MONTEREY PARK, CA—East Los Angeles College, Cinema Without Borders, and the National Film Board of Canada came together to celebrate the National Film Board of Canada Animation Day. With many in attendance, both in the audience and on the panel, the atmosphere around the theatre became one of bonding and excitement. Networking in the lobby, beside ELAC’s Vincent Price Museum, attendees had the opportunity to speak with industry professionals and were treated to hors dourves catered by the Polka Restaurant. As the Animation Day began, opening remarks were made by East Lost Angeles College Head of Animation, Mike Libonati, followed…
Author: Wyatt Phillips
This past Thursday evening in Beverly Hills, the 11th Annual South East European Film Festival Los Angeles (SEEfest) held its Closing Gala and Awards Ceremony with celebrations taking place at the restored Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills.SEEfest’s theme for 2016, ‘Cinema of Exile,’ incorporated stories of émigrés’ of all kinds of nationalities with a special focus on the refugees engulfing the Balkan countries. Opening night saw the Los Angeles premier of ‘Our Everyday Life,’ Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Oscar Submission for Best Foreign Language Film; while in closing, SEEfest screened a slate of fiction and documentary shorts—an inspired way…
Early Saturday morning, filmmakers congregated at the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles to discuss new areas of interest that have been generated over the year. This year the conference focused on technology and convergence in the movie/media world. With the main question being, will this entire new wave of tech help to control or break apart the industry?On the panel to discuss the topic: Carolyn Giardina, the contributing editor, tech at The Hollywood Reporter. Rainer Gombos, Emmy award winner for his work as a VFX Supervisor on Game of Thrones season 2. Joachim Zell, formerly a VP of Advanced Technology at Technicolor…
This past Thursday evening in Beverly Hills, the South Eastern European Film Festival Los Angeles kicked off events with an Opening Gala at the newly restored Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre. SEEfest’s official announcer, Hedy Lynn Herdes, NPR Anchor for KPCC’s Midday News, welcomed the packed theatre to the 11th annual celebration. Next came warm salutations from Festival Director Vera Mijojlic and an beautiful speech by Salam Darwza, Producer of ‘Salam Neighbor,’ on the theme for SEEfest 2016: Cinema of Exile. Also in attendance was the Mayor of Beverly Hills (and part-time William Friedkin look alike) John A. Mirisch. Mayor Mirisch…
On the endorsement of Venice Film Festival’s director, Alberto Barbera, the Biennale di Venezi board of directors, chaired by Paolo Baratta, has selected the British filmmaker Sam Mendes (‘Spectre,’ ‘Road to Perdition’) to preside over the 73rd Festival’s jury.Mendes will oversee the committee when they decide on which film to award the Golden Lion for best film, as well as other awards at the festival.”His productions, whether destined for stage or screen, are able to reconcile the expectations of the most exacting critics with the tastes of a vast audience, which seems to transcend all geographical and cultural boundaries,” Barbera…
Burbank, California, April 15, 2016: Today, Cinema Without Boarders announces the winner of our “Seal of Excellence.” The award is to recognize organizations that have taken extraordinary steps in creating an exceptional work of art or event in relation to independent and international cinema.The Winner of the 2016 Cinema Without Boarders “Seal of Excellence” is… ShortFest!Entering its 22nd year, ShortFest (Palm Springs International Short Film Festival & Film Market) has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema. To date, ShortFest has screened more than 100 films that have gone…
On the 13th anniversary of Leslie Cheung’s passing, the Shanghai International Film Festival unveils a special session to honor the late actor. Though Cheung took his life at the age of 46 on April 1st, 2003, his art and collaborations with masters like Wong Kar-Wai and Tony Leung will endure as vital part of Asian cinema. Leslie Cheug rose to prominence in Hong Kong during the 1980s for his popular music, subsequently moving into film and winning numerous film festival awards for his work; including three Cannes Film Festival Awards, five Golden Horse Awards, a Venice Film Festival Award and…
This past Wednesday, at a press conference led by festival director Javier Porta-Fouz, Minister of Culture Dario Lopérfido, and Argentina’s Film Institute President Alejandro Cacetta, the Buenos Aires Film Festival revealed the films in competition.Opening night, April 13th, will feature Eugene Green’s ‘Le Fils du Joseph,’ while Don Cheadle’s ‘Miles Ahead,’ a Miles Davis biopic, will close out the festival on April 24th. Notable guests include US director/author Peter Bogdanovich (‘Paper Moon’), indie director Rick Alverson (‘Entertainment’), documentary filmmaker Penny Lane (‘Nuts!’), and Bob Byngton (‘7 Chinese Brothers’). Bogdanovich will be hosting a retrospective of his work. Then later in…
Ahead of the official ceremony, to be held on May 3rd, the awards to India’s 63rd National film awards were announced. The big winner of the night was the historical Bollywood drama ‘Bajirao Mastani,’ taking home five awards, while at the top of the list and winning best of the year is ‘Baahubali.’ Also winning for special effects, “Baahubali,’ which translates to ‘The One With Strong Arms,’ had been one of the highest grossing films of last year; raking in an estimated $89 million. Icon of Bollywood film, Amitabh Bachan won the best actor award for his rendition of a…
This year at the Cannes Film Festival, the Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki will be honored by the French directors’ society with the Carrosse d’Or, also know as the Golden Coach prize. Kaurismaki, known for his rebellious deadpan slapstick with films like ‘Leningrad Cowboys Go America’ and ‘I Hired a Contract Killer,’ has amassed an impressive body of work throughout his career. In an announcement, organizers described their reasoning for selecting Kaurismaki, “Your stories are inspired fables that tell the forgotten… often melancholic but never overwhelming… made with precision and grandeur, poetry, and even burlesque.” Previous winners include Agnes Varda, Clint…