Exclusive: The Gotham Film and Media Institute and HBO Documentary Films have set the cohort and mentors for the second edition of their Documentary Development Initiative. Launched in 2022, the initiative was designed for storytellers who identify as Bipoc, LGBTQ+, and/or storytellers with disabilities, the goal being to provide resources to develop thought-provoking, character-driven, contemporary ideas for documentary films and limited series.
This year’s participants are Rolake Bamgbose, Dan Chen, Elizabeth Lo, Andy Sarjahani, Krystal Tingle, and Monica Villamizar. Distinguished creatives serving as mentors will include Anthony Caronna, Zackary Drucker, David France, Dawn Porter, Fernando Villena, and Nanfu Wang.
Taking place throughout the fall of 2024, the second annual program will see selected filmmakers receive grants of $50,000 for research and creative development at an early stage. HBO and The Gotham will provide resources and mentorship to support the development of documentary projects and select grantees will have the opportunity to receive additional funding.
This year’s participants are Rolake Bamgbose, Dan Chen, Elizabeth Lo, Andy Sarjahani, Krystal Tingle, and Monica Villamizar. Distinguished creatives serving as mentors will include Anthony Caronna, Zackary Drucker, David France, Dawn Porter, Fernando Villena, and Nanfu Wang.
Taking place throughout the fall of 2024, the second annual program will see selected filmmakers receive grants of $50,000 for research and creative development at an early stage. HBO and The Gotham will provide resources and mentorship to support the development of documentary projects and select grantees will have the opportunity to receive additional funding.
- 1/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Timm Kröger’s second film is a German-language psychological thriller.
Charades and Anonymous Content are partnering on sales for German director Timm Kröger’s The Theory of Everything ahead of its world premiere in competition in Venice, announced today.
The genre-blending black and white thriller set in the world of quantum mechanics is Kroger’s second feature. Set in the Swiss Alps, it is about a physicist attending an international convention where an Iranian scientist plans to unveil a groundbreaking new theory in quantum mechanics. Intrigued by a mysterious jazz pianist who seems to know intimate details about him, he...
Charades and Anonymous Content are partnering on sales for German director Timm Kröger’s The Theory of Everything ahead of its world premiere in competition in Venice, announced today.
The genre-blending black and white thriller set in the world of quantum mechanics is Kroger’s second feature. Set in the Swiss Alps, it is about a physicist attending an international convention where an Iranian scientist plans to unveil a groundbreaking new theory in quantum mechanics. Intrigued by a mysterious jazz pianist who seems to know intimate details about him, he...
- 7/25/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Last year, Shane Boris received two Oscar nominations for producing National Geographic’s “Fire of Love” and CNN Films’ “Navalny.” In March he garnered an Academy Award for his work on Daniel Roher’s “Navalny,” about anti-Putin freedom fighter Alexei Navalny. During a Hot Docs Industry talk, the producer spoke about a wide variety of topics, including his latest documentary, “King Coal,” what he’s looking for in a docu, and nonfiction’s current distribution landscape.
Boris made his first documentary “You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t” in 2010. The film, which aired on PBS’s Independent Lens, follows Lee Gorewitz as she struggles to navigate the increasingly confused and confusing landscape of Alzheimers.
“That doc began as a fiction film,” Boris said. “But we went into the Alzheimer’s unit to scout our location, and the person that took us around was starting...
Boris made his first documentary “You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t” in 2010. The film, which aired on PBS’s Independent Lens, follows Lee Gorewitz as she struggles to navigate the increasingly confused and confusing landscape of Alzheimers.
“That doc began as a fiction film,” Boris said. “But we went into the Alzheimer’s unit to scout our location, and the person that took us around was starting...
- 5/5/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Rooftop Films has announced the recipients of their 2023 Filmmakers Fund grants. A total of 21 cash and service grants will be awarded to a variety of independent filmmakers to support the production of their next short or feature film. Four Rooftop Films Water Tower Feature Film cash grants will be exclusively awarded with support from the Laurence W. Levine Foundation.
Rooftop Filmmakers Fund grants are made accessible to Rooftop Films alumni directors who have had their work screened during the annual Sumer Series in New York City. This years grantees include a demographic of over 60% women, 30% people of color and 10% people a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We’re unbelievably excited about the projects we’ve had the privilege of helping to fund this year! Every single one of these filmmakers approach their subjects in ways that are wholly unique to their style and vision, and we can’t wait to see the finished works,...
Rooftop Filmmakers Fund grants are made accessible to Rooftop Films alumni directors who have had their work screened during the annual Sumer Series in New York City. This years grantees include a demographic of over 60% women, 30% people of color and 10% people a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We’re unbelievably excited about the projects we’ve had the privilege of helping to fund this year! Every single one of these filmmakers approach their subjects in ways that are wholly unique to their style and vision, and we can’t wait to see the finished works,...
- 4/6/2023
- by McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
AC Independent, Anonymous Content’s new sales and finance division, is set to introduce Pippa Ehrlich’s anticipated follow-up to her Oscar-winning “My Octopus Teacher,” as well as Walter Salles’ “Sócrates,” to buyers at the Berlin Film Festival.
Ehrlich’s untitled new project and Salles’ “Sócrates” are part of AC Independent’s robust slate of documentary features from celebrated filmmakers.
In her upcoming project, Ehrlich will shed light on the secretive and endangered world of pangolins, a species viewed as mythological creatures. When Stevie, a baby pangolin, is rescued from death at the hands of poachers in Johannesburg, an investment manager pivots his life to become the animal’s caretaker, teaching him to trust the world again and, in doing so, rediscovers his own purpose. Hand-reared until his release back into the wild, Stevie takes Gareth into his dragon world and together they find freedom and healing in the wild.
Ehrlich’s untitled new project and Salles’ “Sócrates” are part of AC Independent’s robust slate of documentary features from celebrated filmmakers.
In her upcoming project, Ehrlich will shed light on the secretive and endangered world of pangolins, a species viewed as mythological creatures. When Stevie, a baby pangolin, is rescued from death at the hands of poachers in Johannesburg, an investment manager pivots his life to become the animal’s caretaker, teaching him to trust the world again and, in doing so, rediscovers his own purpose. Hand-reared until his release back into the wild, Stevie takes Gareth into his dragon world and together they find freedom and healing in the wild.
- 2/14/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Leading management and production house Anonymous Content has launched a sales and finance division, AC Independent. Nick Shumaker, who joined Anonymous Content from UTA last year, will lead the new division which will be overseen from the company’s New York office.
AC Independent will handle the financing, as well as the domestic and worldwide sales strategies for select titles across AC Studios, the premium independent film and TV production studio that sits inside Anonymous Content, as well as the group’s non-fiction projects. AC Independent will also spearhead financing and sales on titles from Anonymous Content’s management division, as well as work alongside the company’s expanding joint ventures.
The new division will also curate select third-party content from top independent producers and directors from around the world.
“Film sales is a collaborative effort, and our paradigm will reflect that across our divisions,” said Nick Shumaker, manager and...
AC Independent will handle the financing, as well as the domestic and worldwide sales strategies for select titles across AC Studios, the premium independent film and TV production studio that sits inside Anonymous Content, as well as the group’s non-fiction projects. AC Independent will also spearhead financing and sales on titles from Anonymous Content’s management division, as well as work alongside the company’s expanding joint ventures.
The new division will also curate select third-party content from top independent producers and directors from around the world.
“Film sales is a collaborative effort, and our paradigm will reflect that across our divisions,” said Nick Shumaker, manager and...
- 10/26/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
This year’s fall festival circuit has been everything, everywhere, all at once, it seems.
The 2022 Film Independent Forum announced that “Everything Everywhere All at Once” writer/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as Daniels, will kick off the conference with a keynote.
Opening night on October 24 will also include a screening of A24’s “The Inspection,” followed by a Q&a with director Elegance Bratton, Gamechanger’s CEO/producer Effie T. Brown, and producer Chester Algernal Gordon.
The Film Independent Forum event starts October 24 at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles. The conference will continue with virtual sessions and panels to be enjoyed by global audiences October 25 through 27. The full program will take place over the course of four days, October 24 through 27.
The Film Independent Forum hosts independent filmmakers and content creators, with the 2022 lineup returning in a hybrid format of both in-person and virtual events.
The 2022 Film Independent Forum announced that “Everything Everywhere All at Once” writer/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as Daniels, will kick off the conference with a keynote.
Opening night on October 24 will also include a screening of A24’s “The Inspection,” followed by a Q&a with director Elegance Bratton, Gamechanger’s CEO/producer Effie T. Brown, and producer Chester Algernal Gordon.
The Film Independent Forum event starts October 24 at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles. The conference will continue with virtual sessions and panels to be enjoyed by global audiences October 25 through 27. The full program will take place over the course of four days, October 24 through 27.
The Film Independent Forum hosts independent filmmakers and content creators, with the 2022 lineup returning in a hybrid format of both in-person and virtual events.
- 9/27/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Anonymous Content and Impact Partners have teamed to produce a new doc on a China-based “mistress dispeller,” to be directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Elizabeth Lo (Stray). Plans for a scripted adaptation of the documentary are also in the works.
The as-yet-untitled feature watches as the mistress dispeller is hired by couples in crisis to break up affairs and save their marriages by any means necessary. Shifting perspectives between husband, wife and mistress, the film is billed as a strikingly intimate story of love and betrayal, as well as a potent exploration of how class, capital and culture collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
The project produced in association with Cmp is being co-financed by Anonymous Content, Impact Partners and Cmp, having been developed in association with The Concordia Fellowship. Dawn Olmstead, Jessica Grimshaw and Nick Shumaker will exec produce on behalf of Anonymous Content, alongside Jenny Raskin,...
The as-yet-untitled feature watches as the mistress dispeller is hired by couples in crisis to break up affairs and save their marriages by any means necessary. Shifting perspectives between husband, wife and mistress, the film is billed as a strikingly intimate story of love and betrayal, as well as a potent exploration of how class, capital and culture collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
The project produced in association with Cmp is being co-financed by Anonymous Content, Impact Partners and Cmp, having been developed in association with The Concordia Fellowship. Dawn Olmstead, Jessica Grimshaw and Nick Shumaker will exec produce on behalf of Anonymous Content, alongside Jenny Raskin,...
- 9/14/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
"Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen." Another film about the amazing street dogs of Turkey!! Filmmaker Elizabeth Lo has released another short doc film titled Stray in Kars, a follow-up to her remarkable feature doc Stray from a few years ago. I am a huge fan of Stray - I raved about it and tried to get everyone to watch (here's the trailer). "Shot in coordination with Stray, this short doc takes viewers to the other side of the country, where strays in the ancient city of Kars roam, fight and and are occasionally interrupted by their human neighbours." Stray was shot in Istanbul, this one in a town called Kars (see Google Maps) on the east side of the country. For those concerned, street dogs (and cats) in Turkey are very well taken care of - they're fed, tagged, looked after, with strict protections against harm.
- 6/29/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Santa Barbara Film Festival unveiled winners for its 37th edition on Saturday morning, bestowing its Audience Choice award to the Irish-language film Róise and Frank.
Juried winners at this year’s festival include Jon-Sesrie Goff’s After Sherman as Best Documentary, and Shawkat Amin Korki’s The Exam (Ezmûn) winning the Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award for best international feature film.
Róise and Frank (Mo ghrá buan), directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy, centers on Róise (Brid Ni Neachtain), a widow in mourning who befriends a dog who just might be her late husband reincarnated. The pic earlier this week screened at the Dublin Film Festival where it won the Best Ensemble award.
Overall, this year’s in-person festival attracted 200 films from 54 countries along with its usual A-list of panel galas celebrating the year’s best in film – a traditional stop on the awards circuit. This year included Q...
Juried winners at this year’s festival include Jon-Sesrie Goff’s After Sherman as Best Documentary, and Shawkat Amin Korki’s The Exam (Ezmûn) winning the Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award for best international feature film.
Róise and Frank (Mo ghrá buan), directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy, centers on Róise (Brid Ni Neachtain), a widow in mourning who befriends a dog who just might be her late husband reincarnated. The pic earlier this week screened at the Dublin Film Festival where it won the Best Ensemble award.
Overall, this year’s in-person festival attracted 200 films from 54 countries along with its usual A-list of panel galas celebrating the year’s best in film – a traditional stop on the awards circuit. This year included Q...
- 3/12/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, ESPN has revealed details about its month-long “Fifty/50” initiative celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX in June.
ESPN is programming a series of short and long-form documentaries directed and produced by women to commemorate the landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding and gives women the equal opportunity to play.
“This is an important milestone for Title IX and we wanted to find creative ways to celebrate it across ESPN and the Walt Disney Company,” says Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content.
Debra OConnell, president of Networks for Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, called Fifty/50 a significant initiative for the company and its affiliates, adding, “the breadth of content is a reflection of the progress that has occurred over the last 50 years and how much more is still to be done.”
In...
ESPN is programming a series of short and long-form documentaries directed and produced by women to commemorate the landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding and gives women the equal opportunity to play.
“This is an important milestone for Title IX and we wanted to find creative ways to celebrate it across ESPN and the Walt Disney Company,” says Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content.
Debra OConnell, president of Networks for Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, called Fifty/50 a significant initiative for the company and its affiliates, adding, “the breadth of content is a reflection of the progress that has occurred over the last 50 years and how much more is still to be done.”
In...
- 3/8/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, which runs March 21-April 3, has revealed the lineup for its international financing and co-production event Cph:forum.
Women are taking central stage in the lineup both as characters and storytellers, and the Forum will feature new projects by Jialing Zhang (“One Child Nation”), Ilinca Calugareanu (“Chuck Norris vs. Communism”), Tova Mozard (“Psychic”), Elizabeth Lo (“Stray”) and Lana Wilson (“Miss Americana”) among others.
The selection of 30 projects in this year’s Cph:forum represents a variety of topics, genres and artistic approaches from a diverse group of filmmakers. According to the festival, “Seeking to demonstrate the richness and heterogeneity of the documentary genre, Cph:forum presents a curated slate of films that speak to the major issues of the world we live in.”
Topics of race, equity and colonial legacy connect a personal film of Barbadian filmmaker Jason Fitzroy Jeffers (“Papa Machete”), and the newest project of the Dutch...
Women are taking central stage in the lineup both as characters and storytellers, and the Forum will feature new projects by Jialing Zhang (“One Child Nation”), Ilinca Calugareanu (“Chuck Norris vs. Communism”), Tova Mozard (“Psychic”), Elizabeth Lo (“Stray”) and Lana Wilson (“Miss Americana”) among others.
The selection of 30 projects in this year’s Cph:forum represents a variety of topics, genres and artistic approaches from a diverse group of filmmakers. According to the festival, “Seeking to demonstrate the richness and heterogeneity of the documentary genre, Cph:forum presents a curated slate of films that speak to the major issues of the world we live in.”
Topics of race, equity and colonial legacy connect a personal film of Barbadian filmmaker Jason Fitzroy Jeffers (“Papa Machete”), and the newest project of the Dutch...
- 2/10/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary “Flee” – already awarded at Sundance and Annecy – was granted the Grand Prix – Bank Millennium Award at the 18th edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity, which will continue online from September 16 until October 3. Jurors Agnieszka Holland, Christian Frei and Tomasz Wolski were taken by the story of a man who, about to marry his husband, decides to finally open up about his refugee past. The film also picked up the “Zwierciadło” award for the Best Film on Psychology.
“This film speaks about a real, extremely important subject in an artistically powerful, compelling, and complex way,” it was argued. “The original form, the sincerity of the main character, the lack of sentimentality and its strong emotional content make it not only an attractive movie for the wider audience, but also an important statement about the real situation of today’s refugees, helping us to understand their...
“This film speaks about a real, extremely important subject in an artistically powerful, compelling, and complex way,” it was argued. “The original form, the sincerity of the main character, the lack of sentimentality and its strong emotional content make it not only an attractive movie for the wider audience, but also an important statement about the real situation of today’s refugees, helping us to understand their...
- 9/10/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Poland’s documentary festival Millennium Docs Against Gravity is set to finally come of age after postponing its 18th edition due to Covid-19 restrictions, originally slated to take place in May. Once again unspooling in seven different cities between Sept. 3-12, with local authorities sponsoring their own respective awards, the event will then continue online, wrapping on Oct. 3.
“The government’s decision to, so to speak, ‘liberate cinemas’ came too late,” says founder Artur Liebhart, explaining the change. “But we have not given up on our audience, not even for a moment. Most documentary festivals cater to the needs of the industry but to us, the audience and their willingness to participate is the absolute priority.”
The festival’s collaboration with cinemas all over Poland is “based on mutual respect,” says Liebhart, which is why it forgoes the usual hybrid model. “First, we will watch films on 42 screens and only then will we move online,...
“The government’s decision to, so to speak, ‘liberate cinemas’ came too late,” says founder Artur Liebhart, explaining the change. “But we have not given up on our audience, not even for a moment. Most documentary festivals cater to the needs of the industry but to us, the audience and their willingness to participate is the absolute priority.”
The festival’s collaboration with cinemas all over Poland is “based on mutual respect,” says Liebhart, which is why it forgoes the usual hybrid model. “First, we will watch films on 42 screens and only then will we move online,...
- 9/5/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmakers have a new reason to rejoice. The U.S. unit of Munich-based camera and imaging giant Arri has expanded its Franz Wieser Grant program, which provides aspiring creatives with access to Arri products and resources.
The program will now extend beyond features, shorts and documentaries to encompass photography, live events, worship, and broadcast projects. The initiative, open to U.S. filmmakers, has supported 45 feature-length films, shorts, documentaries, and music videos since its inception.
Launched in 2013 as the Amira Grant program, it is now named after the late Franz Wieser, the longtime Arri exec who worked to empower filmmakers. Bavaria-born Wieser first joined Arri in the U.S. as an intern nearly three decades ago, rose to the position of VP, marketing and was a force behind the industry’s transition from film to digital. He passed away in 2019.
Filmmakers benefiting from the program include Brenna Malloy, writer and director of “Rocket,...
The program will now extend beyond features, shorts and documentaries to encompass photography, live events, worship, and broadcast projects. The initiative, open to U.S. filmmakers, has supported 45 feature-length films, shorts, documentaries, and music videos since its inception.
Launched in 2013 as the Amira Grant program, it is now named after the late Franz Wieser, the longtime Arri exec who worked to empower filmmakers. Bavaria-born Wieser first joined Arri in the U.S. as an intern nearly three decades ago, rose to the position of VP, marketing and was a force behind the industry’s transition from film to digital. He passed away in 2019.
Filmmakers benefiting from the program include Brenna Malloy, writer and director of “Rocket,...
- 5/26/2021
- by Peter Caranicas
- Variety Film + TV
Fido award winner The Truffle Hunters
Michael Dwek and Gregory Kershaw's The Truffle Hunters and Elizabeth Lo's Stray were jointly proclaimed Best in the World at this year's Fido Awards ceremony in London yesterday, "because they're both so brilliant," as the presenter put it. They also shared the Dog Dox award.
The event, presided over by Toby Rose, celebrated the work of canine cast members in international cinema. Rose said that one of his own favourites was The United States Vs Billie Holliday, whose four legged ensemble won in the Historical Hound category, because it was a reflection on how vital dogs had been in supporting the singer throughout her difficult life.
Several canine nominees attended the ceremony and were very well behaved. The winners were given special collars. Human guests said that they wanted to thank dogs in general for the contribution they have made in recent...
Michael Dwek and Gregory Kershaw's The Truffle Hunters and Elizabeth Lo's Stray were jointly proclaimed Best in the World at this year's Fido Awards ceremony in London yesterday, "because they're both so brilliant," as the presenter put it. They also shared the Dog Dox award.
The event, presided over by Toby Rose, celebrated the work of canine cast members in international cinema. Rose said that one of his own favourites was The United States Vs Billie Holliday, whose four legged ensemble won in the Historical Hound category, because it was a reflection on how vital dogs had been in supporting the singer throughout her difficult life.
Several canine nominees attended the ceremony and were very well behaved. The winners were given special collars. Human guests said that they wanted to thank dogs in general for the contribution they have made in recent...
- 5/24/2021
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Minari, Sound Of Metal deliver best supporting actor prizes.
Nomadland was named best feature and Chloe Zhao best director while Carey Mulligan and Riz Ahmed took lead acting honours at the virtual 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Thursday night (April 22).
Searchlight Pictures’ Nomadland won four prizes on the night including Joshua James Richards for cinematography, and editing for Zhao, who was one of four women nominated in the directing category and has enjoyed a magnificent awards season.
Amazon Studios’ Sound Of Metal earned three awards for Ahmed, supporting actor Paul Raci, and first feature for Darius Marder.
Focus Features’ Promising...
Nomadland was named best feature and Chloe Zhao best director while Carey Mulligan and Riz Ahmed took lead acting honours at the virtual 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Thursday night (April 22).
Searchlight Pictures’ Nomadland won four prizes on the night including Joshua James Richards for cinematography, and editing for Zhao, who was one of four women nominated in the directing category and has enjoyed a magnificent awards season.
Amazon Studios’ Sound Of Metal earned three awards for Ahmed, supporting actor Paul Raci, and first feature for Darius Marder.
Focus Features’ Promising...
- 4/23/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Spirit Awards 2021 Winners List: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘I May Destroy You,’ Riz Ahmed, Carey Mulligan Win Big
“Mank” is the big leader at the 2021 Oscars with 10 nominations, but that wasn’t the case at the 36th Film Independent Spirit Awards. The nomination leader at this ceremony was Eliza Hittman’s acclaimed “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which the Academy shut out from the Oscars. The same goes for other beloved Spirit Award nominees like “First Cow,” “Miss Juneteenth,” and “The Assistant.” In other words, the Indie Spirit Awards were a breath of fresh air in this elongated awards season where underdog indie contenders finally get their due in the spotlight.
“Minari” also preformed strong at the Indie Spirits, earning six nominations to match its six Oscar nominations. Fellow Oscar nominees “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” each picked up five Spirit Award nominations. Netflix was the most nominated studio with 16 nominations, followed by Focus Features with 10 and A24 with 9.
“Nomadland” was the big winner, taking home the prizes...
“Minari” also preformed strong at the Indie Spirits, earning six nominations to match its six Oscar nominations. Fellow Oscar nominees “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” each picked up five Spirit Award nominations. Netflix was the most nominated studio with 16 nominations, followed by Focus Features with 10 and A24 with 9.
“Nomadland” was the big winner, taking home the prizes...
- 4/23/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The last major awards show before the Oscars has finally arrived, the 36th Independent Spirit Awards. The virtual ceremony aired Thursday, April 22 on IFC at 7 p.m. Pt/10 p.m. Et and was hosted by “Saturday Night Live” star Melissa Villaseñor. The Spirit Awards celebrated the best in indie filmmaking for the 2020 calendar year, and this year they invited TV shows to the party, too. Don’t forget, only American-made fare with budgets under $20 million were eligible for consideration. Winners were chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who signed up for membership.
Heading into the ceremony, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” was the nominations leader with seven overall bids. “Minari” came in right behind it with six noms, followed by “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” (the Oscar front-runner) with five bids each. On the TV side, both “Little America” and...
Heading into the ceremony, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” was the nominations leader with seven overall bids. “Minari” came in right behind it with six noms, followed by “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” (the Oscar front-runner) with five bids each. On the TV side, both “Little America” and...
- 4/23/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards are finally upon us, after the nominations were announced three months ago, and the ceremony is taking place just a few days ahead of the Academy Awards. This year, the Spirit Awards won’t be held midday in a hangar in Santa Monica, but will instead live-stream on IFC on Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. Pt/10:00 p.m. Et. In addition to the linear broadcast, the Spirit Awards will also stream simultaneously on AMC+. Following the broadcast, the full awards ceremony will be made available on demand across AMC+ and IFC platforms starting Friday, April 23. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by “Saturday Night Love” comedian Melissa Villaseñor.
If you’re cord cutter who doesn’t have cable, you can watch IFC live with one of these streaming services, many of which offer a free trial: Philo, fuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV,...
If you’re cord cutter who doesn’t have cable, you can watch IFC live with one of these streaming services, many of which offer a free trial: Philo, fuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV,...
- 4/21/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
To mark the release of Stray on 26th April, we’ve been given 2 copies to give away on Blu-ray.
Directed by Elizabeth Lo. An unique, moving and universal documentary, Stray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security – through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Small Print
Open to UK residents only The competition will close 29th April 2021 at 23.59 GMT The winner will be picked at random from entries received No cash alternative is available Please note prizes may be delayed due to Covid-19 To coincide with Gdpr regulations, competition entry information will not...
Directed by Elizabeth Lo. An unique, moving and universal documentary, Stray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security – through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Small Print
Open to UK residents only The competition will close 29th April 2021 at 23.59 GMT The winner will be picked at random from entries received No cash alternative is available Please note prizes may be delayed due to Covid-19 To coincide with Gdpr regulations, competition entry information will not...
- 4/19/2021
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Our canine companions have long been an inspiration to auteurs and sentimental film-makers alike
Britain, we’re told, has recently reached “peak dog”. With many of us housebound in the past year, it has seemed the ideal time to adopt a dog – prompting a lot of “for life, not just for Covid” messaging from anxious animal shelters. If you’ve felt the urge for some canine companionship but just don’t feel ready to commit, the movies have you covered — the vicarious subgenre of cinéma du chien is a rich and varied one.
It also gets a fine new entry this week (streamable on Amazon) in Elizabeth Lo’s lovely dogumentary Stray, a moving but notably unsentimental study of Istanbul’s street dogs — a sort of bookend to the same city’s cat-centred travelogue Kedi some years ago, albeit from a different filmmaker. Filming over the course of three years,...
Britain, we’re told, has recently reached “peak dog”. With many of us housebound in the past year, it has seemed the ideal time to adopt a dog – prompting a lot of “for life, not just for Covid” messaging from anxious animal shelters. If you’ve felt the urge for some canine companionship but just don’t feel ready to commit, the movies have you covered — the vicarious subgenre of cinéma du chien is a rich and varied one.
It also gets a fine new entry this week (streamable on Amazon) in Elizabeth Lo’s lovely dogumentary Stray, a moving but notably unsentimental study of Istanbul’s street dogs — a sort of bookend to the same city’s cat-centred travelogue Kedi some years ago, albeit from a different filmmaker. Filming over the course of three years,...
- 3/27/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Elizabeth Lo’s film about the street dogs of the Turkish metropolis is the perfect companion piece to Kedi, a 2016 work about its cats
At last, just what world cinema really needs right now: an exquisitely made film about street dogs in Istanbul, satiating that universal desire to see distant lands, coo over beautiful, noble animals, and satisfy the audience’s need to feel guilty about the misfortune of poorer, unluckier people. Director Elizabeth Lo’s first feature-length documentary ticks every box, while also providing a companion piece to Kedi, Ceyda Torun’s equally wonderful ode to Istanbul and Turkey’s feral felines. Together, the two films would make the perfect night in of viewing for quarantined animal lovers with frustrated wanderlust, especially anyone who loves the magnificently grotty Bosphorus metropolis.
Filmed seemingly with a low-slung camera held for great chunks of the running time at dog-head height, the film...
At last, just what world cinema really needs right now: an exquisitely made film about street dogs in Istanbul, satiating that universal desire to see distant lands, coo over beautiful, noble animals, and satisfy the audience’s need to feel guilty about the misfortune of poorer, unluckier people. Director Elizabeth Lo’s first feature-length documentary ticks every box, while also providing a companion piece to Kedi, Ceyda Torun’s equally wonderful ode to Istanbul and Turkey’s feral felines. Together, the two films would make the perfect night in of viewing for quarantined animal lovers with frustrated wanderlust, especially anyone who loves the magnificently grotty Bosphorus metropolis.
Filmed seemingly with a low-slung camera held for great chunks of the running time at dog-head height, the film...
- 3/23/2021
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
To mark National Puppy Day, Elizabeth Lo’s acclaimed film Stray gives humans rare insight into the canine gaze, courtesy of homeless mutts in Istanbul
From the moment Zeytin makes her first appearance in Elizabeth Lo’s feature Stray, there is no doubt you are in the presence of a unique spirit. As she surveys an Istanbul side street at dawn, her features are alert, her gaze is uncompromising and her deep, dark eyes sparkle with intelligence. There’s something of Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen about her, or maybe Brad Pitt in one of his less kempt moments. But non-dog comparisons don’t do her justice. This is one indomitable bitch.
Lo first encountered Zeytin and her friend Nazar on a 2017 casting trip to Turkey, and knew immediately that she had found the star she was looking for – which is to say, a dog who could carry a human film.
From the moment Zeytin makes her first appearance in Elizabeth Lo’s feature Stray, there is no doubt you are in the presence of a unique spirit. As she surveys an Istanbul side street at dawn, her features are alert, her gaze is uncompromising and her deep, dark eyes sparkle with intelligence. There’s something of Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen about her, or maybe Brad Pitt in one of his less kempt moments. But non-dog comparisons don’t do her justice. This is one indomitable bitch.
Lo first encountered Zeytin and her friend Nazar on a 2017 casting trip to Turkey, and knew immediately that she had found the star she was looking for – which is to say, a dog who could carry a human film.
- 3/23/2021
- by Richard Godwin
- The Guardian - Film News
It has long been said that we really don’t deserve dogs. Their loyalty, their love, their undivided attention. And considering humanity’s cruel and atrocious track record in how we treat man’s best friend, there really is a lot of weight to this argument. We breed them, beat them, sell them on the internet and even maim them for sadistic fun or greed. Dogs (and animals in general for that matter) are the best of the world and, while falling victim to the biggest scum on this earth, they can also bring out the best of us, and in Elizabeth Lo’s utterly captivating documentary Stray, we have a moving testament to the power of dogs in the face of life’s harshness. As well as one of the most emotionally investing documentaries of the year.
Just like Ceyda Torun’s Kedi did with cats, Lo’s Stray shows us the joy,...
Just like Ceyda Torun’s Kedi did with cats, Lo’s Stray shows us the joy,...
- 3/22/2021
- by Jack Bottomley
- The Cultural Post
Leading documentary festival Hot Docs has selected the 20 projects that will be presented during the online edition of its project market, Hot Docs Forum, which runs May 4-5.
Among the projects’ 25 filmmakers, 10 helmers are Black, Indigenous or People of Color, and 20 directors are women. The projects represent 16 countries.
Lisa Valencia-Svensson, acting industry programs director for Hot Docs, said this year’s edition is “a bold and powerful mix of cinematic artistry and journalism.”
She added: “The slate of projects gives us hope about the future of non-fiction filmmaking in its many forms, and excites us about films that are just over the horizon and will soon reach cinema audiences around the world.”
Dorota Lech, Hot Docs Forum producer, said the projects reflect Hot Docs’ “unwavering commitment to uplifting emerging filmmakers who, due to industry-wide financial constraints, combined with a lack of access to festivals as meeting places to approach bubbles...
Among the projects’ 25 filmmakers, 10 helmers are Black, Indigenous or People of Color, and 20 directors are women. The projects represent 16 countries.
Lisa Valencia-Svensson, acting industry programs director for Hot Docs, said this year’s edition is “a bold and powerful mix of cinematic artistry and journalism.”
She added: “The slate of projects gives us hope about the future of non-fiction filmmaking in its many forms, and excites us about films that are just over the horizon and will soon reach cinema audiences around the world.”
Dorota Lech, Hot Docs Forum producer, said the projects reflect Hot Docs’ “unwavering commitment to uplifting emerging filmmakers who, due to industry-wide financial constraints, combined with a lack of access to festivals as meeting places to approach bubbles...
- 3/17/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Previous winner Shaka King named honourary chair for this year’s Spirit Awards.
Film Independent has revealed the winners of its three emerging filmmaker awards, each of which comes with a $25,000 unrestricted cash grant.
Ekwa Msangi, director of 2020 Sundance competition entry Farewell Amor, gets the Someone to Watch Award for so far under-recognised “filmmakers of singular vision.” Other finalists for the award were David Midell, director of The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, and Bull director Annie Silverstein.
Gerry Kim, one of the producers of Mexican drama I’m No Longer Here, shortlisted for this year’s international film Oscar, wins the...
Film Independent has revealed the winners of its three emerging filmmaker awards, each of which comes with a $25,000 unrestricted cash grant.
Ekwa Msangi, director of 2020 Sundance competition entry Farewell Amor, gets the Someone to Watch Award for so far under-recognised “filmmakers of singular vision.” Other finalists for the award were David Midell, director of The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, and Bull director Annie Silverstein.
Gerry Kim, one of the producers of Mexican drama I’m No Longer Here, shortlisted for this year’s international film Oscar, wins the...
- 3/16/2021
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
“Judas and the Black Messiah” director Shaka King has been named the honorary chair of the 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards, the nonprofit arts organization Film Independent announced on Tuesday. In a video posted on the Spirit Awards website, King launched his tenure in the job by revealing the winners of three cash grants worth a total of $75,000 to emerging filmmakers.
“Farewell Amor” director Ekwa Msangi received the Someone to Watch Award, which, according to Film Independent, goes to “talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition.” The other nominees in the category were “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain” director David Midell and “Bull” director Annie Silverstein. King won this award himself in 2014 after making his feature debut, “Newlyweeds.”
Gerry Kim, the producer of this year’s Mexican Oscar entry, “I’m No Longer Here,” was named recipient of the Producers Award, which salutes “emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources,...
“Farewell Amor” director Ekwa Msangi received the Someone to Watch Award, which, according to Film Independent, goes to “talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition.” The other nominees in the category were “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain” director David Midell and “Bull” director Annie Silverstein. King won this award himself in 2014 after making his feature debut, “Newlyweeds.”
Gerry Kim, the producer of this year’s Mexican Oscar entry, “I’m No Longer Here,” was named recipient of the Producers Award, which salutes “emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources,...
- 3/16/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Director Elizabeth Lo took to the streets of Instanbul, Turkey to follow stray dogs who are free to roam cities and rely on the generosity of humans for food. Zeytin is the star of the film as she goes about her business while Elizabeth follows closely behind. We talked to the director about how she went about shooting a dog in motion while following close behind. ...
- 3/6/2021
- by luperhaas@cinemovie.tv (Lupe R Haas)
- CineMovie
I first heard of “Stray” in conjunction with “Kedi,” Ceyda Torun’s wildly popular 2017 documentary on the cats of Istanbul. After all, Elizabeth Lo’s feature debut sounds like it has a similar premise, only dog-version: it revolves around the story of a few stray dogs roaming the streets of the very same city.. The two documentaries, however, are entirely different beasts. “Kedi” is quite visibly an urban ode to Torun’s hometown; “Stray,” on the other hand, follows its pooch protagonists more closely instead. Though neither film is necessarily narrative-driven, “Stray” maintains a more concentrated focus on its three canines than on the actual city of Istanbul.
In fact, Istanbul serves more as an antagonistic backdrop than an essential character in the story. “Stray” opens with an ominous note: on a black title card, Lo briefly recounts the Turkish government’s 20th century attempts to exterminate street dog-kind. This is followed,...
In fact, Istanbul serves more as an antagonistic backdrop than an essential character in the story. “Stray” opens with an ominous note: on a black title card, Lo briefly recounts the Turkish government’s 20th century attempts to exterminate street dog-kind. This is followed,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
The first two months of 2021 have brought no shortage of compelling, even great, movies and TV series but in March we’re getting some full-on events. A big, new animated Disney movie! Eddie Murphy returns to one of his most famous roles! Godzilla fights King Kong! Zack Snyder fights the limitations of a theatrical running time! It’s madness in the month of March! (If only there was some kind of pithy phrase that could be used to describe such a thing).
March will also see the departure of a...
March will also see the departure of a...
- 2/28/2021
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
Minari earns six nods including feature, director, two for supporting actress.
Focus Features’ Never Rarely Sometimes Always led the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations with six nods on Tuesday (January 26) including best film and director, and female lead.
A24’s Minari placed second on six nods including best feature in a field that includes Nomadland, First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always.
Women dominated the directing category as Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), and Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) picked up nods alongside the sole male, Lee Isaac Ching for Minari.
Focus Features’ Never Rarely Sometimes Always led the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations with six nods on Tuesday (January 26) including best film and director, and female lead.
A24’s Minari placed second on six nods including best feature in a field that includes Nomadland, First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always.
Women dominated the directing category as Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), and Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) picked up nods alongside the sole male, Lee Isaac Ching for Minari.
- 1/26/2021
- ScreenDaily
Minari earns six nods including feature, director, two for supporting actress.
Focus Features’ Never Rarely Sometimes Always led the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations with six nods on Tuesday (January 26) including best film and director, and female lead.
A24’s Minari placed second on six nods including best feature in a field that includes Nomadland, First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always.
Women dominated the directing category as Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), and Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) picked up nods alongside the sole male, Lee Isaac Ching for Minari.
Focus Features’ Never Rarely Sometimes Always led the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations with six nods on Tuesday (January 26) including best film and director, and female lead.
A24’s Minari placed second on six nods including best feature in a field that includes Nomadland, First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always.
Women dominated the directing category as Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), and Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) picked up nods alongside the sole male, Lee Isaac Ching for Minari.
- 1/26/2021
- ScreenDaily
“First Cow,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Minari,” “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” and “Nomadland” scored Best Feature Film nominations for the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards, with “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” leading the pack with seven nominations. “Minari” had six film nominations, and “Nomandland” wound up with five.
And for the first time Film Independent recognized the best in TV. “A Teacher,” “I May Destroy You,” “Little America,” “Small Axe” and “Unorthodox” all landed nominations for Best New Scripted Series. “Unorthodox” and “Little America” each scored three nominations.
Nominations for the 36th annual ceremony were announced Tuesday via Film Independent’s website and YouTube channel by Laverne Cox, Barry Jenkins and Olivia Wilde.
Though the awards are generally held the Saturday afternoon before the Oscars ceremony, the show has been moved up to a primetime slot on Thursday, April 22 and will air on IFC that will also be simulcast on AMC+ and...
And for the first time Film Independent recognized the best in TV. “A Teacher,” “I May Destroy You,” “Little America,” “Small Axe” and “Unorthodox” all landed nominations for Best New Scripted Series. “Unorthodox” and “Little America” each scored three nominations.
Nominations for the 36th annual ceremony were announced Tuesday via Film Independent’s website and YouTube channel by Laverne Cox, Barry Jenkins and Olivia Wilde.
Though the awards are generally held the Saturday afternoon before the Oscars ceremony, the show has been moved up to a primetime slot on Thursday, April 22 and will air on IFC that will also be simulcast on AMC+ and...
- 1/26/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The 2021 Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced Tuesday, January 26. So who made the cut at these kudos, which celebrate the best in American independent films? Scroll down to see the full list of nominees for the 2021 Indie Spirits. Remember, only American-made movies with budgets under $20 million were eligible for consideration.
These Spirit contenders were decided by nominating committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors.
Winners will be chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who sign up for membership starting at $95 per year.
These awards have come to be a significant preview of the Oscars as the motion picture academy embraces more independent films. Five of the last 10 Spirit champs for Best Feature went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
These Spirit contenders were decided by nominating committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors.
Winners will be chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who sign up for membership starting at $95 per year.
These awards have come to be a significant preview of the Oscars as the motion picture academy embraces more independent films. Five of the last 10 Spirit champs for Best Feature went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
- 1/26/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
From Los Reyes to Space Dogs, it’s been a strong last few years when it comes to canine-focused arthouse cinema. The latest entry in the subgenre is Stray, which marks the feature debut from Elizabeth Lo and follows the daily wanderings of Istanbul’s orphaned dog population. Shot over three years, the film premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2020 and will now arrive in early March via Magnolia Pictures. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.
Glenn Heath Jr. said in his review, “Educated at Stanford’s renowned documentary filmmaking program, Lo has always brought a keen sense of cinematic rhythm to everyday human routines and patterns. But with Stray, she hands over all control to the dogs, letting their movements and distractions and glees dictate blocking and camera movement. The film’s first half is a beautiful city symphony as a result, positioning the modern...
Glenn Heath Jr. said in his review, “Educated at Stanford’s renowned documentary filmmaking program, Lo has always brought a keen sense of cinematic rhythm to everyday human routines and patterns. But with Stray, she hands over all control to the dogs, letting their movements and distractions and glees dictate blocking and camera movement. The film’s first half is a beautiful city symphony as a result, positioning the modern...
- 1/19/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Istanbul’s charming stray cat population has already gotten the big screen treatment — care of Ceyda Torun’s loving 2017 hit documentary “Kedi” — and now it’s time for the city’s equally compelling canine community to get the same cinematic story. Elizabeth Lo’s feature documentary debut, “Stray,” follows a trio of engaging strays as their lives unfold around the big city, complete with adventures, drama, and the formation of some heart-warming bonds with many of the city’s human denizens.
Per its official synopsis, the film “explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays — Zeytin, Nazar, and Kartal — as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal,...
Per its official synopsis, the film “explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays — Zeytin, Nazar, and Kartal — as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal,...
- 1/12/2021
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The influential Cinema Eye Honors nominations, voted on by documentary filmmakers, help to narrow the wide field for documentary awards contenders. Amazon Studios release “Time,” Garrett Bradley’s poetic black-and-white portrait of one family’s struggle through years of incarceration, leads the field with six nominations, including Outstanding Feature, Direction, Editing, Score and Debut.
Garnering four nominations: Alexander Nanau’s Romanian health system exposé “Collective” (Magnolia), Victor Kossakovsky’s story of a mother pig, “Gunda” (Neon), and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO) with four.
With three nominations each: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” (Apple), Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson is Dead” (Netflix), Liz Garbus’ series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” (HBO), Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian Oscar submission “Notturno” (Super Ltd), and Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw’s “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics).
Per usual, prolific Netflix leads all distributors/broadcasters with thirteen nominations, while HBO Documentary Films grabbed ten,...
Garnering four nominations: Alexander Nanau’s Romanian health system exposé “Collective” (Magnolia), Victor Kossakovsky’s story of a mother pig, “Gunda” (Neon), and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO) with four.
With three nominations each: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” (Apple), Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson is Dead” (Netflix), Liz Garbus’ series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” (HBO), Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian Oscar submission “Notturno” (Super Ltd), and Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw’s “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics).
Per usual, prolific Netflix leads all distributors/broadcasters with thirteen nominations, while HBO Documentary Films grabbed ten,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The influential Cinema Eye Honors nominations, voted on by documentary filmmakers, help to narrow the wide field for documentary awards contenders. Amazon Studios release “Time,” Garrett Bradley’s poetic black-and-white portrait of one family’s struggle through years of incarceration, leads the field with six nominations, including Outstanding Feature, Direction, Editing, Score and Debut.
Garnering four nominations: Alexander Nanau’s Romanian health system exposé “Collective” (Magnolia), Victor Kossakovsky’s story of a mother pig, “Gunda” (Neon), and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO) with four.
With three nominations each: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” (Apple), Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson is Dead” (Netflix), Liz Garbus’ series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” (HBO), Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian Oscar submission “Notturno” (Super Ltd), and Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw’s “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics).
Per usual, prolific Netflix leads all distributors/broadcasters with thirteen nominations, while HBO Documentary Films grabbed ten,...
Garnering four nominations: Alexander Nanau’s Romanian health system exposé “Collective” (Magnolia), Victor Kossakovsky’s story of a mother pig, “Gunda” (Neon), and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” (HBO) with four.
With three nominations each: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” (Apple), Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson is Dead” (Netflix), Liz Garbus’ series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” (HBO), Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian Oscar submission “Notturno” (Super Ltd), and Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw’s “The Truffle Hunters” (Sony Pictures Classics).
Per usual, prolific Netflix leads all distributors/broadcasters with thirteen nominations, while HBO Documentary Films grabbed ten,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Garrett Bradley’s “Time,” which follows a family through decades of the father’s incarceration, leads all films in nominations for the 14th annual Cinema Eye Honors, a New York-based award established to honor all facets of nonfiction filmmaking.
“Time” received six nominations, including one in the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category. There, it will compete with “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead” and “Gunda.”
“Collective,” “Gunda” and “Welcome to Chechnya” each received four nominations, while “Boys State,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” “Notturno” and “The Truffle Hunters” landed three each.
“Time” is now the only film to be nominated in the top category by the Cinema Eye Honors, the IDA Documentary Awards, the Critics Choice Documentary Awards and the Gotham Awards, and also receive a spot on Doc NYC’s “Short List” of awards contenders. “Gunda” was honored by four of the five groups,...
“Time” received six nominations, including one in the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category. There, it will compete with “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead” and “Gunda.”
“Collective,” “Gunda” and “Welcome to Chechnya” each received four nominations, while “Boys State,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” “Notturno” and “The Truffle Hunters” landed three each.
“Time” is now the only film to be nominated in the top category by the Cinema Eye Honors, the IDA Documentary Awards, the Critics Choice Documentary Awards and the Gotham Awards, and also receive a spot on Doc NYC’s “Short List” of awards contenders. “Gunda” was honored by four of the five groups,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
U.K.-based documentary specialist Dogwoof has announced a string of deals for their slate, which includes a topical tale about the earliest days of the Covid-19 outbreak, three titles in the Best of Fest section at documentary festival IDFA, which runs Nov. 18-Dec. 6, and an Oscar contender.
“76 Days” (pictured), a powerful verité study of the early days of Covid-19 in Wuhan, China, sold to Sky (U.K.), Globo (Brazil), Vrt (Belgium), Channel 8 and YesDocu (Israel), Dr (Denmark), and Vgtv (Norway).
The film, directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous, was recently nominated for a Gotham award. It screened at the Toronto Film Festival, and features in IDFA’s Docs for Sale section. MTV Documentary Films, a division of MTV Studios, acquired the North American rights to the documentary last month from CAA Media Finance Group. Dogwoof will release “76 Days” in the U.K. on Jan.
“76 Days” (pictured), a powerful verité study of the early days of Covid-19 in Wuhan, China, sold to Sky (U.K.), Globo (Brazil), Vrt (Belgium), Channel 8 and YesDocu (Israel), Dr (Denmark), and Vgtv (Norway).
The film, directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous, was recently nominated for a Gotham award. It screened at the Toronto Film Festival, and features in IDFA’s Docs for Sale section. MTV Documentary Films, a division of MTV Studios, acquired the North American rights to the documentary last month from CAA Media Finance Group. Dogwoof will release “76 Days” in the U.K. on Jan.
- 11/24/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
With such a wide array of potential awards contenders in film and television, awards groups like the Cinema Eye Honors help to cull the field. This year, HBO Documentary Films leads the broadcast categories with 10 nominations, including three each for Liz Garbus’ serial killer series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and David France’s Oscar contender “Welcome to Chechnya.” Cinema Eye also unveiled 10 short documentary semifinalists for the short filmmaking honors.
The Outstanding Broadcast Film nominees also include “Bully. Coward. Victim.: The Story of Roy Cohn,” directed by Ivy Meeropol, 2020 Oscar winner “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl),” directed by Carol Dysinger, “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese,” and “Sea of Shadows,” directed by Richard Ladkani.
Outstanding Series Nominees include “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” directed by Joshua Bennett, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, and Sam Pollard, “Hillary,...
The Outstanding Broadcast Film nominees also include “Bully. Coward. Victim.: The Story of Roy Cohn,” directed by Ivy Meeropol, 2020 Oscar winner “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl),” directed by Carol Dysinger, “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese,” and “Sea of Shadows,” directed by Richard Ladkani.
Outstanding Series Nominees include “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” directed by Joshua Bennett, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, and Sam Pollard, “Hillary,...
- 11/19/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
With such a wide array of potential awards contenders in film and television, awards groups like the Cinema Eye Honors help to cull the field. This year, HBO Documentary Films leads the broadcast categories with 10 nominations, including three each for Liz Garbus’ serial killer series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and David France’s Oscar contender “Welcome to Chechnya.” Cinema Eye also unveiled 10 short documentary semifinalists for the short filmmaking honors.
The Outstanding Broadcast Film nominees also include “Bully. Coward. Victim.: The Story of Roy Cohn,” directed by Ivy Meeropol, 2020 Oscar winner “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl),” directed by Carol Dysinger, “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese,” and “Sea of Shadows,” directed by Richard Ladkani.
Outstanding Series Nominees include “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” directed by Joshua Bennett, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, and Sam Pollard, “Hillary,...
The Outstanding Broadcast Film nominees also include “Bully. Coward. Victim.: The Story of Roy Cohn,” directed by Ivy Meeropol, 2020 Oscar winner “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl),” directed by Carol Dysinger, “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese,” and “Sea of Shadows,” directed by Richard Ladkani.
Outstanding Series Nominees include “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children,” directed by Joshua Bennett, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, and Sam Pollard, “Hillary,...
- 11/19/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya,” a documentary about LGBTQ activists trying to help during the Chechnya government’s brutal crackdown on gays and lesbians, leads all films in nominations in the Cinema Eye Honors’ broadcast categories, which were announced on Thursday during a virtual edition of its annual fall lunch.
Cinema Eye, a New York-based organization founded in 2007 to recognize all aspects of nonfiction filmmaking, also announced its new Stay Focused initiative. The program spotlights 12 films by up-and-coming filmmakers who lost the chance for theatrical exhibition and film-festival exposure because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cinema Eye has pledged to find “in-person opportunities” for the filmmakers once the pandemic subsides, starting with theatrical screenings at the new Vidiots Theatre in Los Angeles in late 2021.
The 12 films include Cecilia Aldorondo’s “Landfall,” which recently won a jury award at Doc NYC; David Osit’s “Mayor,” about the Christian mayor of a...
Cinema Eye, a New York-based organization founded in 2007 to recognize all aspects of nonfiction filmmaking, also announced its new Stay Focused initiative. The program spotlights 12 films by up-and-coming filmmakers who lost the chance for theatrical exhibition and film-festival exposure because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cinema Eye has pledged to find “in-person opportunities” for the filmmakers once the pandemic subsides, starting with theatrical screenings at the new Vidiots Theatre in Los Angeles in late 2021.
The 12 films include Cecilia Aldorondo’s “Landfall,” which recently won a jury award at Doc NYC; David Osit’s “Mayor,” about the Christian mayor of a...
- 11/19/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
“Dick Johnson is Dead” won both Best Documentary Feature and Best Director (Kirsten Johnson) at the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. This Netflix film came into the competition with four bids; it lost the cinematography race to another Netflix title, “My Octopus Teacher,” and thee narration award to “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.” “The Way I See It” won for score while “Totally Under Control” took editing. See the full list of Ccda winners announced on November 16 below.
The six genre prizes were awarded as follows: “MLK/FBI” (Best Archival Documentary); “John Lewis: Good Trouble” (Best Historical/Biographical Documentary); both “Beastie Boys Story” and “The Go-Go’s” (Best Music Documentary); “Boys State” (Best Political Documentary”); “My Octopus Teacher” (Best Science/Nature Documentary); and both “Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes” and “Athlete A” (Best Sports Documentary).
The Shoes in the Bed title “Mr. Soul!” won one of its...
The six genre prizes were awarded as follows: “MLK/FBI” (Best Archival Documentary); “John Lewis: Good Trouble” (Best Historical/Biographical Documentary); both “Beastie Boys Story” and “The Go-Go’s” (Best Music Documentary); “Boys State” (Best Political Documentary”); “My Octopus Teacher” (Best Science/Nature Documentary); and both “Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes” and “Athlete A” (Best Sports Documentary).
The Shoes in the Bed title “Mr. Soul!” won one of its...
- 11/16/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
“Crip Camp,” “Gunda” and “Time” are among the films that have made Doc NYC’s 2020 “Short List,” an annual attempt by the New York-based festival to identify the nonfiction films most likely to play a significant part in awards season.
Those three films were also included in the Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations for Best Documentary Feature, and on the International Documentary Association’s shortlist from which the Ida chooses nominees for the Ida Documentary Awards. They are the only three movies to land on all three lists.
Nine additional films on the Doc NYC list were also singled out either by the Ida or Critics Choice: “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “MLK/FBI,” “76 Days,” “The Social Dilemma,” “The Truffle Hunters” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
Other films on the Doc NYC list, which is made up of 15 documentaries, are “I Am Greta,” “On the Record” and “A Thousand Cuts.
Those three films were also included in the Critics Choice Documentary Awards nominations for Best Documentary Feature, and on the International Documentary Association’s shortlist from which the Ida chooses nominees for the Ida Documentary Awards. They are the only three movies to land on all three lists.
Nine additional films on the Doc NYC list were also singled out either by the Ida or Critics Choice: “Boys State,” “Collective,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “The Fight,” “MLK/FBI,” “76 Days,” “The Social Dilemma,” “The Truffle Hunters” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
Other films on the Doc NYC list, which is made up of 15 documentaries, are “I Am Greta,” “On the Record” and “A Thousand Cuts.
- 11/9/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
From 2017 to 2019 filmmaker Elizabeth Lo took to the streets of Istanbul to capture the lives of some of the transatlantic city’s most captivating creatures, stray dogs. In “Stray,” which is Lo’s directorial debut, we get a dogs-eye view of what it’s like to be homeless in Turkey’s largest metropolis. The feature documentary from Magnolia Pictures, the film studio behind 2018 Oscar nominee “Rbg,” recently won Best Documentary Feature at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and critics are hailing “Stray” as “artful” and “intimate” with “jolts of humor.”
“Stray” focuses mainly on Zeytin, a strong, stoic female who casually meanders through traffic, going about her day as if she hasn’t a care in the world. She playfully chases a cat, greets her fellow canines in the street and even takes a snooze on the floor of a restaurant before being rudely interrupted by a delivery man.
“Stray” focuses mainly on Zeytin, a strong, stoic female who casually meanders through traffic, going about her day as if she hasn’t a care in the world. She playfully chases a cat, greets her fellow canines in the street and even takes a snooze on the floor of a restaurant before being rudely interrupted by a delivery man.
- 10/31/2020
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
The International Documentary Association has announced a shortlist of 30 films from which it will choose its nominations for the 2020 Ida Documentary Awards, with a list that includes “76 Days,” “Boys State,” “Crip Camp,” “MLK/FBI,” “The Reason I Jump,” “The Truffle Hunters,” “Time” and “Welcome to Chechnya.”
The list also included a generous helping of foreign-made docs, including “Notturno,” “Acasa, My Home,” “Collective,” “The Earth Is Blue as an Orange,” “Gunda,” “Me and the Cult Leader,” “A Metamorfose dos Passaros,” “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” and “Softie.”
The rest of the list: “City Hall,” “Disclosure,” “The Forbidden Reel,” “I Walk on Water,” “The Mole Agent,” “Reunited,” “Self Portrait,” “Stray,” “‘Til Kingdom Come,” “To See You Again,” “Unapologetic,” “The Viewing Booth” and “Wintopia.”
The shortlisted films present a dramatically different view of the year in nonfiction filmmaking than the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were announced on Monday. Only three films — “Crip Camp,...
The list also included a generous helping of foreign-made docs, including “Notturno,” “Acasa, My Home,” “Collective,” “The Earth Is Blue as an Orange,” “Gunda,” “Me and the Cult Leader,” “A Metamorfose dos Passaros,” “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” and “Softie.”
The rest of the list: “City Hall,” “Disclosure,” “The Forbidden Reel,” “I Walk on Water,” “The Mole Agent,” “Reunited,” “Self Portrait,” “Stray,” “‘Til Kingdom Come,” “To See You Again,” “Unapologetic,” “The Viewing Booth” and “Wintopia.”
The shortlisted films present a dramatically different view of the year in nonfiction filmmaking than the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were announced on Monday. Only three films — “Crip Camp,...
- 10/28/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Three films lead the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards with five nominations apiece. “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” and “Gunda,” both nabbed nominations for Best Documentary Feature and Best Director as well as three others apiece while “Mr. Soul!” was nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best First Documentary Feature as well as three more.
Netflix led the way of all distributors with an impressive 31 nominations. In addition to “Crip Camp,” the studio also earned Best Documentary Feature bids forr “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “A Secret Love,” and “The Social Dilemma.” Rounding out the top category nominees are “Belushi” and “The Go-Gos” from Showtime, “Feels Good Man” from Wavelength and PBS Independent, “The Fight” from Magnolia, “The Painter and the Thief” from Neon, and “Time” from Amazon. “Gunda” is Neon’s second nominee and “Mr. Soul!” comes to us from Shoes in the Bed.
Netflix led the way of all distributors with an impressive 31 nominations. In addition to “Crip Camp,” the studio also earned Best Documentary Feature bids forr “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “A Secret Love,” and “The Social Dilemma.” Rounding out the top category nominees are “Belushi” and “The Go-Gos” from Showtime, “Feels Good Man” from Wavelength and PBS Independent, “The Fight” from Magnolia, “The Painter and the Thief” from Neon, and “Time” from Amazon. “Gunda” is Neon’s second nominee and “Mr. Soul!” comes to us from Shoes in the Bed.
- 10/26/2020
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
“Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” “Gunda” and “Mr. Soul” lead the fifth annual Critics Choice Association’s documentary nominations, with five apiece. Among the eclectic list of nominees are Taylor Swift, Greta Thunberg, veteran filmmaker Werner Herzog and longtime disability advocate Judith Heumann, as well as docs about such notables as John Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Frank Zappa.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
Recognized with four nominations each are “Athlete A,” “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” “My Octopus Teacher” and “Totally Under Control.”
In terms of distributors, Netflix led with 31 nominations, followed by Neon with 14 and Magnolia Pictures with nine. Showtime had six, while HBO, Amazon, National Geographic, PBS Independent Lens and Shoes in the Bed Productions earned five each.
It’s the fifth annual documentary honors for the group, honoring projects released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of Cca members. Winners will be announced at a presentation on Nov.
- 10/26/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
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