While the awards campaign for “Coda” and its eventual Oscar wins brought substantial visibility to deaf performers and issues of accessibility (such as the need for closed captioning and American Sign Language interpreting in media), it remains uncertain whether this moment will yield a meaningful breakthrough for a sector often ignored during the ongoing conversations on representation.
In the meantime, other creators aim to capitalize on this long overdue spotlight. That’s the case of black-and-white, micro-budgeted silent dramedy “What?” from writer-director Alek Lev. After having a festival run last year, the film landed its theatrical release date — by chance or by design — on the heels of the historic victories for “Coda.”
Lev, though fluent in Asl, isn’t deaf himself, so he shares story credit with two deaf collaborators: DJ Kurs (longtime director of Los Angeles’ Deaf West theater) and the film’s star, John Maucere, who presumably informed...
In the meantime, other creators aim to capitalize on this long overdue spotlight. That’s the case of black-and-white, micro-budgeted silent dramedy “What?” from writer-director Alek Lev. After having a festival run last year, the film landed its theatrical release date — by chance or by design — on the heels of the historic victories for “Coda.”
Lev, though fluent in Asl, isn’t deaf himself, so he shares story credit with two deaf collaborators: DJ Kurs (longtime director of Los Angeles’ Deaf West theater) and the film’s star, John Maucere, who presumably informed...
- 4/7/2022
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Los Angeles’ Dances with Films has announced the lineup for its 2021 film festival, setting Oscar nominees Paul Greengrass and Michael London as the speakers for its inaugural First Films series.
The Dances With Films festival, which had to go virtual in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, is returning for an in-person 24th edition at the Tcl Chinese Theatre, between August 26 and September 12. It kicks off on the 26th with an opening night carpet celebration at the Roosevelt Hotel.
This year’s festival will showcase 40 Narrative Features, 100 Narrative Shorts, 31 Documentaries, 30 Midnight films, 26 Downbeat titles, 27 pilots, and 23 titles in the category of Dances with Kids.
Features on the lineup include Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer’s The Catch, starring Kyle Gallner, James McMenamin, Katia Winter and Thomas Kee; Generation Wrecks starring Heather Matarazzo and Emily Bergl; Ryan McDonough and Sean Gannet’s Last Night in Rozzie starring Jeremy Sisto and Neil Brown Jr....
The Dances With Films festival, which had to go virtual in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, is returning for an in-person 24th edition at the Tcl Chinese Theatre, between August 26 and September 12. It kicks off on the 26th with an opening night carpet celebration at the Roosevelt Hotel.
This year’s festival will showcase 40 Narrative Features, 100 Narrative Shorts, 31 Documentaries, 30 Midnight films, 26 Downbeat titles, 27 pilots, and 23 titles in the category of Dances with Kids.
Features on the lineup include Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer’s The Catch, starring Kyle Gallner, James McMenamin, Katia Winter and Thomas Kee; Generation Wrecks starring Heather Matarazzo and Emily Bergl; Ryan McDonough and Sean Gannet’s Last Night in Rozzie starring Jeremy Sisto and Neil Brown Jr....
- 8/24/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
In the wake of The Blair Witch Project and the more recent success Paranormal Activity, increasing numbers of filmmakers are eschewing traditional cinematic styles in favor of literally putting cameras into the hands of their actors. One such movie is Ready Or Not, a new slasher/reality TV hybrid by writer/director Alek Lev, which has its debut screening June 23, 7:30 p.m. at the Wilshire Screening Room (8670 Wilshire Boulevard, #112) in Beverly Hills, California. See some exclusive photos below the jump.
- 6/7/2010
- by gingold@starloggroup.com (Nick Masercola)
- Fangoria
Cinema Libre Studio
NEW YORK -- A clever, original combination of cinema verite and fictional narrative (OK, "Medium Cool", among others, got there first), "Conventioneers" is a love story set amid the 2004 Republican National Convention. While the screenplay by director Mora Stephens and Joel Viertel has its contrived, predictable elements, the novelty of the setting and ingenuity of the filmmakers give the work a genuine immediacy.
The story centers on the tortured rekindling of a romance between David (Matthew Mabe), a married Republican delegate from Texas, and former girlfriend Lea (Woodwyn Koons), a liberal activist working for the Democrats. Reuniting after many years, the couple finds that their political differences, though an obstacle at first, prove not to be a hindrance in the bedroom.
An intriguing subplot involves Dylan (Alek Friedman), a liberal Democrat who, having been hired to provide sign language during the president's acceptance speech, decides to make a political statement by disrupting the proceedings.
Shot during the convention, the film skillfully incorporates documentary-style footage, with its characters seamlessly blended into the action. Particularly fascinating is the footage of Friedman's character because the actor did serve as Bush's translator for the event.
Although its portraits of the politically opposed characters are reasonably balanced and sympathetic, the film's underlying political orientation is not too subtly conveyed by the fact that it is only Mabe's Republican delegate who finds his beliefs newly challenged by his experiences.
Although it suffers from its dark and melodramatic ending, "Conventioneers" offers plenty of food for thought.
NEW YORK -- A clever, original combination of cinema verite and fictional narrative (OK, "Medium Cool", among others, got there first), "Conventioneers" is a love story set amid the 2004 Republican National Convention. While the screenplay by director Mora Stephens and Joel Viertel has its contrived, predictable elements, the novelty of the setting and ingenuity of the filmmakers give the work a genuine immediacy.
The story centers on the tortured rekindling of a romance between David (Matthew Mabe), a married Republican delegate from Texas, and former girlfriend Lea (Woodwyn Koons), a liberal activist working for the Democrats. Reuniting after many years, the couple finds that their political differences, though an obstacle at first, prove not to be a hindrance in the bedroom.
An intriguing subplot involves Dylan (Alek Friedman), a liberal Democrat who, having been hired to provide sign language during the president's acceptance speech, decides to make a political statement by disrupting the proceedings.
Shot during the convention, the film skillfully incorporates documentary-style footage, with its characters seamlessly blended into the action. Particularly fascinating is the footage of Friedman's character because the actor did serve as Bush's translator for the event.
Although its portraits of the politically opposed characters are reasonably balanced and sympathetic, the film's underlying political orientation is not too subtly conveyed by the fact that it is only Mabe's Republican delegate who finds his beliefs newly challenged by his experiences.
Although it suffers from its dark and melodramatic ending, "Conventioneers" offers plenty of food for thought.
- 11/7/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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