For the better part of the last decade and more, Blue Bloods has been enticing viewers with its engaging storyline and characters who come from a multi-generational family of cops. Focusing on the lives of the Reagan family, each character has their own unique strength and weakness to face as they battle the challenges associated with being a police officer, giving the drama an added edge over the plethora of other police-based TV shows.
Blue Bloods (2010-2024)
Despite having a splendid run and a huge fan base, the show will be ending soon with its two-part final season. However, the star of the show, Tom Selleck, still hopes that CBS will come to its senses and not cancel a show that continues to enjoy huge popularity.
Tom Selleck Wants Blue Bloods To Be Reinstated
Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan in Blue Bloods
For the last 14 years, Tom Selleck has starred...
Blue Bloods (2010-2024)
Despite having a splendid run and a huge fan base, the show will be ending soon with its two-part final season. However, the star of the show, Tom Selleck, still hopes that CBS will come to its senses and not cancel a show that continues to enjoy huge popularity.
Tom Selleck Wants Blue Bloods To Be Reinstated
Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan in Blue Bloods
For the last 14 years, Tom Selleck has starred...
- 5/7/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
In the late 1990s Joker writer-director Todd Phillips, then applying his trade as an underground documentary filmmaker shot a non-fiction project titled Frat House, which nabbed the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance before being promptly acquired by HBO Films.
“The premise of the documentary is that he pledged fraternities at colleges,” John Sloss, producer, founder and CEO of Cinetic Media, told an audience at the Sands Film Festival in St. Andrews, Scotland. He was discussing the pic as part of an onstage Q&a about the current state of documentary filmmaking alongside Molly Thompson, Head of Documentaries and Non-Fiction at Apple TV+, and Oscar-winning producer Melanie Miller.
Sloss had been representing Phillips at the time. Despite the early buzz surrounding the pic, it was never officially released. HBO shelved the project.
“What happened was that a separate chapter of the fraternity he [Phillips] pledged and made look...
“The premise of the documentary is that he pledged fraternities at colleges,” John Sloss, producer, founder and CEO of Cinetic Media, told an audience at the Sands Film Festival in St. Andrews, Scotland. He was discussing the pic as part of an onstage Q&a about the current state of documentary filmmaking alongside Molly Thompson, Head of Documentaries and Non-Fiction at Apple TV+, and Oscar-winning producer Melanie Miller.
Sloss had been representing Phillips at the time. Despite the early buzz surrounding the pic, it was never officially released. HBO shelved the project.
“What happened was that a separate chapter of the fraternity he [Phillips] pledged and made look...
- 4/20/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Scotland’s Sands International Film Festival Of St Andrews will open on April 19 with a double-bill screening of British writer-director Naqqash Khalid’s debut feature In Camera and Harry Holland’s short film Last Call, starring Tom Holland.
The titles make up the lineup of the festival’s third edition, which runs April 19-21. The festival will close with Maggie Contreras’ debut feature documentary Maestra, in which five female conductors from across the globe prepare for and compete in La Maestra – the world’s only competition for female conductors.
Elsewhere, Scottish actress and filmmaker Karen Gillan will take part in a talk on April 21 about her career, moderated by actor, playwright, and director Adura Onashile. Gillan is best known for working with the Russo brothers on Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Endgame. Her other film credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, in which she starred alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black,...
The titles make up the lineup of the festival’s third edition, which runs April 19-21. The festival will close with Maggie Contreras’ debut feature documentary Maestra, in which five female conductors from across the globe prepare for and compete in La Maestra – the world’s only competition for female conductors.
Elsewhere, Scottish actress and filmmaker Karen Gillan will take part in a talk on April 21 about her career, moderated by actor, playwright, and director Adura Onashile. Gillan is best known for working with the Russo brothers on Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Endgame. Her other film credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, in which she starred alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The Producers Guild of America has officially announced its first wave of 2024 nominees ahead of the final round of voting for the 35th annual PGA Awards.
Comprised of more than 8,400 producers, the guild first nominated seven documentaries for the Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures category at the 35th annual Producers Guild of America Awards on February 25.
“American Symphony,” “20 Days in Mariupol,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” “Beyond Utopia,” “The Mother of All Lies,” “Squaring the Circle,” and “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” are the nominees. “20 Days in Mariupol” and “Beyond Utopia” additionally placed in IndieWire’s critics survey of the best films of the year. Last year, “Navalny” producers Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris were honored with the PGA Award and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The PGA Award nominees for Sports, Children’s and Short Form Television Programs were then announced,...
Comprised of more than 8,400 producers, the guild first nominated seven documentaries for the Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures category at the 35th annual Producers Guild of America Awards on February 25.
“American Symphony,” “20 Days in Mariupol,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” “Beyond Utopia,” “The Mother of All Lies,” “Squaring the Circle,” and “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” are the nominees. “20 Days in Mariupol” and “Beyond Utopia” additionally placed in IndieWire’s critics survey of the best films of the year. Last year, “Navalny” producers Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris were honored with the PGA Award and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The PGA Award nominees for Sports, Children’s and Short Form Television Programs were then announced,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
35th Annual Producers Guild of America Awards ceremony to take place February 25, 2024.
Producers Guild of America (PGA) has unveiled the 2024 documentary feature nominees that will advance to the final round of voting for the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards.
The films nominated for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures are listed below in alphabetical order:
20 Days In Mariupol, American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, The Disappearance Of Shere Hite, The Mother Of All Lies, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, and Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis).
Each films is in the process of being vetted for individual producer eligibility.
Last year producers Odessa Rae,...
Producers Guild of America (PGA) has unveiled the 2024 documentary feature nominees that will advance to the final round of voting for the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards.
The films nominated for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures are listed below in alphabetical order:
20 Days In Mariupol, American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, The Disappearance Of Shere Hite, The Mother Of All Lies, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, and Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis).
Each films is in the process of being vetted for individual producer eligibility.
Last year producers Odessa Rae,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Producers Guild of America has announced its 2024 Documentary Motion Picture nominees for the 35th annual Producers Guild Awards.
The following films are nominated in the category of outstanding producer of documentary motion picture:
20 Days in Mariupol
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
The Disappearance of Shere Hite
The Mother of All Lies
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
Earlier this year, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris took home the prize for HBO/CNN’s Navalny, which followed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the investigation into his poisoning with a nerve agent in August 2020. The film, directed by Daniel Roher, also won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in March.
The 35th Annual PGA Awards will take place on Feb. 25, 2024, with location and timing details to come at a later date.
Nominees for Sports, Children’s and Short Form Television Programs will be announced on Friday,...
The following films are nominated in the category of outstanding producer of documentary motion picture:
20 Days in Mariupol
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
The Disappearance of Shere Hite
The Mother of All Lies
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
Earlier this year, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris took home the prize for HBO/CNN’s Navalny, which followed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the investigation into his poisoning with a nerve agent in August 2020. The film, directed by Daniel Roher, also won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in March.
The 35th Annual PGA Awards will take place on Feb. 25, 2024, with location and timing details to come at a later date.
Nominees for Sports, Children’s and Short Form Television Programs will be announced on Friday,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The Oscar-winning team behind Navalny is embarking on its next project, a National Geographic documentary under the working title Blink of an Eye. It will focus on the Pelletier family, “a happy, adventurous family of six,” who decided to go on a world tour after learning three of their children would soon lose their vision.
Navalny’s Daniel Roher is directing with Edmund Stenson, who will make his feature debut on the film. MRC and Fishbowl Films are producing, with Fishbowl’s Melanie Miller and Diane Becker on board to produce. They won Academy Awards for producing Navalny (along with fellow producers Shane Boris and Odessa Rae).
The Pelletier’s world “was changed forever when they found out three of the four children were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare, incurable disorder that leads to permanent blindness,” noted a release about the documentary. “Edith Lemay and Sebastian Pelletier decide...
Navalny’s Daniel Roher is directing with Edmund Stenson, who will make his feature debut on the film. MRC and Fishbowl Films are producing, with Fishbowl’s Melanie Miller and Diane Becker on board to produce. They won Academy Awards for producing Navalny (along with fellow producers Shane Boris and Odessa Rae).
The Pelletier’s world “was changed forever when they found out three of the four children were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare, incurable disorder that leads to permanent blindness,” noted a release about the documentary. “Edith Lemay and Sebastian Pelletier decide...
- 9/1/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Wif kicked off Oscar weekend with its highly-anticipated cocktail party presented by sponsors Johnnie Walker, Max Mara, and Mercedes-Benz.
Malala Yousafzai attends the 16th Annual Wif Oscar® Party Presented By Johnnie Walker, Max Mara, And Mercedes-Benz
Credit/Copyright: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Wif
The party honored all 65 women, in front of and behind the camera, who have been nominated for an Academy Award this year, and is the only event throughout awards season that celebrates all the women nominated for Oscars. Since 2007, the annual event has celebrated the belief that collaboration between women, behind and in front of the camera, is the best way to ensure more films are made by and for women. Co-hosted by Oscar-winning producer and Wif Board President Emerita Cathy Schulman, Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin and director and Oscar®-winning screenwriter Siân Heder, the event was held at NeueHouse Hollywood.
Nominated attendees included Anne Alvergue,...
Malala Yousafzai attends the 16th Annual Wif Oscar® Party Presented By Johnnie Walker, Max Mara, And Mercedes-Benz
Credit/Copyright: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Wif
The party honored all 65 women, in front of and behind the camera, who have been nominated for an Academy Award this year, and is the only event throughout awards season that celebrates all the women nominated for Oscars. Since 2007, the annual event has celebrated the belief that collaboration between women, behind and in front of the camera, is the best way to ensure more films are made by and for women. Co-hosted by Oscar-winning producer and Wif Board President Emerita Cathy Schulman, Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin and director and Oscar®-winning screenwriter Siân Heder, the event was held at NeueHouse Hollywood.
Nominated attendees included Anne Alvergue,...
- 3/15/2023
- Look to the Stars
Jimmy Kimmel hosts the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Contributed by Michelle Hannett and Gary Salem
The 95th Academy Awards were held Sunday evening at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Host Jimmy Kimmel presided over the ceremony, after the Navy Flyover and him parachuting inside the theater, as Oscar statuettes were awarded for all 23 categories. Two Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets flew down Hollywood Boulevard at an elevation of only 1,000 feet. The jets came from Naval Air Station Lemoore near Fresno. Inside the jets were two instructors, a squadron commander and a graduate form the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program – known as “Top Gun.”
Fighter jets open the show during the live ABC Telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023. The 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday,...
Contributed by Michelle Hannett and Gary Salem
The 95th Academy Awards were held Sunday evening at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Host Jimmy Kimmel presided over the ceremony, after the Navy Flyover and him parachuting inside the theater, as Oscar statuettes were awarded for all 23 categories. Two Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets flew down Hollywood Boulevard at an elevation of only 1,000 feet. The jets came from Naval Air Station Lemoore near Fresno. Inside the jets were two instructors, a squadron commander and a graduate form the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program – known as “Top Gun.”
Fighter jets open the show during the live ABC Telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023. The 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Now in its eighth year, the American Film Festival offers a unique perspective on recent developments in U.S. indie filmmaking. That’s because it happens in Poland, staged at the stylish Kino Nowe Horyzonty film center in Wroclaw, also home to the summer New Horizons festival, which has more of a European tilt.
Although the festival, which recently concluded, surveys many favorites from Sundance and South by Southwest, the curation doesn’t merely transpose selections to a new setting. It imports a lively assortment of filmmakers, as well, and creates a cozy, engaged atmosphere more akin to the communal vibe of the Maryland Film Festival. Indeed, to rub shoulders in a crowd that included Jody Lee Lipes, Noel Wells, Dustin Guy Defa, Nathan Silver, producer Mike Ryan, Jessica Oreck and Mike Ott is to experience a deep dive into the creative bustle of current indie ferment.
That spirit is...
Although the festival, which recently concluded, surveys many favorites from Sundance and South by Southwest, the curation doesn’t merely transpose selections to a new setting. It imports a lively assortment of filmmakers, as well, and creates a cozy, engaged atmosphere more akin to the communal vibe of the Maryland Film Festival. Indeed, to rub shoulders in a crowd that included Jody Lee Lipes, Noel Wells, Dustin Guy Defa, Nathan Silver, producer Mike Ryan, Jessica Oreck and Mike Ott is to experience a deep dive into the creative bustle of current indie ferment.
That spirit is...
- 11/14/2017
- by Steve Dollar
- Indiewire
Memory loss leads to mind-bending moments in Ed Gass-Donnelly's Lavender, and to commemorate the film's theatrical, VOD, and Digital HD release from Samuel Goldwyn Films and Ambi Media Group, we've been provided with three iTunes download codes to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) free iTunes download code for Lavender.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Lavender Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on Monday, 6th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted. Please note that the iTunes download codes expire on March 31st.
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"Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly (“The Last Exorcism Part II”) who co-wrote the film with...
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) free iTunes download code for Lavender.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Lavender Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on Monday, 6th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted. Please note that the iTunes download codes expire on March 31st.
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"Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly (“The Last Exorcism Part II”) who co-wrote the film with...
- 3/3/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Samuel Goldwyn Films and Ambi Group have teamed up for the Us release of Lavender, directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly and co-written by Colin Frizzell. The film will have its initial premiere on Dish on February 3rd, but you check out the trailer for the film in today’s Highlights. Following right behind, we also have a trailer for Garden Party Massacre as well as preview pages from Dark Horse Comics’ Eerie Volume 23 hardcover for you to enjoy.
Watch the Latest Trailer for Lavender: Press Release: “Los Angeles (Jan. 26, 2017) – Samuel Goldwyn Films and Ambi Group will partner on the domestic release for the anticipated thriller, “Lavender.” Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly (“The Last Exorcism Part II”) who co-wrote the film with Colin Frizzell (“Resident Evil: Apocalypse”), the film stars Abbie Cornish (“Limitless”), Diego Klattenhoff (TV’s “The Blacklist”), Justin Long (“Live Free or Die Hard”) and Dermot Mulroney (“My Best Friend...
Watch the Latest Trailer for Lavender: Press Release: “Los Angeles (Jan. 26, 2017) – Samuel Goldwyn Films and Ambi Group will partner on the domestic release for the anticipated thriller, “Lavender.” Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly (“The Last Exorcism Part II”) who co-wrote the film with Colin Frizzell (“Resident Evil: Apocalypse”), the film stars Abbie Cornish (“Limitless”), Diego Klattenhoff (TV’s “The Blacklist”), Justin Long (“Live Free or Die Hard”) and Dermot Mulroney (“My Best Friend...
- 1/27/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Mystery stars Abbie Cornish as photographer with memory loss
Samuel Goldwyn and Ambi will partner on the Us release of the mystery directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly.
The companies have set an exclusive February 3 release on Dish followed by theatrical and VOD on March 3. Ambi Distribution handles international sales.
Lavender received its world premiere Tribeca last year and is the second collaboration between the companies, which will release Simon Aboud’s This Beautiful Fantastic on March 10.
Dave Valleau and Gass-Donnelly produced, with Ambi’s Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi serving as executive producers alongside Tex Antonucci, Emily Alden and Jennifer Levine.
Cornish, Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff and Dermot Mulroney star in the story of a photographer with memory loss who finds clues among her work suggesting she may be responsible for the deaths of family members she never knew she had.
“Abbie Cornish provides a stellar performance in this psychological thriller,” Samuel Goldwyn Films executive...
Samuel Goldwyn and Ambi will partner on the Us release of the mystery directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly.
The companies have set an exclusive February 3 release on Dish followed by theatrical and VOD on March 3. Ambi Distribution handles international sales.
Lavender received its world premiere Tribeca last year and is the second collaboration between the companies, which will release Simon Aboud’s This Beautiful Fantastic on March 10.
Dave Valleau and Gass-Donnelly produced, with Ambi’s Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi serving as executive producers alongside Tex Antonucci, Emily Alden and Jennifer Levine.
Cornish, Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff and Dermot Mulroney star in the story of a photographer with memory loss who finds clues among her work suggesting she may be responsible for the deaths of family members she never knew she had.
“Abbie Cornish provides a stellar performance in this psychological thriller,” Samuel Goldwyn Films executive...
- 1/26/2017
- ScreenDaily
Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to Sasha Gordon’s subversive rom-com starring Cristin Milioti and Dan Soder.
It Had To Be You premiered at the Austin Film Festival and centres on a neurotic jingle writer who is given three days in which to decide whether to marry her fiancé or take a leap and pursue her fantasies.
“We were drawn to Sasha’s fresh take on the romantic comedy,” said Melanie Miller, executive vice-president at Samuel Goldwyn Films. “Festival-goers have embraced the film and we can’t wait to bring it to a wider audience.”
The film is scheduled to open on October 21.
“Samuel Goldwyn has released some of my favourite indies so working with them on my debut feature is truly a dream come true,” said Gordon.
Rachel Brenna, Richard Arlook, Benjamin Kruger and Levi Abrino produced the film and Chris Columbus served as executive producer.
Miller and [link...
It Had To Be You premiered at the Austin Film Festival and centres on a neurotic jingle writer who is given three days in which to decide whether to marry her fiancé or take a leap and pursue her fantasies.
“We were drawn to Sasha’s fresh take on the romantic comedy,” said Melanie Miller, executive vice-president at Samuel Goldwyn Films. “Festival-goers have embraced the film and we can’t wait to bring it to a wider audience.”
The film is scheduled to open on October 21.
“Samuel Goldwyn has released some of my favourite indies so working with them on my debut feature is truly a dream come true,” said Gordon.
Rachel Brenna, Richard Arlook, Benjamin Kruger and Levi Abrino produced the film and Chris Columbus served as executive producer.
Miller and [link...
- 9/21/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Deadline reports Samuel Goldwyn Films is developing The Surge TV series with Michael S. Emerson and Colonel F. Lee Reynolds producing. The potential new TV show is based on the non-fiction book Battle for Baqubah: Killing Our Way Out, by Robert S. Colella.Deadline says, "Colella was part of Cavalry Company, and the book is a firsthand account about how it defeated Al-Qaeda in the final battle of the surge in 2007. A search is underway for a writer to adapt the book and develop the project." Peter Goldwyn, Ben Feingold, and Melanie Miller are executive producing.Read More…...
- 8/5/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
The company is partnering with producers Michael S. Emerson and Colonel F. Lee Reynolds to adapt the book Battle For Baqubah: Killing Our Way Out by retired First Sergeant Robert S. Colella.
The book chronicles Colella’s personal account of the 2007 Iraq Surge and how a Cavalry Company defeated Al Qaeda in the final battle of the campaign.
Samuel Goldwyn Films and Michael S. Emerson Productions are out to a writer to adapt the book and develop the series, which will combine elements of the ground forces and Apache attack helicopter missions.
Samuel Goldwyn Films’ Peter Goldwyn, Ben Feingold and Melanie Miller of Samuel Goldwyn Films serve as executive producers.
The book chronicles Colella’s personal account of the 2007 Iraq Surge and how a Cavalry Company defeated Al Qaeda in the final battle of the campaign.
Samuel Goldwyn Films and Michael S. Emerson Productions are out to a writer to adapt the book and develop the series, which will combine elements of the ground forces and Apache attack helicopter missions.
Samuel Goldwyn Films’ Peter Goldwyn, Ben Feingold and Melanie Miller of Samuel Goldwyn Films serve as executive producers.
- 8/3/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Shaz Bennett has her own unique history with the Sundance Film Festival having worked for them as a programmer before it was even known as Sundance. Flash-forward a couple of decades later, and Bennett took her 2012 short of the same name and elongated it into a feature length film. Alaska is a Drag is self-described as if Rocky and Hedwig had a love child and not only did the Lgbt friendly, loud and proud Diy title become a hit on Kickstarter but this summer emerged as the big winner at the Us in Progress in Poland this October landing major post production coin. No doubt this feels a little reckless, spirited and memorably micro.
Gist: Leo dreams of becoming an International Superstar, but these dreams are hard fought stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Production Co./Producers: Bennett, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller.
Prediction: Next section or a Narrative Comp item at SXSW.
Gist: Leo dreams of becoming an International Superstar, but these dreams are hard fought stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Production Co./Producers: Bennett, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller.
Prediction: Next section or a Narrative Comp item at SXSW.
- 11/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Us in Progress is a biannual event held in June during the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and in October during the American Film Festival in Wroclaw. It’s a five-year-old industry event that aims to strengthen transatlantic film collaborations and partnerships between European industry and emerging American filmmakers. The fifth Us in Progress recently held in Wroclaw featured six films in various editing and post-production stages. The participants included: Mike Ott and Nathan Silver, Actor Martinez Shaz Bennett and Melanie Miller, Alaska is a Drag Zachary Shedd and Daniel Patrick Carbone, Americana Benjamin Kruger, It Had to Be You Joel […]...
- 11/11/2015
- by Taylor Hess
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Us in Progress is a biannual event held in June during the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and in October during the American Film Festival in Wroclaw. It’s a five-year-old industry event that aims to strengthen transatlantic film collaborations and partnerships between European industry and emerging American filmmakers. The fifth Us in Progress recently held in Wroclaw featured six films in various editing and post-production stages. The participants included: Mike Ott and Nathan Silver, Actor Martinez Shaz Bennett and Melanie Miller, Alaska is a Drag Zachary Shedd and Daniel Patrick Carbone, Americana Benjamin Kruger, It Had to Be You Joel […]...
- 11/11/2015
- by Taylor Hess
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The 5th edition of the Us in Progress co-production forum was held on October 22-23, 2015, during the 6 th American Film Festival in Wrocław. Director Shaz Bennett and producers Melanie Miller and Diane Becker acquired the most awards and therefore emerged as Us in Progress winners for "Alaska is a Drag".
Us in Progress is an industry event that aims to strengthen the trans-Atlantic film industry collaborations and partnerships and help European film professionals establish working relationships with new emerging American filmmakers. The event is a bi-annual program conducted at the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris during the summer before kicking-off in Wroclaw at Aff during the fall.
At the 6th American Film Festival, six films in various stages of post-production have conducted private screenings for film industry professionals, including Laurent Danielou (Loco Films), Mathieu Delaunay (Memento Films), Oda Schaeffer (k5), Silje Grimsdal (Trust Nordisk), and festival programmers from Edinburgh, Locarno, Tribeca, and a jury composed of yours truly, Sydney Levine, and Polish post-producers, to compete for post-production and promotional packages. In addition to the filmmaking duo, Shaz Bennett and Melanie Miller, two films have earned significant post-production awards - "Actor Martinez" by Nathan Silver and Mike Ott and "The Loner" by Daniel Y-Li Grove.
Here is a detailed listing of the awards:
"Alaska is a Drag" by Shaz Bennett, produced by Melanie Millerwill received:
post-production services up to the value of €10.000 (e.g. color grading or conforming, master Dcp, master Hdcam Sr, master Blu-ray, master DVD) from Chimney Poland, based in Warsaw; part of Chimney Groupa score composed by Maciej Zielinski from Soundflower Studiofinal mix 5.1 sound post-production to the value of $20.000 Euro (including rental of sound mixing studio with Thx and Dolby Premier certificates) from Toya Studios an offer to acquire Polish TV rights from Ale Kino+Several years ago, the filmmakers also received a couple of grants to develop the script from Clever in San Francisco (Cheryl Dunye’s company) and Naked Angels.
The script was developed through several programs at Sundance, Film Independent and Fox as well as the AFI Directing Workshop for Women.
"The Loner" by Daniel Grove and produced by Reza Sixo Safai received:
digital post-production services up to the value of €10.000 (excluding 35mm processing/scan; including conforming, color grading, grain/noise management, finishing, mastering, simple VFX, Dcp and other file based master from Fixafilm based in Warsaw and free registration to Producers' Network at Cannes 2016. "Actor Martinez" (working title) by Mike Ott and Nathan Silver (produced by Britta Erickson) received a second acquisition offer by Ale Kino+
Selected projects participating in last year's Us in Progress Wrocław or 2015 Us in Progress Paris were included in the Aff program: "Take Me to the River," dir. Matt Sobel (Polish premiere); "Stinking Heaven" (dir. Nathan Silver); "Ma" (dir. Celia Rowlson-Hall) and Reza Safai and Daniel Y Grove-produced "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" returned to the Aff to let the audiences benefit from the creators' attendance.
For the missing color correction, sound mix, VFX, and other deliverables for Bennett's and Miller's "Alaska is a Drag", the Us in Progress prize adds significant value in the finishing stage of post-production. The organizers and programmers of Us in Progress, Ula Śniegowska (artistic director of Aff), Adeline Monzier and Marie Zeniter (Black Rabbit Film), and Chantal Lian (Champs-Elysées Film Festival), look forward to following all the participating unfinished projects, and the future work and collaborations of all Us in Progress filmmakers.
More about Us in Progress and American Film Festival on www.americanfilmfestival.pl.
Us in Progress is an industry event that aims to strengthen the trans-Atlantic film industry collaborations and partnerships and help European film professionals establish working relationships with new emerging American filmmakers. The event is a bi-annual program conducted at the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris during the summer before kicking-off in Wroclaw at Aff during the fall.
At the 6th American Film Festival, six films in various stages of post-production have conducted private screenings for film industry professionals, including Laurent Danielou (Loco Films), Mathieu Delaunay (Memento Films), Oda Schaeffer (k5), Silje Grimsdal (Trust Nordisk), and festival programmers from Edinburgh, Locarno, Tribeca, and a jury composed of yours truly, Sydney Levine, and Polish post-producers, to compete for post-production and promotional packages. In addition to the filmmaking duo, Shaz Bennett and Melanie Miller, two films have earned significant post-production awards - "Actor Martinez" by Nathan Silver and Mike Ott and "The Loner" by Daniel Y-Li Grove.
Here is a detailed listing of the awards:
"Alaska is a Drag" by Shaz Bennett, produced by Melanie Millerwill received:
post-production services up to the value of €10.000 (e.g. color grading or conforming, master Dcp, master Hdcam Sr, master Blu-ray, master DVD) from Chimney Poland, based in Warsaw; part of Chimney Groupa score composed by Maciej Zielinski from Soundflower Studiofinal mix 5.1 sound post-production to the value of $20.000 Euro (including rental of sound mixing studio with Thx and Dolby Premier certificates) from Toya Studios an offer to acquire Polish TV rights from Ale Kino+Several years ago, the filmmakers also received a couple of grants to develop the script from Clever in San Francisco (Cheryl Dunye’s company) and Naked Angels.
The script was developed through several programs at Sundance, Film Independent and Fox as well as the AFI Directing Workshop for Women.
"The Loner" by Daniel Grove and produced by Reza Sixo Safai received:
digital post-production services up to the value of €10.000 (excluding 35mm processing/scan; including conforming, color grading, grain/noise management, finishing, mastering, simple VFX, Dcp and other file based master from Fixafilm based in Warsaw and free registration to Producers' Network at Cannes 2016. "Actor Martinez" (working title) by Mike Ott and Nathan Silver (produced by Britta Erickson) received a second acquisition offer by Ale Kino+
Selected projects participating in last year's Us in Progress Wrocław or 2015 Us in Progress Paris were included in the Aff program: "Take Me to the River," dir. Matt Sobel (Polish premiere); "Stinking Heaven" (dir. Nathan Silver); "Ma" (dir. Celia Rowlson-Hall) and Reza Safai and Daniel Y Grove-produced "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" returned to the Aff to let the audiences benefit from the creators' attendance.
For the missing color correction, sound mix, VFX, and other deliverables for Bennett's and Miller's "Alaska is a Drag", the Us in Progress prize adds significant value in the finishing stage of post-production. The organizers and programmers of Us in Progress, Ula Śniegowska (artistic director of Aff), Adeline Monzier and Marie Zeniter (Black Rabbit Film), and Chantal Lian (Champs-Elysées Film Festival), look forward to following all the participating unfinished projects, and the future work and collaborations of all Us in Progress filmmakers.
More about Us in Progress and American Film Festival on www.americanfilmfestival.pl.
- 11/6/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Alaska Is A Drag director Shaz Bennett and producer Melanie Miller were the big winners at Us in Progress at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland.
The fifth edition of Us in Progress, an industry event that showcases in-progress Us films to European film professionals, screened six films in various stages of post-production.
Alaska Is A Drag now receives post-production services worth €10.000 at Chimney Poland in Warsaw; a sound mix from Toya Studios; a score compsed by Soundflower Studio; and a TV rights deal with Ale Kino+.
The film is about an aspiring superstar, Leo (Martin L. Washington Jr.) and his twin sister Tristen (Maya Washington), who are stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Attendees at Us in Progress included Laurent Danielou (Loco Films), Mathieu Delaunay (Memento), Oda Schaeffer (K5), Silje Grimsdal (TrustNordisk), and festival programmers from Edinburgh, Locarno and Tribeca.
A jury composed of Sydney Levine and Polish post-producer awarded packages to [link...
The fifth edition of Us in Progress, an industry event that showcases in-progress Us films to European film professionals, screened six films in various stages of post-production.
Alaska Is A Drag now receives post-production services worth €10.000 at Chimney Poland in Warsaw; a sound mix from Toya Studios; a score compsed by Soundflower Studio; and a TV rights deal with Ale Kino+.
The film is about an aspiring superstar, Leo (Martin L. Washington Jr.) and his twin sister Tristen (Maya Washington), who are stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Attendees at Us in Progress included Laurent Danielou (Loco Films), Mathieu Delaunay (Memento), Oda Schaeffer (K5), Silje Grimsdal (TrustNordisk), and festival programmers from Edinburgh, Locarno and Tribeca.
A jury composed of Sydney Levine and Polish post-producer awarded packages to [link...
- 11/5/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The American Film Festival is building families. The 6th edition (October 20-25, 2015) of the Wroclaw, Poland film fest was better than any of the previous four I have attended as a jury member for the Us in Progress section. Networking with the USiP filmmakers, past participants Matt Sobel (“Take Me to the River”),Leah Meyerhoff (“I Believe in Unicorns”),Reza Sixo Safai (“A Girl Walks Home at Night Alone”) and whose present project “ The Loner” (he produced and stars in it, Daniel Grove directed) won at USiP, etc. mingled with Indie Star Awardees David Gordon Green and Hal Hartley and other filmmakers like Jenner Furst ("Welcome to Leith") invited to present their films and to eat and party together over five days and four nights which lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
African American Women's classics also showed for the first time ever to appreciative Polish audiences. Though luckily for them, but a sad miss for the audiences, every one of the filmmakers was too busy with other work to attend. The selected films brought rarely before scenes of life in America to a new public.
You can be sure Ava DuVernay was invited, and you can be equally certain that she was very busy with multiple projects.
When I was in Trinidad, I heard from the film's distributor, Michelle Materre, a well known lecturer and film curator whose film series and discussion group, Creatively Speaking, takes place at the N.Y. Film Society’s Lincoln Center and in L.A. that Julie Dash was busy working on a TV series or a doc. I hope one of you reading this will email me a more news of her, because since her film “Daughters of the Dust” premiered at Sundance in 1991, her fan base has grown and eagerly awaits more stories from her. For those who missed her instant classic at Sundance, "Daughters of the Dust" presents a transgenerational saga set on the fictitious island of Ibo's Landing in 1902 about a young woman's quest for identity. Guichees, or Gullahs, aka the Georgia Sea Islanders are U.S.'s most African community still living today off the Georgia and South Carolina coast. The film was presented to the audience as a radical feminist manifesto and landmark of independent American cinema.
Other films included in the series, curated by Ula Sniegowsk and a young film academic Ewa Drygalska, included Katherine Collins' (who tragically died of cancer at age 46) 1982 film "Losing Ground", Tanya Hamilton's "Night Catches Us", the popular and fabulous " The Secret Life of Bees" another Sundance premiering film, by Gina Prince-Blythewood (2008), Dee Rees' 2012 Sundance film "Pariah" and her recent HBO (who incidentally is an important sponsor of the festival with a showcase of its own films) fictional doc "Bessie" starring the one and only Queen Latifah, and Ava DuVernay's "Middle of Nowhere" and "Selma".
While we're on the subject of African American movies, the Spike Lee mentored new talent Michael Larnell, was here with my favorite "Next" generation film " Cronies".
Us in Progress had two out of six selected films about African Americans, the Four Award winning "Alaska Is a Drag" directed by former L.A. and Sundance Festival worker, debuting director Shaz Bennett, produced by Melanie Miller and Diane Becker; and "The Alchemist Cookbook" written and directed by Joel Potrykus. Other films included "Dope", documentarians' Albert Maysles' " In Transit", Nick Broomfield's "Tales of the Grim Sleeper" and Frederick Wiseman's "In Jackson Heights", Mark Silver's "3 ½ Minutes, Ten Bullets", sleeper hit "Tangerine" by Sean Baker, "Field Niggas" a nocturnal portrait of Harlem by Khalik Allah, David Gordon Green's “George Washington", and last, but by no means least, Clint Eastwood's "Bird" as part of his extensive retrospective.
This festival is held in the largest Arthouse multiplex in Europe, built and owned (as is the festival itself, along with New Horizons Film Festival in July and several others) by arthouse film distributor and entrepreneur Roman Gutek.
Fabulous. Written by Sydney Levine in her hotel room at The Monopole where an opera rehearsal wafts through the morning air of a sunny, dry 50*F metropolis mixing with the sound of the streetcar. This has been a fabulous experience topped off by a fabulous tour of the city and today a visit to Europe's most fabulous zoo and aquarium.
African American Women's classics also showed for the first time ever to appreciative Polish audiences. Though luckily for them, but a sad miss for the audiences, every one of the filmmakers was too busy with other work to attend. The selected films brought rarely before scenes of life in America to a new public.
You can be sure Ava DuVernay was invited, and you can be equally certain that she was very busy with multiple projects.
When I was in Trinidad, I heard from the film's distributor, Michelle Materre, a well known lecturer and film curator whose film series and discussion group, Creatively Speaking, takes place at the N.Y. Film Society’s Lincoln Center and in L.A. that Julie Dash was busy working on a TV series or a doc. I hope one of you reading this will email me a more news of her, because since her film “Daughters of the Dust” premiered at Sundance in 1991, her fan base has grown and eagerly awaits more stories from her. For those who missed her instant classic at Sundance, "Daughters of the Dust" presents a transgenerational saga set on the fictitious island of Ibo's Landing in 1902 about a young woman's quest for identity. Guichees, or Gullahs, aka the Georgia Sea Islanders are U.S.'s most African community still living today off the Georgia and South Carolina coast. The film was presented to the audience as a radical feminist manifesto and landmark of independent American cinema.
Other films included in the series, curated by Ula Sniegowsk and a young film academic Ewa Drygalska, included Katherine Collins' (who tragically died of cancer at age 46) 1982 film "Losing Ground", Tanya Hamilton's "Night Catches Us", the popular and fabulous " The Secret Life of Bees" another Sundance premiering film, by Gina Prince-Blythewood (2008), Dee Rees' 2012 Sundance film "Pariah" and her recent HBO (who incidentally is an important sponsor of the festival with a showcase of its own films) fictional doc "Bessie" starring the one and only Queen Latifah, and Ava DuVernay's "Middle of Nowhere" and "Selma".
While we're on the subject of African American movies, the Spike Lee mentored new talent Michael Larnell, was here with my favorite "Next" generation film " Cronies".
Us in Progress had two out of six selected films about African Americans, the Four Award winning "Alaska Is a Drag" directed by former L.A. and Sundance Festival worker, debuting director Shaz Bennett, produced by Melanie Miller and Diane Becker; and "The Alchemist Cookbook" written and directed by Joel Potrykus. Other films included "Dope", documentarians' Albert Maysles' " In Transit", Nick Broomfield's "Tales of the Grim Sleeper" and Frederick Wiseman's "In Jackson Heights", Mark Silver's "3 ½ Minutes, Ten Bullets", sleeper hit "Tangerine" by Sean Baker, "Field Niggas" a nocturnal portrait of Harlem by Khalik Allah, David Gordon Green's “George Washington", and last, but by no means least, Clint Eastwood's "Bird" as part of his extensive retrospective.
This festival is held in the largest Arthouse multiplex in Europe, built and owned (as is the festival itself, along with New Horizons Film Festival in July and several others) by arthouse film distributor and entrepreneur Roman Gutek.
Fabulous. Written by Sydney Levine in her hotel room at The Monopole where an opera rehearsal wafts through the morning air of a sunny, dry 50*F metropolis mixing with the sound of the streetcar. This has been a fabulous experience topped off by a fabulous tour of the city and today a visit to Europe's most fabulous zoo and aquarium.
- 10/28/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Round-up of news from the sixth American Film Festival and Us in Progress showcase.
Shaz Bennett’s Alaska Is A Drag was the big winner at the fifth edition of the Us In Progress showcase during Wroclaw’s sixth American Film Festival (Oct 20-25).
The strand’s jury awarded post-production services worth up to $40,000 to the project. This will include colour correction from Chimney Poland, a score composed by Maciej Zielinski from Soundflower Studios, and a final sound mix from Toya Studios, as well as an offer to acquire TV rights from Ale Kino+.
The film, which is writer-director Bennett’s feature version of her 2012 short of the same name, was produced by her 4248 Productions with Melanie Miller’s Fishbowl Films.
The cast of the $700,000 project includes Matt Dallas, Jason Scott Lee, Margaret Cho, newcomer Martin L. Washington Jr. and Christopher O’Shea.
Daniel Grove, an executive producer on acclaimed horror A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night,picked...
Shaz Bennett’s Alaska Is A Drag was the big winner at the fifth edition of the Us In Progress showcase during Wroclaw’s sixth American Film Festival (Oct 20-25).
The strand’s jury awarded post-production services worth up to $40,000 to the project. This will include colour correction from Chimney Poland, a score composed by Maciej Zielinski from Soundflower Studios, and a final sound mix from Toya Studios, as well as an offer to acquire TV rights from Ale Kino+.
The film, which is writer-director Bennett’s feature version of her 2012 short of the same name, was produced by her 4248 Productions with Melanie Miller’s Fishbowl Films.
The cast of the $700,000 project includes Matt Dallas, Jason Scott Lee, Margaret Cho, newcomer Martin L. Washington Jr. and Christopher O’Shea.
Daniel Grove, an executive producer on acclaimed horror A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night,picked...
- 10/26/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
As the 2014 Sundance Film Festival is about to kick off, Gravitas Ventures is launching Gravitas Theatrical, aimed to intensify the company’s focus on theatrical release campaigns. Set to head this new division as VP is Dustin Smith, formerly at Roadside Attractions for almost a decade as VP of Acquisitions. (The number of films being booked into theaters these days is the subject of some debate.) Roadside's Howard Cohen and Eric D'Arbeloff ("All is Lost") are looking for a new acquisitions chief. While at Roadside, Smith oversaw the pick-up and release of Oscar winner “The Cove,” Oscar nominee “Winter’s Bone,” and has worked on such releases as “Stories We Tell” and “Mud.” (I hope @roadsidetweets will turn up under another handle, as he's an hilarious tweeter.) Smith, along with founder Nolan Gallagher, president Michael Murphy and Vice President of Acquisitions and Marketing Melanie Miller, will be heading up the...
- 1/14/2014
- by Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Distribution round-up: Universal has said [10] it will release Angelina Jolie’s upcoming second feature as director, Unbroken, on Dec 25 2014. Separately, Arc Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to Standing Up, while Monterey Media has taken Approaching Midnight and Gravitas Ventures has picked up Ass Backwards.
The drama is based on Unbroken: A World War II Story Of Survival, Resilience, And Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand and is set to commence production in late September.
The story chronicles the survival at sea and subsequently in a Japanese Pow camp of downed WWII airman Louis ‘Louie’ Zamperini.
Joel and Ethan Coen rewrote the screenplay from earlier drafts by William Nicholson and Richard Lagravenese.
Jolie produces alongside Matthew Baer and Erwin Stoff, while Mick Garris and David Crockett are on board as executive producers. Roger Deakins serves as cinematographer.
Arc Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to the family film Standing Up based on Brock Cole’s young...
The drama is based on Unbroken: A World War II Story Of Survival, Resilience, And Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand and is set to commence production in late September.
The story chronicles the survival at sea and subsequently in a Japanese Pow camp of downed WWII airman Louis ‘Louie’ Zamperini.
Joel and Ethan Coen rewrote the screenplay from earlier drafts by William Nicholson and Richard Lagravenese.
Jolie produces alongside Matthew Baer and Erwin Stoff, while Mick Garris and David Crockett are on board as executive producers. Roger Deakins serves as cinematographer.
Arc Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to the family film Standing Up based on Brock Cole’s young...
- 7/10/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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