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The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced its entire program which includes 32 World Premieres and 74 U.S. Premieres from 60 countries. The fest will open on February 4, 2025 with the US premiere of Jane Austin Wrecked My Life and will close on February 15 with the US premiere of A Missing Part. Considering the ongoing tragedy of the Los Angeles wildfires this year’s festival is dedicated to L.A. to raise funds in partnership with Direct Relief.

“As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with Sbiff,” said Roger Durling, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. “Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection. Festivals build community, and create an outlet for the process of feelings. In light of this, it became...

The 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 40th anniversary event, with 52 percent of the films directed by women. The 12-day extravaganza will raise funds for Los Angeles wildfire relief to help the community that has been devastated by the deadly infernos.

Sbiff will run from Feb. 4 to Feb. 15 — that’s one day longer than usual in honor of its four-decade mark. The festival will showcase movies from 60 different countries, including 33 world premieres and 74 United States premieres, and a majority come from female directors. In addition, there will be tributes to talented artisans, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.

“As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with Sbiff,” said Roger Durling, Sbiff executive director. “Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection.

Exclusive: Actor-producer Noree Victoria is making her feature directorial debut with An Arrangement, a psychological thriller marking the first produced film from TV writer Helen Shang.

The indie currently shooting in Northern California follows a politician’s wife whose drug addiction threatens to derail her husband’s gubernatorial campaign. Tensions rise when she is forced to secretly undergo rehab at the couple’s secluded summer home, and her husband’s interest in their unconventional nurse puts the couple’s marriage—and all of their lives—on the line.

Bel Deliá is leading the cast and producing, with Matt Dellapina, Jessica Damouni and Ivana Grahovac also set to star. Annalea Fiachi and Matt Luber are exec producing, with Lorenzo F. Gonzalez serving as the film’s cinematographer,...

Exclusive: BET+ is gearing up for the holiday season with the release of eight new original films that’ll begin rolling out in November. The slate includes a variety of genres including family comedies, yuletide romances, and a little musical magic featuring Amber Riley, Bill Bellamy, Loretta Devine, among others.

The full breakdown of the 2021 BET+ holiday films is below.

A Christmas Wish

Roz McKenzie, a single mother, is calling upon a miracle so she and her daughter can survive Christmas.

Starring: Noree Victoria, Nadia Simms, Blue Kimble, Javon Johnson

Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolen

A Rich Christmas

A spoiled and ungrateful socialite learns a valuable lesson one Christmas after her mega-rich father forces her to work at the first property he ever owned – a family homeless center.

Starring: Bill Bellamy, Vanessa A Williams, Tyler Abron, Brandee Evans, Denise Boutte

Directed by: Victoria Rowell

Written by: Shateka “Sj” Johnson...

From Synthia.Ca, take a look @ footage from writer/director David Boorboor's horror feature "A Place In Hell", available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment February 16, 2016:

"...a disgraced detective on the trail of a killer and a group of student filmmakers cross paths at a Halloween fright farm in the dead of winter..."

Cast includes Noree Victoria, Lewis Smith and Brian Anthony Wilson.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "A Place In Hell"...

Network: TV One

Episodes: Ongoing (half-hour)

Seasons: Ongoing

TV show dates: September 18, 2012 -- Tbd

Series status: Has not been cancelled

Performers include: Rickey Smiley, J. Anthony Brown, Noree Victoria, Demetria McKinney, Lil' Jj, Ajiona Alexus, Gabriel Burgess, Roz Ryan, and Ray J.

TV show description:

Rickey Smiley (playing a fictional version of himself), is a popular, local DJ based in Atlanta. He's also the single father of three children. The show's stories are derived from Rickey's attempts to raise his children while still having a personal life. In addition, the stories come from situations at his job at the radio station.

At work, Rickey deals with characters like radio station manager Maurice (J. Anthony Brown) -- also known as "Mo Sweets" in his earlier rap career -- and Kenny (Ray J.), Rickey's producer and protégé.

Your reactions to the new series, which debuted last September on TV One, weren't the most favorable, based on comments I read on this blog. But obviously enough of you have been watching the new comedy series starring comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley (produced by Roger Bobb) because the network has announced that it is renewing the series for a second season. When it debuted last September, the show delivered the highest rated original series premiere in TV One's History, setting a record! Joining Smiley in the cast are Ray J, J. Anthony Brown, Lil Jj, Roz Ryan, Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney. The show will has...

The longest hold-out of the awards season, "Django Unchained," finally screened for an audience that was allowed to publish their reactions, and the response should please anyone who has been dying for the latest effort from Quentin Tarantino.

Audience members at a Directors Guild of America screening over the weekend enthusiastically tweeted their thoughts after an early screening of "Django Unchained," which they praised highly for its humor, violence, and action. That sounds about right.

Check out a round-up of some of the tweets after the jump!

Thanks to /Film for rounding up a good sampling of the tweets after the DGA's screening.

Django unchained is super violent spaghetti western w/ anachronistic songs. waltz & jackson steal it. All talk & action. 1st screening.

— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) December 2, 2012

Standing ovation for Tarantino at DGA. Taylor hackford doing q and a.

— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) December 2, 2012

Django was terrific. DiCaprio blows the roof off the joint.

Your reactions to the new series, which debuted 2 nights ago on TV One, weren't the most favorable, based on comments I read. But obviously, enough of you tuned in to watch the new comedy series starring comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley, produced by Roger Bobb, when it aired on TV One, on September 18, 2012, at 9pm, because the network is stating, via press release this morning, that the show delivered the highest rated original series premiere in TV One's History, setting a record. Joining Smiley in the cast are Ray J, J. Anthony Brown, Lil Jj, Roz Ryan, Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney. ...

The new comedy series starring comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley is produced by Roger Bobb and will premiere on TV One, tonight, September 18, 2012, at 9pm. Joining Smiley in the cast will be Ray J, J. Anthony Brown, Lil Jj, Roz Ryan, Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney. The show will also feature some 10 guest appearances throughout the season, including Fred Hammond, Lisa Ray, Tommy Ford and Terri J. Vaughn. Details on series plot, and more in the press release below (preview of the series at the bottom of this post):  - The Rickey Smiley Show, scheduled to premiere on September, 18, 2012 on TV One, will offer an all-star cast which, in...

Tune in alert for TV One's latest sitcom "The Rickey Smiley Show," which premieres Tuesday, Sept. 18 (9/8 c). The new series stars comedian and nationally syndicated radio personality Rickey Smiley, as well as stars singer/actor Ray J, comic J. Anthony Brown, Roz Ryan ("Amen"), Noree Victoria ("Necessary Roughness.) and Demetria McKinney (.Tyler Perry.s House of Payne.). From TV One "The Rickey Smiley Show" stars comedian and nationally syndicated radio personality Rickey Smiley. The new comedy is loosely based on Smiley's life as a radio personality and a single father trying to balance family life-having life- and a career in the spotlight. The series also stars singer/actor Ray J, veteran comic J. Anthony Brown, Roz Ryan ("Amen"),...

The new comedy series starring comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley is produced by Roger Bobb and will premiere on TV One, on September 18, 2012. Joining Smiley in the cast will be Ray J, J. Anthony Brown, Lil Jj, Roz Ryan, Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney. The show will also feature some 10 guest appearances throughout the season, including Fred Hammond, Lisa Ray, Tommy Ford and Terri J. Vaughn. Details on series plot, and more in the press release below (preview of the series at the bottom of this post):  - The Rickey Smiley Show, scheduled to premiere on September, 18, 2012 on TV One, will offer an all-star cast which, in addition to the...

Here’s the first trailer for writer/director John Pogue’s follow-up to John Erick Dowdle’s remake of the Spanish shocker [Rec].

Since the is a sequel to the American Quarantine, and not the original [Rec], the story goes in a different direction. [Rec] 2 takes place immediately after the first film but in this sequel we see the event at an entirely different location. Also left behind is the first person “found footage” aspect of the film, moving to more traditional multi shot editing .

The story involves the infection escaping the first film’s apartment building and ending up on a small commuter jet, which is forced to land at an airport, which is then quarantined. The cast includes Mercedes Masöhn, Josh Cook, Bre Blair, John Curran, Mattie Liptak, Ignacio Serricchio and Noree Victoria.