‘PROGRAMMERS OF COLOUR COLLECTIVE’ LAUNCHES AT SUNDANCE 2019 | POC2 members

Members from a new collective of film festival programmers comprising people of colour, women and TSLGBTQ+ made their first public appearance together last night at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Having already confirmed 85 members, POC2 (Programmers of Colour Collective) aims to stimulate conversation around the underrepresentation of people of colour within film programming and international film festival staffing, but also to act as a catalyst for transformative change towards a more inclusive international programming pool.

Set against the snow-filled backdrop of the Park City festival hotspot ‘Timbers Bar’, many of the recently formed collective’s members assembled for a group photograph: a symbolic first step in a push towards a greater representation of diversity at film festivals’ curating and green lighting tables.

Those in attendance included founding members Paul Struthers (Director of Exhibition & Programming at Frameline), Hussain Currimbhoy (Programmer, Sundance)and Lucy Mukerjee (Senior Programmer, Tribeca), as well as other influential industry figures including Cameron Bailey (Artistic Director and Co-Head of Toronto International Film Festival), Loren Hammonds (Senior Programmer, Tribeca) and Gina Duncan (Associate Vice President – Cinema, Brooklyn Academy of Music). The photo was accompanied by the publication of a full list of the collective’s current members. Spanning five continents and counting among its ranks festival and industry programmers from a diverse range of film festivals, the nascent collective’s list shines a light on a growing generation of such programmers who are calling for a greater recognition of the inclusion of their perspectives.  

Spurred by the many cases of (unconscious) bias in film festival selections that are gender-imbalanced, lack representation of people of colour or else portray them or other underrepresented groups in a way that is inauthentic or culturally appropriative, the collective’s objective is for programming pools, and therefore the films selected for festivals, to become truly diverse.

The collective chose to launch at Sundance where, contrary to the norm, diversity is the order of the day in the programming room. POC2 will strive for such inclusivity to become ubiquitous with curating films.

Next steps 

The primary aim of POC2 is not only to stimulate a conversation around the lack of programmers who are people of colour at international film festivals, but also to be a catalyst for transformative change towards a more inclusive international programming pool.

Ultimately, the primary objective is to make festival line-up themselves more robust, reflective of international audiences and richer through inclusion.

The Founding Members (listed below) issued the following statement:

“As a collective, we’re forward-looking and focused on connecting people with opportunities. Whilst we seek to diversify the current festival programming pool, we also want to create a network of new talent from all of our communities that feeds into those pools and creates its own programming activities. We want to be a portal where other collectives with similar interests can connect with us, offer advice and who we ourselves can advise on festivals, programmers and films. Essentially, we’re a new door into the industry for other POC groups and filmmakers.” 

Founding Members:

Paul Struthers FRAMELINE Director of Exhibition & Programming

Lucy Mukerjee TRIBECA Senior Programmer

Hussain Currimbhoy SUNDANCE Programmer

Themba Bhebhe EFM Diversity & Inclusion 

Initiatives

POC2 advocates for studies, research and statistics on the composition of the international film festival programming pool to provide data on equality gaps within the industry.

Through mentoring schemes, generating greater awareness on the profession of film and industry programmers as well as outreach to universities and schools, POC2 will create pathways for POCs, those belonging to underprivileged socio-economic backgrounds and underrepresented groups more generally.

POC2 will also create an internal database and online repertory of POC programmers.

To maintain momentum and remain interconnected, POC2 will also organize regular gatherings and themed events at major international film festivals.

Upcoming events

A panel organized by POC2 due to take place during the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival, – Feb. 7th – 17th) is currently in the making.

ARMIE HAMMER, EMMA ROBERTS, EIZA GONZALEZ, HILARY SWANK, JENNY SLATE, ZACH GALIFIANAKIS, DANIEL RADCLIFFE, AND MORE REFUEL AT THE PIZZA HUT X LEGION M LOUNGE - SUNDANCE

Pizza Hut x Legion M Lounge Park City - Day Two

During festival weekend, Pizza Hut and Legion M -- the world's first fan-owned entertainment company -- invested in the creators of culture by giving top entertainment industry talent, on and off screen, a place to relax and refuel in the heart of Main Street at the Pizza Hut x Legion M Lounge. Guests spent the day warming up with a hot slice by Pizza Hut while sipping signature cocktails including mulled wine and delightful bloody Mary's. Cinema's elite including Armie Hammer, Jenny Slate, Zach Galifianakis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kyra Sedgwick, Sanaa Lathan, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Roberts, Awkwafina, Milla Jovovich, David Oyelowo, Storm Reid, Eiza Gonzalez, Karan Soni, Danielle Macdonald, Ray Romano, Hilary Swank, Mark Duplass, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Kiki Layne, Richard Kind, Nick Robinson, Michael Urie, Natalia Dyer, Zazie Beetz, Chester Algernal Gordon, Elegance Bratton, Kelly Price, and more enjoyed slices at the Pizza Hut x Legion M Lounge. 

  • Armie Hammer - spotted adding red pepper flakes to his pizza and sipping on a "Bloody Marinara"

  • Zach Galifianakis - digging into fresh slices and cinnamon sticks

  • Jenny Slate - laughing and dancing to Drake with friends in the lounge while shouting, "Pizza Hut Lounge babyyyy."

  • Eiza Gonzalez - indulging in multiple slices of pizza including a tasty veggie slice and pepperoni.

  • Emma Roberts - enjoying hot slices of cheese pizza, even taking a slice to go!

Photo Credit - Getty Images for Pizza Hut

@The Pizza Hut x Legion M Lounge in Park City, UT.

THE WILD IMMERSION ADDS THREE NEW VR FILMS TO ITS ‘VIRTUAL RESERVES’ EXPERIENCE | Aurora Borealis, Baby Animals and Great Apes Feature in Breath-taking New Nature Videos

Uploaded by wild immersion on 2018-12-13.

Pioneering VR experience producers The Wild Immersion will add three new VR film experiences to its set of breath-taking 3D nature videos, it was announced today by founder Adrien Moisson. The three new films will focus on Aurora Borealis or ‘the northern lights’, baby animals and great apes.

The Wild Immersion chose their latest three subjects as part of their overall strategy to immerse people in the beauty of natural environments they might not otherwise experience. Each film is 12 minutes long and shot by Moisson and director Raphaël Aupy. ‘Borealis’ is currently in post-production and was shot in locations across of Finland. The baby animals film titled ‘The Cutest Movie in the World’ was shot in France, Belgium, South Africa, New Zealand, Costa Rica and Argentina in late 2018 and features rabbits, horses, elks, sea turtles, pangolins, seals, birds and penguins. ‘The Great Apes’ will begin shooting in the last week of January in Tanzania, Uganda and Indonesia.

“By adding these new films we’re enhancing our ability to create empathy and wonder for our natural world, which is truly an honor for us,” said Moisson. “We are so excited to help people experience the sheer beauty of Aurora Borealis, the incredible experience of new life and get up close and personal with our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.” 

The Wild Immersion virtual nature reserves currently consist of three 12-minute VR experiences shot during 120 days among animals in their natural habitats in the Amazon, Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Sri Lanka using 360-degree VR cameras creating a fully immersive experience.  The three films are Terra, set in tropical ecosystems; Alba, filmed in polar habitats; and Aqua, which goes beneath the waves.

The Wild Immersion is bringing the world’s first ‘virtual nature reserve’ to Park City during the Sundance Film Festival 2019, with pop up installations at The Fly Lounge (427 Main Street) from January 24-28 and the Kia Supper Suite (890 Main Street) from January 26-27. The Wild Immersion will also have installations at 2019 Berlinale and a Soho House Amsterdam members pop-up February 12, 2019. Permanent installations have also been rolled out with international distribution partners.

The Wild Immersion team launched the VR content at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and since then has debuted the experiences at the Forum des images in Paris, Mountain View in Shenzhen in China, Pathe cinemas in France and Switzerland, Parc Omega in Montreal, Canada and secured an international distribution agreement with VR specialist Diversion Cinema. Discussions are underway to bring the Wild Immersion experience into malls, zoos, and theaters in the US, UK, France, China and beyond.

The Wild Immersion is the brainchild of Adrien Moisson who developed the fully immersive VR reserve as part of a wider plan to develop social, economic, and ecological projects with conservation at their core. Having already locked distribution in Europe and China, The Wild Immersion is heading to Sundance to showcase its amazing visuals and technology. Profits from the virtual reserve distribution program are being used to fund real reserves across the globe.

To experience The Wild Immersion virtual nature reserve in Park City and meet with creator Adrien Moisson please contact Charlotte Hallam to set up your own private appointment with nature.

TRAILER: The Wild Immersion endorsed by Jane Goodall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Km--jUWRFw&feature=youtu.be

About The Wild Immersion

The Wild Immersion produces breathtaking 3D experiences, leveraging the best augmented-reality footage techniques and cutting-edge immersive technologies, to plunge the spectators into a Nature 360° action film. The spectator experiences the feeling of being in the middle of the wilderness, discovering mind-blowing situations, like it would happen in real life.

The Wild Immersion Virtual Reserve program brings a strong educational message, about the Nature and the situation on species extinctions in the world, particularly for younger generations.

JOIN INTERACTIVE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH CELEBRATING LEGENDARY FILM ICON FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA IN HIS 80TH YEAR

The Family Coppola wants to feature your stories, and through community, partnerships and content, reminds its fans in the New Year: You get one life. The biggest risk is to waste it.

Today, The Family Coppola, a global lifestyle brand that represents specialties in wine, film, food, resorts, spirits and adventure, launches an interactive campaign to celebrate creativity, courage and innovation. Inspired by its Chairman, visionary and risk-taker Francis Ford Coppola, this campaign kicks off a yearlong celebration of what he’s created throughout his life. Fans, media and brand partners of past and present will help The Family Coppola build momentum to Francis Ford Coppola’s 80th birthday in April, through unforgettable storytelling of passion and fortitude.

“An essential element of any art is risk,” said Francis Ford Coppola, entrepreneur and six-time Oscar® winning director, when asked about filmmaking. “If you don’t take a risk then how are you going to make something really beautiful that hasn’t been seen before?”

The digital campaign reflects on the risks and rewards of living life to the fullest. From January 24 through April 13, people across the country can visit CoppolaRisk.com and share stories of dreams, courage, sacrifice and risk. Simply log on and upload your brief video to be entered for a chance to win a mystery vacation at one of The Family Coppola Hideaways and experience adventure at a resort in one of five countries. Drawing upon inspiration from Francis’s film career and travels around the globe to the far-reaching corners of the world, The Family Coppola created each luxury property, embracing off the beaten path locations and making each locale an ideal destination for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings.

“The only way to grow is to take risks; get a little uncomfortable. Nothing great happens when you’re complacent,” says Jennifer Leitman, The Family Coppola Marketing EVP. “Innovation, originality and embracing change are deeply ingrained in our culture at The Family Coppola. We’re excited to hear stories of risk from our passionate fans and partners. Who knows what provocative tales they’ll tell.”

For a third year in a row, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery will partner with the Oscars® and Sundance Film Festival to raise a glass to film lovers everywhere and Francis Ford Coppola’s impact on the industry. Sundance Institute recognizes “risk is the unlikely hero that unites artist and audience,” urging the community to Risk Independenceas a theme for its 35th Annual Sundance Film Festival. As the Francis Ford Coppola Winery 2019 official wine designation coincides with the countdown to Francis’s 80thbirthday, The Family Coppola awarded one lucky winner a trip to the Sundance Film Festival through Coppola Rewards, its new program bringing together quality wine, culinary exploration and adventure.

2019 Sundance Film Festival attendees will experience The Family Coppola in a variety of experiences and thought-provoking opportunities that lean into risk. In partnership with illycafè and a host of other brands in and around the Sundance Film Festival, audiences will enjoy premium wine offerings from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery portfolio. The Director’s wines, from superior Sonoma County fruit, celebrate the uncompromising standards of quality winemaking and artistic interpretation through its innovative labels. The Director’s Cut wines, also from Sonoma County, are named for the version of a film that most reflects the director’s vision and its labels are replicas of zoetrope strips from Francis Ford Coppola’s personal collection. The twelve distinctive wines of the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection are made from grapes grown in vineyards across California, from coastal regions to inland valleys.

Join courageous people everywhere who aspire to continually move in the direction of their ambitions and learn more at CoppolaRisk.com including campaign rules and regulations. Check out The Family Coppola on YouTube and online conversations on FacebookInstagram and Twitter. 

About The Family Coppola

The Family Coppola encompasses all of the things Francis loves most—cinema, wine, food, resorts and adventure—and embraces quality, authenticity and pleasure as a backbone to each of these vibrant business endeavors. Anchored in Sonoma County, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, known for its superior level of quality and integrity, is, as Francis puts it, “a wine wonderland, a park of pleasure where people of all ages can enjoy all the best things in life: food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming and performances of all types. A place to celebrate the love of life.” Coppola’s second foray into Sonoma County came in 2015 with the launch of Virginia Dare Winery,American wines since 1835, ushering in a new era of elevated quality and vineyard-specific wines. The Family Coppola are lovers not only of wine, but spirits as well. Great Women Spirits—small-batch, house-crafted, classically styled spirits—are a collection of spirits as unique and remarkable as the women they honor. The Family Coppola Hideaways are a collection of unique properties where adventure meets serenity. Drawing upon inspiration from his film career and travels around the globe to the far-reaching corners of the world, Francis created each resort, embracing off the beaten path locations and making each locale an ideal destination for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings. Additionally, The Family Coppola operates a venerable film production company, American Zoetrope; the award-winning literary and art magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story; Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco’s iconic Sentinel Building in North Beach; and Mammarella Foods, an authentic line of premium organic pastas and sauces. Earn and redeem points through Coppola Rewards membership at CoppolaRewards.com or visit www.TheFamilyCoppola.com to learn more.

iHeartMedia and FOX Announce Nominees for the 2019 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS, Airing Live Thursday, March 14, on FOX

IHEARTMEDIA AND FOX ANNOUNCE NOMINEES FOR THE 2019 “IHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS,” AIRING LIVE THURSDAY, MARCH 14, ON FOX, FROM MICROSOFT THEATER IN LOS ANGELES

Drake; Ed Sheeran; Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B; Post Malone; and Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey Nominated for Song of the Year

iHeartMedia and Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) announced today the nominees for the 2019 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS airing Thursday, March 14 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX, live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The event also will be broadcast on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and iHeartRadio, the all-in-one digital music, podcast, on demand and live-streaming radio service.

Now in its sixth year, the iHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS is a star-studded event celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2018, while also offering a preview of the upcoming hits of 2019. The 2019 telecast will feature live performances from today’s superstar performers, once-in-a-lifetime artist collaborations, celebrity guest appearances and live award presentations in multiple categories. Since the Awards’ inception in 2013, the show has included live performances and appearances by such superstar artists as Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, Camila Cabello, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Big Sean, Rihanna, Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Blake Shelton, Pharrell, Pitbull, Justin Bieber and many others.

“It’s no secret why this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards nominees are a Who’s Who of music,” said John Sykes, President of iHeartMedia Entertainment Enterprises. “These are the artists and the songs iHeartRadio listeners couldn’t get enough of this past year. It’s going to be an unforgettable show.”

Artists receiving multiple nominations include Cardi B, Drake, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons. All nominees are listed below. For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

“Millions of music’s biggest fans have once again made their voices heard and, of course, we listened,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “What makes our iHeartRadio Music Awards categories so special is that they truly reflect the artists, songs and moments that have defined this past year in entertainment. We can’t wait to see who wins.”

In addition to being a compelling celebration of music and artists, the 2019 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS will again celebrate the fans, giving iHeartRadio listeners the opportunity to decide winners in several new and established categories. Fan voting will determine this year’s Best Fan Army presented by Taco Bell,Best Lyrics, Best Cover Song, Best Music Video, the Social Star Award, Best Solo Breakout, Cutest Musician’s Pet and the first-ever Song That Left Us Shook and Favorite Tour Photographer awards.

Social voting begins today, January 9, and will close on March 7. Fans can vote on Twitter using the appropriate category and nominee hashtags or by visitingiHeartRadio.com/awards.

Ranking as one of the most talked-about television events in social media this past year, the 2018 iHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS garnered more than 216 billion social media impressions in the U.S. alone. It also proved its strength on individual platforms, such as Twitter, where the official hashtag of the evening, #iHeartAwards2018, trended #1 on Twitter worldwide and in the U.S. in more than 30 cities.

Among the many winners of the 2018 Awards were Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” for Song of the Year, Taylor Swift for Female Artist of the Year, Ed Sheeran for Male Artist of the Year, Cardi B for Best New Artist, Maroon 5 for Best Duo/Group of the Year and U2 for Best Tour. Chance the Rapper received the most prestigious award of the evening – the 2018 iHeartRadio Innovator Award – for his groundbreaking accomplishments in the music industry and his unsurpassable contributions to social causes. In addition, L'Oréal Paris and iHeartRadio presented Camila Cabello with the first-ever Fangirls Award, which recognizes a female artist who has pushed boundaries with her music and message, while inspiring fans around the globe. And Bon Jovi received the first-ever iHeartRadio Icon Award for their global impact on pop culture, longevity and continued relevance as a touring and radio force with a loyal fan base worldwide.

This year’s awards will feature a broad array of categories, including Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Duo/Group of the Year and individual winners for Album of the Year in music’s biggest genres, including Pop, Country, Alternative Rock, Rock, Dance, Hip-Hop, R&B, Latin and Regional Mexican formats. For the third year, the 2019 Best New Artist awards will be grouped by music format, and format winners will then become finalists for the top title of Best New Artist. Category finalists (by alphabetical order) are:

Song of the Year:

- “Better Now” - Post Malone

- “Girls Like You” - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

- “God's Plan” - Drake

- “Perfect” - Ed Sheeran

- “The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Female Artist of the Year:

- Ariana Grande

- Camila Cabello

- Cardi B

- Dua Lipa

- Halsey

Male Artist of the Year:

- Drake

- Ed Sheeran

- Kendrick Lamar

- Post Malone

- Shawn Mendes

Best Duo/Group of the Year:

- 5 Seconds Of Summer

- Imagine Dragons

- Maroon 5

- Panic! At The Disco

- twenty one pilots

Best Collaboration:

- “Finesse (Remix)” Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

- “Girls Like You” - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

- “I Like It” - Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin

- “Meant To Be” - Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line

- “The Middle” - Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Best New Pop Artist:

- Bazzi

- Lauv

- Marshmello

- MAX

- NF

Alternative Rock Song of the Year:

- “Africa” - Weezer

- “Broken” - lovelytheband

- “Happier” - Marshmello featuring Bastille

- “High Hopes” - Panic! At the Disco

- “Natural” - Imagine Dragons

Alternative Rock Artist of the Year:

- Imagine Dragons

- lovelytheband

- Panic! At The Disco

- Portugal. The Man

- Thirty Seconds To Mars

Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist:

- AJR

- Badflower

- Billie Eilish

- lovelytheband

- Two Feet

Rock Song of the Year:

- “Are You Ready” - Disturbed

- “Bulletproof” - Godsmack

- “Devil” - Shinedown

- “Safari Song” - Greta Van Fleet

- “Zombie” - Bad Wolves

Rock Artist of the Year:

- Five Finger Death Punch

- Godsmack

- Greta Van Fleet

- Shinedown

- Three Days Grace

Country Song of the Year:

- “Heaven” - Kane Brown

- “Meant To Be” - Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line

- “Most People Are Good” - Luke Bryan

- “Rich” - Maren Morris

- “Tequila” - Dan + Shay

Country Artist of the Year:

- Carrie Underwood

- Jason Aldean

- Luke Bryan

- Luke Combs

- Thomas Rhett

Best New Country Artist:

- Carly Pearce

- Dylan Scott

- Jordan Davis

- LANCO

- Russell Dickerson

Dance Song of the Year:

- “Friends” - Marshmello and Anne-Marie

- “Happier” - Marshmello featuring Bastille

- “One Kiss” - Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa

- “Remind Me To Forget” - Kygo featuring Miguel

- “The Middle” - Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Dance Artist of the Year:

- Calvin Harris

- Kygo

- Marshmello

- The Chainsmokers

- Zedd

Hip-Hop Song of the Year:

- “God's Plan” - Drake

- “I Like It” Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin

- “In My Feelings” – Drake

- “Nice For What” - Drake

- “Psycho” – Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

- Cardi B

- Drake

- Kendrick Lamar

- Post Malone

- Travis Scott

Best New Hip-Hop Artist:

- BlocBoy JB

- Juice WRLD

- Lil Baby

- Lil Pump

- XXXTENTACION

R&B Song of the Year:

- “Boo'd Up” - Ella Mai

- “Finesse (Remix)” - Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

- “Medicine” - Queen Naija

- “Sky Walker” - Miguel featuring Travis Scott

- “When We” - Tank

R&B Artist of the Year:

- Daniel Caesar

- Ella Mai

- H.E.R.

- Miguel

- SZA

Best New R&B Artist:

- Brent Faiyaz

- Ella Mai

- H.E.R.

- Queen Naija

- TK Kravitz

Latin Song of the Year:

- “Clandestino” - Shakira featuring Maluma

- “Dura” - Daddy Yankee

- “Échame La Culpa” - Luis Fonsi and Demi Lovato

- “Me Niego” - Reik featuring Ozuna and Wisin

- “X” - Nicky Jam and J Balvin

Latin Artist of the Year:

- Bad Bunny

- Daddy Yankee

- J Balvin

- Maluma

- Ozuna

Best New Latin Artist:

- Lele Pons

- Manuel Turizo

- Mau y Ricky

- Nio Garcia

- Raymix

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:

- “Entre Beso y Beso” - La Arrolladora Banda El Limón

- “Me Dejé Llevar” - Christian Nodal

- “Mejor Me Alejo” - Banda MS

- “Mi Sorpresa Fuiste Tú” - Calibre 50

- “Mitad Y Mitad” - Calibre 50

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year:

- Banda Carnaval

- Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga

- Calibre 50

- Christian Nodal

- Gerardo Ortiz

Producer of the Year:

- David Garcia

- Frank Dukes

- Louis Bell

- Marshmello

- Noah “40” Shebib

Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category

- “Consequences” - Camila Cabello

- “Girls Like You” - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

- “God's Plan” - Drake

- “In My Blood” - Shawn Mendes

- “thank u, next” – Ariana Grande

- “Without Me” - Halsey

Best Cover Song: *Socially Voted Category

- “A Million Dreams” - P!nk and Willow Sage Hart

- “Africa” - Weezer

- “Crying in the Club” - Niall Horan

- “Fast Car” - Khalid

- “In My Blood” - Charlie Puth

- “Lucid Dreams” - Halsey

- “Me, Myself & I” - Zayn

- “Natural Woman” - Ariana Grande

- “Rewrite the Stars” - Anne-Marie and James Arthur

- “You’re Still The One” - Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves

- “Under Pressure” - Shawn Mendes and Teddy Geiger

- “Your Song” – Lady Gaga

Best Fan Army presented by Taco Bell: *Socially Voted Category. Nominees to be announced at a later date

Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category

- “Delicate” – Taylor Swift

- “Dura” – Daddy Yankee

- “Finesse (Remix)” - Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

- “Freaky Friday” - Lil Dicky and Chris Brown

- “Girls Like You” - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B

- “God's Plan” - Drake

- “I Like It” - Cardi B featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny

- “One Kiss” - Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

- “Psycho” - Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

- “Taki Taki” - DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna and Cardi B

- “thank u, next” – Ariana Grande

- “This Is America” – Childish Gambino

Social Star Award: *Socially Voted Category

- Agnez Mo

- Bhad Bhabie

- Dylan Minnette

- Joji

- Lele Pons

- Loren Gray

- Mason Ramsey

- Queen Naija

- Tana Mongeau

- Trixie Mattel

Cutest Musician’s Pet: *Socially Voted Category

- Asia – Lady Gaga

- Edgar - Brett Eldredge

- Goodwin - Sabrina Carpenter

- Gracie - Lauren Jauregui

- Hatchi - Perrie Edwards

- Mooshu - Alex Pall from The Chainsmokers

- Piggy Smallz - Ariana Grande

Best Solo Breakout: *Socially Voted Category

- Ally Brooke

- Dinah Jane

- Lauren Jauregui

- Normani

- Tiffany Young

Song That Left Us Shook: (New Category) *Socially Voted Category

- “Here Comes The Change” - Kesha

- “I'll Never Love Again” - Lady Gaga

- “One Day” - Logic featuring Ryan Tedder

- “thank u, next” - Ariana Grande

- “This Is America” – Childish Gambino

- “Youth” - Shawn Mendes and Khalid

Favorite Tour Photographer: (New Category) *Socially Voted Category

- Andy DeLuca (5SOS)

- Christian Tierney (Niall Horan)

- Helene Pambrun (Harry Styles)

- Josiah Van Dien (Shawn Mendes)

- Pixie Levinson (Dua Lipa)

- Rahul B (Camila Cabello)

- Ravie B (Beyoncé)

- Zack Caspary (Why Don't We)

Additional categories include Best Tour, Label of the Year, Most Thumbed Up Song of the Year and Most Thumbed Up Artist of the Year. For a full list of categories visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Tickets will be available at axs.com.

Proud partners of the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards include Taco Bell® with more to be announced.

Executive Producers for the iHeartRadio Music Awards are Joel Gallen for Tenth Planet and John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Lee Rolontz for iHeartMedia.

For breaking news and exclusive iHeartRadio Music Awards content, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards or follow the social buzz on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google+.

About iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia is the #1 audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month – and with its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. The company’s leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms including 850 live broadcast stations; streaming music, radio and on demand via its iHeartRadio digital service available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices including smart speakers, digital auto dashes, tablets, wearables, smartphones, virtual assistants, TVs and gaming consoles; through its influencers; social; branded iconic live music events; and podcasts as the #1 commercial podcast publisher globally. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics and attribution technology for its marketing partners, using data from its massive consumer base. iHeartMedia is a division of iHeartMedia, Inc. (PINK: IHRTQ). VisitiHeartMedia.com for more company information.

About Fox Broadcasting Company

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), a unit of 21st Century Fox, is home to some of the highest-rated and most acclaimed series on television, including 9-1-1, EMPIRE, THE ORVILLE, THE GIFTED, THE RESIDENT, LETHAL WEAPON, GOTHAM, STAR, THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM, BEAT SHAZAM, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK; as well as new series THE COOL KIDS, REL, LAST MAN STANDING, THE PASSAGE, PROVEN INNOCENT and THE MASKED SINGER. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week, as well as major sports and Sunday morning news. Through the FOX NOW app, FOX viewers can watch full episodes of their favorite FOX shows on a variety of digital platforms, while enjoying enhanced interactive and social capabilities around those shows. Download the FOX NOW app at www.fox.com/foxnow. To watch primetime programming live on the web, visit www.fox.com/live. “Like” FOX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXTV and follow the network on Twitter @FOXTV. For additional information about FOX, please visit www.fox.com.

About Microsoft Theater

Microsoft Theater hosts over 120 music, family, dance and comedy acts, award shows, televised productions, conventions and product launches with over 500,000 guests passing through the doors annually. The 7,100-seat theater offers guests mid-sized intimacy, with no seat further from the stage than 220 feet. Microsoft Theater offers 12,000 square feet of VIP & hospitality areas, 10 dressing rooms and state-of-the-art technology, making it a favorite indoor venue for performers and fans alike. Since opening in October 2007 with six sold-out shows, featuring the Eagles and Dixie Chicks, Microsoft Theater has hosted concerts starring the most popular artists, including Alan Jackson, Katy Perry, Charlie Wilson, Juan Gabriel, Aretha Franklin, Ed Sheeran, John Fogerty, Gabriel Iglesias, Kanye West, Marc Anthony, Sesame Street Live, John Legend, The Avett Brothers, Neil Young, Steely Dan, Trey Songz, Kelly Clarkson, Rush, Yanni, Nicki Minaj, Juanes and Cat Stevens, as well as the “American Idol” finale shows, and the movie premieres for Michael Jackson’s “This is It,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight.” Microsoft Theater is home to the American Music Awards, ESPYs, Primetime Emmy Awards, BET Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Radio Disney Music Awards, 2010, 2011 & 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, 2014 & 2015 MTV Movie Awards and the 2013 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Centrally located within L.A. LIVE, Microsoft Theater is a 4 million square foot / $3 billion downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, featuring Microsoft Theater, a 7,100-seat live theater, a 2,300 capacity live music venue, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE – all in a single tower), the GRAMMY Museum and the 14-screen Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 theater, as well as broadcast facilities for ESPN, along with entertainment, residential, restaurant and office space.

Regina King & Mahershala Ali Take Home Golden Globe Wins for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK and GREEN BOOK

The 2019 awards season has officially begun, starting with the Golden Globes! Last night, GREEN BOOK and IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK were honored in major ways! 

Regina King arrives to the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 6, 2019
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

GREEN BOOK won Best Motion Picture – Musical or ComedyBest Screenplay Motion Picture and Mahershala Ali won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture. Regina King took home the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK.


IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK 
In Theatres Everywhere January 2019
Annapurna Pictures

Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk, is the story of Tish, newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first-born child to term. It is a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families and their lives, trying to bring about justice through love, for love and the promise of the American dream.
Directed by: Barry Jenkins
Screenplay: Barry Jenkins, James Baldwin
Cast: Regina King, Stephan James, KiKi Layne, Teyonah Parris, Dave Franco, Pedro Pascal, Brian Tyree Henry

Mahershala Ali attends the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

GREEN BOOK 
Universal Pictures

In 1962, Tony "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, a tough bouncer, is looking for work with his nightclub is closed for renovations. The most promising offer turns out to be the driver for the African-American classical pianist Don Shirley for a concert tour into the Deep South states. Although hardly enthused at working for a black man, Tony accepts the job and they begin their trek armed with The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for safe travel through America's racial segregation. Together, the snobbishly erudite pianist and the crudely practical bouncer can barely get along with their clashing attitudes to life and ideals. However, as the disparate pair witness and endure America's appalling injustices on the road, they find a newfound respect for each other's talents and heart to face them together. In doing so, they would nurture a friendship and understanding that would change both their lives.
Directed by: Peter Farrelly
Written By: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali


76TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNERS

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

A Star is Born

If Beale Street Could Talk

 

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Peter Farrelly, Green Book

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Adam McKay, Vice

 

BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourite

Green Book

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Christian Bale, Vice

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Robert Redford, The Old Man & The Gun

John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade

Charlize Theron, Tully

Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Glenn Close, The Wife

Nicole Kidman, Destroyer

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Rosamund Pike, A Private War

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate

Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

Amy Adams, Vice

Claire Foy, First Man

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Sam Rockwell, Vice

 

BEST ANIMATED MOTION PICTURE

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Mirai

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

 

BEST SCREENPLAY  MOTION PICTURE

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, The Favourite

Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Adam McKay, Vice

Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Green Book

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE

"All The Stars," Black Panther (Kendrick Lamar, SZA)

"Revelation," Boy Erased (Troye Sivan)

"Girl in the Movies," Dumplin' (Dolly Parton)

"Shallow," A Star is Born (Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson)

"Requiem for a Private War," A Private War (Annie Lennox)

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE

Marco Beltrami, A Quite Place

Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs

Ludwig Goransson, Black Panther

Justin Hurwitz, First Man

Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Return

 

BEST MOTION PICTURE - FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Capernaum

Shoplifters

Girl

Never Look Away

Roma

 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

The Americans

Bodyguard

Homecoming

Killing Eve

Pose

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Stephan James, Homecoming

Billy Porter, Pose

Richard Madden, Bodyguard

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander

Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Julia Roberts, Homecoming

Keri Russell, The Americans

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal

Henry Winkler, Barry

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects

Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Amy Adams, Sharp Objects

Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora

Connie Britton, Dirty John

Laura Dern, The Tale

Regina King, Seven Seconds

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OF MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso

Daniel Bruhl, The Alienist

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose

Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

 

BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

The Alienist

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Escape at Dannemora

Sharp Objects

A Very English Scandal

 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Barry

The Good Place

Kidding

The Kominsky Method

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES  MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Kristen Bell, The Good Place

Candice Bergen, Murphy Brown

Alison Brie, GLOW

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Debra Messing, Will & Grace

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES  MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Sacha Baron Cohen, Who is America?

Jim Carrey, Kidding

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Bill Hader, Barry

THE 9TH ANNUAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL in NYC (February 28 - March 3, 2019) - Honoring Extraordinary Women In Entertainment & Showcasing Female Leadership

9TH ANNUAL ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL

February 28 - March 3, 2019

The Athena Film Festival celebrates the leadership and creative accomplishments of trailblazers in the entertainment industry. The festival showcases films that tell the extraordinary stories of fierce and fearless female leader from all walks of life – stories of ambition, courage, and resilience. They amplify the voices and stories of strong, bold women, curating a public discourse on gender equality, and changing the cultural conventions surrounding leadership.

The festival was founded by Kathryn Kolbert (Co-Founder and Producing Director of the Athena Film Festival) & Melissa Silverstein (Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Athena Film Festival and founder of Women and Hollywood).

This year’s honorees and programming will be announced in the coming weeks.

WHAT | The 9th Annual Athena Film Festival

WHEN | February 28 - March 3, 2019

WHERE | Barnard College

Past years’ honorees have included:

Barbara Kopple, Amma Asante, Bridget Everett, JJ Abrams, Jodi Foster, Karyn Kusama, Jeanine Tesori, Greta Gerwig, Ava DuVernay, Paul Feig, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sheila Nevins, Cathy Schulman, Julie Taymor, Eve Ensler, Sherry Lansing, Callie Khouri, Kasi Lemmons, Keri Putnam, Debra Martin Chase, David Oyelowo, Leslie Bennetts, Rachel Horovitz and Gale Anne Hurd among others.

About The Athena Film Festival

The Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City, is a weekend of inspiring films that tell the extraordinary stories of fierce and fearless female leader 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.

Over the last nine years, the Festival has welcomed more than 35,000 people from all over the world to 200+ screenings. This past year we screened 46 films including 17 features, 13 documentaries, and 16 shorts. We welcomed distinguished guests including Billie Jean King, J.J. Abrams, Lena Dunham, Amma Asante, Barbara Kopple, and Bridget Everett among many others.

As a key part of our educational mission, we offer a wide range of programs including panels, workshops and masterclasses for filmmakers, labs for film and TV writers in New York and Los Angeles, and a works- in-progress showcase for female documentary filmmakers.

Our signature program, the Athena List, is an annual slate of between 3-5 screenplays with female leaders that have yet to be made into films. Now in its 5th year, several Athena List scripts have been produced or are in production. For example Athena List finalist, Little Pink House, written and directed by Courtney Balaker and starring Catherine Keener, opened the 2017 festival and was released in the spring of 2018. Athena List winner, On the Basis of Sex, based on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, directed by Mimi Leader and starring Felicity Jones as a young RBG, will be released on December 25, 2018.

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. We engage with community partners to reach diverse audiences and ensure that we are connecting with families and youth in the Morningside Heights neighborhood and across New York City.

15th Annual StandUp NBC Final w/Amanda Seales, Tone Bell and more!

((L-R) Comedians Calvin Evans, Sohrab Forouzesh, Luz Pazos, Mike E. Winfield, Ali Clayton, Jay Jurden, Vincent Bryant, Senior Vice President of Programming Talent Development & Inclusion Karen Horne and Venessa Peruda)

On Wednesday, December 5th – the 15th Annual ‘StandUp NBC’ finale was held at the Hollywood Improv with the top 8 outstanding new comics of diverse backgrounds. 

Finalists were chosen from a four city casting call to perform at the finale showcase in front of NBCUniversal Execs from Development programming, Primetime, Alternative & Cable as well as top producers, casting director, agents and managers in the entertainment industry.

Previous StandUp NBC winners and alumni in attendance included: Amanda Seales (“Insecure), Tone Bell (“Disjointed”), Langston Kerman (“Insecure”), Ron G (Comedian) and more!

GOLDEN GLOBES - 'IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK' & VICE score 10 nominations for ANNAPURNA

'IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK' and VICE scored 10 nominations for ANNAPURNA. And the excitement amongst the cast of Beale Street and director Barry Jenkins is high, along with the team at Annapurna Films. Here’s what they said about the nomination, and more deatils…

REGINA KING– “IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK” (Annapurna Pictures) – Nominee, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture – Golden Globes

"I cannot even put into words how I feel right now hearing this exciting news from set. Just elated. So proud of these two amazing and beautiful projects. I'm incredibly lucky and humbled that these roles chose me. For Beale Street, honoring the words and legacy of James Baldwin is truly special. Thank you Hollywood Foreign Press!"

Regina King, Golden Globe nominee as Best Supporting Actress [Motion Picture] (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK)

BARRY JENKINS – “IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK” (Annapurna Pictures) – Nominee, Best Motion Picture, Drama and Best Screenplay – GOLDEN GLOBES

“On behalf of the entire Beale Street family, it’s an honor to have our film recognized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, particularly alongside such varied and wonderful work by our peers. It’s a critical time to be telling stories and creating art that reflects the world we live in. We’ll take this recognition as an affirmation to continue to do so.”

Barry Jenkins, Golden Globe nominee for Best Motion Picture, Drama and Best Screenplay (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK)

Annapurna Pictures

“We could not be more thrilled for our films, filmmakers and talent being acknowledged by the HFPA for their incredible work. These nominations are a tremendous honor and a testament to the HFPA’s support of mavericks and trailblazers who take chances and never stray from their bold visions.”

Megan Ellison, Founder & CEO Annapurna Pictures

Annapurna Pictures is tied for most nominations for any studio with 10 nominations

VICE is the most nominated film with 6 nominations

10 Golden Globe Nominations

Best Motion Picture, Drama – IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Best Motion Picture, Comedy – VICE

Best Director, Motion Picture – Adam McKay, VICE

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama – Nicole Kidman, DESTROYER

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy – Christian Bale, VICE

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Sam Rockwell, VICE

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Amy Adams, VICE

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture – Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture – Adam McKay, VICE

In Select Theaters December 14 

#BealeStreet

Official Site: BealeStreet.movie

Facebook: /BealeStreet

Instagram: @BealeStreet

Twitter: @BealeStreet 

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Academy Award-winning writer/director Barry Jenkins' first film since the Best Picture Oscar-winning Moonlight is If Beale Street Could Talk, his adaptation of James Baldwin's novel - the first English-language feature film based on the work of the author, to whom the movie is dedicated.

Set in early-1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple's unbreakable bond and the African-American family's empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (screen newcomer KiKi Layne). A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit. 

Through the unique intimacy and power of cinema, If Beale Street Could Talk honors the author's prescient words and imagery, charting the emotional currents navigated in an unforgiving and racially biased world as the filmmaker poetically crosses time frames to show how love and humanity endure.

Director: Barry Jenkins

Writer: Barry Jenkins

Producers: Megan Ellison, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner

Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Beach, Ed Skrein, Diego Luna, Dave Franco, Pedro Pascal

PGA HONORS KENYA BARRIS WITH THE 2019 VISIONARY AWARD

PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA HONORS KENYA BARRIS WITH THE 2019 VISIONARY AWARD

 

LOS ANGELES (November 29, 2018) – The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that celebrated producer and writer Kenya Barris will be honored with the 2019 Visionary Award. Barris will accept the award at the 30th Annual Producers Guild Awards presented by General Motors on Saturday, January 19, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles.

The Producers Guild Visionary Award recognizes television, film, or new media producers for inspiring storytelling of unique and uplifting vision or quality to our culture. The Producers Guild 2019 Visionary Award is sponsored by Delta Air Lines.

Kenya Barris is being recognized with the Visionary Award as a trailblazing storyteller whose work has advanced and expanded the representation of diverse perspectives within mainstream media. As the creator of the hit, Peabody award-winning and Emmy-nominated® series “Black-ish,” along with its successful spin-off series “Grown-ish,” and the writer of last summer’s comedy blockbuster “Girls Trip,” Barris has earned praise for honest portrayals of the Black experience that have not only resonated with a broad spectrum of audiences but have continually served as a catalyst for conversations around an array of timely topics. Through his work, Barris has fearlessly tackled difficult social issues, poignantly reflected our culture, and unified audiences through powerful stories that highlight our shared humanity.

“Kenya Barris is simply a fearless producer,” said PGA Presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher.  “Time and again, Kenya has stepped up to tackle the difficult conversations, from the ones we have as families at the kitchen table to the ones we have as colleagues in company boardrooms and network offices.  These are challenging days for many of us, but Kenya’s unique voice—honest, passionate and so very funny—has been one of our industry’s strongest antidotes to ignorance and intolerance.  We are gratified to recognize his inspiring work with the Visionary Award.” 

Previous honorees include: producer and director Ava DuVernay; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner’s Plan B Entertainment; producer and founder of Illumination Entertainment Chis Meledandri; producer Laura Ziskin; and Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll.

ABOUT KENYA BARRIS

Kenya Barris is the creator of ABC’s Emmy-nominated series “Black-ish,” which is based on his own life.  In its second season, the show won a Peabody Award and an AFI Award and has held NAACP’s title of Best Comedy Series for four consecutive years. Barris was awarded the Humanitas Prize in 2017 as well as the Outstanding Writing NAACP Image Award in 2016 and 2017. Barris premiered the hit spinoff series, “Grown-ish” earlier this year and has since announced his upcoming series “Besties” and “Bewitched.”  Due to his unparalleled innovative creative philosophy, he most recently a three-year exclusive overall producing deal with streaming giant Netflix. As a writer, Barris has worked on several television shows including “Listen Up,” “The Game” and “Girlfriends.” He has also sold a number of pilots including “America’s Next Top Model,” which he co-created and is currently shown in 49 countries with 21 internationally formatted offshoots. On the feature side, he most recently co-wrote “Barbershop 3: The Next Cut” and the hit comedy, “Girls Trip,” which made history by becoming the first film with an all-black creative team in front of and behind the camera to cross $100 million dollars at the box office. Among his other film projects in the works are the high-profile sequels “Son of Shaft” and “Coming 2 America,” as well as an animated feature based on the songs of Bob Marley.

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA (PGA)

The Producers Guild of America is a non-profit trade organization which protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. Representing more than 8,000 producers, the PGA works to safeguard the careers of its members and improve the producing community at large by encouraging the enforcement of workplace labor laws and sustainable production practices, creating fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits, facilitating health benefits for its membership, and hosting educational opportunities for new and experienced producers alike. For more information and the latest updates, please visit the Producers Guild of America website and follow on social media:

 

www.ProducersGuild.org

Twitter / Instagram: @ProducersGuild

www.Facebook.com/PGA

www.YouTube.com/ProducersGuild

https://www.LinkedIn.com/company/Producers-Guild-of-America/

#PGAwards

21st Century Fox and American Film Institute Announce Inaugural Class of Fox DP Lab

21st Century Fox (21CF) and the American Film Institute (AFI) have announced the eight female cinematographers to participate in the first-ever FOX DP LAB, to take place today, Thursday, Nov. 8, and tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 9, on the historic Fox Lot in Los Angeles: Tarin Anderson, Anne Etheridge, Catherine Goldschmidt, Halyna Hutchins, Hana Kitasei, Anka Malatynska, Dominique Martinez and Moira Morel.

As part of its ongoing efforts to bring new and diverse voices into the entertainment industry, 21CF designed the FOX DP LAB to increase the number of women cinematographers working in Hollywood. The Lab will connect participants with cinematographers, producers, directors, agents and executives; and provide an insider’s experience on Fox studio films and TV series in production. The participants will visit the set of Fox feature film “Call of the Wild,” meeting with Academy Award-winning Director of Photography and AFI Conservatory alumnus Janusz Kamiński; and Fox-produced comedies “Speechless” and “Fresh Off The Boat.”

Participants of the Fox DP Lab are recent graduates of the AFI Conservatory — the American Film Institute’s filmmaking MFA program, and one of the most prestigious film training programs in the world.

“We’re excited about this initiative to propel female DPs in their careers,” said MyKhanh Shelton, Senior Vice President, 21CF Global Inclusion. “We believe that focusing on increased gender representation in this key role will help accelerate diversity throughout production crews.”

2018 FOX DP LAB Participants

Tarin Anderson

Seattle native Tarin Anderson earned her master’s degree in cinematography at the AFI Conservatory after studying film at both Vassar and Hampshire colleges. She has shot a wide variety of projects, including commercials, music videos, documentaries, scripted series and feature films.

Anne Etheridge

A cinematographer for feature films, television and documentaries, AFI Conservatory graduate Anne Etheridge’s work has screened at film festivals around the world, including Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, Sundance, Berlin, Rotterdam, SXSW and Tribeca. Her latest documentary project, “Dayla’s Other Country,” was selected to kick off the 2017 national PBS series, “POV.” 

Catherine Goldschmidt 

Since graduating from the AFI Conservatory in 2009, Catherine Goldschmidt has lensed eight narrative feature films, dozens of shorts, music videos and commercials, and has shot on such high-profile documentaries as the Academy Award-winning feature “20 Feet From Stardom.” She is a co-founding member of Illuminatrix, a collective of female cinematographers. 

Halyna Hutchins 

A graduate of the AFI Conservatory’s Class of 2015, Halyna Hutchins grew up on a Soviet military base in the Arctic Circle.  Her AFI thesis film, “Hidden,” was screened at Camerimage, AFI FEST and Austin Film Festival, among others, collecting multiple awards and recognition, including as a finalist in the Vizio + Dolby Vision Cinematography Challenge.

Hana Kitasei

Hana Kitasei is a Japanese and American cinematographer dedicated to telling stories about human connection.  While completing a degree in Math at Harvard, she took a left turn and fell in love with cinematography. Since then, she has shot a huge variety of narrative, commercial and documentary projects. In addition to shooting, she guest-lectures at the AFI Conservatory and is also a core member of the International Collective of Female Cinematographers.

Anka Malatynska

Cinematographer Anka Malatynska’s feature film and documentary credits have ranged from the modern-day adaptation of “Little Women” to the cable comedy “Insecure.” She is an advocate for women working in the industry, coaching and counseling emerging talent through her teaching platform, Fearless Film, which she co-founded with DGA director Liz Hinlein.

Dominique Martinez

Cinematographer Dominique Martinez hails from Miami and is of Cuban and Spanish descent. A graduate of the AFI Conservatory’s prestigious cinematography discipline, her work includes commercials, documentaries, features and television. An avid photographer, she recently finalized her portfolio from her travels to Mongolia with National Geographic.

Moira Morel

Moira Morel is a Latinx cinematographer based in Los Angeles with a background in both documentary and narrative filmmaking.  “Vámonos,” the short film she shot and co-wrote, won a 2016 Imagen Award for Best Theatrical Short Film. Her latest narrative feature, “Unlovable,” premiered at SXSW in 2018 and won the SXSW Gamechanger Award.

This partnership builds on 21CF’s previous work with AFI to expand opportunities for women in the entertainment industry. The first of this two-part series, the AFI Cinematography Introductory Intensive for Women (CIIW), brought 19 emerging female filmmakers to the AFI campus in August for a four-day course exploring the fundamentals of visual storytelling.

About the American Film Institute

The American Film Institute (AFI) was established by presidential proclamation in the White House Rose Garden, and launched its national mandate on June 5, 1967 — to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. Among AFI’s programs dedicated to training future storytellers are the world-renowned AFI Conservatory; the AFI Directing Workshop for Women; and the AFI Cinematography Introductory Intensive for Women.

About 21CF Global Inclusion

21CF Global Inclusion nurtures diverse voices and stories, both in front of and behind the camera, through a variety of partnerships, initiatives and programs, including the Fox Writers Lab, Fox Directors Lab, Fox Filmmakers Lab and the Fox DP Lab.

NBC OPENS SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2019-20 ‘FEMALE FORWARD’ AND ‘THE EMERGING DIRECTOR PROGRAM’ - Last date Nov 9th!

NBC OPENS SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2019-20 CLASSES OF ITS SCRIPTED DIRECTING PROGRAMS, ‘FEMALE FORWARD’ AND ‘THE EMERGING DIRECTOR PROGRAM’

 

WHAT:           NBC is calling for submissions for the 2019-20 classes of its scripted directing programs, Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program.

 Both pipeline programs are designed to increase diverse representation in episodic directing. Female Forward aims to achieve gender parity in the director’s chair while the Emerging Director Program focuses on ethnically diverse men and gender non-binary talent. They are both part of the tent pole initiatives within the NBC Talent Infusion Programs (NBC TIPS) that promotes and encourages people of diverse backgrounds to become the next generation of storytellers.

 Finalists for both programs shadow on up on to three episodes of an NBC or NBCU Cable scripted series and are guaranteed an in-season commitment to direct at least one episode of the series they shadow.

WHEN:           The submissions window for both programs is open starting today, Thursday, Nov. 1 and closing Friday, Nov. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

WHERE:         Eligible directors can apply here.

To be eligible for Female Forward, applicants must identify as female, have previous directing experience (although no more than one scripted television directing credit), and is legally able to work in the United States.

To be eligible for the Emerging Director Program, applicants must identify as gender non-binary or a man.

Submissions requirements for both programs are as follows:

·         One letter of recommendation from an advocate of the director who is not a talent representative.

o   Letters of nomination will not be accepted from anyone who works for or with talent, specifically managers, agents, publicists and lawyers.

·         Resume with detailed directing experience

·         Bio

·         Reel summarizing the director’s work

·         Up to three completed samples of work

·         Responses to two essay questions

·         One additional letter of recommendation (optional)

BURIED ALIVE 2018 Full Schedule and Ticket Info

The full schedule is now up for BAFF 2018 is up at the website and the Facebook page. We've got 7 features, 4 special event screenings, and a ton of shorts. To go with the already announced special events, we have added a special event screening of our friend James Bickert's Amazon Hot Box.

For the main features of the fest, there are 7 films varying in style and tone from absurdist comedy to documentary to extreme horror.

The opening night feature is Joe Badon's bizarre and intriguing The God Inside My Ear. On Friday, we get to share two of the special event screenings (The Golem and Amazon Hot Box), but not before The FP2 hits Atlanta in all of its unique and weird glory. We kick our international groove into full swing on Saturday with Spain's Framed and Japan's Violence Voyager, before the Taboo-La-La event with The Lost Boys hits the stage and we round out the night with midnight movie Dead by Midnight

On Sunday, the day kicks off with a reprise of the live Samahda soundtrack event screening of 1920's The Golem for the earlier birds in the crowd. The fascinating documentary Survival of the Film Freaks follows and the night wraps up with the WORLD PREMIERE of anticipated Todd Sheets future classic Clownado, a classic horror style film with all of the fixing you've come to expect from the warped mind of one Mr. Sheets.

Top off these features and event screenings with tons of short films, split into several blocks for your viewing pleasure, as well as the return of the SINEMA CHALLENGE on Wednesday night before the official kickoff of the festival. There is so much genre madness crammed into this year's festival, we're bursting at the seams.

Tickets are $12 for each screening block of the festival, $10 for the Sinema Challenge screenings, and $120 for a full festival pass (an over $80 discount). You can purchase tickets at FilmFreeway by clicking here or visiting filmfreeway.com/BuriedAliveFIlmFestival/tickets.

NBCU Short Film Festival Honored Diverse Films at Finale Screening

The 13th Annual NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Honored Diverse Films at

Finale Screening and Award Ceremony Held Last Night in Hollywood

“Masks” About a Closeted Persian Woman Who Survives a Mass Shooting and

“Monday” Centered on a Conflicted Asian American Hustler Sweep Major Awards

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – October 25, 2018 – Last night, the 13th Annual NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, which celebrates diverse stories while finding the next generation of storytellers, honored its six finalist films and filmmakers with a finale screening and awards ceremony at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood.

Comedian-actor Zainab Johnson (“Late Night with Seth Meyers,” HBO’s “All Def Comedy”) kicked off the evening with screenings of the six finalist shorts, “B.U.T.S: Spanish Class,” “Kyenvu,” “Masks,” “Monday,” “Rani” and “We Know Where You Live,” before an audience of industry professionals including network, cable and film executives as well as managers, producers and agents.

Presenters Melissa Barrera (“Vida”), Melissa Fumero (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Akbar Gbajabiamila (“American Ninja Warrior”), Joseph Lee (“Searching”), Lyric Lewis (“A.P. Bio”), Trace Lysette (“Midnight, Texas,” Transparent”), writer-producer Kay Oyegun (“This Is Us”), Tess Paras (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Claudia Puig (President, Los Angeles Film Critics Association), Bernardo Saracino (“Midnight, Texas”), Mary Sohn (“A.P. Bio”), Kellee Stewart (“Midnight, Texas”), writer-director David E. Talbert ( “Almost Christmas”) and Wilmer Valderrama (“NCIS,” HARNESS co-founder) handed out awards in nine categories including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Comedy, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Writer, Outstanding Actor, the Next Generation Filmmaker Award, the HARNESS Social Impact Award, Critics’ Choice Award and the Audience Award.

“Last night’s finale was a phenomenal showcase of the next generation of storytellers. The overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from the audience reinforces that there are many undiscovered, talented voices whose stories already have an audience eager for fresh perspectives,” said Karen Horne, SVP of Programming Talent Development & Inclusion, NBC Entertainment and Universal Television. “I’m proud that over the past 13 years, our short film festival has not only celebrated those voices, but advocated for them beyond the festival to provide them with opportunities in the industry.”

HARNESS Social Impact Award: “Kyenvu”

“Kyenvu” writer-director Kemiyondo Coutinho was awarded a $10,000 cash grant for her short film about a young Ugandan woman who struggles to find her footing in a patriarchal society that entitles men to women’s bodies (trailer).

The award was presented by NBCUniversal’s Social Responsibility division and HARNESS, an advocacy organization founded by America Ferrera, Ryan Piers Williams and Wilmer Valderrama, that connects artists, influencers and grassroots leaders to inspire action and change. This year marked the organization’s second year partnering with the festival, and HARNESS co-founder Wilmer Valderrama presented the award to the Coutinho at the ceremony.

Outstanding Comedy: “B.U.T.S: Spanish Class”

“B.U.T.S: Spanish Class” co-creators Irene Lucio and Emma Ramos were presented with a $5,000 cash grant and a DJI OSMO+ Handheld Gimbal 4K camera with full accessory kit for an episode from their sketch comedy web series that parodies and satirizes the many ‘afflictions’ of the modern-day woman told through a Latina lens. In “Spanish Class,” a couple gets way more than they bargained for when they set out to learn Spanish in a week. (trailer)

Outstanding Drama: “Masks”

“Masks” writer-director Mahaliyah Ayla O was presented with a $5,000 grant and a DJI OSMO+ Handheld Gimbal 4K camera with full accessory kit for her film about a closeted Persian woman’s experience after surviving a mass shooting. (trailer)

Outstanding Writer: Hammad Rizvi, “Rani”

Writer-director Hammad Rizvi was awarded a $5,000 cash grant in addition to final round placement in NBC’s Writers on the Verge program that prepares talented writers for staff writing positions on scripted series. He also received the newly released Final Draft 11 software on all platforms and a Fire TV Cube, the latest hands-free streaming media player with Alexa voice command.

Rizvi’s short film “Rani” centers on a socially outcast transgender Pakistani woman who sets out to take care of an abandoned child. The short stars trans activist Kami Sid as the titular character in her first acting role. (trailer)

Outstanding Actor: Kevin David Lin, “Monday”

Actor Kevin David Lin from the short film “Monday” was awarded a talent holding deal with NBC, a premiere headshot package with JeanPaul SanPedro, a fund for unlimited private audition coaching and advanced acting classes and a $1,000 wardrobe allowance. Lin starred as the central character in “Monday” about a conflicted young hustler who’s forced to confront the immorality of his occupation. (trailer)

Outstanding Director: Dinh Thai, “Monday”

“Monday” writer-director Dinh Thai received a studio production services package courtesy of Universal Operations, including one day of shooting on the Universal Studios back lot and an $8,500 valued package including lighting, grip, props and costumes as well as one day of sound mixing. He was also awarded a $60,000 camera package from Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, a longtime festival sponsor, and final round placement in NBCUniversal’s Emerging Directors Program that provides a pipeline for ethnically diverse directors to break into television by offering shadowing opportunities and an in-season commitment to direct an episode of an NBCUniversal scripted series.

Next Generation Filmmaker Award: Dinh Thai, “Monday”

Writer-director Dinh Thai won the festival’s inaugural Next Generation Filmmaker Award for his short film “Monday” about a conflicted young hustler who’s forced to confront the immorality of his occupation as he ‘code-switches’ through various cliques in his daily dealings throughout Los Angeles (trailer).

Presented by Universal Filmed Entertainment Group’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion department along with the Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content group, the award recognizes a filmmaker who possesses a truly unique and innovative artistic vision and whose work delivers fresh content that has the power to connect, engage and inspire global audiences.

Thai receives a $8,000 grant to assist with his career momentum, one year of guidance from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content group executives and eligibility for the 2019 Universal Directors Initiative, a one-year program offering exposure to the studio production process as well as executives throughout NBCUniversal’s film, TV and cable businesses.

Critics’ Choice Award: “Masks”

“Masks” was chosen as the most impactful short by a jury of 25 film and television critics and entertainment writers. This year’s jury included journalists from The Advocate, Brown Girl Magazine, Essence, CNN, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Her Campus, The Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post, Kore Asian Media, Latina, the Los Angeles Times, Moviemaker Magazine, NewNowNext, Screen International, Slate, The Teal Mango, TVGuide, USA Today, and Vanity Fair, among others.

Los Angeles Film Critics Association President Claudia Puig presented the award to “Masks” writer-director Mahaliyah Ayla O. She received a DJI Phantom 4Series Quadcopter Drone with 4K Digital Camera and corresponding accessories.

Audience Award: “Masks”

The audience at the finale screening voted “Masks” as its favorite film amongst the six finalists. Writer-director Mahaliyah Ayla O received a $1,000 cash grant and a 4 TB external hard drive for her next project.

The festival’s finalists and semifinalists also received an array of prizes including a limited run on COMCAST’S XFINITY to 29 million viewers across the world starting December 1 as well as the opportunity to stream their film on the NBCU SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Hulu Channel and EVERYBODY DIGITAL, a mobile app exclusively for short film content created by actor-writer Allen Maldonado (“The Last O.G.”). They also all received a copy of newly released Final Draft 11 on all platforms from the festival’s returning sponsor.

The award winners were determined by a judging panel which includes NBC’s Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Universal Television President Pearlena Igbokwe, NBC’s EVP of Casting Grace Wu, Vice President of Creative at Focus Features Rebecca Arzoian, and Universal Cable Entertainment VP Programming & Diversity Chika Chukudebelu, among others.

The NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL is presented by NBCUniversal and NBC Entertainment with title partners: Universal Pictures, Panavision, Xfinity and the NBCUniversal Division for Social Responsibility. Additional 2018 festival partners include Focus Features, Oxygen, USA Network, Bravo, Syfy, Fandango, E! Entertainment, Telemundo and Hulu, as well as industry partners including Creative Artists Agency (CAA), SAG-AFTRA, HARNESS, Tandem Productions, Final Draft, Everybody Digital, Writers Guild of America – East, Writers Guild of America – West, DGA and PGA.

About the NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Founded in 2006, the NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL is the first and only film festival created and run by an entertainment studio solely dedicated to celebrating the importance of diversity in entertainment and discovering the next generation of storytellers. The annual bicoastal program is a nationwide search for diverse talent, both in front of and behind the camera, including those from ethnically diverse backgrounds, members of the LGBTQ community and female content creators. Winners are awarded with prizes ranging from development meetings and holding deals with NBCUniversal to cash grants and industry standard software and camera packages. Festival alumni include Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed 2”), Hasan Minhaj (“The Daily Show”), Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and Simone Missick (“Luke Cage”). For more information, visit NBCUshortsFEST.com #NBCUshortsFEST

About the NBC Talent Infusion Programs (NBC TIPS)

Since 2000, NBC has been dedicated to discovering and nurturing on screen and behind-the-camera talent of diverse and inclusive backgrounds through the NBC Talent Infusion Programs (NBC TIPS). NBC TIPS are amongst the most extensive and robust diversity and inclusion programs in the television industry. They feature more than 20 programs including Writers on the Verge, the Diverse Staff Writer Initiative, Female Forward, Emerging Director Program, StandUp NBC nationwide search for stand-up comedians and the NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL that celebrates diverse stories and the filmmakers who create them. Program alumni are celebrated producers, writers, directors and actors in the entertainment industry who have gone on to win Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG Awards and include Alan Yang, Mindy Kaling, Deon Cole, Lil Rel Howery, Keto Shimizu, Natasha Rothwell, Danny Pudi and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. For more information, visit NBCUniTIPS.com.

Chat w/ Sandra Seeling Lipski - Founder/Director, Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival

Born in Berlin and raised in Palma de Mallorca, Sandra is an award-winning actress, filmmaker, and festival director with a unique international background and experience, currently based in Los Angeles and Palma de Mallorca. She is fluent in English, Spanish and German.

Her earliest passion was acting, and after working professionally as a teenager in Europe, she studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre School in New York City. She then moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, and begin her filmmaker career as well. She graduated from the Los Angeles Film School with a degree in Directing and Producing in 2012.

In 2012 she founded the inaugural Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival, with the goal of creating a world-class, destination film festival in the Mediterranean that celebrates innovative independent cinema amidst the natural beauty of Palma de Mallorca.

We had a chat with Sandra. Here are the excerpts.

  • What inspired you to start/conduct this festival. 

I started the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival because I saw there was great potential  (in my home, where I grew up) to establish an event could attract the international film industry once a year to celebrate independent film in Mallorca. I am a filmmaker myself and after visiting numerous festivals throughout the years I wondered by Mallorca didn’t have it’s own great festival? I pitched my idea to some friends who lived on the island, all involved in their own amazing businesses and to my surprise everyone jumped on board and the EMIFF was born in 2012. 

  • How does this festival stands apart from other festivals?

Location, Location, Location. It’s a cliche but so true. Mallorca has forever been a magical place; enchanting light, beautiful beaches, impressive mountains, excellent food and of course wonderful people. It sits right in the middle of the mediterranean so the weather in October is mild and warm compared to the rest of Europe. Mallorca boasts amazing shooting locations, production services and crew. Apart from the Locals, Mallorca has a large expat community of german, British, Swedish, French and American business entrepreneurs, bringing a fresh new line of innovative start ups, cafes and restaurants, and design oriented brands to the island. Airline connections are endless every day and I have never met a person who wouldn’t want to come to Mallorca.

  • What are the few things to look forward to, at the festival this year?

EMIFF 2018 offers 7 full days and nights of films, panels, networking events and parties. Our program includes 102 films, including feature films, short films, documentaries a Made In Baleares section, a virtual Reality lounge, experimental films, Music Videos and films for Kids. We are the only European Film Festival with an original Drive in Cinema hosted by Port Adriano. Our Industry panels are called Producers Club (28.10.) and this year we welcome great names to talk about International Co-Production and Marketing for film such as: Lucinda Syson (Casting Director for Wonder Women, Batman, Inception etc.), Tore Schmidt (Producer of the Academy award winning Danish Girl, 2015), Journalists Hus Miller and Anna Smith (President of the Film Critics Circle UK) and many more. Our 2018 Award winners include Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen who receives the Evolution VISION Award, Academy Award nominee writer/director Tobias Lindholm who will receive the Evolutionary Award and Grand Dame of Spanish cinema Marisa Paredes whom we will honer with the Evolution Honorary Award. 

  • Any exciting things you are currently working on?

It’s all very exciting! The 7th EMIFF edition is around the corner and I am 7months pregnant, so lot’s to look forward too :)

  • Anything else you would like to share?

EMIFF’s mission since it’s inception as always been BRIDGING CULTURES / BRIDGING PEOPLE. My goal is to create an international Film community on the island who all come together under one roof, no matter their skin color, religion or nationality, all are welcome - Come and Join the Evolution!

—————

Information on Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival:

Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) is one of the fastest growing, most respected and exciting film festivals in the Mediterranean. An excellent hub for networking with some of the brightest minds in filmmaking, EMIFF is as intimate and invigorating as it is breathtakingly gorgeous. Filmmakers and storytelling enthusiasts visit this island paradise to discover "the next great generation of filmmakers" They've yet to go home disappointed. 

Now in its 6th year, EMIFF is based in the heart of Mallorca’s buzzing and culturally rich center of Palma. In addition to feature films and short films, EMIFF also welcomes documentaries, music videos, animation shorts, experimental shorts and more. With competitive screenings unfolding at Teatro Principal, Cineciutat, Port Adriano and the museum of modern and contemporary art Es Baluard, EMIFF is an ideal place for indie filmmakers to rub elbows with industry professionals, while enjoying one of the most stunning islands in the Mediterranean as their backdrop.

This year's EMIFF will include screenings, networking events, panels, and workshops every single day with up-and-coming filmmakers, established industry professionals as well as the general public interested in arts, film and culture.

EMIFF attracts over 2500 attendees from over 20 countries worldwide. In conjunction with its sister-screening event in Los Angeles; SEE THE WINNERS, a special selection of winning films screened at the Los Angeles Film School in the heart of Hollywood, EMIFF is becoming an international launching pad for promising new talent in all film genres

Additional Information about Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival is available at www.evolutionfilmfestival.com

Connect with Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival:

https://www.facebook.com/EvolutionFilmFestival/

Twitter: @EvolutionIFF

Instagram: evolutionmallorcafilmfestival

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema Rebranded as FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC, Returns to Regal UA Midway in Forest Hills and Queens Museum Aug. 2-11, 2019

Kew Gardens Festival Of Cinema Rebranded As FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC, Returns To Regal UA Midway In Forest Hills And Queens Museum Aug. 2-11, 2019

Ranked By FilmFreeway In The Top 2% Of Film Festivals And Creative Contests Around The World, FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC Call for Submissions For 2019 Edition Now Open

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema has big changes in store for its third annual event taking place August 2-11, 2019, and submissions for the festival are now open. With it’s new home and location at the Regal UA Midway in Forest Hills, Queens, this past 2018 festival, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema is rebranding itself as FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC going forward. This rebranding will allow the festival to expand its appeal, helping attract attendees and filmmakers from around the world, to the city’s most ethnically diverse borough.

In just two years, FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC has been ranked as one of the ‘Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals” on FilmFreeway. According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, the festival ranks in the top 2% of more than 6,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world.

FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC is sponsored by the Queens Museum and Regal Entertainment Group —the second largest theater chain in the United States. Screenings will take place at the Regal UA Midway in Forest Hills on grand screens with state of the art sound and projection. Attendees experience each screening in the comfort of the theaters recliner seats.

At the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, filmmakers and festival guests can take advantage of free programming, industry panels, workshops and additional screenings.

The support of these established organizations allows FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC to bring truly independent cinema to mainstream audiences, breaking the stereotypes that are often associated with lower budget independent films.

Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as an event that New Yorkers are “taking note of,” and with coverage in major media including The New York Times, The Huffington Post and Time Out New York, FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC aims to put independent filmmakers in the spotlight by offering opportunities like no other independent film festival. Our publicity team works to get the most news and media coverage for as many of our films as possible. In the past our filmmakers have been spotlighted on such news media as Page Six and NY1 News on Spectrum Time Warner Cable. Further promotional opportunities available to our filmmakers include participation on the Festival Talks Daily Podcasts, Red Carpet interviews, as well as opportunities for filmmakers to participate on filmmaker panels to discuss the challenges faced in the independent film industry.

This year we are honored to partner with a variety of local and international sponsors who will be presenting panels and workshops. Sponsors include The New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, SAG-AFTRA, Moviemaker Magazine, Variety 411, Final Draft, Simple DCP, Soundview Media Partners, Synimatica, The Acting Studio NYC, Seed & Spark, Yelp and Big City Graphics. Plus, every filmmaker that submits their film(s) will automatically receive a one-year subscription to Videomaker Magazine, a leading subscription service that focuses on guiding independent filmmakers with online tutorials and publications (a $20 value). In addition, all selected filmmakers will receive Full Access film badges that allow entry to all screenings and networking events, as well as the latest edition of Variety 411 (choice of NY or LA edition.)

FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC is a competitive festival that accepts films and media of all lengths, genres and subjects. Awards in over 15 categories include Best Feature and Short Narrative, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Music Video & Experimental, and Best Web Series. Audience choice for Feature and Short film are also awarded. Winners can expect to walk away with an amazing custom statuette as well as over $15,000 in prizes being offered from some of our amazing sponsors.

FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC will be an amazing experience for everyone that attends - so filmmakers and guests can expect networking events that include Karaoke, Trivia night, Comedy Night, Billiards Night and After Parties taking place throughout the area, hosted by our wonderful local sponsors.

In the past, our festival has hosted panels and workshops that strongly appeal to filmmakers. Subjects including diversity, women in film, distribution and production resources, as well as workshops by industry leaders such as SAG-AFTRA and Seed & Spark have been very popular amongst our filmmakers and attendees.

Past panelists and Jury Board members have included Anna Garduno, Executive Producer at Netflix; Charles E. Williams, two-time Emmy award winner at CBS; and Doug LeClaire, founder of Asbury Shorts USA.

To submit your film(s) to the 2019 FESTIVAL OF CINEMA NYC, find us on FilmFreeway, Withoutabox, or visit http://bit.ly/2lBnNdL.

Tauren Wells Dominates 49th Dove Awards

TAUREN WELLS DOMINATES 49TH ANNUAL GMA DOVE AWARDS WITH FOUR WINS

CELEBRATED CHRISTIAN SINGER GARNERS 4 FIRST TIME DOVES INCLUDING “CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN ARTIST OF THE YEAR,” “NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR,” “POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR” & “RAP/HIP HOP RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR”

Tune into TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) Sunday, October 21st at 9/8C

Photo Credit: Jamie Gilliam/BandBoxCreative & Gospel Music Association

(October 17, 2018 – Nashville, TN), Tauren Wells dominated the 49th annual Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards winning four of his eight nominations. Wells picked up four awards for Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year (Category 5), New Artist of the Year (Category 9), Rap / Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year (Category 11) and Pop / Contemporary Album of the Year (Category 23). The 49th annual DOVE Awards were taped in Nashville, TN at Lipscomb University and will broadcast on TBN on Sunday, October 21st, 2018 at 9/8C.

Wells, who was the former lead singer for Christian rock group Royal Tailor, performed his number-one single “Known” from his solo debut album, “Hills and Valleys,” and performed “War Cry” with show winners Social Club Misfits.

Backstage Wells said, “While it’s great to pose for all these pictures and getting to hold all these trophies, this doesn’t matter as much as what is happening inside our hearts.”

Wells’ debut solo single, “Hills and Valleys” lifted from the album of the same name, has received over 100 million digital streams and its accompanying acoustic style music video has been viewed over 24 million times; the third single “When We Pray” peaked at number two Billboard National Airplay chart. Tauren also achieved number one status being featured on Crowder’s hit song “All My Hope.”

Tauren Wells is currently touring with Dove Award winner, and Capitol recording artist, Danny Gokey on the “Hope Encounter” Tour.

For more information on Tauren Wells visit TaurenWells.com.

# # #

ABOUT TAUREN WELLS

Four-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated Tauren Wells debuted his solo music in 2017 with the dance-able pop hit, “Love Is Action”, which held the No. 1 spot at CHR radio for eight weeks and the hard-hitting “Undefeated” featuring rapper KB. Those hits were then followed by the GRAMMY-nominated and RIAA Certified GOLD “Hills and Valleys”, the piano and cello-driven thought-provoking track that quickly climbed the radio and sales charts and jumped to the Top 10 at the Christian Airplay radio chart for multiple weeks. The following single, “When We Pray” also hit the Top 10 at Christian Radio. His current single “Known” is already making a splash as it hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard CHR Chart. Tauren Wells is the former front man of GRAMMY® Award-nominated band Royal Tailor, father, songwriter, worship academy founder, multi-instrumentalist, and performer, and his deep desire to draw people closer to their identity in the Lord is apparent in all he pursues.

EVERYBODY DIGITAL FILM FESTIVAL, October 19-21 in Brooklyn, NYC

Allen Maldonado is a hard and smart working member of Hollywood, and he’s young born on May 20, 1983, to African American and Puerto Rican parents, he began his climb toward success as a child actor.  If you are one of his 23.9k Twitter followers that you already know that along with playing Curtis in Black-ish and Bobby in The Last O.G. he’s also one of the writers inside both writer’s room.  

His mix heritage has shaped his artistic points of view to a degree, with his mothers’ Southern roots deeply entrenched in African-American history. He lost his father at a young age.  

Maldonado has always been entrepreneurial focused and his business ventures include a record company, a production company, a t-shirt line, and the app, Everybody Digital, which has been described as “a “Netflix for short films” and this year, he’s added a brand new film festival—EVERYBODY DIGITAL FILM FESTIVAL— October 19-21—which is being held at Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, New York

The Everybody Digital Film Festival is dedicated to shining the spotlight on high-quality short films and web series and the creativity, passion, and hard work that goes into each and every project but is so often overlooked and under-appreciated. This is an extension of the Everybody Digital app created by Maldonado.  Carefully thought out, the app was created to help promote short-form films and web series and to give filmmakers another organized platform to showcase all of the work they put into writing, shooting and completing their productions. This festival was created to further promote and celebrate filmmakers and to provide them with a big screen and a live event for friends, family, and fellow filmmakers and film enthusiasts to enjoy and appreciate their work.

Connecting those in the industry is important and he’s arranged for opening night, Friday, October 19, to include a mixer fueled by Pizza  Hut at Kinfolk 94. There will also be special screenings for 3  Everybody Digital Original films with surprise celebrity guest appearances. 

The festival will also include several world premieres including  “A Father’s Love,“ written by Allen Maldonado and directed by RonReaco Lee, and produced by Jessie T. Usher, “Narcoleptic,” directed by Allen Maldonado, starring Miles Brown, and “Why Comedians Laugh,” directed by Allen Maldonado, starring Deon Cole, Woody McClain, and Gabrielle Dennis.

#theshortfilmapp.  Tickets are available at www.filmfreeway.com/EDFilmFestival.com.

2018 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS(R) MEDALISTS ANNOUNCED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last night honored its student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 45th Student Academy Awards ceremony, held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards were announced and presented by documentarian Arthur Dong, actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani and directors Catherine Hardwicke and Patricia Riggen!

The 2018 Student Academy Award winners are:

Alternative (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: Shae Demandt, “Reanimated,” Florida State University

Animation (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: Hanna Kim, “Raccoon and the Light,” California Institute of the Arts
Silver: Yu Yu, “Daisy,” University of Southern California
Bronze: Eaza Shukla, “Re-Gifted,” Ringling College of Art and Design

Animation (International Film Schools)
Gold: Pierre Perveyrie, Maximilien Bougeois, Marine Goalard, Irina Nguyen-Duc and Quentin Dubois, “The Green Bird,” MOPA

Documentary (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: Mathieu Faure, “An Edited Life,” New York University
Silver: Yiying Li, “Love & Loss,” University of Southern California
Bronze: Lauren Schwartzman, “Dust Rising,” University of California, Berkeley

Documentary (International Film Schools)
Gold: Mart Bira, “Nomadic Doctor,” University of Hertfordshire

Narrative (Domestic Film Schools)
Gold: Hua Tong, “Spring Flower,” University of Southern California
Silver: Kelley Kali, “Lalo’s House,” University of Southern California
Bronze: Brian Robau, “Esta Es Tu Cuba”/“This Is Your Cuba,” Chapman University

Narrative (International Film Schools)
Gold: Jonatan Etzler, “Get Ready with Me,” Stockholm Academy of the Arts
Silver: Lisa Gertsch, “Almost Everything,” Zurich University of the Arts
Bronze: István Kovács, “A Siege,” University of Theatre and Film Arts, Budapest

See the full livestream here. 

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK premiered last night at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater as part of the New York Film Festival

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK premiered last night at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater as part of the New York Film Festival

The premiere marked the first time that a film from the New York Film Festival played at the historic Harlem theater. Following a Q&A in the packed theater, the cast made their way to Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem hotspot Red Rooster to celebrate. 

Attendees from the film included KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Brian Tyree Henry, Diego Luna, Finn Wittrock, Ed Skrein, Aunjanue Ellis, Emily Rios, Ebony Obsidian, Dominique Thorne

Filmmakers in attendance included Writer/Director/Producer Barry Jenkins, Plan B's Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, PASTEL'S Adele Romanski and Sara Murphy, composer Nicholas Britell, cinematographer James Laxton, costume designer Caroline Eselin-Schaeffer, editors Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders

Notable guests included actor Lakeith Stanfield, actor Michael K. Williams, actress Samira Wiley, actor Josh Radnor, actress Alia Shawkat, actress Adepero Oduye, actor Marcus Scribner, actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, model TK Quann, screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, director Bo Burnham

 

Exclusively in NYC on November 30

Expanding on December 7

 

#BealeStreet

Official Site: BealeStreet.movie

Facebook: /BealeStreet

Instagram: @BealeStreet

Twitter: @BealeStreet

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Academy Award-winning writer/director Barry Jenkins’ first film since the Best Picture Oscar-winning Moonlight is If Beale Street Could Talk, his adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel — the first English-language feature film based on the work of the author, to whom the movie is dedicated. 

Set in early-1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (screen newcomer KiKi Layne). A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.

Through the unique intimacy and power of cinema, If Beale Street Could Talk honors the author’s prescient words and imagery, charting the emotional currents navigated in an unforgiving and racially biased world as the filmmaker poetically crosses time frames to show how love and humanity endure.

Director: Barry Jenkins

Writer: Barry Jenkins

Producers: Megan Ellison, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner

Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael BeachEd Skrein, Diego Luna, Dave Franco, Pedro Pascal