And the 2024 Montclair Film Festival awards go to…
The Montclair Film Festival bestowed its top honor, the Fiction Feature Prize, to Payal Kapadia’s critically acclaimed “All We Imagine as Light.” The feature won the Grand Prix at Cannes but was later snubbed by India for its Oscar submission. The film centers on two nurses, played by Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, who grapple with their own relationships. “All We Imagine as Light” will premiere November 15 in theaters from Sideshow/Janus Films.
Montclair Film additionally recognized Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” with a Special Jury Prize. The Feature Film jury included artist and podcaster Janette Afsharian, AP critic Jake Coyle, and Rolling Stone critic David Fear.
The festival’s Bruce Sinofsky Award for the Documentary Feature Competition was won by “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” which was directed by Johan Grimonprez. A Special Jury Prize was...
The Montclair Film Festival bestowed its top honor, the Fiction Feature Prize, to Payal Kapadia’s critically acclaimed “All We Imagine as Light.” The feature won the Grand Prix at Cannes but was later snubbed by India for its Oscar submission. The film centers on two nurses, played by Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, who grapple with their own relationships. “All We Imagine as Light” will premiere November 15 in theaters from Sideshow/Janus Films.
Montclair Film additionally recognized Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” with a Special Jury Prize. The Feature Film jury included artist and podcaster Janette Afsharian, AP critic Jake Coyle, and Rolling Stone critic David Fear.
The festival’s Bruce Sinofsky Award for the Documentary Feature Competition was won by “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” which was directed by Johan Grimonprez. A Special Jury Prize was...
- 10/28/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Nascent UK sales company Rapt Films International has picked up international rights to Ivan Leung and Harrison Xu’s debut feature Extremely Unique Dynamic ahead of the American Film Market (AFM).
The film, described as a “stoner bromantic comedy”, follows two Asian-American best friends who decide to make a movie, and explores the dynamic of their friendship. Leung and Xu also star in the film, alongside Hudson Yang, star of US sitcom Fresh Off The Boat.
Strand Releasing will release theatrically in the US.
Leung and Xu wrote and directed alongside Katherine Dudas, and produced under their Heroic Impact production company with Noel Do-Murakami.
The film, described as a “stoner bromantic comedy”, follows two Asian-American best friends who decide to make a movie, and explores the dynamic of their friendship. Leung and Xu also star in the film, alongside Hudson Yang, star of US sitcom Fresh Off The Boat.
Strand Releasing will release theatrically in the US.
Leung and Xu wrote and directed alongside Katherine Dudas, and produced under their Heroic Impact production company with Noel Do-Murakami.
- 10/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t going big on film.
More than 300 films screened at the 42nd Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, which took place in Providence from Aug. 6 to 11: a diverse slate of narrative features, documentaries and short films represented 51 countries across the globe. The festival — one of 10 international fests that serve as official qualifiers for the Academy Awards’ live-action, animated and documentary short categories — received over 7,000 submissions this year.
For executive director Shawn M. Quirk, who has been with the festival for 13 years, Riiff has a two-pronged approach to serving filmmakers both in Rhode Island and beyond its borders. “It’s really about building this global community, as well as helping our local filmmakers who need that access,” Quirk tells THR.
“I love the idea of us being a global film [destination],” adds Quirk.
More than 300 films screened at the 42nd Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, which took place in Providence from Aug. 6 to 11: a diverse slate of narrative features, documentaries and short films represented 51 countries across the globe. The festival — one of 10 international fests that serve as official qualifiers for the Academy Awards’ live-action, animated and documentary short categories — received over 7,000 submissions this year.
For executive director Shawn M. Quirk, who has been with the festival for 13 years, Riiff has a two-pronged approach to serving filmmakers both in Rhode Island and beyond its borders. “It’s really about building this global community, as well as helping our local filmmakers who need that access,” Quirk tells THR.
“I love the idea of us being a global film [destination],” adds Quirk.
- 9/6/2024
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Extremely Unique Dynamic,” a comedy drama film that plays at the Frameline Festival in San Francisco, is set for release later this year in North America.
North American rights to the picture were acquired by distributor Strand Releasing, which says it plans a late fall theatrical release.
The U.S.-produced film chronicles “two best friends who test the limits of their relationship while making a triple-meta movie.” It had its debut in March at the Sonoma International Film Festival and followed that with appearance at Inside Out and CAAMFest.
The film is directed by Ivan Leung and Harrison Xu and stars Leung (“The Tender Bar”), Xu (“Last Summer of Nathan Lee”), Hudson Yang (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and Nathan Dean (“Ginormo”). Cinematography is by Steven Shulgach, editing by Michael Scotti Jr., sound design by Nikola Simikic and the original score by Ian Mackley.
The film was produced by Leung...
North American rights to the picture were acquired by distributor Strand Releasing, which says it plans a late fall theatrical release.
The U.S.-produced film chronicles “two best friends who test the limits of their relationship while making a triple-meta movie.” It had its debut in March at the Sonoma International Film Festival and followed that with appearance at Inside Out and CAAMFest.
The film is directed by Ivan Leung and Harrison Xu and stars Leung (“The Tender Bar”), Xu (“Last Summer of Nathan Lee”), Hudson Yang (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and Nathan Dean (“Ginormo”). Cinematography is by Steven Shulgach, editing by Michael Scotti Jr., sound design by Nikola Simikic and the original score by Ian Mackley.
The film was produced by Leung...
- 6/20/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Two buddies, Ivan Leung (an actor with several bit roles mostly on TV under his belt) and Harrison Xu (a prolific voice actor specialised in English-language dubbing of Asian series) and their actress-filmmaker friend Katherine Dudas decided to make a movie. About two aspiring actors friends making a movie. About two friends making a movie. How meta is that? Double or triple? Anyhow, that is how a little no-budget indie comedy “Extremely Unique Dynamic” was born, and we got the chance to see it at Caam Fest…
Extremely Unique Dynamic is screening at CAAMFest
The plot is actually a simple one. Daniel (Leung) and Ryan (Xu) are life-long besties that have been trying to become famous for all their lives. As kids, they used to play filming their shenanigans with a camcorder, and as adults they are aspiring actors and roommates in Los Angeles that spend most of their time...
Extremely Unique Dynamic is screening at CAAMFest
The plot is actually a simple one. Daniel (Leung) and Ryan (Xu) are life-long besties that have been trying to become famous for all their lives. As kids, they used to play filming their shenanigans with a camcorder, and as adults they are aspiring actors and roommates in Los Angeles that spend most of their time...
- 5/13/2024
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
The Sudanese drama Goodbye Julia is continuing its impressive awards run, earning the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature over the weekend at the Sonoma International Film Festival in California.
Mohamed Kordofani directed the story set in the context of the secessionist movement that led to the establishment of the independent nation of South Sudan in 2011.
“We commend the festival for its impressive selection of narrative features and unanimously select Goodbye Julia as the best film,” jurors wrote. “An outstanding first feature from Mohamed Kordofani, anchored by two stellar performances from Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak, Goodbye Julia provides a glimpse into a culture and region that’s underrepresented and underexplored in contemporary cinema.”
The jury, comprised of Rosa Bosch (Begin Again Films), Tyler Coates (The Hollywood Reporter), Rebecca Fisher (Magnolia Pictures), Jason Hellerstein (Sideshow), and Julie Huntsinger (Telluride Film Festival), awarded a Special Mention to Hesitation Wound, describing...
Mohamed Kordofani directed the story set in the context of the secessionist movement that led to the establishment of the independent nation of South Sudan in 2011.
“We commend the festival for its impressive selection of narrative features and unanimously select Goodbye Julia as the best film,” jurors wrote. “An outstanding first feature from Mohamed Kordofani, anchored by two stellar performances from Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak, Goodbye Julia provides a glimpse into a culture and region that’s underrepresented and underexplored in contemporary cinema.”
The jury, comprised of Rosa Bosch (Begin Again Films), Tyler Coates (The Hollywood Reporter), Rebecca Fisher (Magnolia Pictures), Jason Hellerstein (Sideshow), and Julie Huntsinger (Telluride Film Festival), awarded a Special Mention to Hesitation Wound, describing...
- 3/25/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The champagne may be flowing at the kickoff for the 27th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival – for more reasons than one.
This year’s event in California’s wine country will open with the U.S. premiere of Widow Clicquot, directed by Thomas Napper, a narrative feature about the Grande Dame of Champagne. Actress Haley Bennett stars in the titular role of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, “who against all odds advanced her late husband’s techniques to create the recipe for modern-day champagne.”
Siff, running from March 20-24, will showcase 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features, and 48 short films representing more than 25 countries, according to a release.
Maya Hawke in ‘Wildcat’
The festival’s Centerpiece Film is Wildcat, directed by Ethan Hawke and starring his daughter Maya Hawke as renowned Southern Gothic author Flannery O’Connor. The Closing Night Film is Luc Besson’s crime drama Dogman, starring Caleb Landry Jones. A Closing Night...
This year’s event in California’s wine country will open with the U.S. premiere of Widow Clicquot, directed by Thomas Napper, a narrative feature about the Grande Dame of Champagne. Actress Haley Bennett stars in the titular role of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, “who against all odds advanced her late husband’s techniques to create the recipe for modern-day champagne.”
Siff, running from March 20-24, will showcase 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features, and 48 short films representing more than 25 countries, according to a release.
Maya Hawke in ‘Wildcat’
The festival’s Centerpiece Film is Wildcat, directed by Ethan Hawke and starring his daughter Maya Hawke as renowned Southern Gothic author Flannery O’Connor. The Closing Night Film is Luc Besson’s crime drama Dogman, starring Caleb Landry Jones. A Closing Night...
- 3/2/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The Santa Barbara Film Festival on Thursday revealed the lineup for its 37th edition, which is set to run March 2-12 in-person in its customary spot in the heat of Oscar season.
The festival will kick off with The Phantom of the Open, the Sony Pictures Classics comedy directed by Craig Roberts and starring Mark Rylance in the true story of Maurice Fitcroft, who entered the 1976 British Open despite never having played a round of golf before. Sally Hawkins and Rhys Ifans also star in the BBC Films pic.
The documentary Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over is the closing-night film, with Warwick set to be in attendance.
Overall, the festival in the beach city just north of Los Angeles will present 48 world premieres and 95 U.S. premieres from 54 countries, with a lineup that features films from directors Neil Labute, Ramin Bahrani, François Ozon, Eva Husson and more.
Also...
The festival will kick off with The Phantom of the Open, the Sony Pictures Classics comedy directed by Craig Roberts and starring Mark Rylance in the true story of Maurice Fitcroft, who entered the 1976 British Open despite never having played a round of golf before. Sally Hawkins and Rhys Ifans also star in the BBC Films pic.
The documentary Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over is the closing-night film, with Warwick set to be in attendance.
Overall, the festival in the beach city just north of Los Angeles will present 48 world premieres and 95 U.S. premieres from 54 countries, with a lineup that features films from directors Neil Labute, Ramin Bahrani, François Ozon, Eva Husson and more.
Also...
- 2/10/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
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