After the roaring success of the 5th annual Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), Toyota Motor North America presents its second film festival in the United States, the New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), gearing up to make its debut in mid-November at various venues around Chelsea in Manhattan.
"Cultural diversity is something we celebrate every day at Toyota,” said Vinay Shahani, vice president, integrated marketing operations, Toyota Motor North America. “After the success of our partnership with DFW SAFF, we look forward to continuing the celebration of storytelling at the first-ever NYC SAFF, and we hope that festival-goers are inspired by the films."
Produced by JINGO Media, a NYC and Dallas-based events and public relations company, the inaugural, three-day festival boasts world, U.S. and New York City premieres of more than 25 shorts, documentaries and feature films focused on the unique stories of the South Asian Diaspora and those of our brothers and sisters back home. JINGO Media is also the parent company of DFW SAFF, which was conceptualized and created in 2015.
"We are so proud to create yet ANOTHER platform for world-class independent cinema from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives," said Jitin Hingorani, CEO/Principal of JINGO Media, a public relations company that launched in New York City in 2010. "We're coming full circle with this festival because Manhattan is where it all began for us almost 10 years ago. We are certain that the community-at-large will embrace us and celebrate our joyous homecoming."
NYC SAFF has also partnered with The India Center Foundation (ICF), a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent, the promotion of its cultural life and the unique relationship between India and the United States. "To partner with NYC SAFF means that ICF is reaching the audience we wish to serve: contemporary, aware, woke desis and lovers of Indian and Diasporic creativity and storytelling. As a filmmaker whose film was so lovingly received at DFW SAFF, I know we are working with a staff who is dedicated and eager to give New Yorkers the film experience they deserve when it comes to screening South Asian cinema. We are looking forward to partnering on great conversations and panels around the films we see together," said Priya Giri Desai, Founding Director of ICF.
NYC SAFF's exclusive music partner is JioSaavn (founded in 2007 as Saavn), the online music streaming service and a digital distributor of Bollywood, English and other regional Indian music across the world.
“Music has always been an integral part of South Asian culture. We have all experienced a range of it in classical Indian cinema to contemporary Bollywood to regional films to completely new and independent genres. We look forward to the next generation of visual arts conceived in the South Asian Diaspora, and that's why JioSaavn is proud to partner with NYC SAFF and ICF to help create more awareness of their artists' creative work and engaging stories," said Vinodh Bhat, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer.
The inaugural NYC SAFF will take place from November 15 to 17, 2019. The opening night film, red carpet and VIP party will be held the Altman Building (135 W 18th, between 6th and 7th). The film screenings on Saturday and Sunday will be at the AMC 34th Street (between 8th and 9th). Centerpiece party will be held at Tailor Public House (505 8th Avenue), and the closing night festivities and awards ceremony take place at the brand new Rumi Event Space (229 W 28th, between 8th and 9th). The entire festival lineup and schedule will be be unveiled in mid-October at www.nycsaff.com.
2019 ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINEUP OF NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILMS, AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING
Festival to Open with Julia Hart’s “Fast Color”
“Knock Down The House,” directed by Rachel Lears to Close Festival
Amy Berg’s “This Is Personal” to Screen as Documentary Centerpiece;
Carol Morley’s “Out Of Blue” to Screen as Narrative Centerpiece
9th Annual Festival Takes Place February 28 - March 3, 2019
The Athena Film Festival (AFF) at Barnard College announced today its film slate, including opening night, closing night, and centerpiece films, as well as additional programming for the 2019 festival. The ninth annual festival, co-founded by the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College and Women and Hollywood, will take place February 28 to March 3, 2019, at Barnard College in New York City. AFF showcases films, television and content that tell the extraordinary stories of fierce and fearless female leaders from all walks of life. Stories of ambition, courage, and resilience amplify the voices of strong, bold women, curating a public discourse on gender equality, and changing the cultural conventions surrounding leadership.
The festival will open on Thursday, February 28, with the New York premiere of “Fast Color.” The film, directed by Julia Hart and written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a hero forced to run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after abandoning her family, the only place she has left to hide is home. Lorraine Toussaint and David Strathairn co-star.
The festival will close on Sunday, March 3, with the New York premiere of the documentary “Knock Down The House,” directed by Rachel Lears, and featuring NY Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The film centers on a young bartender in the Bronx, a coal miner’s daughter in West Virginia, a grieving mother in Nevada, and a registered nurse in Missouri, as they build a movement comprised of insurgent Congressional candidates who challenge powerful incumbents. One of their races ultimately becomes the most surprising political upset in recent American history.
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The festival’s Documentary and Narrative Centerpieces were also announced. The Documentary Centerpiece, “This Is Personal,” is directed by Amy Berg, featuring Tamika Mallory and Erika Andiola. While the 2016 election catalyzed the Women’s March and a new era of feminist activism, Tamika and Erika have been fighting for their communities for years. Their stories expose the fundamental connection between the personal and the political, and ask, how can intersectionality birth a new social justice movement? The Narrative Centerpiece, “Out Of Blue,” written and directed by Carol Morley, will have its U.S. premiere at the festival. Patricia Clarkson stars as Detective Mike Hoolihan, who is called to investigate the shooting of a leading astrophysicist. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing case, she finds herself grappling with cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality.
“We are thrilled to announce our phenomenal lineup of films for this year’s festival,” said Melissa Silverstein, co-founder and artistic director of the festival and founder of Women and Hollywood. “The Athena Film Festival’s goal is to showcase the diverse work of women leaders, and this year, we have some incredible films and stories that aim to change the narrative and highlight important topics.”
The festival will feature a curated program of narrative, documentary and short films, including: “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” directed by Marielle Heller and starring Melissa McCarthy; “On The Basis Of Sex” (2014 Athena List Winner), directed by Mimi Leder and starring Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer; “The Favourite,” directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone; “Jinn,” written and directed by Nijla Mu'min and starring Zoe Renee; “The Miseducation Of Cameron Post,” written and directed by Desiree Akhavan and starring Chloë Grace Moretz; “Rafiki,” written and directed by Wanuri Kahiu; “On Her Shoulders,” directed Alexandria Bombach and featuring Nadia Murad; “Whispering Truth To Power,” directed by Shameela Seedat and featuring Thuli Madonsela; “Worlds Of Ursula K. Le Guin,” directed by Arwen Curry and featuring Ursula K. Le Guin. Shorts include: “7 Planets,” written and directed by Milda Baginskaite; “Heed The Call,” written and directed by Laura G. Chirinos; “Masks,” written and directed by Mahaliyah Ayla O; and “A Woman’s Place,” directed by Jen Zhouwenyue Xu.
Over the last nine years, the Festival has welcomed more than 35,000 people from all over the world to 200+ screenings. In 2018, 46 films were screened, including 17 features, 13 documentaries, and 16 shorts. Distinguished guests such as Billie Jean King, JJ Abrams, Lena Dunham, Amma Asante, Barbara Kopple, and Bridget Everett, among many others were welcomed at the Festival.
Additional programming and 2019 honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2019 festival co-chairs include J.J. Abrams P’22, Julie Parker Benello ’92, Debra Martin Chase, Geralyn Dreyfous, Ava DuVernay, Paul Feig, Greta Gerwig ’06, Sherry Lansing, Jon Levin P’13, Katie McGrath P’22, Pat Mitchell, Sheila Nevins ’60, David Oyelowo, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Susan Rovner ’91, Regina K. Scully and Rachel Weisz.
Tickets and passes are on sale now. Please visit http://www.athenafilmfestival.com for regular updates and more information.
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FULL INFORMATION ON ANNOUNCED FILMS AND PROGRAMS:
FEATURES
A Private War
Director: Matthew Heineman
Writers: Marie Brenner and Arash Amel
One of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time, Marie Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless.
Ask for Jane
Director: Rachel Carey
Writers: Rachel Carey and Cait Cortelyou ‘09
The true story of determined women in the 1960s who quietly provided the phone number of reliable abortion doctors to women in need. Operating like a spy network, using blindfolds, code names, and secret locations, the Jane Collective helped over 11,000 women receive safe, illegal abortions until they were legalized in 1973.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Director: Marielle Heller
Writers: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
Based on a true story, Melissa McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, the best-selling celebrity biographer who makes her living profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn and Tallulah Bankhead. Unable to get a new publishing gig, Lee turns to artistic deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack.
Don’t Talk To Irene
Director and writer: Pat Mills
When an overweight and unpopular teenager is suspended from school, she must endure two weeks of community service at a nearby retirement home. She secretly signs up the residents for a dance-themed reality show to prove that you don't have to be perfect to be perfectly awesome.
Fast Color - OPENING NIGHT FILM & NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director: Julia Hart
Writers: Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz
This fantasy, superhero re-mix stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a hero forced to run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after abandoning her family, the only place she has left to hide is home. Lorraine Toussaint and David Strathairn co-star.
Jinn
Director and writer: Nijla Mu'min
In writer-director Nijla Mu’min’s debut feature, an African-American teenager’s world is turned upside down when her mother, a popular TV meteorologist, abruptly converts to Islam, prompting both mother and daughter to reevaluate their identities.
On The Basis of Sex
Director: Mimi Leder
Writer: Daniel Stiepleman
The compelling story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s early years, as she crafts a national legal strategy to win equal rights for women and fights to succeed in a profession notably hostile to women. The screenplay was a 2014 Athena List winner.
Out Of Blue - NARRATIVE CENTERPIECE AND U.S. PREMIERE
Director and Writer: Carol Morley
Detective Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is called to investigate the shooting of a leading astrophysicist. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing case, she finds herself grappling with cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality.
Rafiki
Director and writer: Wanuri Kahiu
In their community “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives," but Kena and Ziki long for something more. When love blossoms between them, the two girls are forced to choose between happiness and safety.
Saint Judy - NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director: Sean Hanish
Writer: Dmitry Portnoy
Based on a remarkable true story, when an Afghan woman flees her home after being persecuted by the Taliban, immigration attorney Judy Wood (Michelle Monaghan) takes her case. In the process, she changes U.S. asylum law and saves the lives of countless people.
Support The Girls
Director and writer: Andrew Bujalski
The general manager at a highway-side ''sports bar with curves" who has incurable optimism and faith in her girls, her customers, and herself, is tested over the course of a long, strange day.
The Favourite
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Writers: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara
Set in early 18th-century England, this award winning comedy-drama stars Olivia Colman as Queen Anne and Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone as cousins whose quarreling take center stage as each jockeys to be the court favourite of a frail and mercurial Queen Anne.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Director: Desiree Akhavan
Writers: Desiree Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele
In this drama directed by Desiree Akhavan, Chloë Grace Moretz plays a teenager sent away to a remote “treatment center” after being caught in the backseat with the prom queen. As she is subjected to questionable gay conversion therapies, she finds both challenges from and solace in fellow residents.
Working Woman
Director: Michal Aviad
Writers: Michal Aviad, Sharon Azulay Eyal, Michal Vinik
Orna’s life at work becomes unbearable when her boss, a major Israeli developer, makes inappropriate advances. Caught between the need to support her family and the increasingly disturbing behavior of her boss, Orna fights for her job and her sense of self-worth.
DOCUMENTARIES
93Queen
Director: Paula Eiselt
Set in the Hasidic enclave of Borough Park, Brooklyn, a tenacious group of Hasidic women challenge stereotypes and power structures in their tight-knit community by creating the first all-female volunteer ambulance corps in New York City. This film was a 2015 Athena Work in Progress film.
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Director: Pamela B. Green
In 1896, Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female film director at age 23. She went on to write, direct, produce, or edit more than 1000 films and became one of the early film industry’s biggest stars. Then she vanished from history.
Dykes, Camera, Action!
Director: Caroline Berler
Stonewall, the feminist movement, and the experimental cinema of the 1970s, set the stage for lesbian filmmakers to transform how society views queerness. In this moving and often hilarious film, lesbian filmmakers share their stories and discuss how they express their queer identity through film.
Lady Parts Justice in the New World Order
Director: Ruth Leitman
Led by The Daily Show’s co-creator Lizz Winstead, the Lady Parts Justice League barnstorms the country to support abortion providers and defend women’s reproductive rights. Using comedy as the ultimate weapon to mobilize voters for the 2018 elections, they use a boots-on-the-ground strategy to protect bodily autonomy for all.
Life Without Basketball
Directors: Tim O'Donnell, Jon Mercer
After the International Basketball Federation forbids head coverings, making it impossible for Muslim women to maintain their religious convictions while on the court, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir fights to change the rules. With her victory, she becomes the first Division I basketball player to play wearing the hijab and inspires the young Muslim women she coaches.
Knock Down The House - CLOSING NIGHT FILM & NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director: Rachel Lears
A young bartender in the Bronx, a coal miner’s daughter in West Virginia, a grieving mother in Nevada and a registered nurse in Missouri build a movement of insurgent candidates challenging powerful incumbents in Congress. One of their races will become the most surprising political upset in recent American history.
Netizens
Director: Cynthia Lowen
The proliferation of cyber harassment spreads from the web to the most intimate corners of women’s lives. As the internet becomes the next frontier of civil rights, three women who are targets of harassment confront digital abuse and strive for equality and justice online. The film was a 2017 Athena Work in Progress film.
Nothing Without Us: The Women Who Will End AIDS
Director: Harriet Hirshorn
A compelling portrait of the inspiring and remarkable women at the forefront of the global AIDS movement who work tirelessly to end the 30-year old pandemic and help women around the world at risk of HIV and AIDS.
On Her Shoulders
Director: Alexandria Bombach
With deep compassion and an elegance that matches her calm and steely demeanor, 23 year-old Nadia Murad survives the 2014 genocide of the Yazidis in Northern Iraq and escapes ISIS to become a relentless beacon of hope for her people.
The Feminist
Director: Hampus Linder
This personal and compelling portrait follows Gudrun Schyman, spokesperson of Sweden’s Feminist Initiative political party as she moves between small towns, refugee camps, and the corridors of power. In the process, she inspires women across the globe and becomes one of Sweden’s most influential politicians.
The Great Mother
Directors: Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker
When two U.S. born children share that their mother is being deported, immigration activist Nora Sandigo steps up to become their legal guardian, saving them from the fate of “immigration orphans’’ trapped in the foster care system. Six years later, Nora’s charges have grown to nearly 1,000 children.
This is Personal - DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE
Director: Amy Berg
While the 2016 election catalyzed the Women’s March and a new era of feminist activism, Tamika Mallory and Erika Andiola have been fighting for their communities for years.Their stories expose the fundamental connection between the personal and the political, and asks: how can intersectionality birth a new social justice movement?
Warrior Women
Directors: Elizabeth A. Castle and Christina D. King
Madonna Thunder Hawk, unapologetic organizer of the American Indian Movement, has cultivated a ragtag gang of activist children—including her daughter Marcy—into the We Will Remember survival group. Through their story, the film highlights the struggle for native rights and how activists pass their legacies from generation to generation.
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael
Director: Rob Garver
This nuanced portrait of Pauline Kael, among the most famous and divisive film critics of all time, uses never-before-seen archival film, wide-ranging interviews and her own writings voiced by Sarah Jessica Parker, to capture her complexity while revisiting late-twentieth-century cinema through her lens.
Whispering Truth to Power
Director: Shameela Seedat
After her appointment as South Africa’s Public Protector in 2009, Thuli Madonsela immediately faces violent protests, court interdicts, political and personal attacks, and death threats, as this remarkably steadfast woman seeks justice in a country still coming to terms with its apartheid past.
Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin
Director: Arwen Curry
Explore the remarkable life and legacy of the late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin. She holds her ground on the margins of “respectable” literature until the sheer excellence of her work forces the mainstream to embrace her science fiction and fantastic writings.
SHORTS
7 Planets - NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director and writer: Milda Baginskaite
A young girl dreams to escape planet Earth.
A Woman’s Place
Director: Jen Zhouwenyue Xu
Three female chefs grapple with barriers in the male-dominated food service industry.
Cinematographer
Director: Demi Waldron
Six women cinematographers share the complexities of working in an industry that rarely hires women.
Come & Take It
Directors: Ellen Spiro, PJ Raval
America’s most irreverent anti-gun activists create the Great Texas Dildo Revolt. #CocksNotGlocks.
Cross My Heart
Director: Sontenish Myers
While visiting her family in Jamaica, an American teenager becomes her cousin's confidant, changing the way she sees the people she loves.
Game
Director and writer: Jeannie Donohoe
The new teenager in town shows up at the boys basketball tryouts and instantly makes an impression. Will talent and drive be enough to make the team?
Giving Birth in America: California
Director: Clancy McCarty
A Mexican farmworker, pregnant with her third child, seeks prenatal care from a clinic in the “Strawberry Capital” of California.
Happy Today
Director: Giulio Tonincelli
In Northern Uganda, a midwife accompanies new mothers through the physical pain and intense emotion of giving birth.
Heed the Call - NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director and writer: Laura G. Chirinos
In the midst of World War II, a young woman must decide if she is willing to defy both social expectations and her family by joining the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.
I’m Just Here
Director: Lara Aslanian
Writer: Mari Savinar
A suicide helpline operator fields an unforgettable call from a young, queer woman.
Juck
Directors: Ulrika Bandeira, Julia Gumpert, and Olivia Kastebring
Feminist activists use dance to challenge popular notions of modern femininity.
Lotte That Silhouette Girl
Directors: Carla Patullo, Elizabeth Beecherl
With music, magic and a stirring narration by Lotte herself, Lotte that Silhouette Girl tells the tale of one of animations' foremost pioneers, German Film Director, Lotte Reiniger.
Masks
Director and writer: Mahaliyah Ayla O
A closeted medical student’s secret is threatened when out on a date with her girlfriend.
Newport Gun Girls - NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director: Lauren Orme
Writer: Nigel Crowle
The story of a forgotten group of Welsh women who worked at an ordnance factory during World War II.
Nour - NEW YORK PREMIERE
Director and writer: Danielle Naassana
A young girl feels self-conscious about wearing a hijab at her new school.
One Small Step
Directors: Bobby Pontillas, Andrew Chesworth
Writer: Andrew Chesworth
In this animated short, an ambitious girl aspires to be an astronaut, guided by her supportive father.
Rise and Shine
Director: Ben Dai
Writer: Andrew Robinson
Waking up after years in a deep sleep, the last surviving scientist in Antarctica must use her ingenuity and science to survive.
Sister Hearts
Director: Mohammad Gorjestani
After thirteen years in prison (six in solitary), an ex-offender opens Sister Hearts, the largest thrift store in New Orleans, and offers a path forward for women like her.
Waahi - US PREMIERE
Director: Aftab Abbasi
A Pakistani wheat farmer shatters stereotypes with her courage and resilience.
While I Yet Live
Director: Maris Curran
Acclaimed quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama, talk about love, religion, and the fight for civil rights, as they continue the tradition that brought them together.
VIRTUAL REALITY
She Flies By Her Own Wings
Project Creator: Jesse (Jesus) Ayala
Driven by the military tenet of “Leave No One Behind,” Shannon Scott, a proud transgender veteran, seeks justice for those vets who championed equality before her.
Sun Ladies
Project Creator: Celine Tricart
Meet Xate Singali, captain of the Sun Ladies, a female-only fighting unit that risks everything to protect the Yazidi community from violent attacks by ISIS.
WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Directed by: Michele Stephenson
The story of acclaimed poet, Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary historical periods through which she lived—reveals the enduring influence of one of America’s greatest artists and social commentators.
Surge
Project creators: Hannah Rosenzweig, Wendy Sachs and Tanya Selvaratnam
Tired of being ignored, angered by government policies, and anxious about the future, thousands of women were inspired to run for office in what became an historic midterm election.
ABOUT THE ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL
The Athena Film Festival at Barnard College, is a weekend of inspiring films that tell the extraordinary stories of fierce and fearless female leaders from all walks of life – stories of ambition, courage, and resilience. We amplify the voices and stories of strong, bold women, curating a public discourse on gender equality, and changing the cultural conventions surrounding leadership.
As the only film festival specifically focused on women’s leadership, the Athena Film Festival provides a forum for dialogue about and an opportunity to showcase what it means to be a powerful woman today, inspiring women and girls in the process.
ABOUT THE ATHENA CENTER
Established at Barnard College in 2009, the Athena Center for Leadership Studies is a catalyst for the education, development and advancement of inspired and courageous women leaders worldwide.
ABOUT WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD
Women and Hollywood educates, advocates, and agitates for gender parity across the entertainment industry. Over the last 11 years, it has grown to be one of the most respected sites focused on women's issues and popular culture, and its founder, Melissa Silverstein, has become a well-respected leader on the subject.
ABOUT BARNARD COLLEGE
Barnard provides a singular educational experience, as a world-renowned college focused on excellence across the arts and sciences, with all the academic resources of Columbia University and the City of New York as an extended classroom. Founded in 1889, Barnard was one of the few colleges in the nation where women could receive the same rigorous and challenging education available to men. Today, Barnard is one of the most selective academic institutions in the country and remains devoted to empowering extraordinary women to become even more exceptional.
ABOUT ARTEMIS RISING FOUNDATION
Artemis Rising Foundation is dedicated to supporting projects that transform our culture through media, education and the arts. Founder & CEO, Regina K. Scully.
The Athena Film Festival is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Montclair Film Festival 2016 with Colbert, along with Richard Curtis, Rob Reiner, Norman Reedus & more! #MFF2016
Right after Tribeca Film Festival 2016, today is the start of Montclair Film Festival, and goes till May 8th. As the name suggests, this festival is based in Montclair, NJ and it’s in its 5th year already. Now if you ask why you should care for a festival based all the way in Montclair, New Jersey? Well, we have couple of good reasons:
- Let me present the most interesting fact first ~ this is “Colbert’s film festival”. No, not exactly Stephen Colbert’s. This would be Evelyn Colbert. Yes, she’s related to Stephen Colbert, who’s her husband. Evelyn is president of board of Trustees for the festival. And Stephen is on the Festival’s advisory board.
- That means Stephen Colbert is quite involved in the festival. He conducts multiple talks for this festival. This could be your opportunity to see him close & personal. This year, Stephen would be hosting talks with filmmakers Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s diary etc.) on April 30 at 4:30 pm, and Robert Reiner (When Harry Met Sally, Princess Bride, Few Good Men etc.) on May 1st at 5 pm.
- There would also be several other talks with likes of Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), Margo Martindale (The Americans, Justified), Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty musical, Watchmen, Insidious). You can find all the details here.
- There’s also a special event on April 30th, honoring Richard Curtis, which will include his live commentary on his superhit film LOVE ACTUALLY, and celebrating RED NOSE day, contributing to a good cause.
- The following films will be among those featured at the festival:
o "Life, Animated" — a documentary about Owen Suskind, an autistic boy who couldn't speak for years but subsequently memorized dozens of Disney movies — will be the 7:30 p.m. April 29 opening night film, and director Roger Ross Williams, Suskind and members of Suskind's family will appear at a post-show discussion moderated by Colbert.
o Ido Haar's "Presenting Princess Shaw," about New Orleans singer Samantha Montgomery (known as Princess Shaw), will be the documentary centerpiece, May 6 at 8 p.m, with Princess Shaw participating in a Q&A session.
o "Indignation," adapted from the Philip Roth Novel, will be the narrative centerpiece on May 7 at 4:30 p.m., and director James Schamus will participate in a Q&A session.
o The closing night film, May 7 at 7:30 p.m., will be Barbara Kopple's "Miss Sharon Jones!," a documentary about soul singer Sharon Jones. Kopple and members of Jones' band The Dap Kings will appear in a Q&A session.
- Several other selected features, shorts, documentaries etc will be screened through out the festival. List, details and schedule can be found here.
- Besides films, there’s also fun events, parties etc. Checkout here.
These should be enough reasons to give this wonderful event a shot, and enjoy some amazing film programming, wonderful talks, nice events & parties, and have lots of fun!
For more details about this festival, check the link below:
FIFTEENTH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES JURIED AWARD WINNERS
- DEAN, JUNCTION 48, and DO NOT RESIST take home top awards in U.S. and International Narrative and World Documentary Competitions
- NOTES ON BLINDNESS: INTO DARKNESS wins Storyscapes Award; Rachel Tunnard for ADULT LIFE SKILLS wins fourth annual Nora Ephron Prize; and HEARING COLORS for Samsung wins the inaugural Tribeca X Award
- FESTIVAL AWARDS $155,000 IN CASH PRIZES
The 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by AT&T, announced the winners of its competition categories at the awards ceremony at 42 W NY. Top awards went to Dean, Junction 48, and Do Not Resist. The Festival runs through April 24, 2016.
For the first time in the Festival’s history there were separate US and International narrative competition categories. In total winners were awarded in the following feature film competition categories: US Narrative, International Narrative, World Documentary, New Narrative Director, The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize. Awards were also given in the short film categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Student Visionary.
In addition, the Festival announced the recipients of the Storyscapes Award, for immersive storytelling, and the inaugural Tribeca X Award, a new juried award for branded storytelling recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment.
This year’s Festival included 102 features, 74 short films, and 38 immersive storytelling projects from 42 countries.
“We are proud to celebrate the winning filmmakers, artists, and creators from our 15th edition,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “Their stories have entertained, inspired, and challenged us to think about the world and we are grateful to them for sharing their work with us.”
Screenings of the award–winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival: Sunday, April 24, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available at www.tribecafilm.com/festival
The winners of the Audience Awards, powered by Infor, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced on April 23.
In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including AKA Hotel Residences, AT&T, Bira 91, Coach, Company 3, Freixenet Cava, HBO, Infor, and Netflix, the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by 10 contemporary artists: Keith Edmier, Marc Hundley, Zak Kitnick, John Miller, Virginia Overton, Laura Owens, Josh Tonsfeldt Sara VanDerBeek, Stephen Hannock and Clifford Ross.
The winners, awards, and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:
U.S. NARRATIVEFEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2016 U.S. Narrative Competition, sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences, were Anne Carey, James Le Gros, Chris Nashawaty, Mya Taylor and Jennifer Westfeldt.
- The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Dean, written and directed by Demteri Martin. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by AT&T, and the art award “Waking Up in the Painted World” by Stephen Hannock. The award was given by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal joined by Fiona Carter, SVP of Brand Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorships, AT&T, and Jennifer Westfeldt.
Jury Comment: “We have had the great privilege of seeing ten accomplished and ambitious films over the last seven days here at Tribeca. But we all fell in love with this next film. It manages the near impossible task of breathing new life into a well-worn genre, balancing humor and pathos with an incredibly deft touch, and offering a unique perspective on the way we process loss.”
- Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film –Dominic Rains in The Fixer. The award was given by Chris Nashawaty.
Jury Comment: “For his deeply emotional and empathic portrayal of a man who’s a stranger in a strange land.”
- Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Mackenzie Davis in Always Shine. The award was given by Mya Taylor.
Jury Comment: “For the unapologetic, fierce, brave, compelling, and vulnerable portrayal.”
- Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Michael Ragen for Kicks. Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Anne Carey along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of Feature Services.
Jury Comment: “At times lyrical and other times visceral, the seductive cinematography of this film lured us into the violent world of busted childhood.”
- Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Women Who Kill written by Ingrid Jungermann. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by James Le Gros along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.
Jury Comment: “As Miles Davis said, ‘The hardest thing is to be original.’ This unique and deftly hilarious tale told in Brooklyn is from a fresh voice and a true original.”
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVEFEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2016 International Narrative Competition were Hany Abu-Assad, Jean Reno, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Danny Glover.
- The Best International Narrative Feature – Junction 48, written and directed by Udi Aloni. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Temple of the Moon” by Sara VanDerBeek. The award was given by Danny Glover.
Jury Comment: “This award goes to a phenomenal, stand-out, powerful, thoughtful movie. It offers a new perspective and insightful approach to a story about how to be different and live together.”
- Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film –Alan Sabbagh in The Tenth Man. The award was given by Jean Reno.
Jury Comment: “A performance of natural subtlety that reflected a community that is unknown to most of us. An intriguing journey for connection in search for identity.”
- Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Radhika Apte in Clean Shaven, a part of Madly. The award was given by Jean Reno.
Jury Comment: “This award goes to an actress who has conveyed bravery and emotional depth in different relationships around her. A contemporary story that breaks through established culture.”
- Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Kjell Vassdal for El Clasico . Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Sam Taylor-Johnson along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of Feature Services.
Jury Comment: “This award goes to an expansive, naturalistic photography in serving the narrative and the emotional journey of the characters.”
- Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – Perfect Strangers written by Filippo Bologna, Paolo Costella, Paolo Genovese, Paola Mammini, and Rolando Ravello. Winners receive $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by Hany Abu-Assad along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.
Jury Comment: “This award goes to a well-crafted, entertaining scenario, with deep character development. It’s an original story about private lives and hidden secrets.”
WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2016 World Documentary Competition, sponsored by Bira 91, were Laura Poitras, Douglas Tirola and Roger Ross Williams.
- Best Documentary Feature – Do Not Resist, directed by Craig Atkinson (USA). Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Untitled” by Virginia Overton. The award was given by Roger Ross Williams.
Jury Comments: “This film that uses documentary to go deep into a world with a cinematic experience. We were excited by the directorial debut of a cinematographer who already has created a great body of work. Do Not Resist shines a light on the frightening story of the militarization of the police. In an impactful way the director uses his amazing access to look at power and force from the inside.”
- Best Documentary Cinematography – Cinematography by Jarred Alterman for Contemporary Color (USA). Winner receives $2,500, sponsored by Bira 91. The award was given by Doug Tirola and Ankur Jain, CEO, Bira 91.
- Best Documentary Editing – Editing by Bill Ross for Contemporary Color (USA). Winner receives $2,500, sponsored by Bira 91. The award was given by Doug Tirola and Ankur Jain, CEO, Bira 91.
Jury Comments: “One film above all others demonstrated filmmakers completely in control of their craft. Through both the editing and cinematography this film takes the audience deep into a unique world and its characters with nuance, emotion and beauty while also showcasing performances in a spectacular and grand cinematic way."
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION:
The jurors for the 2016 Best New Narrative Director Competition were Hill Harper, Col Needham and Ry Russo-Young.
- Best New Narrative Director – Priscilla Anany, director of Children of the Mountain (USA, Ghana). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by HBO, and the art award “The Transit of Venus (Melanie)” by Keith Edmier. The award was given by the jury.
Jury Comments: "So many of the films we had the pleasure of viewing were expertly directed and worthy of recognition. The winning director presents a fearless and heart wrenching tale of an embattled mother's high stakes journey to heal her sick child and ultimately herself. The film delicately and powerfully directs us through an emotionally resonant story that is dark for truthful reasons and simultaneously hopeful. The best new narrative director award goes to Priscilla Anany for Children of the Mountain."
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:
The jurors for the 2016 Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award were Jason Biggs, Karen Cooper and Sebastian Silva.
- Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award – David Feige for Untouchable (USA). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Lenox Hill” by Josh Tonsfeldt. The award was given by Sebastian Silva.
Jury Comment: “The film opens our eyes to the suffering of people on both sides of a controversial fence. Made with compassion for all of its subjects, the film is a fascinating look into how laws are created with the best of intentions, but enforced in problematic and sometimes destructive ways.”
SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The 2016 Best Narrative Short Competition jurors were Mike Birbiglia, Chloe Grace Moretz and Sheila Nevins.
- Best Narrative Short – Hold On (Houvast), directed by Charlotte Scott-Wilson (Netherlands).Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “It's You and Me Kid” by Marc Hundley. The award was given by Mike Birbiglia.
Jury Comments: “The jury was moved by one particular film because it is simultaneously about the price of performance, and the entirely unique idea that the protagonist’s musical performance itself succeeds on the back of her own self-doubt, torture, and anxiety. We were also blown away by the remarkable performance of the lead actress in both her emotional depth combined with her musical proficiency.”
The 2016 Best Documentary Short and Student Visionary Award jurors were Maria Cuomo Cole, Mark Conseulos, Jessica Yu, Parker Posey and Alan Yang.
- Best Documentary Short – Extremis directed by Dan Krauss (USA). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences, and the art award “Untitled (11/30/96)” by John Miller. The award was given by Maria Cuomo Cole along with Larry Korman, President, AKA Hotel Residences.
Jury Comments: “This film's cinematography is intimate yet unobtrusive; its point of view is empathetic and non-judgemental. And ultimately, it respects the conflicting perspectives at a morally wrenching crossroads.”
- Student Visionary Award – Ping Pong Coach (乒乓), directed by Yi Liu. (Taiwan R.O.C., USA). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by HBO. The award was given by Sharon Badal, Tribeca’s Vice President Shorts Programming and Filmmaker Relations along with Larry Korman, President, AKA Hotel Residences.
Jury Comments: “For its naturalistic tone and compelling performances, this film impacted us in a real way.”
STORYSCAPES AWARD
The 2016 Storyscapes Award, presented by AT&T, which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology, jurors were Jessica Brillhart, Jigar Mehta and Saschka Unseld.
● Storyscapes Award: Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness created by Arnaud Colinart, Amaury La Burthe, Peter Middleton, and James Spinney. Winner receives $10,000, presented by AT&T. The award was given by Jessica Brillhart, Saschka Unseld, and Olga Serna, Senior Marketing Manager, AT&T.
Jury Comments: “The most powerful stories allow us to see the world and its vast array of experiences through someone else's eyes. One project took us on that journey in a most unexpected way. Through its creative use of a medium and its meticulous and elegantly crafted audio landscape. Through its dedication to nuance and aesthetic. Through its care and compassion not only for the protagonist, but for those who take the journey with him. Because as the piece so eloquently ends: ‘After all, being human is not seeing, it’s loving.”
THE NORA EPHRON PRIZE
The 2016 Nora Ephron Prize, sponsored by Coach, jurors were Rachael Leigh Cook, Judy Greer and Mary Stuart Masterson.
- The Nora Ephron Prize: Rachel Tunnard, director, writer and editor of Adult Life Skills (UK). Winner receives $25,000, sponsored by Coach, and the art award “Untitled” by Laura Owens. The award was given by the jury along with Margaret Coady, Executive Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Coach Foundation at Coach, Inc.
Jury Comments: “We selected someone whose originality of voice, deft handling of tone, assured visual and editorial style, and moving poetic screenplay combined to make us feel from the opening sequence that we were in good hands. She made a tiny—even miniaturized—world, seem vast. She handled grief in a wholly unique way. Using wit and emotional restraint to pull the audience in. And make us root for our protagonist to blow up the shed!”
TRIBECA X AWARD
The Tribeca X award, sponsored by GE, jurors were Laurie Anderson, Scott Carlson, Judy McGrath, Liev Schreiber and Hank Willis Thomas.
● Tribeca X award: Hearing Colors created by Greg Brunkalla for Samsung. The award was given by Scott Carlson and Hank Willis Thomas along with Andy Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer, GE.
Jury Comments: “We were drawn in by the story and the inventive way it was told, we loved what it taught us about ways to see the world. The piece communicated Samsung's brand values effortlessly without ever overtly talking about the brand itself. So we appreciated the approach and we appreciated that Samsung supported this film and all the creativity that made it possible. When the world is given entertaining stories and novel ways of telling these stories, there is no doubt they will be shared.”
FULL LIST OF ELIGIBLE 2016 TFF FILMS IN EACH CATEGORY OF COMPETITION:
U.S. Narrative Feature Competition:
- Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature:10 films
- Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 9 actresses
- Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 9 actors
- Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films
- Best Screenplay for a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films
- Best Editing in a U.S. Narrative Feature: 10 films
International Narrative Feature Competition:
- Best International Narrative Feature: 8 films
- Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature: 9 actresse
- Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature: 10 actors
- Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature: 8 films
- Best Screenplay for an International Narrative Feature: 8 films
- Best Editing in an International Narrative Feature: 8 films
World Documentary Feature Competition:
- Best Documentary Feature: 12 films
- Best Editing in a Documentary Film: 12 filmmakers
- Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film: 12 filmmakers
Best New Narrative Director Competition:
- Best New Narrative Director: directors selected from 13 films
Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Competition:
- Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award: directors selected from 12 films
Short Film Competition:
- Best Narrative Short: 29 films
- Best Documentary Short: 16 films
- Student Visionary Award: 8 films
Storyscapes Competition:
- Storyscapes Award: 10 projects
Nora Ephron Prize:
- Awarded to a female director or screenwriter. Selected from 13 eligible films, with 6 female writer-directors, 10 female writers, and 4 female directors
Tribeca X Award
• Selected from more than 100 submissions of scripted and documentary work for film, TV, digital, social, and VR/AR, in both feature or short length, funded with support from a brand in collaboration with artists or filmmakers.
**For more information on all of the films in the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, please visit tribecafilm.com/festival.
Imagination Day - Tribeca Film Festival
Every breakthrough is born in the imagination
The 2016 Tribeca Festival® Hub hosts some of the most influential, provocative, and groundbreaking creative minds for an all-day summit on what happens when our wildest dreams become reality and what that reality will be in the not-so-distant future. Experience the wonder and inspiration of new technologies, as tech's thought leaders reveal what is just beyond the horizon.
2016 AGENDA
10amDoors open
10:30amOpening Remarks: Jason Kelly, New York Bureau Chief of Bloomberg
10:45am Bryan Johnson, OS Fund: Tools of Creation: Reorienting Humanity's Identity and Aspirations
11:20am Jon Iwata, IBM: From Metropolis to Her — Artificial Intelligence in Film and the Real World
11:55am Dr. James Canton, Institute for Global Futures: The Extreme Future of Medicine: From Prediction to Longevity
Medicine is being transformed by radical technologies that will offer a new era of prevention, prediction and longevity. Discover the future of how digital health, mobile, big data, artificial intelligence, robotics, genetics, nanotech, neuroscience, synthetic biology and smart drugs will offer health and human performance enhancement.
12:30pmMeredith Perry, uBeam: World Without Wires
Meredith Perry, founder and CEO of uBeam will talk about the potential for truly wireless power and the impact this technology will have on the world. In this session, Meredith will share how she founded uBeam in her college dorm room and discuss the impact it will have on our daily lives by wirelessly powering everything from smartphones to lightbulbs to hearing aids. Find out how close we are to living in a world without wires, and what that world might look like
1:05pm - 1:50pm Lunch Break
1:50pm VR Headsets (need to be in your seats to get one)
2:20pm Felix Lajeunesse & Paul Raphael, Felix & Paul Studios: Inside Story: A Journey Into Virtual Reality
An immersive virtual reality experience as a talk by the masters of virtual reality. See the most evocative worlds and feel the story as VR channels empathy. See it, feel it, how they do it, and the future of the technology and creativity
3:15pm Philip Rosedale, High Fidelity: The Final Medium: Humans in the Machine
Is it possible that Virtual Reality in its maturity may allow us to communicate and be creative in ways that are more sublime than even our greatest real-life experiences? As computers become ever more powerful, might our virtual worlds grow to become larger and more unknowable that our own planet? An examination of how the growth of VR technology may give us something more disruptive and unpredictable than the Internet.
3:50pmDerek Belch, STRIVR Labs: Virtual Reality in Sports: Immersive Performance Training and Immersive Entertainment
Just as sports have become one of the last television events that people actually watch, many folks in the VR industry are betting that sports content will be a driving in helping drive mass adoption of headsets sales and content consumption. STRIVR founder and CEO Derek Belch will share the company's experience working with more than a dozen NFL and collegiate football teams over the past year, while also creating and staffing several major VR fan engagement experiences. Belch will share the positives and negatives of sports-focused VR.
4:15pm Sir Richard Branson & Jason Hirschhorn: Daring to Dream
From starting his own airline to ballooning around the world and shooting for the stars, Sir Richard Branson has never shied away from a challenge either in business or personally. He discusses his penchant for dreaming what could be possible and the gut instinct that drives his endeavors
4:55pm Katherine Oliver: Advisor to Bloomberg Philanthropies and Principal of Media and Technology at Bloomberg Associates
5:05 - 5:25pmBreak
5:30pmScreening: Don't Look Down
7:00pm Q&A Sir Richard Branson
Event Description
WHEN
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM (EDT) - Add to Calendar
WHERE
Spring Studios - 50 Varick Street , New York, NY 10013 - View Map
For more details check the link below:
https://tribecafilm.com/festival/imagination
Save the World and Be A Global Citizen
Where can you see Pearl Jam, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Coldplay all in the same place? Global Citizen has you covered. The newly released lineup of the Global Citizen Festival, taking place September 26th, in the Great Lawn of Central Park, includes these headliners. Partners, Gucci and CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign are proud sponsors of the event. GlobalCitizen.org says that “the Festival is timed to coincide with the launch of the United Nations’ new Global Goals designed to fight inequality, protect our planet and end extreme poverty by 2030.”
So how do you get tickets to the star studded, do-good event? Sign up on GlobalCitizen.org to take action to end poverty. Once you've completed the action journey, you will be eligible for a ticket draw. For those not lucky enough to go, the festival will be streamed live from YouTube.com/GlobalCitizen. It's your time to be a part of changing the world. This means supporting the chance for every child to be able to attend school, every woman and girl being protected from violence, and diseases that can be prevented aren't altering the lives of others. Want a chance to be one of the 24,000 winners for this amazing event, sign up now!