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For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well-established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Luke T...

Mubi the premier streaming service for curated independent films, has revealed its lineup for February. Among the eclectic selection of films coming exclusively to Mubi are “Dead Pigs”, the bold directorial debut by Birds of Prey director Cathy Yan and Pietro Marcello’s “Martin Eden”, a compelling adaptation of Jack London’s novel, starring Luca Marinelli. Mubi will also exclusively present Beginning, the striking feature debut by Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili, which has been selected as Georgia’s official selection for the 93rd Academy Awards, and Werner Herzog’s deeply personal documentary “Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin” featuring his late friend and travel writer Bruce Chatwin.

In February, Mubi is proud to partner with Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program to spotlight a collection of films made by Sundance Institute Fellows. Reflecting the support given to independent storytelling by artists of Indigenous descent, this special selection includes films such...

Two up-and-coming Native talents, Razelle Benally (Navajo/Oglala Lakota) and Randi LeClair (Pawnee) have been selected for the Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab, where the two writers will receive grants for production and targeted support during a residential Lab to prepare for production of their short films.

The Lab takes place in Santa Fe, New Mexico July 10-14. The Lab is a highlight of the Institute’s year-round work with Native American and Indigenous filmmakers and is one of the 24 residential labs the Institute hosts each year to discover and foster the talent of emerging independent artists in film, theater, new media and more recently episodic content.

The Native Filmmakers Lab builds on the Institute’s former NativeLab to include grants to support production of the Fellows’ short films – a first for the Institute’s renowned independent artist Labs. The writers and directors serving as Creative Advisors for this year’s Lab include: Janicza Bravo ("Gregory Go Boom" and "Pauline Alone"), Beck Cole ( "Plains Empty" and "Here I Am" ), Sydney Freeland ("Drunktown's Finest" and "HoverBoard" ), Aurora Guerrero ( "Pura Lengua" and "Mosquita y Mari" ) and Lucas Leyva ( "#PostModem" and "Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke" ).

N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache), director of the Sundance Institute Native American and Indigenous Program, said, “Our Native Filmmakers Lab responds to the unique need within our community to support Native American artists with grants and mentorship focusing on the crucial phase of producing their films. I am excited to embark on this creative journey with these two bright female directors as they begin the tactical phase of creating their films.”

The Native Filmmakers Lab will be followed by the inaugural Native Writers Workshop, jointly hosted by Sundance Institute and the Institute of American Indian Arts (Iaia). The Workshop will support six emerging Native storytellers who seek to share their voices in film and television: Gabe Abeyta (Taos Pueblo and Navajo from Santa Fe, Nm), Katie Avery (Iñupiaq from Los Angeles, CA), Kelly D'Angelo (Haudenosaunee from Los Angeles, CA), Felicia Nez (Navajo from Albuquerque, Nm), Blue Tarpalechee (Muscogee from Santa Fe, Nm) and Kaherawaks Thompson (St. Regis Mohawks of Akwesasne from Memphis, Tn).

They will be mentored by: Beck Cole (Writer, "Here I Am" and "Black Comedy" ), Jason Gavin (Writer, "Greek, "Friday Night Lights"), Derek Santos Olson (Writer, "Friday Night Lights" ), Sierra Ornelas (Writer, "Selfie" and "Happy Endings" ), Alex Rivera (Writer/Director, "Sleep Dealer" ) and Joan Tewkesbury (Writer, "Nashville" and "Thieves Like Us" ).

True to founder Robert Redford’s original vision, the Institute maintains a strong commitment to supporting Native and Indigenous filmmakers. The Native program has built and sustained a unique support cycle for Indigenous artists through grants, labs, mentorships, a fellowship program at the Sundance Film Festival, and screenings for Native communities to inspire new generations of storytellers. Currently operating programs in the United States, Canada, and formerly New Zealand and Australia, the Institute has established a rich legacy of work by supporting more than 300 Native and Indigenous filmmakers, including Taika Waititi, Chris Eyre, Sterlin Harjo, Billy Luther, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, Aurora Guerrero, Sydney Freeland and Yolanda Cruz.

There are the two artists/projects selected for the 2015 Native Filmmakers Lab:

"I Am Thy Weapon"

Razelle Benally (Navajo/Oglala Lakota)

A young artistic Navajo woman relives memories of her deceased sister, that in turn help her heal and battle against the modern-day adversities of reservation life.

Razelle Benally is of Oglala Lakota and Navajo blood. Benally’s firsthand experience while filming and traveling with renowned skateboard company Apache Skateboards has helped her hone a self-developed style of editing and directing. She most notably gained acclaim for her short documentary "The Humble," and six-minute experimental piece "Love is a Losing Game." Benally is one of five young women featured in the 2011 documentary, "Apache Chronicle."

She has shown in galleries in Long Beach, CA and in Phoenix, Az. Her films have been shown nationally and internationally at select screenings in Portland, Winnipeg Manitoba Canada, and Sweden. She earned a third place award in the 2007 Aihec Film Festival, and is the 2010 Santa Fe Indian Market jury-awarded winner for Best Documentary in Swaia’s Classification X. Benally is an alumna of the 2012 Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab.

"The Other Side of the Bridge"

Randi LeClair (Pawnee)

After two high school football stars are found dead, decade’s long racial tensions sizzle in a small-town diner.

Randi LeClair is an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BA in English (Creative Writing) and is currently a graduate student in the University of Oklahoma’s Master of Professional Writing program. Recently, Randi and her husband, Todd, signed an option agreement for the screen adaptation of Todd’s book, "60 Feet Six Inches and Other Distances from Home: The (Baseball) Life of Mose YellowHorse," which follows the story of Pittsburg Pirates pitcher Mose YellowHorse, the first full-blood American Indian in the major leagues.

In addition to screenwriting, Randi also engages her love of literary fiction and is currently working on a collection of short stories. As well, she also serves as co-editor for "Out of the Stars: An Anthology of Pawnee Writing, Stories, and Art." Her dream is to help bring Native Cinema to the mainstream. She is an alumna of the 2010 Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab.

They say, after all, that you should write what you know, so perhaps it's no surprise that filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's first feature, "On the Ice," is set in Barrow, Alaska, amongst the native population. That's MacLean's hometown, and while the film's dramatic tension is intriguing, what's truly fascinating is the inside look into a part of American culture most Americans know very little about. Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) and Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) are best friends and typical teenagers. They're into hip-hop, partying, and bird-dogging chicks. They live in fairly impoverished circumstances, with Aivaaq coming over to Qalli's house on a regular basis, to avoid his mother and her substance abuse problems. It's a town full of kids who don't usually go anywhere, and that's where Qalli is the exception--he's set to leave town for college, while his buddy may have a kid on the way. They're also typical in terms of their culture.

They say, after all, that you should write what you know, so perhaps it's no surprise that filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's first feature, "On the Ice," is set in Barrow, Alaska, amongst the native population. That's MacLean's hometown, and while the film's dramatic tension is intriguing, what's truly fascinating is the inside look into a part of American culture most Americans know very little about. Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) and Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) are best friends and typical teenagers. They're into hip-hop, partying, and bird-dogging chicks. They live in fairly impoverished circumstances, with Aivaaq coming over to Qalli's house on a regular basis, to avoid his mother and her substance abuse problems. It's a town full of kids who don't usually go anywhere, and that's where Qalli is the exception--he's set to leave town for college, while his buddy may have a kid on the way. They're also typical in terms of their culture.

Having made its world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, On The Ice is the suspenseful story of two teenage boys growing up in an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends are forced to create one fabrication after another in order to survive. The shocked boys stumble through guilt‐fueled days, avoiding the suspicions of their community as they weave a web of deceit.

On The Ice features music from iZLER, a Czech born, English raised composer and multi-instrumentalist, whose current credits include the hit ABC series Revenge and Showtime.s Shameless. iZLER.s score captivates the intensity of the Inuit themed thriller On the Ice, which won the Crystal Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2011. iZLER started his...

Despite what they might think, most Americans don't know much about Alaska, aside from "Northern Exposure," "The Grey," and Sarah Palin. "On the Ice," the debut feature from writer director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, might change that. The drama is set in the town of Barrow, and is populated entirely by non-professional actors all of whom are of native descent. Teenager Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) and his best friend Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) are typical teenagers, deep into hip-hop and partying with their pals. They live in relative poverty, but Qalli is on his way out, heading to college in the next few months. But an accident during a hunting trip out onto the ice leaves the two of them holding a terrible secret, one that has a chance to ruin both of their lives, unless they can keep it under wraps. More than anything, "On the Ice," is a peek into...

Despite what they might think, most Americans don't know much about Alaska, aside from "Northern Exposure," "The Grey," and Sarah Palin. "On the Ice," the debut feature from writer director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, might change that. The drama is set in the town of Barrow, and is populated entirely by non-professional actors all of whom are of native descent. Teenager Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) and his best friend Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) are typical teenagers, deep into hip-hop and partying with their pals. They live in relative poverty, but Qalli is on his way out, heading to college in the next few months. But an accident during a hunting trip out onto the ice leaves the two of them holding a terrible secret, one that has a chance to ruin both of their lives, unless they can keep it under wraps. More than anything, "On the Ice," is a peek into...

See the trailer, images and the poster for the On the Ice thriller, starring Josiah Patkotak, Frank Qutuq Irelan, Teddy Kyle Smith, Adamina Kerr, John Miller, Rosabelle Kunnanna Rexford and Sierra Jade Sampson. directs the film which makes its VOD debut on April 24th via Apple iTunes, Amazon, Vudu and other digital services. Pic is produced by Cara Marcous, Lynette Howell, Marco Londoner, and Zhana Londoner and was shot entirely on location in Barrow, Alaska. On The Ice is the engrossing and suspenseful feature film debut by filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean about two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends...

See the trailer, images and the poster for the On the Ice thriller, starring Josiah Patkotak, Frank Qutuq Irelan, Teddy Kyle Smith, Adamina Kerr, John Miller, Rosabelle Kunnanna Rexford and Sierra Jade Sampson. directs the film which makes its VOD debut on April 24th via Apple iTunes, Amazon, Vudu and other digital services. Pic is produced by Cara Marcous, Lynette Howell, Marco Londoner, and Zhana Londoner and was shot entirely on location in Barrow, Alaska. On The Ice is the engrossing and suspenseful feature film debut by filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean about two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends...

Good Friday (oops, that was totally accidental), everyone. The Fat Tuesday spirit is now gone, no more flaming skull heads riding motorcyles for us. Nope, it's just Tyler Perry films and fish out of water comedies. They are making us give up Nic Cage for Lent and I just can't stand it. This weekend we have ensemble comedy "Wanderlust," one Mister "Tyler Perry's Good Deeds" and a few other curios and offerings for your cinematic palate.

Doesn't it feel like we've been hearing about "Wanderlust" Foh-eva? Didn't they shoot this like 5 years ago? Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd play neurotic New Yorkers who end up at Alan Alda's hippie commune. Justin Theroux (Jen's boo, but you knew that), Malin Akerman, Joe Lo Truglio, Kerri Kenney, Kathryn Hahn and others co-star as the far-out denizens of said commune, while Ken Marino and Michaela Watkins steal the show as Rudd's asshole bro and his wife.

Maura Anderson Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, director of ‘On the Ice.’

The tale writer-director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean spins in “On the Ice” may seem familiar on the surface: After Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) accidentally kills a mutual friend of his and longtime pal Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) during a morning seal hunt, both characters are forced to deal with the increasingly dire consequences of their decision to cover up the crime.

The film, however, is set in Barrow, Alaska—a region in...

Why He's On Our Radar: There's a reason so few films are made in Northern Alaska: it's hard to access and it's really cold. Any film that comes out of the region is poised to attract attention. Thankfully the latest one to hit theaters, "On the Ice" (opening February 17), from first-time feature filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, is also a great film to boot. The thriller, based on MacLean's award-winning short "Sikumi," concerns two teenage boys living in an isolated Alaskan town who become embroiled in a web of lies and deceit following a tragic accident. The film premiered in the Dramatic Competition at last year's Sundance Film Festival and went on to win multiple awards, including Best First Feature at the 2011 Berlinale. What’s Next: “I would like to be able to make a lot of movies in the Artic and a lot of movies that involve my culture,” MacLean told Indiewire.

Like plenty of teenagers everywhere, the high-schoolers in On The Ice smoke pot, talk shit about each other’s girlfriends and boyfriends, listen to hip-hop, and throw parties when their parents aren’t home. But they’re also Iñupiaq kids coming of age in isolated Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city in the U.S., and the icy unfamiliarity of this remote but thoroughly lived-in locale turns a standard story of an accident and an attempted cover-up into something bracing. Director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, who expanded On The Ice from his 2008 short, grew up in the town where the ...

Back in 2008, Alaskan director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean was awarded Best Short at the Sundance Film Festival for his period film Sikumi, about a murder and its aftermath in an Inuit community. MacLean, one of Filmmaker’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” that year, had set the buzzed-about tale in his frozen Arctic hometown of Barrow, the historical seat of the Iñupiaq people, casting locals and shooting out on the ice in subzero temperatures. (Sin Nombre writer-director Cary Fukunaga lensed the film.) Last year at Sundance, MacLean unveiled On the Ice, a feature-length movie loosely based on the short film; while the basic set-up remained the same, the story had a contemporary setting where hoodie-wearing Inupiat youth striving to emulate their hip-hop icons gambol about town on snowmobiles instead of dog sleds. MacLean shifted gears to jittery suspense as well in order to explore the moral complexities of guilt and responsibility within a traditional culture.

The Sundance Institute's Film Forward: Advancing Cultural Dialogue initiative kicks off February 27 in Tucson and Sells, Arizona. Six films will screen: Ali Samadi Ahadi's "The Green Wave," Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's "On the Ice," Mike Mills' "Beginners," Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica," Linda Goldstein Knowlton's "Somewhere Between" and Benjamin Murray & Alysa Nahmias' "Unfinished Spaces." Three of the films' directors (Ahadi, Maclean, Mills) will attend and participate in Q & A's, workshops, discussions and meet-and-greets. Sundance's Keri Putnam hopes that "this collection of films...

Below filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean shares a scene from his feature film debut, "On the Ice," winner of multiple awards, including Best First Feature Prize at Berlinale 2011, Best Narrative Film at the 2011 Woodstock Film Festival and the Fipresci Prize for Best New American Film at the 2011 Seattle International Film Festival. It opens in select theaters on February 17. (Go here to learn more about the filmmaker.)   The Film In "On the Ice," two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends are forced to create one fabrication after another in order to survive. The shocked boys stumble through guilt-fueled days, avoiding the suspicions of their community as they weave a.

After a fight in which their friend is killed, two Alaskan teenagers try to cover up what happened and keep their mutual secret.

In 2008, a short film by a little-known director made a big impression at the Sundance and Tribeca festivals. Sikumi told the story of a hunter who happened upon a fight by two men, out on the ice, and reluctantly agreed to cover up the resulting murder. Now Andrew Okpeaha MacLean has extended this taught moral drama to ask more complex questions about what might happen in the aftermath of such an event.

This...

Shot entirely on location in Barrow, Alaska, On the Ice is the engrossing and suspenseful film debut by filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean about two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. This unique feature will release in New York, Los Angeles, Fairbanks, and Anchorage on February 10th, 2012! On the Ice was written and directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean…...

Today we have the trailer, poster and five high resolution photos from the upcoming drama On The Ice. Shot entirely on location in Barrow, Alaska, On the Ice is the engrossing and suspenseful film debut by filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean about two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in [...]

Continue reading On The Ice Trailer, Poster and Photos on FilmoFilia.

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On the Ice LLC and Pmk*Bnc Films have released the debut poster for On the Ice.

Directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, On the Ice stars Josiah Patkotak, Frank Qutuq Irelan, Teddy Kyle Smith, Adamina Kerr, John Miller, Rosabelle Kunnanna Rexford and Sierra Jade Sampson.

In the isolated, frozen town of Barrow, Alaska, Iñupiaq teenagers Qalli and Aivaaq have grown up like brothers in a tight-knit community defined as much by ancient traditions as by hip-hop and snowmobiles. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with their friend James, a tussle turns violent, and James is killed. Panic stricken, terrified, and with no one to blame but themselves, Qalli and Aivaaq lie and declare the death a tragic accident. As Barrow roils with grief and his protective father becomes suspicious, Qalli stumbles through guilt-filled days, wrestling with his part in the death. For the first time in his life, he...

ComingSoon.net has your exclusive first look at the poster for On the Ice , opening in theaters on February 17. The Andrew Okpeaha MacLean suspense drama stars Josiah Patkotak, Frank Qutuq Irelan, Teddy Kyle Smith, Adamina Kerr, John Miller, Rosabelle Kunnanna Rexford and Sierra Jade Sampson. On the Ice is about two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends are forced to create one fabrication after another in order to survive. The shocked boys stumble through guilt-fueled days, avoiding the suspicions of their community as they weave...

Great news for the good folks behind festival darling On The Ice - Pmk*Bnc Films will be bringing the film to theaters beginning in February 2012. Set in a tiny town way above the Arctic circle, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's feature debut is the story of two friends who clash over a crime cover up. After debuting at Sundance, the film continued to over 30 festivals (including La Film Fest as part of Film Independent's well respected Project: Involve) where it found a few big fans whose word-of-mouth will be relied on heavily for this small release. The film is set to open in La, New York and Alaska on February 10th. See our review here...

Exclusive: After debuting at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and then playing over 30 festivals, the Andrew Okpeaha MacLean-directed On The Ice will find its way to theaters early next year. The film will be released theatrically by On the Ice LLC and Pmk*Bnc Films, starting with a platform release February 10 in New York, Los Angeles and Alaska (where the film was shot). On the Ice is a suspenseful drama about two teen boys who grow up like brothers in an isolated Alaskan town. On a seal hunt with another teen one morning, an argument breaks out between them escalates and leads to a tragic accident. The two best friends, bonded by this dark secret, create one cover story after another to survive in a small community that is highly suspicious of what happened. This is the kind of film that often slips through the cracks, but the film utilized...

Sundance Institute announced the renewal of its program-Film Forward: Advancing Cultural Dialogue initiative which was introduced last year. The program with travel to India apart from China, Morocco, Columbia and France this year.

Film Forward connects contemporary U.S. and international films and filmmakers with diverse global audiences and features documentary and narrative films.

The films selected for the second year of the Film Forward program are: Another Earth, by Mike Cahill; Beginners, by Mike Mills; Bran Nue Dae, by Rachel Perkins; Buck, by Cindy Meehl;Grbavica, by Jasmila Zbanic; The Green Wave, by Ali Samadi Ahadi; On The Ice, by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean; Senna, by Asif Kapadia; Somewhere Between, by Linda Goldstein Knowlton; and Unfinished Spaces, by Benjamin Murray and Alysa Nahmias.

Film Forward filmmakers will travel with the initiative to present their work and participate in master classes, discussion panels, Q&As and other engagements with audiences.

“Film...

Toronto is a hub of film festivals here in Canada. Apart from Tiff, After Dark, Hot Docs and Tjff, we also cover the imagineNATIVE Festival each year. The fest recently announced their line up which includes World Premieres, International Award-Winners & Buffy Sainte-Marie. Here is the press release.

Visit www.imagineNATIVE.org for the full Festival line-up.

The Festival officially kicks off at 12:00pm on Wednesday, October 19 with its Welcome Gathering presented by the Thunderbird Centre at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (16 Spadina Road). Free and open to the public, the reception features traditional Indigenous performances, including Tribal Vision, a family dance troupe from Six Nations, a welcoming song from Rosary Spence, craft vendors, food, and a welcome address from imagineNATIVE in a casual, fun atmosphere.

imagineNATIVE’s Opening Night screening presented by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (Aptn) features the Canadian Premiere of Andrew Okpeaha MacLean’s internationally-celebrated dramatic...

Qaushik Mukherjee’s Gandu (Asshole) will compete at the 17th Athens International Film Festival that opens on Thursday.

The opening film of the festival is Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist.

Around 175 titles will be presented at the festival under 15 sections. The festival will pay tribute to Japanese filmmaker Yasuzo Masumura and Dutch filmmaker Johan van der Keuken. The country in focus will be Norway.

The festival will close on September 25 with Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation.

International competition lineup:

Bellflower, dir Evan Glodell (USA)

Silver Tongues, dir Simon Arthur (USA)

Volcano (Eldfjall), dir Runar Runarsson (Iceland)

Asshole (Gandu), dir Qaushik Mukherjee (India)

Familiar Grounds (En terrains connus), dir Stephane Lafleur (Canada)

Natural Selection, dir Robbie Pickering (USA)

Sensation, dir Tom Hall (Ireland)

Submarine, dir Richard Ayoade (UK, Us)

Sidewalls (Medianeras), dir Gustavo Tarreto (Argentina)

Bullhead (Rundscop), dir Michael Roskam (Belgium)

Love, dir William Eubank (USA)

Silver Forest (Silberwald), dir Christine Repond (Switzerland)

On the Ice,...

Andrew Okpeaha MacLean attends 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival On the Ice Photocall. Photo copyright Pixplanete / PR Photos. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean attends 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival On the Ice Photocall. Photo copyright Pixplanete / PR Photos. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean attends 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival On the Ice Photocall. Photo copyright Pixplanete / PR Photos. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean attends 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival On the Ice Photocall. Photo copyright Pixplanete / PR Photos. Andrew Okpeaha MacLean attends 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival On the Ice Photocall. Photo copyright Pixplanete / PR Photos. 09/04/2011 - Andrew Okpeaha MacLean - 37th Annual Deauville American Film Festival - "On the...

Crowdfunded Cinema is a column at The Film Stage that focuses on filmmakers seeking funding for projects via crowdfunding platforms, offering new ways for independent artists and audiences to connect. With each article, we will focus on a single project that we find particularly interesting and inspiring.

This past January, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean premiered his film On The Ice at the Sundance Film Festival. The film, a suspenseful feature-length drama about two teenage boys in an isolated Alaskan town dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident, went on to experience a successful festival circuit. It won a number of awards, including winning the Best First Feature award as well as the Crystal Bear at the 2011 Berlinale, as well as the Fipresci Prize for Best New American Film at the Seattle International Film Festival.

However, not wanting to opt for a traditional limited release, which would limit the film’s...

Film Lineup Set For Inaugural Palo Alto International Film Festival

Palo Alto, CA . The Palo Alto International Film Festival (Paiff) has announced its film program for the 2011 festival. The lineup includes 20 features and 74 short films curated from award-winning films and film festival favorites that exemplify Paiff.s theme of innovation in art, film and technology.

Paiff proudly presents a lineup that challenges the art form, taking creative risks with technology in films like Braden King.s cross-platform feature .Here,. to the artistically inventive .Bombay Beach. by music video director Alma Har.el to documentaries like .Something Ventured. which delves into the world of Venture Capital firms.

.We.re seeing a new movement emerging . films are trying to live outside the cinema. They.re breaking out of traditional storytelling structures,. said Paiff.s Director Programming Alf Seccombe. .This festival spotlights the creative risk-taking that is inherent in innovation..

The 2011 festival kicks...

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples in the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio and new media. Screenings, parties and panel discussions attract and connect filmmakers, media artists, programmers, buyers and industry professionals from around the world. The festival which runs in October has just announced their opening and closing films. See the press release below.

(Toronto – August 10, 2011) The 2011 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is proud to announce this year’s Opening and Closing Night Gala Presentations.

Opening on October 19, 2011 at 7Pm at the Tiff Bell Lightbox (Reitman Square, 350 King St. W) is the Canadian Premiere of On The Ice, written and directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean (Iñupiaq), which arrives with acclaim from the Sundance Film Festival where it was an official selection, and the Berlin International Film Festival, where MacLean received the Best First Feature award. Closing this year’s imagineNATIVE on...

Writer / Director Andrew MacLean and producer Cara Marcous

Writer/director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean and producer Cara Marcous (2010 Fast Track) talk with Josh Welsh, Film Independent’s Director of Artist Development, about their film On the Ice. Set in the isolated, frozen town of Barrow, Alaska, On the Ice is the story of Iñupiaq teenagers Qualli and Aivaaq who have grown up like brothers in a tight-knit community defined as much by ancient traditions as by hip-hop and snowmobiles. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with their friend James, a tussle turns violent, and James is killed. Panic stricken, terrified and with no one to blame but themselves, Qallii and Aivaaq lie and declare the death a tragic accident. As Barrow roils with grief and his protective father becomes suspicious, Qalli stumbles through guilt-filled days, wrestling with his part in the death.

After premiering at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, On the Ice...

Courtesy of the Sundance Institute The Artist Services website homepage.

The organization that hosts the Sundance Film Festival announced plans on Wednesday designed to get participating feature films onto iTunes, Netflix, YouTube and other major online video services after they play at the annual midwinter gathering.

The non-profit Sundance Institute is mounting the online campaign through an expansion of its Artist Services program, in a bid to keep movies from sinking into obscurity after the end of the festival—a...

Writer-director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean makes his feature debut with the L.A. Film Fest entry On the Ice, a character tale about two Alaskan teenagers wrestling with guilt after the accidental murder of a friend. With its isolated setting, cast of non-actors, and rollercoaster ride of a Sundance premiere, the indie drama isn't the easiest sell for mainstream America, but it's a film that deserves to find an audience -- a window into a generation of Alaskan teens balancing native culture with hip-hop, at a unique crossroads between community traditions and the volatile influence of urban culture.

“To Be Heard” and “Hot Coffee” win big at Seattle International Film Festival’s awards ceremony today at Seattle’s Space Needle.

See below for the full list of winners and runners-up:

Siff 2011 Competition Awards

Siff 2011 Best New Director

Grand Jury Prize

Gandu, directed by “Q” Kaushik Mukherjee (India, 2010)

Jury Statement: “We chose to give the prize to a movie that bowled us over with its kinetic, brash humor and style-hoping dexterity, a portrait of tortured youth that refreshingly pokes fun at adolescent self-centeredness while simultaneously exploring the anger, despondency and malaise of a generation.”

Siff 2011 Best Documentary

Grand Jury Prize

Hot Coffee, directed by Susan Saladoff (USA, 2011)

Jury Statement: “Going beyond a well-known headline that was the butt of many jokes, Hot Coffee makes dry legal boilerplate spring to life in portraying human dramas with tragic consequences. It makes us all question our simple assumptions – it’s a film that needs to be seen.

“To Be Heard” and “Hot Coffee” win big at Seattle International Film Festival’s awards ceremony today at Seattle’s Space Needle.

See below for the full list of winners and runners-up:

Siff 2011 Competition Awards

Siff 2011 Best New Director

Grand Jury Prize

Gandu, directed by “Q” Kaushik Mukherjee (India, 2010)

Jury Statement: “We chose to give the prize to a movie that bowled us over with its kinetic, brash humor and style-hoping dexterity, a portrait of tortured youth that refreshingly pokes fun at adolescent self-centeredness while simultaneously exploring the anger, despondency and malaise of a generation.”

Siff 2011 Best Documentary

Grand Jury Prize

Hot Coffee, directed by Susan Saladoff (USA, 2011)

Jury Statement: “Going beyond a well-known headline that was the butt of many jokes, Hot Coffee makes dry legal boilerplate spring to life in portraying human dramas with tragic consequences. It makes us all question our simple assumptions – it’s a film that needs to be seen.

Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.

With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.

For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...

Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.

With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.

For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...

Film Independent Announces First Round Of Us & International

Film Selections For 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival,

Presented By The Los Angeles Times - 19 Films Chosen for Narrative & Documentary Competition - - International Spotlight to Focus on Cuba -

Los Angeles (May 3, 2011) . Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announced the first round of official Us and international selections. The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival is produced by Film Independent . the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards . and will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Opening and Closing Night films, Galas, Conversations, Artists in Residence, Lafca.s Films That Got Away, along with additional special guests and programming for the Festival Talks will be announced at later dates.

Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday,...

It’s not often that we see an entire film taking place in the barren wilderness that is Alaska. When there is an Alaska-based movie, it’s usually a horror film manipulating the isolation and constant darkness factors for the ultimate scare. In Andrew Okpeaha Maclean’s “On the Ice,” Alaska is as stark as we’ve ever known it, but it’s the tight-knit community of people that cause the most trouble here. Best friends Aivaaq (Frank Qutuq Irelan) and Qalli (Josiah Patkotak) couldn’t be more different. Aivaaq lives with his alcoholic mother in a house no bigger than a shack, while Qalli has…...

The Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston) kicks off this Wednesday, and has a number of impressive films in its line-up. The festival will take place at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square, the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, and the Stuart Street Playhouse in downtown Boston. The festival, complete with over 110 film screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, panel discussions, visiting filmmakers, parties and events will showcase the best in current American and International cinema.

The opening night film of the festival is Being Elmo directed by Constance Marks will open the 9th annual festival on April 27th at the Somerville Theatre. This marks the first time the festival will open with a documentary. The film follows Kevin Clash, from humble upbringings as he follows his dream to become a puppeteer and one day work with his idol, Jim Henson, to the present day...

The Independent Film Festival of Boston [1] recently released their full line-up and it's a doozy. Sundance favorites such as The Future [2] and Submarine [3] will be there, along with awesome documentaries like Being Elmo [4] (With Elmo In Attendance!!!) and Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times [5]. I'm looking forward to films I wasn't able to catch at Sundance and SXSW, such as the legal documentary Hot Coffee, the heartbreaking How to Die in Oregon, and the new fascinating Conan O'Brien film. Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins [6] also looks like it will rock the house. The full line-up is below. The festival is April 27th through May 4th, and it's one of my favorite movie events of the year. If you live anywhere in New England, I invite you to come and check it out. You can follow IFFBoston on Facebook for updates [7] or buy your passes now [8]! Narrative Features 13 Assassins...

The general mood of journalists at the 61st Berlin Film Festival was disappointment: reports generally characterised the selection as dismal. The Independent’s Jonathan Romney explained that the festival tended to ‘test your tolerance for the worthy’, just like every other year. The term ‘worthy’ makes the films sound depressing and dull, but as Romney also observed, the Berlinale had ‘no lemons’: many films looked at real-life problems in a new way and so, for my part, I typically left the cinema feeling stimulated and uplifted rather than sad or irritated.

It seems that the festival juries, too, found plenty to praise: of the nearly 400 films in the festival, 45 won awards. The ceremony for the 61st Berlin Film Festival took place on Saturday, Feburary 19th, and while the full list of awards is too lengthy to summarise in detail, the following should provide you with a nice list of...

What a night for Asghar Farhadi's Nader and Simin, a Separation. Not only has the International Jury of this year's Berlinale, presided over by Isabella Rossellini, awarded the film the Golden Bear, but, in a most unusual move, the jury's also decided to give the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Silver Bear for Best Actress to the male and femaie ensembles, respectively. Actress Sarina Farhadi (above) thanked all those in Iran who've stood in line for hours for tickets to see the film — which, we might as well go ahead and mention, has also picked up the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury for best film in the Competition.

Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse has won the Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear). Tarr was on hand to accept the award, but decided to say nothing once he'd gotten up on stage. The Turin Horse is Fipresci's choice for best film in Competition.

Nader and Simin, a Separation

The competition at the 61st Berlin Film Festival just came to an end so it’s right time to announce some winners!

For the first time in the history of the Berlinale, The Golden Bear went to Iran! Asghar Farhadi‘s drama Nader and Simin, a Separation (a look at contemporary Iranian society) took the top three awards including the Golden Bear for best pic and ensemble male and female casts for actor and actress Silver Bears.

Now, that’s what we call a warm reception!

On receiving his Golden Bear, Farhadi said that he had never thought that he would win and then took a moment to think of his country and his imprisoned colleague Jafar Panahi who had been prevented from coming to Berlin to serve on the International Jury.

Nader and Simin, a Separation follows the title’s couple when the husband,...

We haven't mentioned the Berlinale at all in the heat of Oscar week. So let's do that, shall we? Better late than never. The festival closes tomorrow but the awards were handed out over the past two days.

"Nader and Simin: A Separation" Golden Bear

Asghar Fahradi, who got a lot of Oscar buzz a couple years back (though no nomination) for About Elly, won this year's Golden Bear for Nader & Simin: A Separation (2011). The Hollywood Reporter explains the film like so.

Farhadi's drama traces the breakup of a Iranian family set against the political tensions in Tehran. While not overtly political, Nader and Simin is starkly critical of conditions in Iran, notably the country's huge class divide. It was widely tipped to win Berlin's top prize, not least because of the current upheaval in the Middle East.

Fahradi dedicated his prize to jailed filmmaker Jafar Panihi who was also...

Nader And Simin, A Separation by Asghar Farhadi won the Golden Bear for the Best Film at the 61st Berlinale. The Silver Bear went to The Turin Horse by Béla Tarr. Ulrich Köhler won the Silver Bear for Best Director for Schlafkrankheit (Sleeping Sickness).

The festival concluded on Saturday evening. Indian actor-producer Aamir Khan served on the main Jury of the festival. Patang (The Kite) by Prashant Bhargava was screened in the 41st Berlinale Forum. Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf, Kaushik Mukherjee’s Gandu and Phil Cox’s The Bengali Detective were presented in the Panorama section.

List of Main Awards at Berlinale:

Golden Bear For The Best Film

Jodaeiye Nader az Simin

Nader And Simin, A Separation

by Asghar Farhadi

Jury Grand Prix-silver Bear

A torinói ló

The Turin Horse

by Béla Tarr

Silver Bear For Best Director

Ulrich Köhler for

Schlafkrankheit (Sleeping Sickness)

Silver Bear For Best Actress...

The site will be playing catch up for the next couple of weeks with loads of Sundance reviews, interviews and screening coverage, Here we rewind back to Day 2's world premiere post-screening Q&A for Andrew Okpeaha MacLean's On the Ice. Competing in the U.S Dramatic Competition, the Alaskan-born filmmaker work-shopped the film in the Sundance labs and his previous short on which this is based on, was also at the festival a couple of years back. The selection is part of the festivals' commitment to supporting films from native filmmakers (far north is included). Review coming soon.

After its first weekend has drawn to a close, the 2011 Sundance Film Festival has seen a flurry of buying activity from movies both expected to sell for significant amounts (Jesse Peretz’s My Idiot Brother, which went to the Weinstein Company for $7 million) and movies no one expected to go for as much as they did (Drake Doremus‘ Like Crazy, which without a significant movie star in it went for $4 million to Paramount). While I haven’t seen either film, they both seem to have both their admirers and detractors. In a U.S. Dramatic Competition heavy on formally ambitious movies about marginalized communities, perhaps Like Crazy, a story of puppy-dog first love, seems like an easy sell. So to is Terri, Azazel Jacobs‘ follow-up to his much loved Sundance 2008 hit Momma’s Man. Written by Patrick DeWitt, Terri is clearly less personal than Jacobs’ previous picture, which was set...

Originally printed in our Fall 2010 issue, we asked a number of leading independent producers about their producing models and how they’re finding everything from financing to material to office space. Lynette Howell has three titles in this year’s Sundance: Chris Kentis & Laura Lau’s Silent House, Azazel Jacob’s Terri and Andrew Okpeaha MacLean’s On The Ice.

How to pay oneself a salary, maintain an office and employ assistants? And embrace risky projects? For Lynette Howell the answer is staying in constant motion.

Raised in working class Liverpool, Lynette Howell decided to drop her British accent after just a few months in L.A. “I was tired of everyone asking me to repeat myself,” she says, but admits it returns when she steps onto U.K. soil or speaks to a fellow expatriate. Howell, 24 at the time, was running the theatrical division of East of Doheny, where...