio, today announced the acquisition of the teen-slasher-comedy, Tragedy Girls. The film follows two death-obsessed teens played by Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse) and Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool) who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small midwestern town into frenzy and cement their legacy as modern horror legends. The acquisition comes just as the film made its Canadian debut at the Fantasia Film Festival.
Tragedy Girls was directed by Tyler MacIntyre, who also co-wrote the script with Chris Lee Hill.
- 7/31/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
‘Betting on Zero’ is a truly profound documentary that emotionally explores the political and social convictions that people courageously hold, but are unable to share, due to their limited financial resources. The film, which was directed by acclaimed documentarian, Ted Braun, enthrallingly showcases how money plays a central role in influencing many components of people’s […]
The post Interview: Ted Braun Talks Betting on Zero (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Ted Braun Talks Betting on Zero (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/7/2017
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
It’s a safe bet that there’ll be a Hollywood dramatization of Ted Braun’s documentary about the machinations of financial titans revolving around Herbalife, the nutrition supplement company that’s been widely condemned as a massive pyramid scheme. Filled with colorful characters easily rivaling those in The Big Short or Showtime’s Billions, Betting on Zero is a well-done if not stylistically distinctive nonfiction effort that nonetheless proves fascinating due to its subject matter.
The film’s ostensible if unlikely hero is Bill Ackman, the CEO of the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management. In 2012 he took a $1 billion dollar short on...
The film’s ostensible if unlikely hero is Bill Ackman, the CEO of the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management. In 2012 he took a $1 billion dollar short on...
- 3/22/2017
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Welcome back to the Weekend Warrior, your weekly look at the new movies hitting theaters this weekend, as well as other cool events and things to check out. And if you're into box office and how movies might do, come play some of the box office games at EZ1 Productions including their new Pick 5 game!
This Past Weekend:
As expected, Legendary Pictures’ Kong: Skull Island won the weekend, and honestly, the Weekend Warrior’s original prediction of $61.6 million was pretty darn close to the movie’s opening weekend which ended up at $61 million. (Unfortunately, I chickened out on Thursday because my prediction was so much higher than all others and lowered it to $58 million, which was Still closer to than every other prediction last weekend.) Also, as expected (at least by me), Hugh Jackman’s Logan took a 2nd weekend tumble as has been the case with most X-Men movies,...
This Past Weekend:
As expected, Legendary Pictures’ Kong: Skull Island won the weekend, and honestly, the Weekend Warrior’s original prediction of $61.6 million was pretty darn close to the movie’s opening weekend which ended up at $61 million. (Unfortunately, I chickened out on Thursday because my prediction was so much higher than all others and lowered it to $58 million, which was Still closer to than every other prediction last weekend.) Also, as expected (at least by me), Hugh Jackman’s Logan took a 2nd weekend tumble as has been the case with most X-Men movies,...
- 3/15/2017
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
“Betting on Zero” is not here to make you a believer. In fact, if there’s anything that Ted Braun’s examination of the meteoric, global rise of Herbalife shows, it’s that belief in other individuals is a dangerous task, whether that person is promising financial windfall, long-term stability or thorough justice. It may not be entirely inspiring, but “Betting on Zero” captures the everyone-for-themselves desperation that would make any wronged individual furious, be they jilted employee or frustrated stockholder.
Ever since the prevalence of Amway, multi-level marketing (Mlm) firms have long been the subject of alternating popularity and concern. Companies that base their economic model on recruitment, rather than the maintenance and consumption of inventory, leave in their wake a bevy of unsatisfied former employees, some of whom are highlighted in the “Betting on Zero” clips used in a popular segment last fall on “Last Week Tonight.”
Read...
Ever since the prevalence of Amway, multi-level marketing (Mlm) firms have long been the subject of alternating popularity and concern. Companies that base their economic model on recruitment, rather than the maintenance and consumption of inventory, leave in their wake a bevy of unsatisfied former employees, some of whom are highlighted in the “Betting on Zero” clips used in a popular segment last fall on “Last Week Tonight.”
Read...
- 3/9/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
“The Other Half” is a film built on withholding. Whether it’s writer/director Joey Klein’s general approach to dispensing key character details or the information that two lovers choose to keep hidden from each other, there’s a pervasive kind of obfuscation that can be at turns refreshing and frustrating. It’s a series of preludes and aftermaths, following an arc of persistent loss and newfound love. But when Klein trusts his actors and leans on the strength of the genuine moments they’re able to create together, the story of Emily (Tatiana Maslany) and Nickie (Tom Cullen) moves beyond the usual constraints of characters with similar pasts.
True to form with the rest of the film’s strongest elements, Nickie and Emily’s relationship has a simple beginning. After making eyes at each other across the room at the café where Nickie works, the two strike up a relationship.
True to form with the rest of the film’s strongest elements, Nickie and Emily’s relationship has a simple beginning. After making eyes at each other across the room at the café where Nickie works, the two strike up a relationship.
- 3/9/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
A limp and lifeless historical melodrama that aspires to be the “Pearl Harbor” of the preamble to World War I and still falls well short of that ignoble goal, Joseph Ruben’s “The Ottoman Lieutenant” tries to snatch a love triangle from out beneath the Armenian Genocide but fails to get any of the angles right. Beginning in a Philadelphia hospital circa 1914 (Prague plays the city well), the film is tawdry from the very top, taking the same reckless approach to clichés that pre-war doctors took to general hygiene.
You can hear the trouble before you can see it, our wide-eyed heroine introducing herself via such startlingly trite voiceover that she’s a lost cause by the time she first appears on screen. “I thought I was going to change the world,” she says, “but of course it was the world that changed me.” Get comfortable, it’s going to be a bumpy night.
You can hear the trouble before you can see it, our wide-eyed heroine introducing herself via such startlingly trite voiceover that she’s a lost cause by the time she first appears on screen. “I thought I was going to change the world,” she says, “but of course it was the world that changed me.” Get comfortable, it’s going to be a bumpy night.
- 3/9/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
From “Darfur Now” writer/director Ted Braun comes docu-thriller “Betting on Zero” following hedge fund titan Bill Ackman as he puts $1 billion on the line in his crusade to expose Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history. Herbalife claims Ackman is simply a market manipulator out to make a fortune from short-selling their stock, but Ackman insists Herbalife deliberately targets low-income and immigrant communities and robs them of their life savings. Distributed by Gunpowder and Sky, the film will hit theaters in major and regional markets on March 17 following National Consumer Protection Week. Also Read: Richard Schickel, Veteran Film Critic.
- 3/1/2017
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week […]
The post This Week In Trailers: Mean Dreams, Betting on Zero, Jawbone, Return to Return to Nuke ‘Em High Aka Vol. 2 appeared first on /Film.
The post This Week In Trailers: Mean Dreams, Betting on Zero, Jawbone, Return to Return to Nuke ‘Em High Aka Vol. 2 appeared first on /Film.
- 2/18/2017
- by Christopher Stipp
- Slash Film
Having worked together in big productions such as “Suicide Squad” and the “Hannibal” TV series, design and FX veterans Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie are ready for their writing/directing duo debut with “The Void.”
Read More: Michiel Huisman Finds All’s Fair in Love and World War I in ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’— Trailer
“[We’re] committed to introducing audiences to a unique horror-mythology,”Kostanski and Gillespie told Empire Online. According to the duo, this film “combines the aesthetic attitude of modern horror cinema as it emerged in the 1970s with the splatter and sophisticated practical special effects that ruled the creature features of the 1980s and early ’90s.”
The indie horror film follows the story of officer Daniel Carter, who, in the middle of a routine patrol finds a young man soaked in blood limping down a deserted road. When he rushes the man to the hospital, he discovers that some...
Read More: Michiel Huisman Finds All’s Fair in Love and World War I in ‘The Ottoman Lieutenant’— Trailer
“[We’re] committed to introducing audiences to a unique horror-mythology,”Kostanski and Gillespie told Empire Online. According to the duo, this film “combines the aesthetic attitude of modern horror cinema as it emerged in the 1970s with the splatter and sophisticated practical special effects that ruled the creature features of the 1980s and early ’90s.”
The indie horror film follows the story of officer Daniel Carter, who, in the middle of a routine patrol finds a young man soaked in blood limping down a deserted road. When he rushes the man to the hospital, he discovers that some...
- 2/15/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Tax Day looms large over every American’s head, but brothers Jacob and Josh Kornbluth have manifested a nightmarish visit from the taxman in their new romantic comedy, “Love & Taxes.”
The film follows the story of Josh, a part-time autobiographical monologist who has not filed his taxes in seven years; this is despite the fact that his day job is working for a high-profile tax attorney. When his boss convinces him to “join the system” and file his taxes, things start going extremely well for Josh. His stage career starts to take off and he even finds a girlfriend. But then, things take a turn for the worse.
Read More: Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ Sweded Trailer
Written by Josh and directed by Jacob, “Love & Taxes” is a film adaptation of the 2003 stage production from Josh Kornbluth and David Dower.
“We made the film in bits and pieces over eight years.
The film follows the story of Josh, a part-time autobiographical monologist who has not filed his taxes in seven years; this is despite the fact that his day job is working for a high-profile tax attorney. When his boss convinces him to “join the system” and file his taxes, things start going extremely well for Josh. His stage career starts to take off and he even finds a girlfriend. But then, things take a turn for the worse.
Read More: Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ Sweded Trailer
Written by Josh and directed by Jacob, “Love & Taxes” is a film adaptation of the 2003 stage production from Josh Kornbluth and David Dower.
“We made the film in bits and pieces over eight years.
- 2/15/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Sweding aficionados Brian Harley and Roque Rodriguez have created a shot-for-shot, low-budget homemade remake of the teaser trailer for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which hits theaters on May 5. Watch the clip below.
Read More: Chris Pratt and the Alien Misfits Face Their Biggest Battle Yet in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ – Trailer
For those who are not familiar with the term, sweding is the faithful, shortened remake of a film or trailer, which is usually done by fans who have lots of creativity and a very low budget. In sweded versions of films and trailers, most of the props are made out of cardboard, for example.
The term originates from the 2008 comedy “Be Kind Rewind,” starring Jack Black and Mos Def. They play two incompetent video-store clerks who mistakenly erase the footage from all of the tapes in the shop and then scramble to recreate all the...
Read More: Chris Pratt and the Alien Misfits Face Their Biggest Battle Yet in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ – Trailer
For those who are not familiar with the term, sweding is the faithful, shortened remake of a film or trailer, which is usually done by fans who have lots of creativity and a very low budget. In sweded versions of films and trailers, most of the props are made out of cardboard, for example.
The term originates from the 2008 comedy “Be Kind Rewind,” starring Jack Black and Mos Def. They play two incompetent video-store clerks who mistakenly erase the footage from all of the tapes in the shop and then scramble to recreate all the...
- 2/15/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
“Betting On Zero,” the documentary that has D.C. lobbyists buying tickets to keep people from seeing it just released its thrilling new trailer.
Writer/director Ted Braun (“Darfur Now”) tells the story of controversial hedge fund titan Bill Ackman, an activist investor on a crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history. Meanwhile, Herbalife executives claim Ackman is a market manipulator out to bankrupt them and make a killing off his billion dollar short.
The trailer plays like a bona fide corporate takedown thriller, pitting Ackman against Herbalife CEO Michael O. Johnson and investor Carl Icahn. It also features interviews with countless people who have lost their life savings. “They took my dreams, my hope to be successful,” says one man interviewed in the film. One woman wipes tears from her eyes before the trailer cuts to Johnson telling a large, smiling crowd: “You,...
Writer/director Ted Braun (“Darfur Now”) tells the story of controversial hedge fund titan Bill Ackman, an activist investor on a crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history. Meanwhile, Herbalife executives claim Ackman is a market manipulator out to bankrupt them and make a killing off his billion dollar short.
The trailer plays like a bona fide corporate takedown thriller, pitting Ackman against Herbalife CEO Michael O. Johnson and investor Carl Icahn. It also features interviews with countless people who have lost their life savings. “They took my dreams, my hope to be successful,” says one man interviewed in the film. One woman wipes tears from her eyes before the trailer cuts to Johnson telling a large, smiling crowd: “You,...
- 2/15/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for its upcoming romantic drama “Everything, Everything.” Directed by Stella Meghie, the film stars “The Hunger Games” actress Amandla Stenberg in the leading role. Watch the emotional trailer below.
Read More: A Teen Hides a Horrifying Secret in ‘Butterfly Kisses’ – Exclusive Trailer
Based on Nicola Yoon’s 2015 novel of the same name, “Everything, Everything” tells the story of Madeline Whittier (Stenberg), an 18-year-old who, due to an immunodeficiency disease, has been isolated from the outside world for almost her entire life. When a new boy named Olly (played by “Jurassic Park” actor Nick Robinson) moves right next door, they fall in love with each other and take on the obstacles that threaten their romance.
Since she is not allowed to leave her house or receive any visitors, the two can only see each other by gazing through their windows. They form a bond...
Read More: A Teen Hides a Horrifying Secret in ‘Butterfly Kisses’ – Exclusive Trailer
Based on Nicola Yoon’s 2015 novel of the same name, “Everything, Everything” tells the story of Madeline Whittier (Stenberg), an 18-year-old who, due to an immunodeficiency disease, has been isolated from the outside world for almost her entire life. When a new boy named Olly (played by “Jurassic Park” actor Nick Robinson) moves right next door, they fall in love with each other and take on the obstacles that threaten their romance.
Since she is not allowed to leave her house or receive any visitors, the two can only see each other by gazing through their windows. They form a bond...
- 2/14/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week […]
The post This Week In Trailers: Rikers, Betting On Zero, Magicians, Fraud, Almost There, Keep In Touch appeared first on /Film.
The post This Week In Trailers: Rikers, Betting On Zero, Magicians, Fraud, Almost There, Keep In Touch appeared first on /Film.
- 11/12/2016
- by Christopher Stipp
- Slash Film
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– Bleecker Street has announced it has acquired U.S. and select territory rights to “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” to be directed by Bharat Nalluri. The film will start shooting next month and is targeting a holiday 2017 release date.
The cast includes Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens, Christopher Plummer as Scrooge and Jonathan Pryce as Dickens’ father. The Solution is handling rights for the rest of the world. The script is written by Susan Coyne and is based on the book “The Man Who Invented Christmas” by Les Standiford, published by Crown. The film recounts how Charles Dickens created the classic holiday fable, “A Christmas Carol.”
– Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has announced it has acquired exclusive distribution rights...
– Bleecker Street has announced it has acquired U.S. and select territory rights to “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” to be directed by Bharat Nalluri. The film will start shooting next month and is targeting a holiday 2017 release date.
The cast includes Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens, Christopher Plummer as Scrooge and Jonathan Pryce as Dickens’ father. The Solution is handling rights for the rest of the world. The script is written by Susan Coyne and is based on the book “The Man Who Invented Christmas” by Les Standiford, published by Crown. The film recounts how Charles Dickens created the classic holiday fable, “A Christmas Carol.”
– Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has announced it has acquired exclusive distribution rights...
- 11/11/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Gunpowder & Sky Distribution, formally FilmBuff, has secured distribution rights to Herbalife exposé documentary Betting on Zero and is planning a theatrical release in early 2017. Directed by Ted Braun, the docu-thriller centers on controversial hedge fund titan Bill Ackman amid his crusade to expose global nutritional giant Herbalife as the largest pyramid scheme in history. It follows working-class Latinos seeking justice, Middle Americans forging their financial…...
- 11/7/2016
- Deadline
Bill Ackman and Herbalife go head-to-head in a new promotional video for the upcoming documentary “Betting on Zero.” Written and directed by Ted Braun (“Darfur Now”), the documentary follows the controversial hedge fund titan as he goes on a crusade to expose the global nutritional giant as the largest pyramid scheme in history. But Herbalife executives claim Ackman is a market manipulator out to bankrupt them and make a killing off his billion-dollar short. Also Read: 'Oj: Made in America' and 'I Am Not Your Negro' Top Cinema Eye Honors Documentary Nominations The documentary, which first premiered...
- 11/5/2016
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Keep up with the always-hopping film festival world with our weekly Film Festival Roundup column. Check out last week’s Roundup right here.
– Sundance Next Fest, a weekend-long summer festival celebrating film and music, has added music videos by Mark Pritchard (“Beautiful People”), Neon Indian (“Annie”), Blood Orange (“Best to You”) plus a full slate of Vr experiences and a youth talent show hosted by Craig Robinson to its lineup.
Sundance Next Fest takes place August 12-14 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. To find out more information and buy tickets, head to their official website.
– Birmingham, Alabama’s 18th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival has announced its full slate, complete with a total of 250 films. The festival will open with “In a Valley of Violence” and close with “Little Sister.” This year’s lineup includes more than 67 feature films and 130 short films from 10 different countries.
“We are...
– Sundance Next Fest, a weekend-long summer festival celebrating film and music, has added music videos by Mark Pritchard (“Beautiful People”), Neon Indian (“Annie”), Blood Orange (“Best to You”) plus a full slate of Vr experiences and a youth talent show hosted by Craig Robinson to its lineup.
Sundance Next Fest takes place August 12-14 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. To find out more information and buy tickets, head to their official website.
– Birmingham, Alabama’s 18th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival has announced its full slate, complete with a total of 250 films. The festival will open with “In a Valley of Violence” and close with “Little Sister.” This year’s lineup includes more than 67 feature films and 130 short films from 10 different countries.
“We are...
- 8/4/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Keep up with the always-hopping film festival world with our weekly Film Festival Roundup column.
– newportFILM announced today an impressive line up of world-class documentaries for their annual summer series newportFILM Outdoors.
The sunset screenings kick off on June 30 and run through September 1, with weekly Thursday night events that are accompanied by filmmaker conversations, food vendors and pre-film live music. This marks the series’ seventh summer season of hosting screenings at various outdoor picturesque locations, often thoughtfully paired with their film, around Newport, Ri.
Opening night will feature a special showing of “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” in the heart of downtown Newport in the Maya Lin designed Queen Anne Square. The program will continue throughout the season with a notable collection of documentaries including the following highlights: “The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble,” “Life, Animated,” “Betting on Zero,” “Jim: The James Foley Story,...
– newportFILM announced today an impressive line up of world-class documentaries for their annual summer series newportFILM Outdoors.
The sunset screenings kick off on June 30 and run through September 1, with weekly Thursday night events that are accompanied by filmmaker conversations, food vendors and pre-film live music. This marks the series’ seventh summer season of hosting screenings at various outdoor picturesque locations, often thoughtfully paired with their film, around Newport, Ri.
Opening night will feature a special showing of “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” in the heart of downtown Newport in the Maya Lin designed Queen Anne Square. The program will continue throughout the season with a notable collection of documentaries including the following highlights: “The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble,” “Life, Animated,” “Betting on Zero,” “Jim: The James Foley Story,...
- 6/23/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Cinetic’s international sales division led by new arrival Jason Ishikawa has launched sales in Cannes on Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s upcoming Love Cecil.
Roghts have gone to Studiocanal for the UK and Germany on the project, which presents a portrait of famed photographer and Oscar-winning costume designer Cecil Beaton, who shot iconic images of celebrities and also won two Oscars for costume and set design.
Cinetic is also handling world rights on a documentary in post about Franca Sozzani, the famed editor of Vogue Italia. Francesco Carrozzini directs and Amy Berg produces.
Cinetic is screening two Tribeca documentaries: Obit, directed by Vanessa Gould, and Betting On Zero, directed by Ted Braun. Cinetic said Us buyers were in talks on both titles.
The Us sales division is handling Below Her Mouth, which Elle Driver sells internationally and screens in the market.
Roghts have gone to Studiocanal for the UK and Germany on the project, which presents a portrait of famed photographer and Oscar-winning costume designer Cecil Beaton, who shot iconic images of celebrities and also won two Oscars for costume and set design.
Cinetic is also handling world rights on a documentary in post about Franca Sozzani, the famed editor of Vogue Italia. Francesco Carrozzini directs and Amy Berg produces.
Cinetic is screening two Tribeca documentaries: Obit, directed by Vanessa Gould, and Betting On Zero, directed by Ted Braun. Cinetic said Us buyers were in talks on both titles.
The Us sales division is handling Below Her Mouth, which Elle Driver sells internationally and screens in the market.
- 5/14/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A documentary reminiscent of The Big Short on a smaller and less-successful scale, director Ted Braun’s Betting on Zero has a narrow focus and an unlikely hero: New York-based hedge fund manager Bill Ackman of Persing Square Capital. Moving beyond the CNBC hype and witty banter of Slate’s Money (a favorite podcast and my first intro to Ackman), the film evangelizes Ackman’s position and, in a certain context, can be seen as another prong in his attack on global nutritional multi-level marketing firm Herbalife. This, of course, is only a danger if you ignore the evidence presented by the film and your own gut instinct. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is — even if it’s listed on the NYSE.
It also doesn’t help that Herbalife is presented in roughly the same light as Scientology and the mysterious cult at the center...
It also doesn’t help that Herbalife is presented in roughly the same light as Scientology and the mysterious cult at the center...
- 4/18/2016
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
There should be a subgenre of documentaries solely defined by their capacity to incite righteous anger in the audience. Titles would include “Blackfish,” “Inside Job,” “The Act of Killing” and anything in Michael Moore’s filmography (as long as you agree with Moore). Side effects from viewing include frustrated sighs and shaking fists. With its assertion that Herbalife is a pyramid scheme, Ted Braun’s “Betting on Zero” fits neatly in this category, causing the viewers’ blood pressure to rise ever higher as it makes its case in less than 100 minutes. Read More: The 20 Best Documentaries Of 2015 The film begins in July 2014 as Bill Ackman is about to share another presentation about why he shorted Herbalife $1 billion almost two years before. As the CEO of the Pershing Square Capital hedge fund, Ackman didn’t just think that the nutrition and supplement business was going to fail. He argues that it...
- 4/18/2016
- by Kimber Myers
- The Playlist
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