by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent Selfie from THE LAST WORD cast.

Never start a headline with a bad pun, and never write your own obit might be two unwritten rules of journalism, but in new movie THE LAST WORD, starring Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried, a lot of rules are broken so let’s skip the logline and go straight to the press conference at The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. The timing is key here, because this takes place, Friday, March, 3, in the wake of MacLaine’s brother Warren Beatty’s epic wrong-picture Oscar controversy and the shock death of Bill Paxton, 61, who was Seyfried’s friend and co-star on the HBO series “Big Love.”

MacLaine, who plays Harriet Lauler a bitter ad exec who hires Amanda Seyfried’s character to pen a loving tribute before she dies, is seated beside Seyfried, with director Mark Pellington (Arlington Road), newcomer Ann’Jewel Lee, 10, and co-star Thomas Sadoski known for the CBS TV series “Life in Pieces.”

To further up the stakes, Seyfried and Sadoski met on the set of this film, and are set to become parents shortly. Plus, Amanda has brought her dog Finn to the show, which makes this event even more like a surreal Hollywood family gathering.

Every single journalist in the room has worked up a strategy for addressing the 800 pound story lead in the room. Without being so indelicate as to outright ask about either the Oscars or Paxton without ruffling the stars or overshadowing THE LAST WORD’s release, the questions veer toward the inevitable.

MacLaine shoots down all comers. “That’s Warren and Jimmy Kimmel’s problem. It was horrific,” she says of the Oscar misidentified Best Picture fracas. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Her firm stance here quashed any other talk of current events in Hollywood.

And right there, while she sorts out the room, you see the character she plays in THE LAST WORD in sharp relief. You don’t mess with a legend, and you’re not going to slip a fast one by Shirley MacLaine, who’s a master at shutting down nonsense. The best part is she also steamrolls the “who was your mentor,” and the “Ms. MacLaine” you’re a legend crap too.

“Joan Crawford. She was the first person to give me advice (in Hollywood). I didn’t listen to a word she said.” MacLaine smiles as she says it.

When you get up the courage to ask your not-political-political question, with a Marlon Brando lead-in from one of her memoirs about how Brando actually got her into politics over a death penalty case while she was frying an egg, as the story goes, MacLaine dodges that bullet too.

"You know I was named for Shirley Temple, a Republican? Well, I have to play both sides of the aisle." The way she turns her gaze directly into your subtext after that moot zinger is a private moment, comical, deft.

Amanda Seyfried, Mark Pellington, and the cast turn their chins in her direction. You can’t help it. This is a woman who has survived Billy Wilder in THE APARTMENT, Hitchcock in THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, and is an Oscar winner, six-time Academy Award nominee, as well as a Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe Lifetime Achievement honoree.

Plus she has privately endured the recent deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, after playing Reynolds’ fictional mother to Fisher’s fictional daughter in POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE. Meryl Streep played Carrie Fisher's fictional account of herself as Debbie Reynolds daughter. The four of them were very close during the filming, now 50 percent of them are gone.Here’s where, even in this swank Beverly Hills suite years away from the Golden Age of Hollywood that she bridges, Shirley MacLaine melds with THE LAST WORD character Harriet Lauler. As in Madison Avenue and Show Biz, both of them had to break down doors while protecting their inner selves in a world where women were either glamorized, marginalized or downright obstructed from their goals.

Later, when it’s revealed that screenwriter Stuart Ross Fink wrote the script for THE LAST WORD specifically for Shirley MacLaine, about a hard-driving ad exec (Harriet Lauler) turned surrogate mother for Amanda Seyfried’s character (Anne Sherman), this new movie becomes almost poetic and reverential.

In the opening scenes, real-life images from MacLaine’s life slip across the screen and through time in an appreciation of a woman whose career has spanned more than 70 years as an actor, performer, dancer, show pony, and hoofer.

“Shirley and I had a 20-minute discussion on the psychology of pajama versus a robe,” Fink explained. “It was at that point I realized Harriet was no longer mine. She had become Shirley’s.” “There’s no other actress who can portray a combination of bitchiness, vulnerability, humor, and empathy like Shirley.”

Fink, who brought the project to director Mark Pellington (Arlington Road), is also an ad man, a creative director who worked for Fortune 100 companies. Clearly he built the story around his experience. Harriet Lauler is a once-Teflon advertising veteran in the movie. Now a broken woman who was kicked out of a company she founded, that still bears her initials in the logo, only to become an aging control freak in a secluded life headed for the bitter end.

Instead of accepting her fate as a dethroned pitch maven, MacLaine’s character decides to stage manager her exit, beginning with hiring an exceptional obituary writer to cement her refurbished reputation after she dies.

Nobody wants to write obits, especially not for a living or the living.

Amanda Seyfried plays the beleaguered essayist with a day job writing obits who is flung into orbit around Lauler’s ego as she re-brands herself for the afterlife. “I adore Amanda,” MacLaine said. “And Harriet in her way adores Anne, but her biggest problem has always been with people who don’t live up to their potential.”

When you realize this is a first movie for Fink, you begin to understand the complexity of molding the material to MacLaine. And that’s what makes this movie the proverbial love letter to MacLaine, now 82, while also carving out a poignant narrative about the inevitable displacement of productive people as they age. “Older people are invisible,” MacLaine will say at the press conference, “that’s what I wanted to use this movie for, to make older people less invisible.”

What makes the movie raw and strange is the interplay between Seyfried, MacLaine and her on-screen daughter played by a disapproving neurologist Anne Heche in one tiny scene, coupled with long sequences where Seyfried and MacLaine go through their personal pitch battles in the presence of new comer Ann’Jewel Lee, a 10-year-old who takes no prisoners.

Heche slays as a bad daughter.

At the press conference, after the glittering sheen of star power wanes and Ann’Jewel Lee waits to leave, she wants you to know about “the cursing,” the f-word her character uses. “I don’t say that in real life,” she notes. “But it was just a movie. My mother said it was okay because it’s just a movie.” Just a decade in years and she’s got the wisdom to know the difference between what’s on the screen to make a point, and who she is as a young actor.

Mark Pellington adds that she ad libbed a crucial scene with MacLaine, where MacLaine asks “what do you want to be” open-ended. Lee says “ya gotta be something.”

In a surreal LA moment, after leaving the press conference and meeting MacLaine, who is so frighteningly gracious and disarmingly elegant in real life, Ari Shapiro’s NPR "All Things Considered" interview with the screen star for THE LAST WORD comes on the car radio. She’s parrying back and forth, doing her Harriet Lauler impression, “I know you’re looking for a headline, Babe,” she quips. And of course, Shirley MacLaine gets the actual last word.

Make the time to see her go toe to toe with Amanda Seyfried in this movie, because it’s really a moment for women, young and old, and the families we build when husbands, parterners, boyfriends, children, and even high-power careers aren’t enough.

THE LAST WORD from Bleeker Street and Myriad Pictures, is directed by Mark Pellington, and stars Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfriend, Anne Heche, Ann’Jewel Lee, Philip Baker Hall, Thomas Sadoski, and Tom Everett Scott.

See their website for venues and showtimes for the release run, which opened Mar. 3, in a nationwide roll-out. 

Social Tags:

#TheLastWord #BleeckerSt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BleeckerStFilms Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BleeckerStFilms (handle: @BleeckerStFilms) Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/BleeckerStFilms (handle: @BleeckerStFilms) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BleeckerStFilms

[Also see more great releases from www.BleeckerStreetMedia.com.]

# # #

June 1, 2017

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The Film Festival Home presents the 3rd Annual Follow Your Dreams Festival!

The Follow Your Dreams Film Festival was created to be inspired by and inspire Independent Filmmakers across the globe. We are dedicated to showcase the talent and dedication put forth by filmmakers.

The 3rd Annual Follow Your Dreams Film Festival will take place in Gilbert, Arizona at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts June 2017.

Following two successful online editions in 2015 and 2016, this year’s event will be a red carpet extravaganza!

Filmmakers both local to Arizona and as well as International talent have submitted their projects during past events.

A BIG thank you to everyone involved. Year three will be bigger and better with talented directors, actors, writers and producers who will have the opportunity to display their features and shorts to the large online filmmaker and film fan community at The Film Festival Home. 

Awards & Prizes

Rules & Terms

George Parra

Producer George Parra has been a venerated industry professional for over thirty years, having worked on such prestigious films as- 'Waterworld' (1995), 'Sideways' (2004), 'The Descendants' (2011), 'Silver Linings Playbook' (2012), 'American Hustle' (2013); to name a very few. He first began his illustrious career as a Set Production Assistant on 'The Terminator' (1984) which led to his position as Second Assistant Director on movies like 'Ghost' (1990) and 'Men At Work' (1990) and thereafter First Assistant Director on many multiple renown films. In 2004 he began Line Producing and Executive Producing until finally he decided to focus primarily on Producing. He currently works in collaboration with several producers developing a compelling slate of feature films to be produced over the next few years.

I interviewed George about his career shortly after the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Here is what he had to say:

 

You've been working in the business for quite some time now. What was your first film?

GEORGE: Yes, going on 30 years now. My first film out of film school was 'The Terminator' with an unknown director named James Cameron.

 

You've worn various professional hats throughout your career. Is there one you like doing the most?

GEORGE: Producing great films

 

Is there a film you worked on that sticks out the most as the best or worst experience?

GEORGE: Best - 'Sideways' or 'Silver Linings Playbook'. Worst - I try to forget those.

 

Do you have any anecdotes from past film sets that really stick out in your memory?

GEORGE: Many really. Filmmaking should always be fun. We are truly lucky to be doing what we are doing. I've had many memorable laughs and crazy unforgettable scenarios. That stick out…..? Maybe super gluing a certain A list actors front tooth in at 6:30AM in his hotel room before he went on camera. Still laugh out loud when I think about it.

 

You've worked multiple times with directors such as David O Russell and Alexander Payne. What has that been like?

GEORGE: Amazing to say the least. I always feel fortunate to have worked with these two directors and help create their vision. Others have been Peter Yates, Bob Zemekis, Oliver Stone, Rob Cohen, Wes Craven, and of course James Cameron. Being able to work and collaborate with great directors has always been the satisfaction and and motivation I feel most rewarding. That's why I wanted to be in the business to begin with. Working with these type of creative directors making great films is always the best part of the process of creating great films and entertaining people.

 

You've recently started your own production company. What kinds of films will you be focusing on?

GEORGE: I have been involved with a few companies. I'm involved with many producers to collaborate with to make quality films that are both entertaining as well as successful.

 

There are so many movies in the market today yet so few of them successful. What do you think makes a successful film?

GEORGE: Quality scripts that hit a nerve in audiences if made well.

 

You've been pretty successful in you career. What advice can you give people who are new to the industry?

GEORGE: Work hard and don’t give up.

 

What is your favorite stage of producing a film, from the location to shooting?

GEORGE: All of it truly. Its a lot of hard work, but if you hire the right people and surround yourself with people you respect and want to work with, anything is possible. The process can be very satisfying.

 

What are you working on now?

GEORGE: I am in pre-production up here in Edmonton, Canada on “Puppy Love,” a sort of adult version of 'Napoleon Dynamite'. Written and directed by Michael Maxxis, we start shooting March 20, 2017.

Interview by Vanessa McMahon. March 05, 2017

Siraj Syed covers CommunicAsia 2017, Singapore: Pre-event, 02: Virtual Reality

BroadcastAsia2017 International Conference speaker, Lionel Chok, Start-up Founder/Creative Technologist, Immersively, of Forbes Asia-Singapore Media Academy, shares how VR storytelling is growing fast

\Why Virtual Reality is more than just a buzz phrase for the film industry

What do lights, cameras and black chunky headsets have in common? For years, movie theatres have tried different tricks to get audiences into their doors – extra wide screens, surround sound systems, 3D films, and most recently Virtual Reality (VR). The Martian for example, was one of the first commercial VR efforts to come out of Hollywood. As the industry grapples with the transition from physical media to a more digital-centric business model, it has to create new revenue streams.

The ways in which audiences interact with the stories they love have changed. Technology has enabled new creative tools and forms of mass distribution, altering the landscape so fundamentally that it’s hard to remember when it wasn’t common to interact with every beloved property via memes, cosplay, video remixes, and other forms of fandom. Interactivity and immersion aren’t just add-ons; they have become essential elements of the entertainment experience.

Look no further to the recent Sundance Film Festival, which has traditionally been the home for challenging films that are willing to test the boundaries of independent cinema. But in an era where entertainment is no longer confined to the limitations of a screen, it’s time for these risks to take place in a virtual landscape.

At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, artists are utilising audiences’ bodies as platforms for new storytelling projects. Instead of having the audience sit and passively watch a film, they are creating new worlds that enable audiences to see into the future and experience the changing ways audiences will interact with each other. In 2017, there are nearly 50 of such projects, and they are far more powerful than simply lounging in cinema seats and tossing popcorn into your mouth.

VR has long been a feature of the Sundance Film Festival in that there have been small, gimmicky demonstrations, but reports from this year’s festival indicate signs of an industry that’s starting to grow up and get serious. The notion of filming in 360 degrees offers the chance to step into a movie and feel completely immersed, bringing new interest, challenges and possibilities to the movie world.

One of the best things about video content is its ability to transport you to different places and times, and with VR, that effect is even stronger, and the experience even more immersive. It engages the audience in a different way; you can't see the whole scene at once, you have to move your head around as you would in the actual physical environment, and one viewing may not be enough for you to see all there is to see. Audiences are also less distractible, which is the winning ingredient in a multi-screen world. It could also open the door to new forms of brand exposure for companies, translating to new advertising and sales channels for traditional broadcasters and film-makers.

If audiences are going to be interested in VR content, beyond the initial novelty, really good narratives must draw them in like any other media.

The key to making a compelling VR movie is to focus on creating immersive worlds rather than storylines. Conventional storytelling simply doesn’t suit a VR film. A 360 degree VR movie is actually a range of potential stories, rather than a single story, because it can be viewed from many different angles. Film-makers who ignore this fundamental aspect of VR film will annoy their audiences, and fail to leverage the technology’s unique features.

VR is still some way off from mass consumer adoption. But one of its biggest hurdles — not enough interesting content--is firmly a thing of the past, and Google's Pearl will not be the last Oscar-nominated VR Film.

In some countries, such as America, it is difficult for people to try out VR technology as consumers often have to fork out US$1,000 or more to experience high-end VR. The trick is to make VR accessible, affordable and widely available. In China, there are over 100,000 internet cafes, offering VR sessions for just a few dollars. Any VR kit that will sell well in the next couple of years is likely to be an inexpensive lower-end version that pairs with a smart-phone, take for example Samsung, which has sold 5 million Gear VR headsets. Undoubtedly, Asia is leading the way in the mass adoption of VR technology.

(Lionel Chok started his career in 1995, and has been actively involved creating digital content for media, such as television, cinema, web, mobile and even theatre. In 2014, Lionel discovered Augmented and Virtual Reality, and decided to specialise in this exciting new medium by getting a post-graduate Masters in degree Creative Technology, at Middlesex University, in London).

For more insights, join Lionel Chok, Start-up Founder/Creative Technologist, Immersively at the Virtual Reality Zone at BroadcastAsia2017. He will also be speaking about ‘Embracing Virtual Reality for New Possibilities’ on Day 2 of the Conference.

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) announced today that it will open the 41st Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF41), with the World Premiere of Love Off the Cuff, directed by Hong Kong director PANG Ho-cheung. The film will kick off HKIFF41 on 11 April 2017 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre.

Love Off the Cuff is a long-awaited reunion between Jimmy and Cherie in PANG Ho-cheung's third installment of the romantic comedy since Love in a Puff (2010) and Love in the Buff (2012). Miriam YEUNG and Shawn YUE reprise their popular roles as a star-crossed couple who strive to stay together happily ever after, only to find their already precarious relationship further strained by external circumstances.  While the first and second films took place in Hong Kong and Beijing respectively, this time the action moves to Taiwan.

“Many people are very interested in the relationship between Cherie and Jimmy. In fact, their love story has not only spanned seven years, but also spanned different regions – Hong Kong, Beijing, and now Taiwan. I always think that a good relationship can cross borders and stand the test of time.” said director PANG Ho-cheung.

The full programme of HKIFF41 will be announced in the press conference to be held on 14 March. Stay tuned.

To download information and film stills:

FTP:                                     ftp://hkiff.mtel.ws

Log In:                 Press

Password:         HK1FFPress

Folder:                 HKIFF41/Press Releases/20170303 - Opening Film Announcement

– Ends –

About The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)

The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is one of the Asia’s oldest and most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch new work and experience outstanding films.

Screening over 250 titles from more than 55 countries in over 11 major cultural venues across the territory, the Festival is Hong Kong’s largest cultural event. For the past seven years, HKIFF has also produced and premiered anthologies of short films by well-known award winning filmmakers from Asia such as Ann HUI, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi, JIA Zhangke, Brillante MENDOZA, NAKATA Hideo, TSAI Ming-liang, Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL and among others. From 2017, HKIFF will collaborate with Heyi Pictures to produce two feature films a year by young Chinese filmmakers that will world premiere at HKIFF.

Committed to discovering new talent, the Festival premieres the breadth of Chinese cinema and showcases Asian talents. Festival-goers enjoy world-class films, attend seminars hosted by leading filmmakers from around the world, visit film exhibitions, participate in receptions and parties, and more.

The Festival draws extensive media coverage from over 300 local and international members of the press and continues to grow in importance as one of the premier platforms to launch films in Asia.

The 41^st Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF41) will be held from 11 to 25 April 2017.

About The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (HKIFFS/Society) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film.

The Society is committed to making world cinema accessible and affordable to the public. It organizes the annual flagship the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) in March and April. Another annual highlight is the Summer International Film Festival (SummerIFF) held every August. The repertory HKIFF Cine Fan Programme was launched in April 2013 with the aim to enrich and deepen the experience of Hong Kong moviegoers through a monthly programme of contemporary, retrospective and thematic showcases.

Through its annual programmes, the Society promotes international appreciation of Asian, Hong Kong and Chinese film culture; introduces world cinema to Hong Kong audiences; and continues to underline Hong Kong’s key position in the international film community.

HKIFFS’s dedication to quality and intelligent programming, its devotion to the discovery of new areas of filmmaking in Asia and China, its exceptional work for Hong Kong cinema, seminars and acclaimed publications, gives it a unique and respected international reputation that helps promote Hong Kong cinema at home and abroad.

THE 24TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES:

THE 2017 LINEUP!

Individual Tickets & Schedule are now available!

11 DAYS. 160 FILMS. 20 COUNTRIES. 1 CULTURE.

Come celebrate our diversity and experience the best of Latino cinema with over 160 must-see features, shorts and documentaries showcasing comedies, dramas, youth screenings, LGBT films and more!

There's a film for everyone!

#SDLFF 2017 is excited to present a variety of genres and movies coming from over 20 countries within Latin America, Mexico, U.S.A., and Spain. We are breaking all of these incredible films into unique SHOWCASES, celebrating certain countries, genres & themes.

From Hollywood productions as LOWRIDERS, featuring Demián Bichir and Eva Longoria, to locally produced comedies, such as RUTA MADRE, starring Angélica María, we've got you covered!

SHOWCASE HIGHLIGHTS:

 Arturo Ripstein Tribute
Cine Gay
Country of Focus: Brazil
Frontera Filmmakers
Manolo Caro Tribute
María Rojo Tribute
Mexico Today
Sabor Latino Film Showcase
Spotlight Films Showcase

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULLLINEUP

 GET THE VIP EXPERIENCE!

Skip the long lines and get VIP Priority seating to over 160 films! Plus, get free entrance to after-parties, Sabor Latino - Food, Beer & Wine Festival, VIP Receptions, Lounge area and more!

Only $225!
a $1,400 value

#SDLFF 2017 INDIVIDUAL TICKETS, FILM PASSES & TICKET PACKS
ARE ALSO AVAILABLE

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

 AFTER PARTIES

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Presented in association with Sabor on the Bay 

THURSDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2017, 8:00 PM-12:00 AM

Join us for a tribute live music & dance. Experience the night with pulsating Latin music at a beautiful, historical venue near Balboa Park featuring a VIP lounge hosted by Stella Artois. A do not miss event!

Dance Shows by : HERNANDO AND GLORIA (Tango) & MAJESTY IN MOTION (Bachata)

Music by: DJ LOBEL, Playing Top 40 + Urban Latin

Live Performance by: BUYEPONGO from Los Angeles (Cumbia)

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

CLOSING NIGHT PARTY

SATURDAY, MARCH 25TH, 9:30 PM – 2:00 AM

Red. Black. Sexy. It’s a themed party at one of The Gaslamp’s newest venues, Meze. It’s going to be a high energy party with music like Salsa, Cumbia, Reggaeton & Rock en Español.

Playing Urban Latin, Salsa + Top 40: DJ MICHAEL ALMA (Habana, Cuba)

Featuring CHARLIE CHAVEZ live on Percussion

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

 SONIDOLATINO

FREE LIVE CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES!

Daily shows March 16th through March 26TH

Enjoy daily performances by the best local and international artists and bands!

This years Sonido Latino includes appearances by:

ANDY VARGAS (SANTANA)
HECTOR QUINTANA (MANÁ)
CUMBIA MACHIN
LA BEAT CANTINA
DAVID MALDONADO
MONETTE MARINO
FLAMENCO WITH ROOTS
LINDA OWLEN
BEVERLY BLVD (SCHOOL OF ROCK)
JOEY MOLINA

and many more attractions!

Click here for more information

April 7 – 9, 2017

Call for Entry March 6, 2017  Beyond the Grave I March 10, 2017 Notification Date I  

Email I 800 Lansdowne Avenue Unit 604 Toronto, ON M6H 4K3 Canada I Website I  Facebook I Twitter

Toronto Spring of Horror and Fantasy was created to give people of Toronto access to quality genre films throughout the year.

Our aim is to showcase the best genre films from around the World from new filmmakers and seasoned veterans. Our focus is on new voices and we prefer creativity over big budgets. In addition to having short films in front of features, we also aim to start most screenings with a genre appropriate music video to set the mood.

In addition to screenings, we also have other fun activities such as nightly socials and a scream queen or king competition.

Our screenings are held at the Carlton Cinema in downtown Toronto on April 7-9, 2017.

Awards & Prizes

Rules & Terms

June 30 - July 8, 2017

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Take note ! The 17th edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival will take place from 30th June to 8th July 2017. Submit your film to partake in an unmissable cinematic event that combines innovation, prestige and discoveries !

Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF)
Programming: Anaïs Emery
features@nifff.ch
Passage Max. de Meuron 6 
2000 Neuchâtel - SWITZERLAND
Tel :+41 32 730 50 32 / Fax :+41 32 731 07 75
 

17TH EDITION OF THE NEUCHÂTEL INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL (NIFFF)

REGULATIONS - FEATURE FILMS

We are proud to invite you to participate in the next edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, which will take place from June 30th to July 8th 2017 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.


Article 1

The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival aims to reveal and promote so-called fantasy or science fiction cinematographic works as well as cutting-edge films. The NIFFF’s goal is to represent worldwide “fantastic” production as well as Asian production in Switzerland.


Article 2

The NIFFF features the following competitive sections:

- The International Competition of Fantastic Films
- The Asian Films Competition
- The Silver Méliès Award for the Best European Feature Film

Alongside these, the NIFFF features the following non-competitive sections:

- Ultra Movies
- Film of the third kind
- Amazing Switzerland
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies
- Retrospectives and special programs

Movies not meeting the requirements listed in articles 3 to 5 can be selected for one of the above-mentioned sections at the Artistic Director’s request or on the suggestion of the other party.


Article 3

The programming board selects the films to be screened in the International Competition. Special dispensation notwithstanding, only films meeting the following criteria will be selected:

1. All films must have been completed in the 18 months preceding the festival.
2. All films must be screened as Swiss Premieres. As a general rule, priority will be given to International and World Premieres.
3. The projection format must be DCP, HD files (ProRes), Blu-ray.
4. Running time must be at least 60 minutes.
5. Films must fulfill the aims of the festival as defined in article 1.


Article 4

The programming board selects the films to be screened in the Asian Competition. Special dispensation notwithstanding, only films meeting the following criteria will be selected.

1. All films must have been completed in the 24 months preceding the festival.
2. All films must be screened as Swiss Premieres. As a general rule, priority will be given to International and World Premieres.
3. The projection format must be DCP, HD files (ProRes), Blu-ray.
4. Running time must be at least 60 minutes.
5. Films must fulfill the aims of the festival as defined in article 1.


Article 5

The programming board selects the films to be screened in the Silver Méliès Award for the best European Fantastic Feature. Special dispensation notwithstanding, only films meeting the following criteria will be selected:

1. All films must have been completed in the 24 months preceding the next Golden Méliès Cycle.
2. All films must qualify as European Productions as defined by the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation in its regulations, available at the following address: www.melies.org
3. All films must be screened as Swiss Premieres. As a general rule, priority will be given to International Premieres.
4. The projection format must be DCP, HD files (ProRes), Blu-ray.
5. Running time must be at least 60 minutes.
6. Films must fulfill the aims of the festival as defined in article 1.


Article 6

The film can be sent via online screener (Vimeo, private YouTube), download platforms (WeTransfer, Dropbox), USB key, DVD or Blu Ray. The festival wishes to keep screeners of submitted films for its archives.

In addition to the submission form fully filled out, complementary documentation such as press kit or production information can be sent by e-mail (features@nifff.ch).

The final deadline to submit films to the programming board is April 24th 2017.


Article 7

The transport expenses of the print will be covered by the festival, except if, after the festival, the print has to be shipped to another Film Festival at the request of the film’s producer.

Copies of films must reach the festival office no later than June 16th, 2017.


Article 8

The NIFFF will cover insurance costs for the storage and use of the prints on site at the festival.


Article 9

Once a movie is selected by the NIFFF’s Selection Committee, it can in no case be removed from the program.


Article 10

The International Jury is composed of a president and a maximum of six international or Swiss judges. The Jury of the International Competition must award:

The HR Giger “Narcisse” Trophy for the Best Fantastic Feature Film”, and a cash prize for the promotion of the film to the producer, distributor or independent director who registered the winning film in the festival.

The international jury has the possibility to give an honorific “Special Jury Mention” to a film of outstanding artistic and innovative value.

Alongside these, the following awards will be given out during the NIFFF:

- Best Asian Film
- The Audience award, HR Giger “Audience Narcisse” Trophy.
- The RTS audience award, support for the distribution of the winning film to the amount of CHF 5000 offered by "Radio Télévision Suisse" (RTS). The RTS determines the final form this support will take.


Article 11

The Silver Méliès Jury is composed of a President and two Swiss personalities. The Silver Méliès Jury must award: 

- The Silver Méliès Award for the best European Fantastic Feature, a nomination to the Golden Méliès for the Best European Fantastic Feature Competition organized in turn by the European Federation of Fantastic Film Festivals in each festival associated with the Federation.


Article 12

The Imaging the Future Jury is composed of three people working in the film industry, in fields related to graphic design and visual technologies. The jury must award:

- The Imaging the Future Prize for Best Production Design worth CHF 5’000.


Article 13

The Critic’’s Award jury is composed of at least three Swiss and international professional journalists. The jury must award:

- The Critic’’s Award of the best feature in International Competition


Article 14

The Board of the "Association du Festival International du Film Fantastique de Neuchâtel" are entitled to solve all issues not covered in the afore-mentioned regulations.


Article 15

All selected films must include in full view festival’s name and logo to their promotional material. Prize winners and distribution companies pledge to attach the exact designation of the awards as mentioned in the palmarès. These logos are made available by the Festival. In the event the company or person responsible for the prize winner does not comply with this clause, the NIFFF can decide not to release the amount allocated to the prize winner.

Article 16

Participation in the festival implies the acceptance of all 16 articles of this regulation.

August 31 – September 3, 2017

Email I Philadelphia, PA 19147 United States I Website I Facebook I Twitter I SUBMIT

The Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival is now open for submissions to the upcoming 2017 edition of the newly founded underground film fest.  PUFF is Philly’s alternative cinema event that focuses on horror, sci-fi, and experimental movies typically ignored by mainstream film festivals. Started in 2015 by two film fanatics working in the industry for many years, Alex Gardner and Madeleine Koestner made it their goal to bring new and unreleased films to the city of Philadelphia.

“Our first festival was an incredible success, and we couldn’t be more excited for year two,” says Koestner. “We had a heavy focus on horror and science-fiction, which we plan to continue and take even further. With the opportunity to expand, we want to draw in more of the offbeat, bizarre, and unknown.”  

“Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to both our Bizarre and Local films last year, we want to dedicate more time to those programs,” said Gardner “We will also continue with our International program featuring the best shorts from around the world.”

The second annual PUFF will not only be expanding its short programs, but upgrading the event to showcase more features, in a bigger space, while never forgetting to put a heavy emphasis on fun. Aiming to facilitate a sense of community, the founders are looking to partner with local Philly businesses and to help undiscovered or unappreciated talent reach an enthusiastic audience, critics, and distributors who can help champion their films.

“The trend of remakes and sequels isn’t going to slow down anytime soon, and underground festivals are one of the only ways movie lovers can see new and original movies,” explains Gardner. “Combined with our free monthly screening series, we’ve presented several films that have found success on the VOD and direct-to-DVD markets. We’re excited to grow PUFF in 2017 to feature even more films that movie fans in Philadelphia would never be able to see at a mainstream multiplex.”

Currently accepting early submissions, Filmmakers can submit their films to PUFF through Withoutabox or FilmFreeway for a discounted rate until regular submissions begin in March. PUFF is looking for independent feature length and short films in all categories.

CALL FOR ENTRY

July 14, 2017 Regular I August 4, 2017 Late I August 12, 2017 Notification Date

FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/PhiladelphiaUnnamedFilmFestival

Withoutabox: https://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festview=1&festival_id=14944

PUFF Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phillyunnamed/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillyUnnamed

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

Today, a familiar face left the Hollywood landscape as TCM host Robert Osborne, 83, died on Monday Mar.6, 2017. But he was much more than just another talking head about movies and movie stars. Osborne came to Tinsel Town from “off the farm,” as he recounted when we spoke about the Oscars history in 2011.

Instead of penning a typical tribute, here’s a real inside look back at a man whose work in show business lives on. Ironically, he leaves us in the most controversial year ever for the Academy Awards as LA LA LAND was erroneously announced as Best Picture, later corrected as MOONLIGHT.

In Osborne’s estimation, the only other Oscar controversy happened in 1947, exactly 70 years ago. His opinion on the two controversies, as to which one was more or less impactful — now or 1947 — would have been priceless.

The following in-depth chat is from a FilmFestivals Jan. 17, 2011 interview, when Robert Osborne (1933-2017)  discussed the Oscars history and his own personal journey on the way to becoming one of the most recognized faces to cover the Academy Awards presentation and Hollywood lore on TCM and on the red carpet.

Enjoy this look back at a man, once an actor, who became a different kind of screen legend as the charismatic and lively host of Turner Classic Movies, among other contributions to the entertainment industry as an author and Hollywood insider.

ARCHIVE: When the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences award show premiered in 1928, the industry was barely 31 years old. Known as The Official Biographer of The Academy Awards, as well as the honorary red-carpet greeter for the Academy, the man who refers to himself as "coming to Hollywood off the farm" will unveil insider moments about these films as he unspools some of the greatest pictures ever made.

Recently he gave us a private glimpse into his personal life as well as his professional path leading from his 1965 start chronicling the movies up to his present life as a man inextricably tied to the Golden Statuette.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Since you are the official biographer of the Oscar, how is this year different leading up to the Oscars?

ROBERT OSBORNE: It is certainly a different Oscar game now than in the years when all the stars were well-known to the public. In 1951, they all knew who Humphrey Bogart was, who Marlon Brando was, and Montgomery Clift. It made the Oscar race very interesting because you had all these stars competing against each other. Today we have a lot of films come out with a lot of different people we've never really known before, or seen before. So we're being introduced to these films [and stars], and it's a little hard to get people excited about the awards when they don't know quite who the players are. For us, with programming at TCM, it is wondeful because it gives us a chance to bring out all these films. Many of which won Oscars and are nominated in categories people are not aware of -- so we have this wide mix of films (with history) people are not that aware of. Not only the famous ones, like the LAWRENCE OF ARABIA's and CASABLANCA's, but films that are still worth seeing and fun to see. For us, it is like a whole month full of desserts. Great movies to resee, if you haven't seen them before. It also gives us a chance to show films we haven't shown before. This year we are showing the LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING, which won the Academy Award in 2003. And we go all the way back to WINGS, which was the first movie to win an Academy Award back in 1927.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Was that Clara Bow?

ROBERT OSBORNE: Yes, it was Clara Bow and Gary Cooper. We have a whole mix from FORREST GUMP to PRETTY WOMAN to KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: That's great movie. What are your Top 5 Oscar all-time favorites? I know that's tough.

ROBERT OSBORNE: My two favorites are movies that never won any Oscars, but were certainly nominated. SUNSET BOULEVARD, and A PLACE IN THE SUN. But as far as (winning Best Picture), GONE WITH THE WIND would be in there, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS -- because it always makes me feel good and lively. GODFATHER would be in there. That's four. And maybe LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Is it true that you first came to Hollywood as an actor, and that Lucille Ball was your mentor?

ROBERT OSBORNE: I was. When I first came out to California, it turned out to be a big break for me. She had 12 people under contract. She got to know us all over a two-year period. She knew I loved to write, and old films. At that point, there was really not a lot of interest in them. She said "you know, I think we have enough actors. Why don't you try writing about the business? I know you would be fine as an actor, but I don't think it will make you happy." She said "I think writing and researching about old films will make you happy." I did listen to her because there was nothing to gain from giving me advice like that. I think you have to be careful who you get advice from because they may be giving you advice to help them in some way. She encouraged me to write a book right away, because she said "if you write a book, and you are competing for a job,  a writing job, you'll be ahead of other people."

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: She was so pragmatic, you know?

ROBERT OSBORNE: Very smart, too. She said "If you've written a book. They will realize you have the dedication. A lot of people say they want to write a book, but few have the discipline to actually do it. If you do it, you will get the job." She had great advice like that.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: You've had so many powerful leading ladies in your life. I think Bette Davis wrote the foreword to your first Academy Award book in 1965?

ROBERT OSBORNE: I learned wonderful things from her. She became a great friend of mine. I went out to California at a great time, at time when people like Bette Davis, and certainly Lucy and others, were available. They weren't working as much as they used to. If I had come out 10 or 15 years earlier, they all would have been very busy working on their careers. So they had time to talk to somebody like me, off the farm and coming to Hollywood.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: What's your favorite Bette Davis story, a personal moment with her?

ROBERT OSBORNE: The biggest thing about Bette Davis was that she was nothing like the character Margo Channing in ALL ABOUT EVE. She was a homemaker, a very New England lady, a great friend, a cook, she liked other women. So she wasn't competitive with women. She could very easily sit in a living-room with a lot of people and she didn't have to be the center of attention. She liked going to parties, all that stuff. It got complicated later when she got cancer and wasn't feeling well. She got very difficult to be around then. But she was such a nice lady when she was in good health, one certainly put up with that. She was great to be around. She was very bright and had good common sense. I liked her very much.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: So far you've also had close relationships with the children of stars, like Pia Lindstrom (Ingrid Bergman's daughter), and I know you are friends with Liza Minnelli --

ROBERT OSBORNE: I knew their mothers too.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: I'm going ask you a Judy Garland story then, may I?

ROBERT OSBORNE: There was a period of one week where there seemed to be a lot of parties going on. I somehow got on this list. At every party, Judy Garland was there, and would eventually move over to the piano and start singing. I knew she was Judy Garland, and I liked her. But it never occurred to me that -- 50 years later -- she would be this icon that everyone would still be talking about. But that night, I was trying to have a conversation in the other room. To me, at this one party, she was singing so loud, I thought "God, I wish she would be quiet." I'd heard her singing in the living room two or three times earlier that week.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: You should have yelled "Cut!"

ROBERT OSBORNE: What was I thinking, it was Judy Garland. Now I think I should have been at her feet.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Did you tell Liza that, she probably thinks that is hilarious?

ROBERT OSBORNE: No. I've never told her that. Actually her mother is somebody I don't talk to her a lot about because Liza has always been very careful to not in any way tread on her mother's legacy -- or not to have anyone perceive in any way that Liza is cashing in on her mother.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: She's phenomenally talented, from CABARET on, so she's got the pipes anyway.

ROBERT OSBORNE: Oh yeah. She is. She's great. I like her a lot. But again, with people like that, I am very sensitive that sometimes the only thing people talk to her about is Judy Garland.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: With this year's 31 Days of Oscars, do you also make reference to what also might be in contention, like Natalie Portman and BLACK SWAN, for example?

ROBERT OSBORNE: Not too much, because the nominations haven't come out yet. What we are talking about here is Oscar's history. People are coming to watch CASABLANCA, not to talk about Natalie Portman. We're really talking about the Academy Awards process, why a certain film won and some interesting stories about those films.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: What are some of the unknown things, you will share?

ROBERT OSBORNE: You'd have think of a movie...

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: How about BONNIE & CLYDE for example? That year, HEAT OF THE NIGHT won. But we remember BONNIE & CLYDE as a start of a trend. Did that seem like an unusual year?

ROBERT OSBORNE: Yes. And. You have to put that in the context of its times. When BONNIE & CLYDE came out, in 1967/68, it was a very rude picture. That was a very violent film for that time. There were a lot of people who didn't like that movie.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Pauline Kael (legendary film critic) saved that movie, single-handedly championed that film, rang the bell for BONNIE & CLYDE, didn't she?

ROBERT OSBORNE: It does have to do with the times. IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT was a very well-made film, with a distinctive actor who had never won an Oscar before. It had great acting in it. BONNIE AND CLYDE was way too violent to be seriously considered for that time. You still had people in the industry who were making films back in the 1940's. It was quite a jump for people. A movie like BONNIE & CLYDE is important because it helped the advance of the screen, the kind of subjects being told. But it's like today. There are movies being told that won't even get an Oscar nomination because they are considered too far out. Someday people will look back and say "why didn't that get more attention?"

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: What's the biggest Oscar upset of all time, in your opinion? Biggest shock?

ROBERT OSBORNE: The biggest shock was probably 1947, when Loretta Young won for FARMER'S DAUGHTER. All the awards that year had gone to Rosalind Russell. So much so, it was such a foregone conclusion, that RKO was giving that movie a big party for Rosalind Russell at Ciro's.  They even had big banners up saying "RKO Salutes Ros." This was before television. Rosalind was actually on her feet adjusting her dress at the Shriner auditorium to walk down the aisle when they opened the envelope and read the name "Loretta Young" She was the least likely. I think they took a poll and Rosalind Russell was the big favorite, then it was Susan Hayward in SMASH UP; Joan Crawford in POSSESSED. RKO luckily had produced Loretta Young's film -- so they wiped Rosalind Russell's name off the cake, took down the banners!

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: In the Modern-ish era, what about MY COUSIN VINNY, that Marisa Tomei was not supposed to win?

ROBERT OSBORNE: There was a rumor went around that Jack Palance, when he read off her name, said it, but it wasn't the name of the winner. But that couldn't be true. Because they knew, the minute the Academy Awards went on television -- that this being live -- some mischief could happen. Someone being funny or whatever. From the time this has been on TV, since 1953, there are two members from the polling house, standing on each side of stage, who know who the winner is beforehand. If there is a mistake, misread, or some such thing, these two men are instructed to cue the director, walk to the center of the stage, come to the podium and say "there's been a mistake. The winner in that category is..." They never embarrass the person coming down the aisle.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: As far as the name "Oscar," how it got the name, Bette Davis was always famously known for saying that she named it for her first husband? What's the truth?

ROBERT OSBORNE: The Oscar is a warrior, a nude statue, standing on a reel of film. She always said it looked like her husband when he got out of the shower. That he had the rear-end of Oscar. There was a woman named Margaret Herrick, a secretary --

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: Right, I know who she was, now there's the Margaret Herrick Library at the Academy.

ROBERT OSBORNE: Well, she claimed she named it for a cousin of hers. A columnist claimed he named it "Oscar" after an old Vaudeville joke, because he had gotten tired as a writer, writing about "The Golden Statuette of the Academy." I've talked to Bette about that. Whoever started it, it was around 1935, when Bette Davis won for DANGEROUS. That's when that word came into play. It is strange about things, you can have an idea, and once you speak the idea, somehow it gets out in the air and someone can catch it.

QUENDRITH JOHNSON: You are so right!

ROBERT OSBORNE: It's like story ideas, never speak of it, because someone is liable to get it.

Hats off to the gone-but-not-forgotten Robert Osborne.

# # #

A Netflix Original Film

The Discovery

Directed and Co-Written by Charlie McDowell (The One I Love)

Starring Robert Redford, Rooney Mara, Jason Segel,
Jesse Plemons & Riley Keough 

***World Premiere - 2017 Sundance Film Festival***

OPENING THEATRICALLY IN
NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES AND PASADENA
ON MARCH 31

AT IPIC THEATERS 

In the near future, the world is off-balance. People have gained a specific knowledge, and death has lost meaning, due to a breakthrough scientific discovery by Dr. Thomas Harbor (Robert Redford): There is now definitive proof of an afterlife. While countless people have chosen suicide in order to "re-set" their existence, others go on, trying to decide what it all means. Among them is Dr. Harbor's son Will (Jason Segel), who has arrived at his father's isolated compound with a mysterious young woman named Isla (Rooney Mara). There, they discover the strange acolytes who help Dr. Harbor with his experiments. They are all looking to Dr. Harbor for meaning. Can Will and Isla find peace - in this place, or on the other side?

Premiere Date: March 31, 2017

Distributor: Netflix 

Directed by: Charlie McDowell

Written by: Charlie McDowell & Justin Lader

Starring: Robert Redford, Rooney Mara, Jason Segel, Jesse Plemons & Riley Keough

Runtime: 101 minutes

The Orchard  announced today that the company will release director Pat Healy’s feature debut TAKE ME, starring Taylor Schilling opposite Healy. The Duplass Brothers serve as executive producers while Mel Eslyn and Sev Ohanian serve as producers of the film, which will have its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, followed by a theatrical and digital release May 5th.

The acquisition marks an ongoing relationship with the Duplass Brothers and The Orchard as part of an output deal. The Orchard has worldwide theatrical, digital rental and sales, cable/satellite VOD, airline, DVD and soundtrack rights. Netflix will be releasing the film on its worldwide streaming platform later this year.

In TAKE ME, Ray is in the boutique simulated abduction business.  An understandably threadbare market, he jumps at the chance when a mysterious call contracts him for a weekend kidnapping with a handsome payday at the end.  But the job isn’t all that it seems.  A black comedy that threads the needle between crime thriller and slapstick farce, TAKE ME is as twisty as it is funny.

The filmmaking team of TAKE ME recently set up a website promoting the faux-company “Kidnap Solutions LLC” www.kidnapsolutions.com, which claims to be a fully immersive exposure therapy that has been known to cure alcoholism, drug addiction, overeating, nicotine addiction, sex/love addiction and bad habits.

Actor, writer and director, Pat Healy began his career on stage at Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company.  He went on to appear in over forty feature films including CHEAP THRILLS, COMPLIANCE, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD and MAGNOLIA.  Healy’s been featured on dozens of television series including RAY DONOVAN, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER and SIX FEET UNDER.

As a writer, Healy has authored a dozen feature film screenplays including STRANGE SKIES and SNOW PONIES, both of which appeared on The Black List of the best un-produced scripts in Hollywood in 2006 and 2007, respectively. SNOW PONIES is currently in pre-production starring Gerard Butler and directed by Darrin Prescott. He also wrote several episodes of HBO’s critically acclaimed drama series IN TREATMENT.  His first short film MULLITT, which he wrote, directed and starred in, premiered at The Sundance Film Festival in 2001. 

The script for TAKE ME was penned by Mike Makowsky, who notably had two screenplays featured on last year’s Black List, BAD EDUCATION and I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW. The latter is in pre-production with Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning attached to star, and Reed Morano directing.

Pat Healy commented “I was too lazy and/or afraid to direct a feature film for years until I read Mike Makowsky's inspired script. I knew I had to do it. Thankfully Jay, Mark & Taylor agreed and gave me the chance to make this crazy thing. It's the weird/funny movie I hope audiences would expect I'd unleash on the world."

“We are thrilled to collaborate once again with the Duplass brothers,” said Julie Dansker, VP Sales and Marketing for The Orchard. “We greatly value our relationship with them and continue to be impressed by their ability to cultivate such inspired projects with stellar talent like Pat and Taylor. ‘Take Me’ is a uniquely funny film that we know audiences will love.”

The deal was negotiated by ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmaker, and by Danielle DiGiacomo, VP of Acquisitions, on behalf of The Orchard.