Sydney Levine

Mike Goodridge is Leaving Screen to Become CEO of Protagonist

Sydney Levine — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:26:27 GMT

Am I alone in my false expectations that some things are supposed to last forever? Given Eugene Hernandez left Indiewire after 15 years, it should not be such a surprise to hear that Mike Goodridge is leaving Screen International after so many years there. He joined in 1994 and spent 12 years as the U.S. editor in L.A.

What's even more shocking is that he will become CEO at Protagonist. Not that he is ignorant of the international film business. His writing on it has always been an inspiration to me and I will miss reading his thoughts and analyses.

Protagonist is the international sales and financing company established in 2008 by shareholders Film4, Vertigo Films and Ingenious Media. Nigel Williams joined as majority shareholder and Chairman in 2010. Ben Roberts, its previous CEO, announced in April that he was leaving Protagonist to serve as new head of the BFI Film Fund starting this June.

Protagonist has sold titles including StreetDance, Tyrannosaur, Kill List, The Imposter, How I Live Now, Sightseers and The Sweeney.

Wendy Mitchell, Screen International’s current Head of Content, will serve as Acting Editor until a new editor is confirmed. She will work with Goodridge during a handover period until the end of July.

International Sales Agent: Red Sea Media's First Time at Cannes

SydneyLevine — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:09:56 GMT

Red Sea Media is experiencing its first Cannes. Founded in November 2011 by Roman Kopelevich and Roman Viaris, the company is backed by Russian investors. Its initial slate of films is quite strong for such a new company. Aside from the two action films Anchor Bay just acquired for all English speaking territories, OFFICER DOWN (Stephen Dorff and James Woods) and PAWN (Forest Whitaker, Ray Liotta and Nikki Reed), the slate includes A WHITE TRASH CHRISTMAS (Taryn Manning, Eric Roberts, Beverly D’Angelo), WEST TEXAS LULLABY (Val Kilmer), THE FROZEN (Brit Morgan), THE STONING OF SORAYA M (Jim Caviezel) and SNOWMEN (Ray Liotta), and FRANKIE GO BOOM (from Sundance). They get films from diverse sources, including from his attorney, Elsa Ramo who represents financiers and producers. He wants to establish a brand as a source of Russian films such as those by Serge Selyanov (Mongol) who is also a distributor in Russia (Nashe Kino). His main investor is Vadim Goryainov. The company was established when a friend of his mother (who is also in the business) approached him with 3 Moscow based companies.

While the company is new, Kopelevich himself has over 20 years of experience. Prior to Red Sea Media, he served as head of sales at Bleiberg Entertainment, where he sold the critically acclaimed films THE BAND’S VISIT and ADAM RESURRECTED (Jeff Goldblum). Previously, at Morgan Creek, Kopelevich sold the rights to THE GOOD SHEPHERD (Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro) as well as TWO FOR THE MONEY (Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey). Prior to that, he worked at Media 8 Entertainment, where he handled foreign rights for Academy Award winner MONSTER (Charlize Theron); THE UPSIDE OF ANGER (Kevin Costner); HAVOC (Anne Hathaway); MAN ABOUT TOWN (Ben Affleck) and RUNNING SCARED (Paul Walker). His first film job was in 1991 with New World under Brandon Tartikoff and Ben Silverman who is currently the founder and CEO of Electus, a next generation entertainment studio staked by IAC's Barry Diller. His stint with New World continued after Ron Pearlman sold the company to Fox News Corps for $2 billion which helped to establish Fox Network into what it became 2 years later.

The first time we met Roman Kopelevich was during the internet bubble days of 2000 when FilmFinders was the acquired by iFilm and was the darling of all the film internet sites because it was one of two film databases in existence, Roman was working with FilmBazaar.com which covered Cannes that year with its Orange signage. We have since found out that he was born in Lithuania in 1971 and immigrated to America when he was seven years old with his twin sister and his parents who were Russian Jews.

The other Roman who owns the company is, Roman Viaris, formerly with Comerica Bank, as well as Nu Image Entertainment and served as the CFO of Voltage Pictures.

AMC acquires Asian American Jason Yee Noir Action Picture, Girl From the Naked Eye

Sydney Levine — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:26:00 GMT

Girl From The Naked Eye (ISA and U.S. Distributor: Archstone) will be having a 10 city U.S. theatrical release at AMC theaters June 15th while digital and the rest of U.S. rights will be sold by Naedomi. The little indy action film starring action newcomer actor Jason Yee has grown legs. The movie, sold by Archstone was released in several European territories first and got some good reviews then, it caught attention here in the states where Archstone's new distribution arm and Naedomi have arranged for AMC to showcase it theatrically and for Naedomi to license the rest of the domestic rights. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053886.

Here is a link to the Featurette & Behind the Action EPKs.

The Doc Corner at Cannes and a Pick-Up

Peter Belsito — Sat, 26 May 2012 11:58:04 GMT

The Cannes Marche du Film has a new initiative, the Doc Corner, which allows buyers and programmers priority access to a digital video library including all documentaries presented in Cannes. Furthermore, the Documentary Brunch brings together the documentary film community in a friendly networking atmosphere.

The Doc Corner, has been showing new documentaries online and at their stand in the Palais in Cannes and some have connected with the Sales community here. This new initiative of Marche Directeur Delegue Jerome Paillard is designed to help Marche participants to find distribution, sales and festival play for their feature length (70 minutes plus) documentary new and completed films.

Among other services 220 completed documentary films are available to view only at the Doc Corner stand in the Palais.
After Cannes Fest and Marche finish in late May, all films will be available to screen online at the Marche website Cinando.com.
All of the completed international films are available for all rights for sales, distribution and fests.
These films are meant for cinemas, not "just" TV.
There are also 'a few' docs here (12 in all) from the Marche adjacent event, Short Film Corner.
Additionally 6 documentary features from Cannes FF and also from the concurrent Critic's Week and Director's Fortnight events are here.
There are also a running series of 'Meet With ...' events where an expert comes for group discussions with no more than 15 filmmakers who are pre-registered. The idea 'Meet With...' sessions are to help films find sales, distribution and festival play worldwide.
There are also documentary funding agencies here to discuss projects. Among these are Cinereach / USA and Jan Vrijman Fund / Netherlands.
Lastly, again this year the well attended 'Docu Brunch' will take place in the Majestic for several hundred attendees and docu experts to meet, mingle and network.

The Music According to Antonio Carlos Jobim, a new Portugese feature docu Directed by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos, is negotiating their sales deal now.

Half a century ago, Brazilian composer and musician Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994) introduced bossa nova to a worldwide audience with ''The Girl from Ipanema.'' This musical collage of countless seamlessly edited excerpts of concert footage covers decades of events all over world. There is no commentary; the music speaks for itself. Picture postcards, private photos, official documents, posters, album covers, and sheet music complement the concert footage.

The film is in Portugese and English, 84 minutes. It has now, in Cannes, screened twice, out of Competition.

The important Paris based international sales company Wide House has selected this film for its new documentary division.

LATINOBUZZ: Q & A with Alicia Marie Sixtos - HIGH School

Juan Caceres — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:01 GMT

How many siblings get to boast they are both each in superhero flicks? Alicia Sixtos makes a cameo in mega-smash, 'The Avengers' (ISA:Disney) and sister Andrea will be seen in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' this coming summer. Alicia Sixtos first graced our screens in the 2006 Sundance hit ‘Quinceañera’. She's doing the festival rounds with the award winning indie, ‘The Custom Mary’(ISA:Circus Road Films). Next up she will be seen in the stoner flick, ‘HIGH School’ (ISA: K5 Int'l) starring Adrien Brody and Michael Chiklis set for release on June 1st.

When she is not acting the Bay Area native with an infectious laughter spends time zipping around on her pink scooter, shooting guns, making mixtapes… and doing hella crazy stuff like camping and fishing...

LatinoBuzz:What or Who inspires you?

Alicia:"My sisters, my mom and pop. Real people who know who they are and have their priorities and mind sending them in an upward direction. Music. The moon. SRF. Peace. Love. Michelle Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito. Just to skim the top.”

LatinoBuzz: What does being a Latina in the industry mean to you? And personally, what does being a Latina mean to you?

Alicia:"When I think of my Latina side, I imagine family barbecues with carne asada, rice, beans, tortillas and a jalapeno on my plate along with ‘Vicente Fernandez’ blaring out the speakers. Spicy food. Salsa. Tamales. Family. Being Latina means I have culture I guess. We party together, cry together, and cook together. Or at least my family does as much as we can. We know where we’re from and we have a certain kind of rhythm and understanding. Togetherness. As I get older it becomes more apparent that there is a community in this industry that is working together to rise up and fight against the misinterpretation of Hispanic and what it means to be a Latino-American nowadays… We have some very determined serious Latino artists that are tired of garbage and refuse to do the exhausted stereotypical roles. Unless of course its Michael Pena (Eastbound and Down, Tower Heist) who makes it so funny. Love him. But anyway, My boy Jesse Garcia (Quinceañera, Sons Of Anarchy) said it perfectly in a facebook/twitter post a few weeks ago. It went a little something like this… “Dear entertainment industry, when writing or casting a part for a Latino, giving them an accent and sprinkling in Spanish isn’t necessary to prove they are Latino. We don’t all have an accent and speak Spanglish. There’s a whole world outside of your ignorant box…” Gotta love the Latino fire.”

LatinoBuzz:You just popped up in The Avengers - what power would you like to have? And it can't be for good!

Alicia:"A power that can't be used for good? Like a bad girl power? I wouldn't mind being clairvoyant, but I wouldn't want it if I couldn't use it for good. Peace and love, man. Peace and love."

LatinoBuzz:Your favorite journey?

Alicia:"This year has been amazing. A lot of growing up has happened in the last few months for me and it's been a series of many beautiful journeys of breakdown to rebuild so far in my life, 2012."

LatinoBuzz: Who would best interpret you in a painting, Salvador Dali or Claude Monet?

Alicia:“I think Dali for sure. His work is obscure, but real enough to explore the captivating landscape and bizarrely shaped subjects as if they were really that way when he painted them. I’ve been told I’m bizarre… somewhat off the hinges but real enough to take seriously.”

LatinoBuzz: What is bliss to you?

Alicia: “I’ll list a few things that send me there; having my family healthy and close, watching the clouds become illuminated by the sensual colors of the sun as it kisses us goodnight, howling at a full moon with my sisters and coming home to find my nephews playing together, singing loudly while riding my vespa, watching a phenomenal film and sharing my excitement, watching other people have blissful moments. I try to be aware of the life that surrounds me as much as my mind permits me. It’s the only time I have new blissful moments, and I love bliss.”

LatinoBuzz: Last character from a book you identified with?

Alicia: “The book I’m reading right now is called ‘Borderline Personalities - A New Generation of Latinas Dish on Sex, Sass, & Culture Shifting’. It’s a book of essays written by several Latina writers and edited by Robyn Moreno and Michelle Herrera Mulligan. The last story I read was called ‘Aint Dishin” by Maria Hinojosa. It’s mainly about dishing your sex and romantic life to family, friends, lovers. To do or not to do is the topic. Maria grew up with a family who looked at sexual relations as taboo. Her fam never talked about the deed or their personal life to people. My parents were pretty closed off about that sort of thing for the most part. I guess I share Maria’s fascination with those who share their sexual experiences and I also agree with her choice to keep certain things private. I can’t be telling people all my business. That’s why I have a journal. To avoid trouble. I’m pretty sure that’s what she did too”.

LatinoBuzz: California always has disasters like Wildfires, Earthquakes, The Lakers— What’s the most treasured possession you would take hold of first?

Alicia: “My box of photos, letters and journals. You can’t buy memories back”.

LatinoBuzz:At the end of the film that is your life, what’s the theme song?

Alicia: “Easy. ‘If You Wanna Sing Out, Sing Out’ by Cat Stevens”.

LatinoBuzz: Who best describes you as a girlfriend? a: Annie from ‘Misery’. b: Sandy from ‘Grease’. c: Loana from ‘One Million Years B.C’. d: Dorothy from ‘Tootsie’ or e: Kelly from ‘From Justin to Kelly’

Alicia:“Annie? Really? I may be crazy but I’d never smash someone’s ankles in because I loved them so much. Compassion runs deep in my blood… So does crazy, but fun crazy like Maude in ‘Harold and Maude’. Loana. That’s so funny. Talk about exploiting an impeccably well put together female. Man, well Loana knows what she wants and goes for it. I love that. I do that. The only other one that I may be considering, but not really is Kelly. I don’t want to say I’m anything like Kelly. So I wont. I’m going with Loana because she’s self reliant and aggressive with what she wants. And because she’s smoking hot”.

LatinoBuzz:Do you have any plans to write or direct?

Alicia:"Yes, of course. I am really inspired by strong, badass, female characters. I would start with a revenge film, then ease into stories of badass everyday woman who make a difference in their own life for the better of people and environment around them. Stories of self realization. I love independent film making. So much real love and passion go into them and you can feel it while you watch. As for my career, I don't want to be famous. I just want to be a part of as many beautiful, crazy, unique films as possible."

For more on Alicia “Like” her at https://www.facebook.com/Actress.Alicia.Sixtosand for screening times and locations for 'HIGH school' spark it up at http://www.highschool-themovie.com/showtimes.html

Iber.film.america brings Hispanic cinema to Latin Americans online

Sydney Levine — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:28:00 GMT

Fourteen films have been competing in iber.film.america, the first-ever Latin American film festival online, organized by VoD platform filmotech.com. “The aim is to bring Hispanic cinema closer to Latin American communities from both continents, America and Europe, through new distribution channels,” said festival and platform director Juan Alía. “Internet is the ideal venue for the general public to have access to these types of films, that are of great quality but have not been released either in cinemas or as DVDs.” Until April 16, the platform’s Latin American visitors will be able to see the films for free, with up to 10,000 viewings possible for each film. The selected films, produced in Latin American countries between 2009 and 2011, will vie for the Critics Award, decided on by a jury made up of five journalists and with a prize of $3,000, and for the Audience Award. Fifteen countries, from Argentina to Mexico via Spain, Nicaragua, and Colombia, are represented in a selection that includes:

Ticket to Paradise (ISA: ICAIC) by Gerardo Chijona Valdés

Undertow (ISA: Greenburg Taurig) by Javier Fuentes León

Des-autorizados by Elia Schneider

García (ISA: Bogeydom Liscensing) by José Luis Rugeles

Guest (ISA: Roxbury) by José Luis Guerín

Jean Gentil (ISA: Aurora Dominicana) by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas

The Colors of the Mountain (ISA: Urban Distribution Int.) by Carlos César Arbeláez

La mala verdad (lit. “The bad truth”) by Miguel Ángel Rocca

Half of Oscar (ISA: FiGa FIlms) by Manuel Martín Cuenca

La Yuma (ISA: All Rights Ent.) by Florence Jauguey

Medianeras by Gustavo Taretto

Norberto’s Deadline (ISA: Outsider Pictures) by Daniel Hendler

Pescador (ISA: Latinofusion) (lit. “Fisherman”) by Sebastián Cordero

Transeúnte by Eryck Rocha

iber.film.america is supported by the ICAA, the Latin American Federation of Cinema and Audiovisual Producers (FIPCA), and the Cervantes Institute.

Global Film Initiative - One of U.S.'s Most Creative Distributors at the 65th Cannes Film Festival!

Sydney Levine — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:33:14 GMT

Susan Weeks Coulter, GFI Founder and Board Chair, is in Cannes and available to meet with filmmakers, producers and sales agents regarding projects in development, and films seeking distribution and/or production funding.

(Look for the yellow bag!)

The Global Film Initiative is a leading distributor and funder of films from Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, including:

MISS LOVELY (dir. Ashim Ahluwalia, India). Un Certain Regard. ISA: Fortissimo. Screening May 24 and May 25.

FAT, BALD, SHORT MAN/GORDO, CALVO Y BAJITO (dir. Carlos Osuna, Colombia). There is no International Sales Agent. This film which I first saw as a work in progress in San Sebastian tells a wonderful emotionally fulfilling story of a fat, bald, short man using the simplest animated drawings. Whoever sees it loves it as you can see from its very long list of showcases:

2008. Selected for Cinéma in Développement a branch of Cinéma en Construction an initiative promoted by San Sebastián Film Festival and the Rencontres Cinémas d'Amérique Latine de Toulouse.
2009. Winner of the Feature Film Production category of the Colombian Cinematographic Development Fund (FDC) contest.
2010. Best Feature Film Project during the V Producer’s Encounter of Cartagena Film Festival.
2010. Selected to be part of the Producers Network of Cannes Film Festival.
2010. Selected to be part of the Movie Market of Annecy Animated Film Festival.
2011. Selected to be part of Guadalajara Construye 5.
2011. Winner of the Fonds Sud Cinema Fund for post-production.
2011. Winner of the Fix Comunicación Prize during Guadalajara Construye 5.
2011. Winner of the Art Digital Prize during Guadalajara Construye 5.
2011. Biarritz Film Festival. Avant Premiere Section. Out of competition.
2011. Warsaw Film Festival. Free Spirit Competition. In competition.
2011. Chicago Film Festival. World Cinema Program. Out of competition.
2011. India Film Festival.
2011. Amiens Film Festival. In Competition.

2010. Best Feature Film Project during the V Producer’s Encounter of Cartagena Film Festival.

2010. Selected to be part of the Producers Network of Cannes Film Festival.

2010. Selected to be part of the Movie Market of Annecy Animated Film Festival.

2011. Selected to be part of Guadalajara Construye 5.

2011. Winner of the Fonds Sud Cinema Fund for post-production.

2011. Winner of the Fix Comunicación Prize during Guadalajara Construye 5.

2011. Winner of the Art Digital Prize during Guadalajara Construye 5.

2011. Biarritz Film Festival. Avant Premiere Section. Out of competition.

2011. Warsaw Film Festival. Free Spirit Competition. In competition.

2011. Chicago Film Festival. World Cinema Program. Out of competition.

2011. India Film Festival.

2011. Amiens Film Festival. In Competition.

BEAUTY/SKOONHEID (dir. Oliver Hermanus, South Africa), Premiered Cannes FF 2011 Un Certain Regard. ISA: MK2.

GREY MATTER/ MATIÈRE GRISE (dir. Kivu Ruhorahoza, Rwanda) has played in the Tribeca Film Festival 2012 (Special Jury Mention Best Actor), Rio,Warsaw, Rotterdam, Durban, Dubai, Melbourne International Film Festival 2012

THE BODA BODA THIEVES (dir. Donald Mugisha, Uganda).

Click on the links below for recent GFI news:

FESTIVALS & AWARDS: GFI Grantee MISS LOVELY Selected for Un Certain Regard
GRANTING: George Ovashvili and Li Ruijun Among GFI's Winter 2012 Grantees
DISTRIBUTION: Watch THE FINGER and other Global Lens 2012 Films on Festival Scope!
INDUSTRY: GFI Co-sponsors the Sierra Leone International Film Festival
NEW ON DVD:Sérgio Bianchi's THE TENANTS and Levan Koguashvili's STREET DAYS

60th San Sebastian Festival International Film Students Meeting will open for registration on June 4

SydneyLevine — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:11:00 GMT

The International Film Students Meeting will open for registration on June 4.

It will take place on 26, 27 and 28 September 2012
as part of the 60th San Sebastian Festival.

The International Film Students Meeting will open for registration on June 4 and it will take place on Wednesday 26, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 September 2012 as part of the 60th San Sebastian Festival.

The International Film Students Meeting, organised by San Sebastian Festival and Tabakalera-International Contemporary Culture Centre of San Sebastian, proposes an exchange of audiovisual experiences and knowledge at one of the most important movie events in the world.

The Meeting has the backing of San Sebastian European Capital of Culture 2016 given that it is an obvious exponent of the scenarios and forms of work that this initiative wishes to promote.

Youngsters can show their short films, attend meetings with professionals and to the Master Class.

The selected short films will be screened at showings open to the general public and Festival guests attended by professionals from the audiovisual industry who can chat to the students presenting their work. Their teachers will also have the opportunity to explain the audiovisual teaching methods employed at their centres.

Each candidate school can present three short films. Around 14 schools will be chosen to participate in the Meeting with screening of the works chosen from the three presented for selection.

A specific jury, consisting of students from the participating school and chaired by a personality from the world of film will choose the winner of the prize going to the director of the winning short.

This same Jury will also choose three directors who will have the opportunity to participate with their works in the next Cannes Festival Short Film Corner.

Projects can be registered from June 6. The registration form and other information on the International Film Students Meeting will be available from June 6 on www.eiecine.net. It will be available also on the official Festival website www.sansebastianfestival.com and on the oficial Tabakalera website, www.tabakalera.eu. The deadline for receiving short films is July 2.

Technicolor and Rightstrade Announce Partnership to enhance media asset distribution & management

SydneyLevine — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Paris (France) & Hollywood (California) At the 65th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Technicolor (Euronext Paris: TCH) announces an innovative partnership with Rightstrade, bringing together Rightstrade’s online Film and Broadcast marketplace with Technicolor’s industry-leading asset management and distribution service’s expertise.

Under this new partnership, Technicolor will offer delivery services for motion picture and broadcast content rights buyers and sellers, including theatrical exhibitors, video-on-demand platforms and international distributors, facilitated by, and integrated within Rightstrade’s new website.

Rightstrade offers film and television sales agencies an online market platform to showcase and offer online screenings, availabilities and territory license transactions of their titles to prospective international film and television rights buyers and distributors. The company provides an innovative, efficient platform and mobile interface to deliver sales agents at major markets like Cannes International Film Festival. Rightstrade allows buyers to screen and make offers for titles and functionality for completing license agreements online -- any time, from any web browser or mobile device.

Rightstrade’s premier online market platform/service will go live in the Fall of 2012.

Stated Claude Gagnon, president of Technicolor’s Creative Services division, “Combined with our digital media and physical asset delivery capabilities, in all territories worldwide, this deal will enlarge the range of Technicolor services to be offered to content creators and distributors, there-by reinforcing Technicolor’s industry-leading expertise in media asset management and international distribution services”.

"We are delighted to announce Technicolor as the first global Rightstrade delivery partner,” said Alexander Hartman, Co-Founder of Rightstrade LLC. “This collaboration means that a comprehensive-range of Technicolor delivery services will be offered within Rightstrade. The

Rightstrade-Technicolor partnership will empower users with digital media and physical asset delivery capabilities not currently accessible via the web, reducing costs and increasing distribution opportunities for independent film producers, sales agents and distributors in territories worldwide."

***

About Technicolor

Technicolor is home to industry-leading creative and technology professionals committed to the creation, management and delivery of entertainment content to consumers around the world. Propelled by a culture of innovation and underpinned by a dedicated research organization, the company’s thriving licensing business possesses an extensive intellectual property portfolio focused on imaging and sound technologies. Serving motion picture, television, and other media clients, the company is a leading provider of high-end visual effects, animation, and postproduction services. In support of network service providers and broadcasters globally, Technicolor ranks among the worlds’ leading suppliers of digital content delivery services and home access devices, including set-top boxes and gateways. The company also remains a large physical media service provider, being one of the world’s largest film processors and independent manufacturers and distributors of DVDs and Blu-rayTM discs. Euronext Paris: TCH www.technicolor.com

Press contacts: +33 1 41 86 53 93 technicolorpressoffice@technicolor.com
Investor relations: +33 1 41 86 55 95 investor.relations@technicolor.com
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/TechnicolorCo

About Rightstrade
Rightstrade is a joint venture of FilmTrack, Inc, Matilda Media Group LLC and private equity investors. Rightstrade is currently under development in collaboration with the world's leading Delivery Partners and Content Partners. Technology partner FilmTrack is the world’s leading provider of content and contract management for the global film and television distribution community.

The First Italian/ American Crossdressing Musical Comedy!

Sydney Levine — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:45:10 GMT

Writer, producer, director Frank LaLoggia of Lady in White (one of the most acclaimed and beloved independently produced American films) is back and in a BIG way. LaLoggia is at Cannes presenting his 10 minute preview of MIRO/MIRANDA! his new musical comedy and perhaps the most grandly produced (and expensive) promo for a film yet to be made.

“We shot in Italy for 13 days back in September, just south of Florence and not far from where I live.”

With a 40 man crew and dancers culled from Rome, Milan and Florence LaLoggia says that he has basically “plucked” the biggest musical number from the film and “shot it”.

“It's a whirlwind 10 minutes of samba, comedy and grand emotion all meant to convey the visual and emotional essence of what I intend to bring to the feature, the story of an Italian man who lives with his Italian mama but dreams of becoming a woman inspired by his idol Carmen Miranda...and does!”

MIRO/MIRANDA! screens at the Palais J on Sunday the 20^th at 3pm and at the Palais H on Monday the 21st at 11am.

Check out a 30 second Sneak peak at www.miromiranda.com

Recap of Personnel Shifts

SydneyLevine — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:24:00 GMT

At the risk of being redundant, I publish this so that when Cannes folk meet one another at the myriad of cocktail receptions and parties, they will be aware of where old friends and acquaintances are now working:

PERSONNEL SHIFTS (INCLUDES BERLIN):

Nadine de Barros left Voltage and is heading international sales at Aldamisa. Jere Hausfater is head of acquisitions.

Stephanie Denton heads up international sales at Indomina.

Archie Purvis is working with Porchlight selling their library internationally.

Clay Epstein left The Little Film Co. to join Arclight.

John Fremes has left his company, Essential, to go to Nu Image/ Millenium.

Lisa Wilson has formed new sales company, The Solution Entertainment Group.

Mimi Steinbauer has formed her new sales company, Radiant Films International after leaving Hyde Park.

Camela Galano has launched her new sales company, Speranza 13 Media.

Roman Kopelevich debuts his new sales company Red Sea Media.

Bobby Meyers and Larry Meyers launched Meyers Media Group

Jim Harvey has opened Studio City Pictures.

Glen Ackerman has launched sales agency and film fund V International Media for Cannes 2012.

Tim Haslam and Hugo Grumbar have joined forces to launch a new international sales and financing company Embankment Films. See Variety February 21, 2012.

Yoann Ubermulhin is leaving Pyramide to go to Sofica. Lucero Garzon will be Pyramide’s new head of sales under Eric Lagesse.

Vincent Canales, formerly with Filmax has launched a new sales company, Film Factory Entertainment.

Carlost Reygades and producer partner Jaime Romandia are launching the international sales company NDM (short of Nodream Mantarraya) and will sell Reygadas’ Post Tenebras Lux.

Claudia Begnoni has left Lady Films (alternate link) to form her own company, Satine Film

Raphael Berdugo left Roissy and formed a new production/ international sales company called Cite Films.

Summit has been bought by Lionsgate for US $412.5 million. Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger will run the company as Joe Drake exits. Its distribution partners such as Entertainment One in Canada and U.K. , SND/ M6 Group for France, Aurum for Spain (2014), Hopscotch/ eOne for Australia/ N.Z., Central Partnership for Russia and TeleMuenchen (2013) for German speaking territories, are expected to continue, at least through 2012. David Garrett is resigning from Summit.

Global Screen is a new joint venture international sales company between Bavaria and Telepool and is headed by Sonia Mehandjiyska. It has 22 films on offer at EFM and a team of 11. Mehandjiyska comes from Echo Bridge ad MRGand began this job this month. The acquisition execs are looking for new produce and are adding English language titles to their slate.

New international sales company from So. Korea, Daisy Entertainment, has hired Erica Nam from Mirovision to head up international sales.

New international sales company STS has been launched in the U.K. by Simn Barnes, formerly of Park Entertainment and U.K. producer Sam Tromans.

Berkeley Student goes to Cannes to serve as a Jurist and Critic

SydneyLevine — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Shortly after Ryan Lattanzio was handed his master’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, the 22-year-old boarded a flight to France on an all-expenses-paid trip to be a jurist and critic at the Cannes Film Festival.

Ryan Lattanzio

The opportunity of a lifetime for Lattanzio, who as a part-time theater assistant at UC Berkeley’s Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive has watched hundreds of rare movies from around the world. Lattanzio has also written for the arts and entertainment section of The Daily Californian, UC Berkeley’s student newspaper, and as a freelance film critic/blogger for several San Francisco Bay Area publications.

“I’ve been interested in film as long as I can remember,” says Lattanzio, putting the finishing touches on his thesis on American horror movies, before his trip to the world's premiere film festival.

As the recipient of a College to Cannes award from the San Francisco Film Society and French Consulate, Lattanzio will share an apartment with three other students — from South Korea, Belgium and India — who together will choose the 2012 Cannes “Visionary Award” for a fledgling independent filmmaker. The film festival runs May 16 to 27.

Lattanzio applied for the award in January, interviewed for it at the San Francisco Film Society in February, and learned from the French Consulate a few weeks later that he had been chosen. His trip sponsors include the San Francisco Film Society Colleges & Universities program, in partnership with the Consulate General of France in San Francisco, the French American Cultural Society and Semaine de la Critique.

“I am thrilled to be the sole American selected for the College to Cannes program,” Lattanzio says. “It will be a nice, cathartic release after graduation — though I, of course, will be working very hard.”

He also will work as a film critic in Cannes, submitting reviews to Bay Area outlets such as the San Francisco Chronicle.

“I’m not sure how many films I will see at the festival, but most of them will be part of the Critics’ Week, which surveys underground, experimental, independent and art house works, which are mainly my purview anyway,” Lattanzio notes. He adds that he hopes to see a new release by Austrian experimental filmmaker and writer Michael Haneke.

After Cannes, Lattanzio plans to spend three days in Paris on his own “and live out my post-undergraduate bohemian fantasy until I have to return to the states, and back to reality.” He plans to move to the American film capital, Los Angeles, in mid-summer and see what new opportunities present themselves there.

Oye! First Peep at New Film, "Love, Concord"

Christine Davila — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:08:46 GMT

There is no shortage of U.S. Latino stories and filmmaker talent. Trust me. I screen a high volume of films throughout the year specializing in submissions that are Hispanic/U.S. Latino. True, not enough of them are technically slick, but there are some out there, and more often than not, they have specific U.S. Latino points of views and permutations, and offer chronicles of unheard of, or unique Caminos de la Vida (walks of life). All of which I find is in direct correlation to their distinct American mestizo identity. Sadly there are not enough slots at film festivals, and there is not a savvy marketplace interested in embracing the fragmented and under-served U.S. Latino community until they figure out how to monetize it. Rather than dwell on this distribution dearth, however, I’d like to take a counter- positive approach by celebrating and getting the word out on U.S. Latino films ready to give birth and ignite with audiences. Oye means listen up! I’ll be profiling brand spanking new U.S. Latino films, in various stages and different genres so our community can promote their trajectory online and by word of mouth, and yes hopefully so distribution outfits and festivals take note! Case in point this week: Love, Concord:

Love, Concord is a buoyant high school comedy about Gerry (Jorge Diaz), a fun loving popular goofball who is all about basketball and has a penchant for 8 bit videogames. One day he notices cute bookworm Melinda (introducing Angelina Leon), a smart, sassy not-girly girl who eventually becomes his first ever girlfriend. As they enter their Senior year, they must sweat the stress of facing where they are going to college and what that means for their relationship. He is not your stereotypical jock nor is she your stereotypical nerd. Did I mention they are Latinos? That’s what’s so refreshing about Love, Concord, the bubbly and earnest feature debut by Gustavo Guardado, Jr., who received his Masters in Film Production at the prevalent Loyola Marymount University; his charming, semi-autobiographical story set in the suburban Bay area of Concord where he grew up avoids stereotypes and doesn’t perpetuate Latinos as they are most commonly represented. It’s likely due that its based on his experience growing up in Concord where race is not an issue. This gives the film an organic sense in how it portrays its U.S. Latino characters.

Gustavo Guardadado, Jr.

With a comic and endearing combination of quintessential John Hughes and a YA sensibility, the film eschews any condescension and pretension in the characterization of teens and it feels pretty right on. Guardado knows that teens just seem to get it these days. They have a better sense of what lies ahead of them. They ARE smart, grounded and realistic. Their expectations are more driven by their sense of self than parents and peers. More important than ever in the rite of passage into a conscious and responsible individual is the mantra ‘Don’t Sell Out”. The notion is becoming redefined to a millenial (or ME) generation to signify that one must not sell out who you really are inside, something that Melinda reminds Gerry when he gives into his popular role as class clown at his own expense and deprecation.

Miguel Angel, Jerry’s older bro

What makes this universal story, Latino? Its conveyed in subtle yet inherent ways. Melinda’s half Mexican and Gerry’s Salvadoran ethnicity is demonstrated intrinsically rather than it being imposed. Again, that’s the beauty of the film. Take for instance the mother and son dynamic that displays the latino male relationship with his ‘jefa’. Gerry’s mother isn’t seen throughout most of the movie save for the notes on the fridge they exchange yet she’s always there. When she does appear, she sits Gerardo down and they have a real catch up moment that illustrates the strong relationship between a single, hard working mother and her maturing son.

Like the 8 bit animated story chapters, this coming of age tale has a nostalgia for one’s high school dog days. It also has a very fresh sense of modernity with its portrayal of teens and in particular its portrayal of U.S. Latino teens. It’s a sweet, funny and a refreshingly authentic U.S. Latino coming of ager bound to touch audiences.

Love, Concord is currently being submitted to festivals.

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LatinoBuzz: More Generation Mex Filmmakers on the Rise

Vanessa Erazo — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:29:16 GMT

Last week we featured some of Mexico ’s young filmmakers who have emerged as part of a recent revival in Mexican cinema. These new directors have pushed out the old guard and persevere in difficult situations, using public funding and micro-budgets to create films which take aim at Mexico’s social ills, broach difficult subjects, and take stylistic risks. These original and innovative artists are carving out a space for Mexican films in the international art house market. Here we continue to highlight even more directors from Generation Mex.

Gerardo Naranjo

Probably the most buzzed about Mexican director of late, Naranjo’s fourth feature Miss Bala (ISA:TCF) premiered at Cannes, went on to play festivals in Toronto and Los Angeles and was selected as Mexico’s official submission for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Loosely inspired by real events it tells the story of Laura, a young woman who aspires to compete in the Miss Baja beauty pageant. Instead she finds herself amidst narcos as an unwilling participant in Mexico’s drug war. Using long takes and very few cuts Naranjo accomplishes the difficult, a melancholy thriller and pensive allegory punctuated by intense moments of violent but often quiet action. 20th Century Fox released the film in limited theaters late last year. In his previous films Voy a explotar (I’m Gonna Explode) (ISA:Elle Driver), Drama/Mex, and Malachance he experimented stylistically but they all reflect his signature, emotionally resonant and sensitive depictions of characters on the edge.

Yulene Olaizola

Having only recently graduated from the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC), one of the two major film schools in Mexico, she has already directed three feature-length films. Her thesis project, the award-winning documentary Intimidades de Shakespeare y Victor Hugo (Intimacies of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo) (ISA:Interior13 Cine) traces her grandmother Rosa's friendship with Jorge Riosse, her young, troubled tenant. Paraísos Artificiales (Artificial Paradises) (ISA: Interior13 Cine), named after an anthology by the 19th century French poet Baudelaire, was her impressive fiction debut. It’s dreamy, serene, and breathtaking landscapes of the lush seaside hills of Veracruz, Mexico provide the backdrop, as a young woman addicted to heroin tries to free herself from the compulsive need for a fix while staying at a beach resort. Her newest film Fogo is days away from its world premiere at The Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. In a departure from her previous projects, she chose to make a film in English focusing on the deterioration of a small community in Fogo Island, located off the coast Canada.

Pedro González-Rubio

In an effort to create an intimate environment for his second film Alamar (ISA: MK2 Diffusion), he wrote, directed, shot and edited the picture himself. Set in a small house on stilts that sits above the crystal-clear blue waters of the Yucatan Peninsula, it explores the bond between a father and son as they share a fishing trip together. When asked whether Alamar is a documentary or fiction at a festival screening he defiantly answered, “It’s a film.” Having invented parts of the story but documenting real events, he seamlessly blends reality and fiction in a picturesque and introspective cinematic meditation that at times almost becomes a photographic essay. Film Movement acquired the theatrical and DVD rights in North America. His directorial debut, Toro Negro, an unflinching look at an alcoholic bullfighter, won prizes at Havana, San Sebastian and Morelia Film Festivals.

Fernando Eimbcke

He had film festivals, critics and distributors clamoring for his attention after his black-and-white directorial debut, Temporada de Patos (Duck Season) (ISA: Traction Media) premiered at Cannes in 2004. It won prizes at AFI Fest and Guadalajara Film Festival and later several Ariel Awards (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscars.) The comedy-drama about two teenage boys who must entertain themselves after a power outage went on to play more than 70 festivals and was sold in more than 30 countries. He followed up this smashing success with Lake Tahoe, a minimalist quiet film in which teenaged Juan crashes his family's car into a pole and then scours the streets searching for someone to help him fix it. Eimbcke studied film in Mexico City at the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos (CUEC).

Cannes Mourns the Loss of Roch Jauberty, the Son of Edith Grante

Sydney Levine, Peter Belsito — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:59:30 GMT

Cannes mourns the loss of the Roch, the son of Edith Grante and Christian Jauberty. The Marche, its participants, The American Pavilion and all who know this marvelous Parisian family who lived in L.A. for over 10 years, will hold a memorial service at the American Pavilion, Cannes tonight at 10 pm.

Edith is holding the family together in Paris and sends her thanks for the love being extended to her by the international film community. Boston University, the alma mater of Roch, also is deeply grieving for his and his two companions' lives lost too soon. Please read the article published by the school paper here.

We extend our condolences and our love to the Jauberty-Grante family.

Cannes Has Begun

Sydney Levine — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:43:53 GMT

Moonrise Kingdom will show tonight thus kicking off the festival! The floor of the market looks quite empty though the registration lines yesterday were winding around the corner like I had never seen before. People are looking forward to Carlos Reyadas' new film Post Tenebras Lux. He, btw, has started his own international sales company as well.

Cannes By Numbers

Sydney Levine — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:19:35 GMT

Aside from the Rights Roundup and the U.S. Distributors A - Z (Both are on your right in my Blog Roll), here are some more Numbers. Why are numbers so reassuring to us?

Marché registration up 9% this year

With 9,500 registered less than 10 days before the start of the Marché du Film, we are pleased to announce a 9% increase of the number of participants, with visible growth from Asia and Latin America. Buyers are on the rise as well with 1,900 so far.

As for the films, a wide variety of genres comprise the 4,300 titles presented this year, 2,500 of which are already completed. In particular, documentary films have seen a notable increase reaching 14% of the total, including some 200 titles that will be presented at the Doc Corner.

Some more numbers:

12 gay movies in the festival including 3 transsexual dramas and a Japanese gay musical.

8 movies by ARTE

International Sales Agent: New for Cannes, Blue Galaxy Launched by Vets Marcy Rubin, Andrew Stevens and Fiorenza Cella

Sydney Levine — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:30:01 GMT

There are several new international sales agents debuting in Cannes. I will endeavor to profile them throughouat Cannes. Tristan Whalley's GoalPost, Richard Guardian's Guardian Entertainment, Mario Kassar's Magnetik, Joe Drake's TBC, Mike Runagall's Altitude and others...

Born of the power and passion of two prominent members of the international film community, Blue Galaxy International takes sales, distribution, and media production to the next level. Marcy Rubin, longtime sales exec with Cinetel and Andrew Stevens, actor, producer and director long seen in the independent film world represent a global company with offices in Sherman Oaks and Paris, Blue Galaxy launched in 2011 with a commitment to delivering high-concept content with mainstream appeal for the international entertainment and television markets. Though new on the scene, the company draws upon its founders' extensive market savvy and long-standing relationships with major broadcasters in virtually every country around the world. And it continues to build on its strengths. With a presence at the European Film Market in Berlin, Hong Kong Filmart, MIP-TV, Cannes Film Festival, Discop, MIPCOM, and the American Film Market, and a library in the making, Blue Galaxy International delivers the pulse of entertainment to a growing client base.

The Vortex

Synopsis:
When a convoy of American troops goes missing in the Afghan desert, a Special Ops Seal Team is deployed to locate them. They discover that their former colleague, Sydney Gerber, has managed to create a wormhole which is growing more and more unstable with each passing moment! Accompanied by an elite team of soldiers, they battle through huge, mutated snakes, scorpions and spiders which have been created by the strange crystals that are a by-product of the Vortex. Gerber and one of the rangers, now both Mega Pythons, square off in a battle for the ages to save the world and mankind!!

Starring: Jack Plotnick, Sarah Lieving and Ted Jonas
Directed by: Peter Paul Basier
Produced by: Danny Roth, Greg Carter, Mark Holder and Christine Holder
Written by: Peter Paul Basier and Cary Anderson

The Dogfather

Synopsis:

When a Mafia don's right-hand man, a bulldog named Sonny, swallows his ring, comedy ensues as two of the don's best soldiers try and retrieve the ring from Sonny, who has been adopted by a new family.

Partner Bios

Marcy Rubin
A veteran of international media sales and distribution, Marcy Rubin brings an extensive understanding of the ever-changing international marketplace to the table. Over the past 25 years, she has arranged financing via foreign pre-sales for over 100 independent films. After graduating from American University in Washington, D.C., she headed to Los Angeles and has worked at Merv Griffin Productions, Cinema Entertainment, and Kodiak Films. For the past 20 years, Rubin held the position of international sales executive at the prominent international production and distribution company, CineTel Films. During her tenure at CineTel, she developed a vast network of contacts with international distributors, television broadcasters, and financial institutions, and serving on the board of directors of IFTA, the trade organization of the independent film community (1996 and 1997). Now a sought-after member of that community, she speaks on various panels about the international marketplace. The next logical step for Rubin was to launch her own business, which she did in 2011: Blue Galaxy International, a full-service international distribution company with global representation. Fiorenza Cella Fiorenza Cella, founder of the video distribution company Free Dolphin Entertainment, began her career as a journalist with the Italian TV network Italia Uno (Mediaset). Her experience in London, where she worked with the BBC to develop youth programming, helped to spark her vision of a world connected via entertainment media. Cella catapulted her international savvy into the creation, in 1995, of Free Dolphin, headquartered in Paris. Within five years, she brought the company into the major leagues with the sale of television rights to both French and Italian networks, and Free Dolphin rose from a fledgling enterprise to a force in the industry. During 16 years at the company helm, Cella forged solid relationships with the heads of major channels in France, Italy and Spain. Today she is again building on her talent. As a partner in Blue Galaxy International, Cella has turned her attention toward global distribution and production, a natural path for the media pro.

Marcy Rubin

Fiorenza Cella

Whistler Film Festival Announces Call for Submissions

Peter Belsito — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:02:00 GMT

The Whistler Film Festival is seeking submissions for its 12th edition, which runs from November 28 to December 2, 2012, and will feature up to 90 films comprised of about 40 features and 50 shorts, selected from over 1,000 submissions. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the following deadlines: May 31 for early film submissions (discount on application); June 29 for short films; and July 6 for feature films.

Cinematic excellence is at the heart of the Whistler Film Festival. To recognize the vitality of this art form and to mark its 12th anniversary, the 2012 Festival will feature six juried competitive sections and one audience award. Award categories include the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature, International Feature Film Award, World Documentary Film Award, Mountain Culture Award, the International Shortwork Award and the BC Student Shortwork Award. All feature length films are eligible for the Audience Award, selected by the Festival-going public who cast their votes for the most popular film.

“We are anticipating an exciting year at Whistler in 2012.” says Shauna Hardy Mishaw Executive Director of the Whistler Film Festival Society. “Whistler is a festival that honors Canadian and international talent, and is committed to discovering new films and filmmakers from around the world. In just 12 years, it has become a festival that matters. A place where filmmakers, industry and audiences gather, and return to, and where the power of cinema is celebrated and reminds us why cinema has been and continues to be so important in our lives.”

The Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia celebrates independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent found in Canadian independent film. Up to eight feature films of new, narrative work by Canadian filmmakers will be eligible. For consecutive eight years, Borsos competition entries have exuded the creative fire and artistry embodied by filmmaker Philip Borsos, known forhis inspiring work on the award-winning films The Grey Fox (1982), and Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990). All films must be Western Canadian Premieres. An international jury of three will award a $15,000 CDN prize. Esteemed jury presidents have included Bruce Greenwood, Ivan Reitman, Atom Egoyan, Donald Sutherland, Robert Lantos and Norman Jewison.

Whistler’s New Voices International Feature Film Competition will showcase up to eight innovative and unique narrative films from around the globe by directors with their first or second feature at the Festival. In our quest to discover and celebrate new talent, the Award recognizes the imaginative perspective and cinematic integrity found in these fresh new voices. All films must be Western Canadian Premieres. An international jury of three will select the winner.

Up to four films will be eligible for the Whistler’s Mountain Culture Film competition. As a reflection of the festival’s unique setting, this award honours films from around the world that capture mountain places and experiences with a cinematic flourish. All films must be Western Canadian Premieres. A jury of three will select the winner.

Whistler’s shortwork Competition will showcase up to 50 short films (under 50 minutes in length) within three short film programs or coupled with our feature films. Presented with verve and limited only by their duration, these short films display the extraordinary talent, dynamism and creative exploration found in the work of some of the world’s most interesting filmmakers. A jury of three will select the International winner and a Canadian winner, which is eligible for a $1,000 cash prize.

The BC Student shortwork Award will be presented to a short film produced by post-secondary students in British Columbia. A three-person jury will award a $500 CDN prize.

Film submission guidelines are now available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

Taking place November 28 to December 2, 2012, the 12th annual Whistler Film Festival combines an esteemed international film competition with a concentrated industry summit organized to address the ever-changing landscape of filmmaking in the digital age. Renowned for its intimate nature, the Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate five day program of screenings, tributes, industry initiatives and special events. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

The 2012 Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and is sponsored CTV, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, American Airlines, Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb.

About the Whistler Film Festival Society

The Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. WFFS produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers.

About Whistler

Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination.Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life, and so much more.

Cannes Shorts: 2wayTV Distributes Shorts

Sydney Levine — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:29:00 GMT

2wayTV is an international digital distributor of independent short films. Using Play Festival Films, viewers can watch the best in shorts.

Says Founder Mohit Mahajan, "we license the films and distribute them digitally via an 'App' to the mobile devices such iPad and iPhone. Our goal is to build the target audience for the filmmakers and to provide them feedback from their audience. We build the community of film enthusiasts, that helps each filmmaker to reach their specific target audience.

Says Acquisitions and Marketing exec Edyth Monica Gonzalez, "Play Festival Films is a free iPad App (owned by 2wayTV LLC) with the best short films from top film festivals such as Cannes, TIFF, Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Palm Springs and others; and the best student films from University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles and animation films from CalArts, Los Angeles. Audiences can watch our free shorts collection, or purchase films from any genre from our premium library for the displayed price; and ‘stream’ plus ‘download’ films with no expiration date."

Says Marketing exec Annie Chen, "further, check the nominations and awards that each film earned at various worldwide film festivals and read the biography and filmography of each film's director. You may additionally share and recommend the film to your friends by email.

Each short film can be purchased individually @$1.99 (BUY) and features starting @$3.99 (BUY) OR you can purchase the bundled package of Top 15 Selling short films. We share 50% revenues with the filmmaker. After you have purchased the film, there is no expiration date for viewing the films. For all your purchased films, you have an option to 'STREAM' (watch immediately) and/or 'DOWNLOAD' (watch later) the film. Once you have downloaded the film to your device, you will then be able to PLAY (watch anywhere, anytime) that film, from your device only. You do NOT need any network (Wi-Fi or 3G) connection to watch the downloaded films.

Free iPad APP on Appstore - http://bit.ly/PlayFestivalFilms-iTunes

Free iPhone App will be launched in July 2012

Cannes! Coming Up!

Sydney Levine — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Well everyone, we're all scrambling now to get ready for Cannes! We leave Sunday to get one good night's sleep there before beginning 10 days of high adrenaline networking. That especially unique feeling of painful feet will soon be ours again. It's also painful to think there are no women in Competition and only 6 in all the sidebars and special screenings, but it is SO exciting to think of all the movies we can see...and SO sad we won't have time to see them because we will be in meetings everyday. I am working again with the Producers Workhop, now in its second year and giving tours of the market the first 3 days. We have clients who have films and are setting up film projects that we will be working with. Check out this one - Mira/ Miranda! I have my pet project, Latino Film Financing, which I will be working on as well.

I will keep two links live for you throughout the market. One is U.S. Distributors: A - Z where you can see what U.S. Distributors are buying. The other is the Cannes Rights Roundup. Look on the blog roll on your right side - they won't always be there so see them now and throughout Cannes.

There are many new U.S. distribs, many new digital distributors and hybrid film distributors flying under the radar. I just got an email from one example, among the myriad of emails that now endundate my email shores, asking for meetings: YEKRA, the digital service with a difference! Yekra.com is a tool set and complete system that allows content owners flexibility for self marketing directly to the digital universe. Another example which I find very exciting is the hybrid distributor Gathr whose distribution model is TOD, Theatrical on Demand, bringing the limited distribution movies that YOU want to see to YOUR local theatre whenever YOU want—even if the movie isn’t showing in your town! This bottom up model rather than the traditional model of top down, where corporate entitites decide which films will hit the theaters appeals to today's new cinephiles.

We know all the new distributors (see the list below or the report itself for links) can't all last, but in this current environment where last year 469 independent films were released theatrically, a huge increase from 2002's 270 titles, in an environment where the most prominent arthouse distributors such as Fox Searchlight or Sony Pictures Classics typically release only a dozen or so movies each year, well, bravo for trying!!!

Other new Cannes attendees among U.S. distribution companies include Apple (!), Acort, Alebrije Entertainment, Ariztical (Gay!), Artsploitation, Asian Media Rights (Let's hear it for Asia, though "old-timer" China Lion's fame and fortune seems to be coming from the Chinese inhabited areas, not from "mainstream" audiences, Berney Films (as in Bob and Jeanie - Yea!), Big Screen, Blue River, Campus MovieFest, Check Entertainment, Cinecliq, Curio Media, Double Dutch, and North by Northwest (Zanne Devine's new distribution company!) out of Canada, Cinema Paradiso out of Florida, Cinedigm which just purchased the suberbly long-lived successful and innovative New Video, French Feeling, Hilton, Independent Cinema, Industrial Entertainment, Koan, Latin American Theatrical Group, LD, Locomotive, Montage, Mousetrap, Naedomi, Ninety-Seven, OpenINDIE, Princ, R Squared, Red Sea. The Report in the blogroll has links to them all.

See you on the Croisette!

Cannes Competition, Certain Regard, Critic's Week and Director's Fortnight By Numbers

Sydney Levine — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Looking at the Cannes Film Festival Competition titles, the top international sales agents are Wild Bunch with with 3 films: The Angel’s Share by Ken Loach, Beyond the Hills by Cristian Mungiu and Holy Motors by Leos Carax. Wild Bunch actually has 12 films in all the festival sections including Critic's Week and not yet counting Director's Fortnight. MK2 follows with 3 in Competition: After the Battle by Yousry Nasrallah, Like Someone in Love by Abbas Kiarostami, On the Road by Walter Salles and 4 in all sections. FilmNation follows with 2 in Compeitition: Lawless by John Hillcoat and Mud by Jeff Nichols.

U.S. has 5 indies in Competition. Wes Anderson’s opening film Moonrise Kingdom (ISA: Focus), Jeff Nichols’ Mud (ISA: FilmNation), Lee Daniels' The Paperboy (ISA: Nu Image/ Millenium), whose last feature Precious screened in Un Certain Regard in 2009, New Zealand director Andrew Dominik’s Killing Them Softly, Australia-born John Hillcoat’s Lawless (formerly titled The Wettest County). If you add Philip Kaufman's Hemingway and Gellhorn (HBO TV) which is out of competition, U.S. has 6.

Thierry Fremaux says, “What I also think is interesting is that none of these films are shot in New York or Los Angeles but rather in the South… they show another America.”

Latin America is represented by Mexico's favorite arthouse director (in Europe at least) Carlos Reygadas and his Post Tenebras Lux. Brazil's Walter Salles has made a French Brazilian English language film of American icon Jack Kerouac (On the Road) which might count on the Latin America scorecard. So. Korea has two films: The Taste of Money by Sang-Soo IM and In Another Country by Sang Soo HONG. No women are represented.

LATE ADDITION (April 30): 1 FEMALE DIRECTOR ADDED Out of Competition: Candida Brady whose documentary Trashed (U.K.) has no international representation. THAT MAKES 2 films without international sales representation. Midnight Screenings include The Sapphires by Wayne Blair (Australia), Maniac by Franck Khalfoun (U.S.) (ISA: Wild Bunch) MAKING 7 U.S. films.

Looking at Un Certain Regard sidebar of the Cannes Film Festival, 17 films hold a berth. 2 female directors are included: French Catherine Corsini of Trois Mondes and French Sylvie Verheyde of Confessions of a Child of the Century. Latin American films include La Playa the debut of Juan Andrés Arango (Brazil, Colombia, France), Después de Lucia by Michel Franco (France, Mexico), Elefante Blanco of Pablo Trapero (Argentina, France and Spain), A Musica Segundo Tom Jobim by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos (Brazil), Villegas by Gonzalo Tobal (Argentina, France, Netherlands).and if you can count the French production 7 Dias en la Habana by directors Benicio del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Juan Carlos Tabio, Gaspar Noé, Laurent Cantet, that will make a total of 6. 2 American indies are Beasts of the Southern Wild by Benh Zeitlin and The Central Park Five by directors Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David Mcmahon. LATE ADDITIONS (April 30): Djeca – Children of Sarajevo by Aida Bejic ♀ (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, France, Turkey) MAKES 3 female directors, and Gimme the Loot by Adam Leon (U.S.) MAKES 3 U.S. indies. Closing night film will be Renoir by Gilles Bourdo (France) (ISA: Wild Bunch)

Looking at the Critic's Week, there are no women in Competition. All 7 Competition films are debuts by males. Two French female directors have films in Special Screenings by themselves in their own exclusive ghetto. Sandrine Bonnaire's second feature (but first fiction feature) J'enrage a son absence (I am Enraged by His Absence) (ISA: Films Distribution), and Alice Winocour's debut Augustine. 2 films are from Latin America: Argentinian Los Salvages (The Wild Ones) and Mexican-Spanish-U.S. coproduction Aqui y Alla. That is the only U.S. film. The sales agent with the most (2) films is Films Boutique. 4 Films have no international sales agents.

Looking at Directors Fortnight, Latin American films take the center stage in honor of the recently deceased Chilean director Raoul Ruiz. His most recent film The Night in Front (La Noche en Frente) will be premiered in a special tribute session.

"We have seen many good films from Latin America," said Fortnight artistic director Edouard Waintrop when introducing the 2012 selection to press in Paris. One of four scheduled debates will focus on Latin American cinema, with Waintrop saying this year's selection was "more sensitive to Latin American cinema than Asian [films]."

Of the 7 Latino films to make the list, two are Chilean -- Ruiz's The Night in Front and Pablo Larrain's No, a Chilean-American film starring Gael Garcia Bernal. The other five come from Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia with 3 films La Playa, La Sirga (both by Burning Blue Productions! ♀) and a short film Jonathan Ceballos' short The Children of the Clouds (Los Ahijiados de las Nubes).

Films from South Korea, China, India, Algeria and Iran, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg are also included in the selection. The United States was involved in the production of three of this year's movies, including Michael Gondry's The We and I, which opens the event.

Noemi Livovsky (Camille Rewinds from France) is one of two women directors! The second which makes hr the 4th in all Cannes Festivals is also the only non-French one. Yulene Olaizola (Fogo) is from Mexico.

For the Rights Roundup, you can begin watching sales of titles in Cannes here , organized by international sales agent. There will be daily updates throughout Cannes. It's interesting to see that sales on several Competition titles have already been made as presales.

Winners of the International Sales Agent with the Most Films in The Different Cannes Selections:

1st Place: Wild Bunch with 12

2nd Place: Pyramide with 5

3rd Place: MK2 with 3 which it also co-produced.

Honorable Mention: FilmNation with 2.

LatinoBuzz: Mexico's Young Filmmakers Are Breaking Records and Pushing Boundaries

Vanessa Erazo — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:55:20 GMT

Mexico’s film industry broke records last year. Box office attendance reached an all-time high and due in part to increased public funding, local productions rose to more than 70 feature films. Yet, as is true in all of Latin America, Hollywood blockbusters edged out national films. Less than 10% of ticket sales were from Mexican movies. Still, there is much to be optimistic about. The amount of female filmmakers is on the rise along with increased budget allocations for state film financing. The vast majority of Mexican cinema is government funded (about 80%) and with more money comes greater opportunities for emerging artists to breakthrough. As part of this recent revival in Mexican cinematic production a new generation of directors have emerged, pushing boundaries, challenging stereotypes, and raising the international profile of Mexican films.

Carlos Reygadas

He didn’t start making films until he was in his thirties and remarkably his three feature films Japón, Batalla en el Cielo, and Luz Silenciosa (Silent Light) (ISA:Bac Films) all premiered at Cannes. His films deal with serious topics like love, spirituality, and death. And in the face of criticism, continues to defend his choice of depicting explicit sex scenes in Batalla en el Cielo and animal cruelty in Japón. His most recent feature is the much blogged about Post Tenebras Lux, an official selection at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Natalia Almada

She makes haunting, poetic, hypnotic and pensive documentaries. Her films have reached top-tier festivals like Sundance, Cannes, New Directors/New Films and have played at MoMA, The Guggenheim Museum and The Whitney Biennial. All Water Has a Perfect Memory, Al Otro Lado, El General, and her most recent film El Velador (The Night Watchman) are infused with her unique perspective. Coming from a bicultural family--she was born in Mexico to a Mexican father and American mother--she is able to highlight contradictions in both worlds using striking imagery and meditative silences.

Nicolás Pereda

Since 2007, he has proven to be a prolific artist, having directed five feature-length films: ¿Dónde están sus historias? (Where Are Their Stories?) (ISA:FIGa Films), Juntos (Together) (ISA:FIGa Films), Perpetuum Mobile (ISA:Ondamax Films), Todo en fin el silencio lo ocupaba (All Things Were Now Overtaken by Silence) (FIGa Films), and Verano de Goliat (Summer of Goliath) (ISA: FIGa FIlms). Pereda uses many of the same actors and characters in his films, including Gabino Rodriguez and Teresa Sanchez, who are not professional actors. He mixes fiction with documentary in fractured narratives that depict the absurdity that occurs in everyday life. Though only in his twenties he has had at least ten retrospectives of his films at cinemas and archives around the world. In 2010 his film Verano de Goliat (Summer of Goliath) was awarded the Orizzonti award for best film at the Venice Film Festival.

Jonás Cuarón

Son of the Academy Award nominated director Alfonso Cuarón, (Children of Men, Y tu mamá también) Jonás Cuarón stepped out of his father’s shadow and burst onto the scene with Año Uña (Year of the Nail).The film takes a year’s worth of photos Cuarón took of spontaneous everyday events, that he later assembled to create a fictional narrative. Using only still photos and the original subjects’ narration of events, the dialogue switches between English and Spanish, and the film between reality and fiction. The film’s opening explains that though the story is fictional, the people and the moments frozen in time by the photographs are very real.

Roskino Celebrates U.S. Office Opening of The Russian Film Commission at a Beverly Hills Luncheon

Sydney Levine, Peter Belsito — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:22:30 GMT

Major Hollywood and international film players turned out to welcome Serge Rakhlin, Russian member of HFPA and Director of the Russian Film Commission, and Commissioner Eleonora Granata Jenkinson as they announced today the office opening in the USA of The RUSSIAN FILM COMMISSION created by ROSKINO/SEF, Russia’s only state enterprise responsible for the image of the Russian film industry and represents Russia’s film interests internationally.

The exclusive private lunch was held at the favorite Hollywood dine and meet restaurant - ENOTECA DRAGO in the heart of downtown Beverly Hills.

During the luncheon Commissioner Eleonora Granata Jenkinson announced a series of important initiative to connect the USA film biz with the Russian filmmakers, to promote and support Russian film distribution in the U.S., to enable and facilitate co-productions as well as attract U.S. productions to shoot in Russia."The Russian Film Commission USA is now an official member of AFCI."

Many of the executives attending were excitedly anticipating trips to Cannes in a few days where Roskino's CEO Katya Mtsitouridze will again manage the successful Russian Pavilion on the Croisette. Many of these executives in June will go to Moscow to attend the DOORS Screenings in Moscow June 22-24 which will take place during Moscow International Film Festival. The Moscow event, sponsored by Roskino, will feature new Russian films, meetings with filmmakers and film trade conferences and panels.

Russian cinema is highly regarded in LA and these initiatives by the Russian Film Commission and Roskino have been met by interest and excitement as to their future activities and new Russian film screenings in Moscow and in L.A.

Rome Film Festival Relying on Marco Mueller

Vittoria Scarpa — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:00:01 GMT

Italian cinema industry sides with Marco Müller

by Vittoria Scarpa from Cineuropa.org

Bertolucci, Olmi, Bellocchio, Salvatores, Crialese, as well as Toni Servillo, Stefania Sandrelli, the producers Riccardo Tozzi andPietro Valsecchi, and singer-songwriter Franco Battiato feature amongst the 150 signatories of an appeal in favour of the new director of the Rome Film Festival, Marco Müller.

In an open letter, released today and addressed to politicians and administrators, artists of the film and entertainment industry ask that Müller be placed in the "conditions to guarantee that an all too near 2012 edition takes place", and that his contract as director of the Rome Film Festival therefore be closed.

Marco Müller's nomination as artistic director, on March 16 (see the news), has in fact still not been turned into a signed contract. According to rumours, the former director of the Venice Film Festival is becoming increasingly worried with regards to timing and has not made a mystery of the fact that he considers Cannes as a deadline (The French festival starts on May 16). The next board of director's meeting of the Fondazione Cinema per Roma, which could lead to a conclusion of the matter, will take place on Friday, assured the President Paolo Ferrari, dismissing the rumours going around about the alleged problems with the staff of selectors suggested by Müller.

"Any further loss of time would be a defeat for Rome and a huge setback for Italian cinema", says the appeal, "And would probably lead to the event's death and the cancellation of any future prospects".

(Translated from Italian)