Review: Her Performance in "Nina" Means Zoe Saldana Has No Reason to Cry

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Nina (2016)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  United Kingdom
Running minutes:  90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)

WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Cynthia Mort
PRODUCERS:  Ben Latham-Jones, Stuart Parr, and Barnaby Thompson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Mihai Malaimare Jr.
EDITORS:  Mark Helfrich, Susan Littenberg, and Josh Rifkin
COMPOSER:  Ruy Folguera

DRAMA/BIOPIC/MUSIC

Starring:  Zoe Saldana, David Oyelowo, Ronald Guttman, Mike Epps, Keith David, Ella Joyce, Stevens Gaston, Jessica Oyelowo, Kevin Mambo, and Yasmine Golchan

Nina is a 2016 biographical dramatic film written and directed by Cynthia Mort.  The film offers a fictional account of Nina Simone, the Black woman who was an American singer-songwriter, jazz musician, classical pianist, and Civil Rights activist and whose career began in the late 1950s.  Nina takes place over a decade late in her life and examines her relationship with the young man who is suddenly thrust into the position of being her manager.

Nina opens in 1988 and finds beloved singer Nina Simone (Zoe Saldana) alcoholic, mentally unstable, and financially shaky.  After an incident involving a gun, Nina is committed to a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital.  There, she befriends a young nurse, Clifton Henderson (David Oyelowo), who is also a fan of hers.  When she leaves the hospital, Nina hires Clifton as her personal assistant, and he accompanies her back to her home in Bouc-Bel-Air, France.

Once there, Clifton discovers that Nina is not only difficult and confrontational, but that she also refuses to take her medication and prefers drinking alcoholic beverages over eating.  Clifton attempts to salvage Nina's career, but her decades of ill will and a bad reputation among music business players and heavy hitters may derail Clifton's plans for a Nina Simone comeback.

Simply put, Nina is a poorly written movie.  Ostensibly, it is one of those stories about a great, famous, or important person who salvages the wreckage of her life to rekindle an famous public career.  What we get is mostly Nina Simone being stubborn and self-destructive with Clifton Henderson standing by her side, looking sad, angry, or exasperated.

I think Zoe Saldana gives a great performance as this film's Nina Simone.  I say “this film's Nina Simone” because there was a lot of controversy about her casting – especially concerning Saldana's skin tone and physical appearance compared to the real-life Nina Simone's physical characteristics.  Saldana seems to bury her true self in the make-up in order to become a dark-skinned Black woman and emerges as a character who is a fighter fiercely protecting what she believes she has left of herself.  Whatever one might say of this film, I think that there is no doubt that Saldana proves that she is an actress capable of playing the “great roles.”

The problem is that this role is not great, mainly because the writing and directing can only deliver what is barely an average film.  Writer-director Cynthia Mort even finds a way to waste the highly-skilled actor, David Oyelowo.  The passion, artistry, and professionalism he brings to his performances are absent here mainly because Clifton literally just waits around for Nina to throw an over-the-top tantrum.  The screenplay gives Saldana enough material to really be showy with Nina, but that same script gives Oyelowo very little he can use to show off.

I am not a Nina Simone expert, but I know enough about her to know that she is hugely respected and much beloved among music fans, historians, and critics.  In no way does this film come close to doing this kind of woman justice.  Watching this film, I have to wonder what the filmmakers of Nina were thinking.  Luckily, the passion that Saldana obviously brings to this project results in a performance that makes Nina worth watching.

5 of 10
C+

Sunday, November 13, 2016


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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2019 International Feature Film Oscar - 93 Countries in Consideration

93 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2019 INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM OSCAR

Ninety-three countries have submitted films for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards®. An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan are first- time entrants.

Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to rename the Foreign Language Film category to International Feature Film and expand the shortlist from nine to 10 films.

The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,” Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, “Alpha,” Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, “Debut,” Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, “Our Mothers,” César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, “Tu Me Manques,” Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “The Son,” Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Invisible Life,” Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, “Ága,” Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, “In the Life of Music,” Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, “Antigone,” Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, “Spider,” Andrés Wood, director;
China, “Ne Zha,” Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, “Monos,” Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, “The Awakening of the Ants,” Antonella Sudasassi Furniss, director;
Croatia, “Mali,” Antonio Nuic, director;
Cuba, “A Translator,” Rodrigo Barriuso, Sebastián Barriuso, directors;
Czech Republic, “The Painted Bird,” Václav Marhoul, director;
Denmark, “Queen of Hearts,” May el-Toukhy, director;
Dominican Republic, “The Projectionist,” José María Cabral, director;
Ecuador, “The Longest Night,” Gabriela Calvache, director;
Egypt, “Poisonous Roses,” Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, director;
Estonia, “Truth and Justice,” Tanel Toom, director;
Ethiopia, “Running against the Wind,” Jan Philipp Weyl, director;
Finland, “Stupid Young Heart,” Selma Vilhunen, director;
France, “Les Misérables,” Ladj Ly, director;
Georgia, “Shindisi,” Dimitri Tsintsadze, director;
Germany, “System Crasher,” Nora Fingscheidt, director;
Ghana, “Azali,” Kwabena Gyansah, director;
Greece, “When Tomatoes Met Wagner,” Marianna Economou, director;
Honduras, “Blood, Passion, and Coffee,” Carlos Membreño, director;
Hong Kong, “The White Storm 2 Drug Lords,” Herman Yau, director;
Hungary, “Those Who Remained,” Barnabás Tóth, director;
Iceland, “A White, White Day,” Hlynur Pálmason, director;
India, “Gully Boy,” Zoya Akhtar, director;
Indonesia, “Memories of My Body,” Garin Nugroho, director;
Iran, “Finding Farideh,” Azadeh Moussavi, Kourosh Ataee, directors;
Ireland, “Gaza,” Garry Keane, Andrew McConnell, directors;
Israel, “Incitement,” Yaron Zilberman, director;
Italy, “The Traitor,” Marco Bellocchio, director;
Japan, “Weathering with You,” Makoto Shinkai, director;
Kazakhstan, “Kazakh Khanate. The Golden Throne,” Rustem Abdrashov, director;
Kenya, “Subira,” Ravneet Singh (Sippy) Chadha, director;
Kosovo, “Zana,” Antoneta Kastrati, director;
Kyrgyzstan, “Aurora,” Bekzat Pirmatov, director;
Latvia, “The Mover,” Davis Simanis, director;
Lebanon, “1982,” Oualid Mouaness, director;
Lithuania, “Bridges of Time,” Audrius Stonys, Kristine Briede, directors;
Luxembourg, “Tel Aviv on Fire,” Sameh Zoabi, director;
Malaysia, “M for Malaysia,” Dian Lee, Ineza Roussille, directors;
Mexico, “The Chambermaid,” Lila Avilés, director;
Mongolia, “The Steed,” Erdenebileg Ganbold, director;
Montenegro, “Neverending Past,” Andro Martinović, director;
Morocco, “Adam,” Maryam Touzani, director;
Nepal, “Bulbul,” Binod Paudel, director;
Netherlands, “Instinct,” Halina Reijn, director;
Nigeria, “Lionheart,” Genevieve Nnaji, director;
North Macedonia, “Honeyland,” Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska, directors;
Norway, “Out Stealing Horses,” Hans Petter Moland, director;
Pakistan, “Laal Kabootar,” Kamal Khan, director;
Palestine, “It Must Be Heaven,” Elia Suleiman, director;
Panama, “Everybody Changes,” Arturo Montenegro, director;
Peru, “Retablo,” Alvaro Delgado Aparicio, director;
Philippines, “Verdict,” Raymund Ribay Gutierrez, director;
Poland, “Corpus Christi,” Jan Komasa, director;
Portugal, “The Domain,” Tiago Guedes, director;
Romania, “The Whistlers,” Corneliu Porumboiu, director;
Russia, “Beanpole,” Kantemir Balagov, director;
Saudi Arabia, “The Perfect Candidate,” Haifaa Al Mansour, director;
Senegal, “Atlantics,” Mati Diop, director;
Serbia, “King Petar the First,” Petar Ristovski, director;
Singapore, “A Land Imagined,” Yeo Siew Hua, director;
Slovakia, “Let There Be Light,” Marko Skop, director;
Slovenia, “History of Love,” Sonja Prosenc, director;
South Africa, “Knuckle City,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;
South Korea, “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, director;
Spain, “Pain and Glory,” Pedro Almodóvar, director;
Sweden, “And Then We Danced,” Levan Akin, director;
Switzerland, “Wolkenbruch’s Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa,” Michael Steiner, director;
Taiwan, “Dear Ex,” Mag Hsu, Chih-Yen Hsu, directors;
Thailand, “Krasue: Inhuman Kiss,” Sitisiri Mongkolsiri, director;
Tunisia, “Dear Son,” Mohamed Ben Attia, director;
Turkey, “Commitment Asli,” Semih Kaplanoglu, director;
Ukraine, “Homeward,” Nariman Aliev, director;
United Kingdom, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” Chiwetel Ejiofor, director;
Uruguay, “The Moneychanger,” Federico Veiroj, director;
Uzbekistan, “Hot Bread,” Umid Khamdamov, director;
Venezuela, “Being Impossible,” Patricia Ortega, director;
Vietnam, “Furie,” Le Van Kiet, director.

The shortlist of 10 films will be announced on Monday, December 16, 2019. Nominations for the 92nd Oscars® will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Robert Zemeckis Begins New Film Adaptation of Dahl's "The Witches"

Robert Zemeckis Works His Magic on the Roald Dahl Classic as Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Witches” Gets Underway

The film stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer and—just announced—Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on “The Witches,” a fantastical adventure from Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”), starring Oscar winners Anne Hathaway (“Les Misérables,” “Ocean’s 8”) and Octavia Spencer (“The Help,” “The Shape of Water”), Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci (“The Hunger Games” films, “The Lovely Bones”), and award-winning comedy legend Chris Rock. Newcomer Jahzir Kadeem Bruno (TV’s “Atlanta”) also stars, alongside Codie-Lei Eastick.

Reimagining Roald Dahl’s beloved story for a modern audience, Zemeckis’s visually innovative “The Witches” tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy (Bruno) who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma (Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. The boy and his grandmother come across some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, so Grandma wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch (Hathaway) has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe—undercover—to carry out her nefarious plans.

The screenplay is by Guillermo del Toro and Robert Zemeckis & Kenya Barris (upcoming “Shaft”), based on the book by Roald Dahl. Zemeckis also produces, alongside Jack Rapke, Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron and Luke Kelly. Serving as executive producers on the film are Michael Siegel, Gideon Simeloff, Marianne Jenkins and Jackie Levine.

Zemeckis’s behind-the-scenes team includes a roster of his frequent collaborators, including Oscar-nominated director of photography Don Burgess (“Forrest Gump”), production designer Gary Freeman, Editor Jeremiah O’Driscoll, and Oscar-nominated costume designer Joanna Johnston (“Allied,” “Lincoln”).

An Image Movers Production, a Necropia/Experanto Filmoj Production, “The Witches” is filming at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in the UK. It is currently scheduled for theatrical release October 16, 2020 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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87 Countries Seek a "Foreign Film" Oscar Nod at 91st Academy Awards

87 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2018 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR

Eighty-seven countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards®.  Malawi and Niger are first-time entrants.

The 2018 submissions are:

Afghanistan, “Rona Azim’s Mother,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;

Algeria, “Until the End of Time,” Yasmine Chouikh, director;

Argentina, “El Ángel,” Luis Ortega, director;

Armenia, “Spitak,” Alexander Kott, director;

Australia, “Jirga,” Benjamin Gilmour, director;

Austria, “The Waldheim Waltz,” Ruth Beckermann, director;

Bangladesh, “No Bed of Roses,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;

Belarus, “Crystal Swan,” Darya Zhuk, director;

Belgium, “Girl,” Lukas Dhont, director;

Bolivia, “The Goalkeeper,” Rodrigo “Gory” Patiño, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Never Leave Me,” Aida Begić, director;

Brazil, “The Great Mystical Circus,” Carlos Diegues, director;

Bulgaria, “Omnipresent,” Ilian Djevelekov, director;

Cambodia, “Graves without a Name,” Rithy Panh, director;

Canada, “Family First,” Sophie Dupuis, director;

Chile, “…And Suddenly the Dawn,” Silvio Caiozzi, director;

China, “Hidden Man,” Jiang Wen, director;

Colombia, “Birds of Passage,” Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra, directors;

Costa Rica, “Medea,” Alexandra Latishev, director;

Croatia, “The Eighth Commissioner,” Ivan Salaj, director;

Czech Republic, “Winter Flies,” Olmo Omerzu, director;

Denmark, “The Guilty,” Gustav Möller, director;

Dominican Republic, “Cocote,” Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias, director;

Ecuador, “A Son of Man,” Jamaicanoproblem, director;

Egypt, “Yomeddine,” A.B. Shawky, director;

Estonia, “Take It or Leave It,” Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, director;

Finland, “Euthanizer,” Teemu Nikki, director;

France, “Memoir of War,” Emmanuel Finkiel, director;

Georgia, “Namme,” Zaza Khalvashi, director;

Germany, “Never Look Away,” Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director;

Greece, “Polyxeni,” Dora Masklavanou, director;

Hong Kong, “Operation Red Sea,” Dante Lam, director;

Hungary, “Sunset,” László Nemes, director;

Iceland, “Woman at War,” Benedikt Erlingsson, director;

India, “Village Rockstars,” Rima Das, director;

Indonesia, “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts,” Mouly Surya, director;

Iran, “No Date, No Signature,” Vahid Jalilvand, director;

Iraq, “The Journey,” Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, director;

Israel, “The Cakemaker,” Ofir Raul Graizer, director;

Italy, “Dogman,” Matteo Garrone, director;

Japan, “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, director;

Kazakhstan, “Ayka,” Sergey Dvortsevoy, director;

Kenya, “Supa Modo,” Likarion Wainaina, director;

Kosovo, “The Marriage,” Blerta Zeqiri, director;

Latvia, “To Be Continued,” Ivars Seleckis, director;

Lebanon, “Capernaum,” Nadine Labaki, director;

Lithuania, “Wonderful Losers: A Different World,” Arunas Matelis, director;

Luxembourg, “Gutland,” Govinda Van Maele, director;

Macedonia, “Secret Ingredient,” Gjorce Stavreski, director;

Malawi, “The Road to Sunrise,” Shemu Joyah, director;

Mexico, “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón, director;

Montenegro, “Iskra,” Gojko Berkuljan, director;

Morocco, “Burnout,” Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, director;

Nepal, “Panchayat,” Shivam Adhikari, director;

Netherlands, “The Resistance Banker,” Joram Lürsen, director;

New Zealand, “Yellow Is Forbidden,” Pietra Brettkelly, director;

Niger, “The Wedding Ring,” Rahmatou Keïta, director;

Norway, “What Will People Say,” Iram Haq, director;

Pakistan, “Cake,” Asim Abbasi, director;

Palestine, “Ghost Hunting,” Raed Andoni, director;

Panama, “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name,” Abner Benaim, director;

Paraguay, “The Heiresses,” Marcelo Martinessi, director;

Peru, “Eternity,” Oscar Catacora, director;

Philippines, “Signal Rock,” Chito S. Roño, director;

Poland, “Cold War,” Pawel Pawlikowski, director;

Portugal, “Pilgrimage,” João Botelho, director;

Romania, “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians,” Radu Jude, director;

Russia, “Sobibor,” Konstantin Khabensky, director;

Serbia, “Offenders,” Dejan Zecevic, director;

Singapore, “Buffalo Boys,” Mike Wiluan, director;

Slovakia, “The Interpreter,” Martin Šulík, director;

Slovenia, “Ivan,” Janez Burger, director;

South Africa, “Sew the Winter to My Skin,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;

South Korea, “Burning,” Lee Chang-dong, director;

Spain, “Champions,” Javier Fesser, director;

Sweden, “Border,” Ali Abbasi, director;

Switzerland, “Eldorado,” Markus Imhoof, director;

Taiwan, “The Great Buddha+,” Hsin-Yao Huang, director;

Thailand, “Malila The Farewell Flower,” Anucha Boonyawatana, director;

Tunisia, “Beauty and the Dogs,” Kaouther Ben Hania, director;

Turkey, “The Wild Pear Tree,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director;

Ukraine, “Donbass,” Sergei Loznitsa, director;

United Kingdom, “I Am Not a Witch,” Rungano Nyoni, director;

Uruguay, “Twelve-Year Night,” Álvaro Brechner, director;

Venezuela, “The Family,” Gustavo Rondón Córdova, director;

Vietnam, “The Tailor,” Buu Loc Tran, Kay Nguyen, directors;

Yemen, “10 Days before the Wedding,” Amr Gamal, director.

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.

The 91st Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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MoviePass Ventures Celebrates Award Nominations for "American Animals"

MoviePass Ventures’ First Entry Into Film Distribution, American Animals, Scores Big With 11 British Independent Film Awards Nominations

The Nominations for Company’s First Entry Into Film Distribution in Association With The Orchard, Rock MoviePass Ventures’ World

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (Nasdaq: HMNY) subsidiary, MoviePass Ventures, announced that, its first entry into film distribution, American Animals, has received eleven nominations for this year’s film awards from BIFA, the British Independent Film Awards. BIFA is an organization that celebrates, supports and promotes British independent cinema and filmmaking talent in the UK.

Capturing the coveted nomination for Best Independent Film are Bart Layton, Katherine Butler, Dimitri Doganis, Derrin Schlesinger and Mary Jane Skalski. The film’s director, Bart Layton has been personally nominated for three awards -- Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Debut Screenwriter. Other nominations include Best Supporting Actor nominations for Barry Keoghan and Evan Peters, Best Casting, Avy Kaufman, Best Cinematography, Ole Bratt Birkeland and Best Editing, Nick Fenton, Julian Hart and Chris Gill.

“We are floored,” said Ted Farnsworth, Chairman of MoviePass Ventures. “To reach the moon on our maiden voyage is absolutely phenomenal. We knew we had something special at the Sundance Film Festival when we got on board and these nominations more than confirm that we were right. We extend our congratulations, not only to our esteemed nominees, but to all of those honored by BIFA.”


About American Animals
Spencer Reinhard, Warren Lipka, Eric Borsuk and Chas Allen are four friends who live an ordinary existence in Kentucky. After a visit to Transylvania University, Lipka comes up with the idea to steal the rarest and most valuable books from the school's library. As one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history starts to unfold, the men question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives are simply misguided attempts at achieving the American dream.

About MoviePass Ventures
MoviePass Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HMNY, is dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers and distributors. Announced at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, MoviePass Ventures collaborates with film distributors and creatives to co-acquire rights in films and offer them enhanced performance in the theatrical window.

About Helios and Matheson Analytics
Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (Nasdaq: HMNY) is a provider of information technology services and solutions, offering a range of technology platforms focusing on big data, artificial intelligence, business intelligence, social listening and consumer-centric technology. HMNY currently owns approximately 92% of the outstanding shares (excluding options and warrants) of MoviePass Inc., the nation’s premier movie-theater subscription service, 100% of the outstanding equity interests of MoviePass Ventures LLC, and 51% of the outstanding equity interests of MoviePass Films LLC. HMNY also owns Moviefone™, a multimedia media information and advertising service. HMNY’s holdings include RedZone Map™, a safety and navigation app for iOS and Android users, and a community-based ecosystem that features a socially empowered safety map app that enhances mobile GPS navigation using advanced proprietary technology. HMNY is headquartered in New York, NY and listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol HMNY. For more information, visit www.hmny.com.

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2018 Oscars "Best Live Action Short Film" - "The Silent Child"

Short Film (Live Action)

The Silent Child - Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton - WINNERS

Nominees
DeKalb Elementary - Reed Van Dyk
The Eleven O'Clock - Derin Seale and Josh Lawson
My Nephew Emmett - Kevin Wilson, Jr.
Watu Wote/All of Us - Katja Benrath and Tobias Rosen

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Miami Film Festival Announces Short Film Competition Nominees

IMDbPro and MDC’s Miami Film Festival Announce 25 Finalists for IMDbPro Short Film Competition

All 25 Finalists Will Screen at the Festival and Compete for the Grand Jury Selection of the Best Short Film of the Year and $2,500 Cash Prize to be Presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, 2018

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miami Dade College’s (MDC) acclaimed Miami Film Festival and IMDbPro (www.imdbpro.com), the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, unveiled 25 finalists in the Festival’s IMDbPro Short Film Competition. The 25 finalists were selected by a programming committee of filmmakers, cinephiles and film industry professionals in Miami and internationally, under the direction of the Festival’s Director of Programming, and will all screen at the Festival and compete for the Grand Jury selection of the best short film of the year, to be presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, 2018. The Short Film Competition Grand Jury will include IMDb Founder and CEO Col Needham and others to be announced, and the winning filmmaker will receive a $2,500 cash prize.

    “We congratulate the finalists of the IMDbPro Short Film Competition and are pleased that all submissions were exclusively received and processed via the IMDbPro Withoutabox service, which connects filmmakers and film festivals”

The internationally renowned Miami Film Festival, which celebrates its 35th anniversary edition this year, will take place March 9 – 18, 2018 at venues across Miami. Tickets went on sale to members of the Miami Film Society on February 9, 2018 and the general public on February 16, 2018 at miamifilmfestival.com or 1-844-565-6433 (MIFF).

“We congratulate the finalists of the IMDbPro Short Film Competition and are pleased that all submissions were exclusively received and processed via the IMDbPro Withoutabox service, which connects filmmakers and film festivals,” said Matt Kumin, Head of IMDbPro. “This short film competition is one of the many ways we help filmmakers get discovered by a global audience and advance their careers.”

“The short film is an art form unto itself,” said Miami Film Festival director Jaie Laplante. “Life comes at us in short bursts, and these 25 wonderful films expertly capture the brief sensations of insight we are momentarily afforded in the enormous volume of information that crowds our lives.”

Highlights among the 25 finalists of the Festival’s 2018 IMDbPro Short Film Competition include:

•     Adrián Cárdenas, a Cuban-American writer/director from Miami and former Major League baseball player for the Chicago Cubs, will present his NYU Tisch School of the Arts master’s thesis film, “Canoe Poems.”
•     Six new animated shorts will compete from the National Film Board of Canada, this category’s defending champion. The 2017 Miami Film Festival’s Best Short-winning film was the NFB’s “The Head Vanishes,” by Franck Dion.
•     Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei and Oscar-nominee Minnie Driver star in Jocelyn Stamat’s unusual sci-fi/horror entry, “Laboratory Conditions.”
•     Three-time and currently Oscar-nominated makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji’s work in the physical transformation of 2018 Oscar nominee Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour is profiled in “The Human Face.”
•     Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel returns to the competition for a third consecutive time with the BAFTA-nominated “A Drowning Man,” first presented as a Palme d’Or candidate at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
•     Miami-born Michael Arcos will present his eclectic “This My Favorite Mural” and Miami-educated Sara Werner will present “The Things They Left Behind,” based on a story by Stephen King.

The complete list of 25 films in the Festival’s IMDbPro Short Film Competition are:

1. BROKEN HILL (Australia, 2017), directed by Peter Drew.
2. THE CANNONBALL WOMAN (Canada, France, Switzerland, 2017), directed by Albertine Zullo, David Toutevoix.
3. CANOE POEMS (USA, 2017), directed by Adrián Cárdenas.
4. DEYZANGEROO (Canada, 2017), directed by Ehsan Gharib.
5. A DROWNING MAN (Denmark, Greece, UK 2017), directed by Mahdi Fleifel.
6. EMMY (Canada, 2018), directed by Hannah Cheesman.
7. THE FISHERMAN (Cuba, 2017), directed by Ana A. Alpizar.
8. (FOOL TIME) JOB (France, 2017), directed by Gilles Cuvelier.
9. THE FULL STORY (UK, 2017), directed by Daisy Jacobs.
10. HOLY HILL (Dominican Republic, 2017), directed by Rodney Llaverias.
11. THE HUMAN FACE (USA, 2017), directed by Aline Pimentel.
12. LABORATORY CONDITIONS (USA, 2017), directed by Jocelyn Stamat.
13. LOS COMANDOS (USA, 2017), directed by Joshua Bennett, Juliana Schatz.
14. MANIVALD (Canada, Croatia, Estonia 2017), directed by Chintis Lundgren.
15. MI DULCINEA (Cuba, 2017), directed by Max Barbakow.
16. MOTHER (Spain, 2017), directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
17. MY TREASURE (El Salvador, 2017), directed by Michael Flores.
18. MY YIDDISH PAPI (Canada, 2017), directed by Éléonore Goldberg.
19. NO TRAFFIC NO MORE (Canada, 2017), directed by Julie Roy
20. SKIN FOR SKIN (Canada, 2017), directed by Kevin D. A. Kurytnik, Carol Beecher.
21. THE TESLA WORLD LIGHT (Canada, 2017), directed by Matthew Rankin.
22. THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND (USA, 2017), directed by Sara Werner.
23. THIS MY FAVORITE MURAL (USA, Honduras, Costa Rica, 2017), directed by Michael Arcos.
24. TO GO (Uruguay, 2018), directed by Ilan Rosenfeld.
25. UNFINISHED, 2017 (MIXED MEDIA) (USA, 2018), directed by Rafael Salazar Moreno.

The Grand Jury selection for the IMDbPro Short Film Award and $2,500 cash prize will be presented at the Festival’s Awards Night Gala on March 17, at the Olympia Theater and The Historic Alfred I. Dupont Building in downtown Miami, as part of the Festival’s CINEDWNTWN GALA series sponsored by Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Tickets for the Awards Night Gala are already on sale via 1-844-565-6433 (MIFF) or miamifilmfestival.com.

The Canadian short films in this section are presented with the support of Telefilm Canada, and all French-language shorts are additionally presented by TV5 Monde. The screening of “Mother” is made possible with the support of Acción Cultural Española, AC/E.

For membership opportunities or more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456). Miami Film Festival is the only major film festival event housed within a college or university.


About Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival
Celebrating cinema in two annual events, Miami GEMS Festival in October and its 35th annual edition March 9 – 18, 2018, Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival more than 60,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. Miami Film Festival’s special focus on Ibero-American cinema has made the Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of new talent from this diverse territory. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. Major sponsors of the 2017-18 Festival season include Knight Foundation, American Airlines and Miami-Dade County. For more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).

About IMDbPro and Withoutabox
IMDbPro (www.imdbpro.com) is the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals. This membership-based service includes comprehensive information and tools that are designed to help entertainment industry professionals achieve success throughout all stages of their career. IMDbPro offers members the following: detailed contact and representation information; tools to manage and showcase their IMDb profile, including the ability to select their primary images and the credits they are best “known for”; exclusive STARmeter and MOVIEmeter rankings that are determined by page views on IMDb; a casting service to post breakdowns and apply to roles; the IMDbPro app for iPhone and more. IMDbPro is owned and operated by IMDb, the #1 movie website in the world. Additionally, IMDb owns and operates Withoutabox (https://www.withoutabox.com/), the premier submission service for film festivals and filmmakers.

About Telefilm Canada—Inspired by talent. Viewed everywhere.
Created in 1967, Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund and the Talent Fund, a private donation initiative. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

About TV5Monde
TV5MONDE is the global French language entertainment network, broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without commercial interruptions. TV5MONDE USA is a premium pay-tv channel reaching 1.5 million viewers in the U.S. American viewers enjoy a wealth of high quality French language programming, subtitled in English, including up to 300 classic, recent and never-before-seen in the U.S. French language films per year, around the clock newscasts live from Paris, the latest series and TV dramas, premium documentaries, cultural programs and international sports coverage.

----------------------------

Amazon Announces "Fortitude" for Prime Video

Amazon Studios Orders Original Dramatic Series Fortitude from Sky Vision

Ten episodes of the Arctic thriller, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Richard Dormer and Dennis Quaid, will debut later this year on Prime Video in the US

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios and Sky Vision today announced the addition of Fortitude to Amazon’s lineup of dramatic original series for Prime Video in the US. The first season of Fortitude premiered on Sky Atlantic in 2015 and became the network’s most successful original drama commission to date, with the first episode watched by an accumulative audience of more than 3.2 million.

The first season has also been available on Prime Video in the US since January 2016, with more than 2,000 four and five star reviews from customers. Season two of the series will become an Amazon Original Series and features an ensemble cast, including Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones), Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point), Sofie Gråbøl (The Killing), Luke Treadaway (Clash of the Titans), Darren Boyd (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man), Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Jar 2pm City), Mia Jexen (Happiness), Alexandra Moen (Strike Back), Verónica Echegui (The Cold Light of Day), Sienna Guillory (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man), Ramon Tikaram (Jupiter Ascending), Parminder Nagra (ER), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Robert Sheehan (Misfits) and Ken Stott (The Missing). The series is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video in the US later this year.

    “Amazon is the perfect home for Fortitude in the US”

Fortitude follows Sheriff Dan Anderssen (Dormer) of Fortitude, a small isolated community with a captive population in an environment that is undergoing change and upheaval due to parasite and pathogen activity. After shooting the woman he loved, Dan becomes consumed with guilt, disappears into the wilderness and was presumed dead. Without a sheriff, the people of Fortitude begin to wonder whether Deputy Eric Odegard (Haraldsson), who has spent the last few weeks desperately searching for Dan, can fill his shoes. A new body is discovered on the other side of town and Eric must step up and lead this horrific investigation. As his own police team is trying to figure out who would have killed a man for no apparent reason, Dan suddenly reappears—a violent broken ruin of a man and wild to the point of feral. Quaid stars as Michael Lennox, a fisherman and patriarch of a family living in Fortitude, who is struggling to come to terms with his terminally ill wife, and will try anything to find a cure.

“In Fortitude, our customers will experience Dennis Quaid in a remarkably compassionate role, joined by an ensemble cast that has resonated with audiences globally,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR, Amazon Studios. “We’re excited to add such a beautiful and captivating series to our originals slate.”

“Amazon is the perfect home for Fortitude in the US,” said Jane Millichip, Managing Director, Sky Vision. “Fortitude is high-end, addictive viewing and perfectly suits Amazon's scripted portfolio. Amazon has been a keen supporter of the series from the outset, having taken an SVOD window on season one. We're delighted to now extend the relationship and make Amazon the home of our most successful returning Sky Atlantic original drama series.”

Fortitude is an Amazon Original Series in the US and Sky Original Production in the UK, produced by Fifty Fathoms, the makers of BAFTA-winning Marvellous, for BBC Two. The series is created and written by Simon Donald, and executive produced by Donald, Faye Dorn (Inspector George Gently) and Patrick Spence (The A Word). Trevor Hopkins (Strike Back) and Susie Liggat (Doctor Who) serve as producers.

Fortitude will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online, along with other Amazon Original Series at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

•     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
•     Amazon Channels: Over 100 video subscriptions to networks like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV, and more, available to Amazon Prime members in the US as add-ons to their membership. To view the full list of available channels, visit www.amazon.com/channels.
•     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
•     Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
•     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

About Sky Vision
Sky Vision is the production and distribution arm of Sky. The distribution arm represents around 5,000 hours of quality primetime programming from Sky Originals and independent third-party production, across all key primetime genres (drama, entertainment, factual entertainment and factual). The business also has equity investments in seven production businesses in the UK and US; Love Productions, Blast! Films, Sugar Films and Sky Vision Productions in the UK; and in the US, Jupiter Entertainment, Talos Films and Znak & Co.

In addition to its equity investments, Sky Vision works extensively within dependent producers in the UK and US and has development deals with a number of production companies; including Asylum Entertainment and Peacock Alley in North America; and Avanti Media, Bohemia, Chalkboard, LittleRock Pictures, Merman Films and Spring Films in the UK.

About Fifty Fathoms
Fifty Fathoms was set up by Patrick Spence under Endemol Shine Group in 2010. Patrick now runs the company with Katie Swinden (Peaky Blinders, Marvellous). Filming recently completed on Guerrilla, a 6 x 60' series for Sky Atlantic and Showtime, written and directed by Academy Award winner John Ridley, starring Freida Pinto, Babou Ceesay, Rory Kinnear, Denise Gough, Danny Mays, Zawe Ashton and Idris Elba, about two political activists fighting against a racist police force in 1970s London.

Fifty Fathoms’ 2014 debut production, Marvellous, a 90′ single film written by Peter Bowker, told the incredible true story of Neil Baldwin, a man who refused to accept the label of learning difficulties. Directed by Julian Farino (Entourage, The Office (US) ) and starring Toby Jones and Gemma Jones, it went on to win BAFTAs for Best Single Film, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress; Best Writer and Director, RTS; Best Film and Best Actor, BPG and Best Film, Writers Guild Awards and FIPA. And they have been picked up for a second season of The A Word, Pete Bowker's 6 x 60' series for BBC1 and Sundance, directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Christopher Eccleston, Lee Ingleby and Morven Christie, a co-production with Keshet.

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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British Academy Names "La La Land" Best Film of 2016 - Complete Winners List

The British Academy Film Awards (also known as the BAFTAs) are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). They are the British counterpart of the Oscars.

Previously known as the Orange British Academy Film Awards, they are now known as the EE British Academy Film Awards.  The British telecommunications company, EE, replaces Orange as the title sponsor of the awards.

The 70th EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony took place Sunday, February 12, 2017 at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The ceremony was hosted by Stephen Fry and was broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD. The ceremony was also broadcast in all major territories around the world.

2017 / 70th BAFTA Film Award winners (for the year in film 2016):

BEST FILM
LA LA LAND Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Rebecca O'Brien, Paul Laverty

DIRECTOR
LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle

LEADING ACTOR
CASEY AFFLECK Manchester by the Sea

LEADING ACTRESS
EMMA STONE La La Land

SUPPORTING ACTOR
DEV PATEL Lion

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
VIOLA DAVIS Fences

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Under the Shadow: BABAK ANVARI (Writer/Director), EMILY LEO, OLIVER ROSKILL, LUCAN TOH (Producers)

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SON OF SAUL László Nemes, Gábor Sipos

DOCUMENTARY
13th Ava DuVernay, Spencer Averick, Howard Barish

ANIMATED FILM
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS Travis Knight

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
LION Luke Davies

ORIGINAL MUSIC
LA LA LAND Justin Hurwitz

CINEMATOGRAPHY
LA LA LAND Linus Sandgren

EDITING
HACKSAW RIDGE John Gilbert

PRODUCTION DESIGN
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Stuart Craig, Anna Pinnock

COSTUME DESIGN
JACKIE Madeline Fontaine

MAKE UP & HAIR
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS J. Roy Helland, Daniel Phillips

SOUND
ARRIVAL Sylvain Bellemare, Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE JUNGLE BOOK Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
A LOVE STORY Khaled Gad, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Elena Ruscombe-King

BRITISH SHORT FILM
HOME Shpat Deda, Afolabi Kuti, Daniel Mulloy, Scott O’Donnell

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
TOM HOLLAND

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA (previously announced)
Curzon

BAFTA FELLOWSHIP (previously announced)
Mel Brooks

----------------------------

London Film Critics Circle Names "La La Land" Film of the Year 2016

The London Critics’ Circle Film Section is part of a larger organization, The Critics’ Circle, which makes an annual award for Services to the Arts.  This circle is comprised of the five sections:  dance, drama, film, music, and visual arts.

The London Critics’ Circle Film Section announced nominations for its 37th annual film awards on December 21, 2016.  The winners were announced January 22, 2017 at The May Fair Hotel.

2017 / 37th London Critics' Circle Film Award Winners (for the year in film 2016):

FILM OF THE YEAR
La La Land

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Toni Erdmann

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Fire at Sea

BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR
I, Daniel Blake

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Isabelle Huppert - Things to Come

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR – Tie
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
Tom Bennett - Love & Friendship

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Naomie Harris - Moonlight

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
László Nemes - Son of Saul

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea

BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR
Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge, Silence

BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale - Love & Friendship

YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER
Lewis MacDougall - A Monster Calls

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER
Babak Anvari - Under the Shadow

BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM
Sweet Maddie Stone - Brady Hood

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Victoria - Sturla Brandth Grovlen, cinematography

Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film
Isabelle Huppert

-----------------------

70th BAFTA Film Award Nominations Announced - Complete List

The British Academy Film Awards (also known as the BAFTAs) are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). They are the British counterpart of the Oscars.

Previously known as the Orange British Academy Film Awards, they are now known as the EE British Academy Film Awards.  The British telecommunications company, EE, replaces Orange as the title sponsor of the awards.

The 70th EE British Academy Film Awards nominations were announced Tuesday, January 10, 2017.  The award ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The ceremony will be hosted by Stephen Fry and will be broadcast exclusively on BBC One and BBC One HD. The ceremony is also broadcast in all major territories around the world.

2017 / 70th BAFTA Film Award nominations (for the year in film 2016):

BEST FILM
ARRIVAL Dan Levine, Shawn Levy, David Linde, Aaron Ryder
I, DANIEL BLAKE Rebecca O'Brien
LA LA LAND Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Lauren Beck, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Kimberly Steward,
Kevin J. Walsh
MOONLIGHT Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Pouya Shahbazian, Jay Van Hoy
DENIAL Mick Jackson, Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff, David Hare
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM David Yates, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, J.K. Rowling, Lionel Wigram
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Rebecca O'Brien, Paul Laverty
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison
UNDER THE SHADOW Babak Anvari, Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
The Girl With All the Gifts: MIKE CAREY (Writer), CAMILLE GATIN (Producer)
The Hard Stop: GEORGE AMPONSAH (Writer/Director/Producer), DIONNE WALKER (Writer/Producer)
Notes on Blindness: PETER MIDDLETON (Writer/Director/Producer), JAMES SPINNEY (Writer/Director), JO-JO ELLISON (Producer)
The Pass: JOHN DONNELLY (Writer), BEN A. WILLIAMS (Director)
Under the Shadow: BABAK ANVARI (Writer/Director), EMILY LEO, OLIVER ROSKILL, LUCAN TOH (Producers)

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DHEEPAN Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux
JULIETA Pedro Almodóvar
MUSTANG Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Charles Gillibert
SON OF SAUL László Nemes, Gábor Sipos
TONI ERDMANN Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski

DOCUMENTARY
13th Ava DuVernay
THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK- THE TOURING YEARS Ron Howard
THE EAGLE HUNTRESS Otto Bell, Stacey Reiss
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney
WEINER Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg

ANIMATED FILM
FINDING DORY Andrew Stanton
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS Travis Knight
MOANA Ron Clements, John Musker
ZOOTROPOLIS Byron Howard, Rich Moore

DIRECTOR
ARRIVAL Denis Villeneuve
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach
LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
HELL OR HIGH WATER Taylor Sheridan
I, DANIEL BLAKE Paul Laverty
LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan
MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARRIVAL Eric Heisserer
HACKSAW RIDGE Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan
HIDDEN FIGURES Theodore Melfi, Allison Schroeder
LION Luke Davies
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford

LEADING ACTOR
ANDREW GARFIELD Hacksaw Ridge
CASEY AFFLECK Manchester by the Sea
JAKE GYLLENHAAL Nocturnal Animals
RYAN GOSLING La La Land
VIGGO MORTENSEN Captain Fantastic

LEADING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS Arrival
EMILY BLUNT The Girl on the Train
EMMA STONE La La Land
MERYL STREEP Florence Foster Jenkins
NATALIE PORTMAN Jackie

SUPPORTING ACTOR
AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON Nocturnal Animals
DEV PATEL Lion
HUGH GRANT Florence Foster Jenkins
JEFF BRIDGES Hell or High Water
MAHERSHALA ALI Moonlight

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
MICHELLE WILLIAMS Manchester by the Sea
NAOMIE HARRIS Moonlight
NICOLE KIDMAN Lion
VIOLA DAVIS Fences

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ARRIVAL Jóhann Jóhannsson
JACKIE Mica Levi
LA LA LAND Justin Hurwitz
LION Dustin O'Halloran, Hauschka
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Abel Korzeniowski

CINEMATOGRAPHY
ARRIVAL Bradford Young
HELL OR HIGH WATER Giles Nuttgens
LA LA LAND Linus Sandgren
LION Greig Fraser
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Seamus McGarvey

EDITING
ARRIVAL Joe Walker
HACKSAW RIDGE John Gilbert
LA LA LAND Tom Cross
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Jennifer Lame
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Joan Sobel

PRODUCTION DESIGN
DOCTOR STRANGE Charles Wood, John Bush
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Stuart Craig, Anna Pinnock
HAIL, CAESAR! Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh
LA LA LAND David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Shane Valentino, Meg Everist

COSTUME DESIGN
ALLIED Joanna Johnston
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Colleen Atwood
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Consolata Boyle
JACKIE Madeline Fontaine
LA LA LAND Mary Zophres

MAKE UP & HAIR
DOCTOR STRANGE Jeremy Woodhead
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS J. Roy Helland, Daniel Phillips
HACKSAW RIDGE Shane Thomas
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Donald Mowat, Yolanda Toussieng
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Nominees tbc

SOUND
ARRIVAL Sylvain Bellemare, Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl
DEEPWATER HORIZON Dror Mohar​, Mike Prestwood Smith, Wylie Stateman, David Wyman
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Niv Adiri, Glenn Freemantle, Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Ian Tapp
HACKSAW RIDGE Peter Grace, Robert Mackenzie, Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright
LA LA LAND Mildred Iatrou Morgan, Ai-Ling Lee, Steve A. Morrow, Andy Nelson

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
ARRIVAL Louis Morin
DOCTOR STRANGE Richard Bluff, Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, David Watkins
THE JUNGLE BOOK Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Neil Corbould, Hal Hickel, Mohen Leo, John Knoll, Nigel Sumner

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
THE ALAN DIMENSION Jac Clinch, Jonathan Harbottle, Millie Marsh
A LOVE STORY Khaled Gad, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Elena Ruscombe-King
TOUGH Jennifer Zheng

BRITISH SHORT FILM
CONSUMED Richard John Seymour
HOME Shpat Deda, Afolabi Kuti, Daniel Mulloy, Scott O’Donnell
MOUTH OF HELL Bart Gavigan, Samir Mehanovic, Ailie Smith, Michael Wilson
THE PARTY Farah Abushwesha, Emmet Fleming, Andrea Harkin, Conor MacNeill
STANDBY Jack Hannon, Charlotte Regan

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY
LAIA COSTA
LUCAS HEDGES
RUTH NEGGA
TOM HOLLAND

----------------------------

London Critics Circle Film Award Nominations Announced - Complete List

The London Critics’ Circle Film Section is part of a larger organization, The Critics’ Circle, which makes an annual award for Services to the Arts.  This circle is comprised of the five sections:  dance, drama, film, music, and visual arts.

The London Critics’ Circle Film Section announced nominations for its 37th annual film awards on December 21, 2016.  The winners will be announced January 22, 2017 at The May Fair Hotel.

2017 / 37th London Critics' Circle Film Award Nominees:

FILM OF THE YEAR
American Honey
Fire at Sea
I, Daniel Blake
La La Land
Love & Friendship
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals
Son of Saul
Toni Erdmann

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Fire at Sea
Son of Saul
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Victoria

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
Cameraperson
The Eagle Huntress
Fire at Sea
Life, Animated

BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR
American Honey
High-Rise
I, Daniel Blake
Love & Friendship
Sing Street

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
Adam Driver - Paterson
Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge
Jake Gyllenhaal - Nocturnal Animals
Peter Simonischek - Toni Erdmann

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Amy Adams - Arrival
Kate Beckinsale - Love & Friendship
Sandra Hüller - Toni Erdmann
Isabelle Huppert - Things to Come
Emma Stone - La La Land

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
Tom Bennett - Love & Friendship
Jeff Bridges - Hell or High Water
Shia LaBeouf - American Honey
Michael Shannon - Nocturnal Animals

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Viola Davis - Fences
Greta Gerwig - 20th Century Women
Naomie Harris - Moonlight
Riley Keough - American Honey
Michelle Williams - Manchester by the Sea

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Maren Ade - Toni Erdmann
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
László Nemes - Son of Saul

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Maren Ade - Toni Erdmann
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
Whit Stillman - Love & Friendship

BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR
Tom Bennett - Love & Friendship, Life on the Road
Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge, Silence
Hugh Grant - Florence Foster Jenkins
Dave Johns - I, Daniel Blake
David Oyelowo - A United Kingdom, Queen of Katwe

BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale - Love & Friendship
Rebecca Hall - Christine
Naomie Harris - Moonlight, Our Kind of Traitor, Collateral Beauty
Ruth Negga - Loving, Iona
Hayley Squires - I, Daniel Blake

YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER
Ruby Barnhill - The BFG
Lewis MacDougall - A Monster Calls
Sennia Nanua - The Girl With All the Gifts
Anya Taylor-Joy - The Witch, Morgan
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo - Sing Street

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER
Babak Anvari - Under the Shadow
Mike Carey - The Girl With All the Gifts
Guy Hibbert - Eye in the Sky, A United Kingdom
Peter Middleton & James Spinney - Notes on Blindness
Rachel Tunnard - Adult Life Skills

BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM
Isabella - Duncan Cowles & Ross Hogg
Jacked - Rene Pannevis
Sweet Maddie Stone - Brady Hood
Tamara - Sofia Safonova
Terminal - Natasha Waugh

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
American Honey - Robbie Ryan, cinematography
Arrival - Sylvain Bellemare, sound design
High-Rise - Mark Tildesley, production design
Jackie - Mica Levi, music
Jason Bourne - Gary Powell, stunts
La La Land - Justin Hurwitz, music
Moonlight - Nat Sanders & Joi McMillon, editing
Sing Street - Gary Clark & John Carney, music
Rogue One - John Knoll, visual effects
Victoria - Sturla Brandth Grovlen, cinematography

------------------------

2016 British Independent Film Awards Announced; "American Honey" Dominates

Raindance created the British Independent Film Awards (in 1998) to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking.  The awards also honor new talent and promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.

On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, the nominations for the 2015/19th Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced in London.  The winners were announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday, December 4, 2016 at Old Billingsgate. The event was hosted by Jennifer Saunders.

The 2016 / 19th Moët British Independent Film Awards winners:

BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Pouya Shahbazian, Alice Weinberg, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa

INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner

DIRECTOR
ANDREA ARNOLD American Honey

SCREENPLAY
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow

ACTRESS
SASHA LANE American Honey

ACTOR
DAVE JOHNS I, Daniel Blake

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AVIN MANSHADI Under the Shadow

SUPPORTING ACTOR
BRETT GOLDSTEIN Adult Life Skills

DOCUMENTARY
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison, Alex Usborne

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CRAFT
ROBBIE RYAN Cinematography – American Honey

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD (DEBUT DIRECTOR)
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow

DEBUT SCREENWRITER
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills

BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCER
CAMILLE GATIN The Girl With All the Gifts

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake

THE DISCOVERY AWARD
THE GREASY STRANGLER Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard, Daniel Noah, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C Waller, Elijah Wood

BRITISH SHORT
JACKED Rene Pannevis, Ashish Ghadiali, Jennifer Eriksson

The BIFA Variety Award:
Naomie Harris
(The Variety Award recognises a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK.)

The Richard Harris Award:
Alison Steadman
(The Richard Harris Award was introduced in 2002 in honour of Richard Harris and recognises outstanding contribution to British film by an actor.)

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2016 British Independent Film Award Nominations Announced

In 1998, Raindance created the British Independent Film Awards to celebrate merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking.  The awards also honor new talent and promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.

On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, the nominations for the 2015/19th Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced in London.  The winners will be announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday, December 4, 2016 at Old Billingsgate. The event, hosted by Jennifer Saunders, will be live streamed on www.bifa.film.

The 2016 / 19th Moët British Independent Film Awards nominations:

BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Pouya Shahbazian, Alice Weinberg, Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa
COUPLE IN A HOLE Tom Geens, Zorana Piggott
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, Rebecca O’Brien
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison, Alex Usborne
UNDER THE SHADOW Babak Anvari, Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh

INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE Taika Waititi, Carthew Neal, Matt Noonan, Leanne Saunders
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan, Kimberly Steward, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin J. Walsh
MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
MUSTANG Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour, Charles Gillibert
TONI ERDMANN Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach, Michel Merkt

DIRECTOR
ANDREA ARNOLD American Honey
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
BEN WHEATLEY Free Fire
KEN LOACH I, Daniel Blake
PETER MIDDLETON, JAMES SPINNEY, Notes on Blindness

SCREENPLAY
ANDREA ARNOLD American Honey
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
BILLY O’BRIEN, CHRISTOPHER HYDE I Am Not a Serial Killer
PAUL LAVERTY I, Daniel Blake
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills

ACTRESS
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
JODIE WHITTAKER Adult Life Skills
KATE DICKIE Couple in a Hole
NARGES RASHIDI Under the Shadow
SASHA LANE American Honey

ACTOR
DAVE JOHNS I, Daniel Blake
MAX RECORDS I Am Not a Serial Killer
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Trespass Against Us
SHIA LABEOUF American Honey
STEVE BRANDON My Feral Heart

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AVIN MANSHADI Under the Shadow
GEMMA ARTERTON The Girl With All the Gifts
NAOMIE HARRIS Our Kind of Traitor
SHANA SWASH My Feral Heart
TERRY PHETO A United Kingdom

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ARINZÉ KENE The Pass
BRETT GOLDSTEIN Adult Life Skills
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD I Am Not a Serial Killer
JAMIE DORNAN Anthropoid
SEAN HARRIS Trespass Against Us

DOCUMENTARY
THE CONFESSION: LIVING THE WAR ON TERROR Ashish Ghadiali, James Rogan
DANCER Steven Cantor, Gabrielle Tana
THE HARD STOP George Amponsah, Dionne Walker
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison, Alex Usborne
VERSUS: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF KEN LOACH Louise Osmond, Rebecca O’Brien

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CRAFT
JOAKIM SUNDSTRÖM Sound – Notes on Blindness
PAUL MONAGHAN, MAT WHITECROSS Editing – Supersonic
ROBBIE RYAN Cinematography – American Honey
SEB BARKER Visual Effects – The Girl With All the Gifts
SHAHEEN BAIG Casting – Free Fire

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD (DEBUT DIRECTOR)
ADAM SMITH Trespass Against Us
ALICE LOWE Prevenge
BABAK ANVARI Under the Shadow
PETER MIDDLETON, JAMES SPINNEY Notes on Blindness
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills

DEBUT SCREENWRITER
ED TALFAN The Passing (Yr Ymadawiad)
HOPE DICKSON LEACH The Levelling
JOHN CAIRNS, MICHAEL McCARTNEY A Patch of Fog
RACHEL TUNNARD Adult Life Skills
SIMON FARNABY, JULIAN BARRATT Mindhorn

BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCER
CAMILLE GATIN The Girl With All the Gifts
DIONNE WALKER The Hard Stop
MICHAEL BERLINER Adult Life Skills
MIKE BRETT, JO-JO ELLISON, STEVE JAMISON Notes on Blindness
PAUL FEGAN Where You’re Meant to Be

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
DAVE JOHNS I, Daniel Blake
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
LETITIA WRIGHT Urban Hymn
SENNIA NANUA The Girl With All the Gifts
STEVE BRANDON My Feral Heart

THE DISCOVERY AWARD
BLACK MOUNTAIN POETS Jamie Adams, Jon Rennie
THE DARKEST UNIVERSE Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Tiani Ghosh, Jo-Jo Ellison
THE GHOUL Gareth Tunley, Jack Healy Guttmann, Tom Meeten
GOZO Miranda Bowen, Leo Scott
THE GREASY STRANGLER Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard, Daniel Noah, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C Waller, Elijah Wood

BRITISH SHORT
JACKED Rene Pannevis, Ashish Ghadiali, Jennifer Eriksson
MOTHER Leo Leigh, Scott O’Donnell
OVER Jörn Threlfall, Jeremy Bannister
RATE ME Fyzal Boulifa, Taina Galis
THE WRONG END OF THE STICK Terri Matthews, Chris Cornwell, Sam Bank

The BIFA Variety Award:
Naomie Harris
(The Variety Award recognises a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK.)

The Richard Harris Award:
Alison Steadman
(The Richard Harris Award was introduced in 2002 in honour of Richard Harris and recognises outstanding contribution to British film by an actor.)

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Amazon and Sky Announce Original Drama, "Britannia"

Amazon and Sky Greenlight Original Dramatic Series Britannia

Currently in production and set for a 2017 debut, Sky and Amazon’s first co-production is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth and stars Kelly Reilly, David Morrissey and Zoe Wanamaker; Series will launch exclusively to Prime members in the US

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon and Sky today announced it has added Britannia to its lineup of dramatic Amazon Original Series in the US and Sky Original Dramas in the UK. Britannia is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem, Spectre) and stars Kelly Reilly (True Detective, Sherlock Holmes), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Hollow Crown) and Zoe Wanamaker (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, My Family). Filmed completely abroad, Britannia is set in 43AD as the Roman Imperial Army, determined and terrified in equal measure, returns to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia, a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful Druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld. Britannia is scheduled to premiere on Sky 1 in the UK and Ireland, and on Prime Video in the U.S. in 2017.

    “Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Sky on this series entirely produced overseas,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Digital Video and Amazon Studios. “Our customers will experience a cinematic world with bold characters anchored in a ruthless period of history.”

“This is one of the most ambitious dramas we’ve ever made and one of the most exciting,” said Anne Mensah, Sky’s Head of Drama. “Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”

Britannia is produced by Rick McCallum (Star Wars) and executive produced by Vertigo Films’ James Richardson (Monsters, Bronson) with Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown from Neal Street Productions (Penny Dreadful, Call the Midwife) and Anne Thomopolous (Rome, Band of Brothers). The series is written by Jez and Tom Butterworth (Fortitude, Tin Star) with Richard McBrien (Spooks, Merlin).

In the US, Britannia adds to a growing roster of dramatic Amazon Original Series, including The Man in the High Castle, Bosch and Hand of God, as well as upcoming series Goliath, Good Girls Revolt, Sneaky Pete and Patriot. In the UK, Britannia joins 12 original drama series already on air or set to air over the next couple of years on Sky Atlantic and Sky 1 including The Young Pope, Hooten & The Lady, Guerrilla, Tin Star, Delicious, Riviera, Jamestown and The Last Dragonslayer, as well as returning series including Fortitude and Agatha Raisin. The news also follows a successful year for Sky original drama, with BAFTA nominations for The Last Panthers and The Enfield Haunting and record-breaking audiences for Stan Lee’s Lucky Man on Sky 1.

The international distribution rights (excluding the US) for Britannia will be handled by Sky Vision, Sky’s international production and distribution arm. WME and Sky Vision negotiated the deal with Amazon.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

•     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, kids series Tumble Leaf and Chi Raq, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership
•     Add-on Subscriptions: Dozens of subscriptions to networks like SHOWTIME, STARZ and more, available to Amazon Prime members as add-ons to their membership
•     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
•     Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream
•     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of certain content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items across all categories, more than one million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Cloud Drive with Prime Photos, access to borrow books with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

About Sky
Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 21 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £4.9 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate

------------------------

Titan Comics Announces Convention Edition of "Torchwood #1"

CAPTAIN JACK IS BACK! TITAN’S NEW TORCHWOOD COMIC DEBUTS AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

NEW ONGOING COMIC ADVENTURES WRITTEN BY JOHN BARROWMAN AND CAROLE E. BARROWMAN SET FOR SDCC LAUNCH WITH SPECIAL VARIANT COMIC & PANEL

BBC Worldwide and Titan Comics are excited to announce the hotly anticipated new ongoing Torchwood comic series will debut at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, supported by special guests including Captain Jack himself, John Barrowman, and Carole E. Barrowman.

Torchwood #1 sees Captain Jack come back to Cardiff to engage the help of the last person who expected to see him again, Gwen Cooper. On the road, on the run, and under fire – can Jack and Gwen put aside their differences and rebuild the heart of Torchwood… before its flame is stamped out forever?!

Alongside the regular edition (in comic book stores August 3, 2016), Titan are proud to present a special convention edition of Torchwood which includes the entirety of Torchwood #1 plus extra fan-favorite John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman-penned adventure “The Selkie”, with art and a brand-new cover from comic book legend Tommy Lee Edwards (Batman, Hellboy).

These regular and special editions are available to purchase at the Titan booth #5537 at San Diego Comic-Con 2016.

John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman will be guests on a special Titan panel where fans will be treated to announcements, behind-the-scenes reveals and upcoming plans for the Torchwood comic series. This panel will take place on Saturday July 23, 2016 at 3:30PM in room 5AB.

Fans will also have the opportunity to meet John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman at the show as they will be signing copies of Torchwood #1 on Sunday July 24, 2016 between 11:00am and 12:00pm at Autograph Area, Table AA21.

To find out more about Titan Comics and their plans for San Diego Comic-Con, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.


About Titan Comics
Titan Comics offers astounding comics and graphic novels from the world's greatest licensed properties, alongside creator-owned comic books from new and world-renowned talent and classic graphic novels re-mastered for brand-new audiences.

For more information, visit: https://www.titan-comics.com

Connect with Titan Comics:
https://twitter.com/ComicsTitan

https://facebook.com/ComicsTitan

http://titancomics.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/ComicsTitan

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Titan to Produce Comic Books Based on Balls-to-the-Wall Indonesian Film, "The Raid"

TITAN SECURES LICENSE TO PUBLISH THE RAID COMICS.
Publisher teams up with director Gareth Evans to make all-new comics based on the popular martial-arts blockbuster.

Titan Comics are thrilled to announce that The Raid is punching its way into comic books, in late 2016. Titan is working closely with the director Gareth Evans (The Raid, The Raid 2) and XYZ Films to develop all-new stories featuring characters from the series.

Premiering in 2011, Indonesian martial-arts movie The Raid (also known as The Raid: Redemption) sent pulses racing at the Toronto International Film Festival and secured unanimous critical praise, rocketing to cult film status across the world.

The movie captured audiences with its boundary-pushing, inventive choreography and piston-pumping narrative where a lone, isolated SWAT team are trapped by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs inside a tenement block, and they have to fight through to the top.

Directed by Gareth Evans and produced by PT. Merantau Films and XYZ Films, the high-octane franchise has garnered great success since its release. The first film had 10 nominations at the 2012 Maya Awards. It was followed, in 2014, by The Raid 2, which featured the character of Rama returning to battle against corruption in his own police force.

“At Titan we’re thrilled to be publishing The Raid comic books,” said editor Martin Eden. “Gareth is a visionary and a huge talent. It’s a pleasure to work with him on developing his characters for the comic book page. We promise to deliver the same thrilling, fifth-gear adrenaline that fans have come to expect from the franchise.”

Titan’s The Raid comics are set to debut soon. Look out for more announcements about the creative team shortly.

To keep up to date with news about Titan’s The Raid comics follow Titan Comics on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr


ABOUT TITAN COMICS
Titan Comics offers astounding comics and graphic novels from the world's greatest licensed properties, alongside creator-owned comic books from new and world-renowned talent and classic graphic novels re-mastered for brand-new audiences.

For more information, visit: https://www.titan-comics.com

Connect with Titan Comics:
https://twitter.com/ComicsTita
https://facebook.com/ComicsTitan
http://titancomics.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/ComicsTitan

-----------------------------

British Films Celebrated at 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival

Newport Beach Film Festival to Showcase an Exclusive Screening of British Cinema

17th Annual Festival to Spotlight Regional Premieres of ‘Sunset Song’, ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ and ‘High-Rise’, followed by Gala Celebration

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Friday, April 22nd, 2016 the 17th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival will present its UK Spotlight, an evening celebration of British cinema and culture. The event will feature the Regional Premieres of three highly anticipated UK films: Sunset Song (2015), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), and High-Rise (2015), followed by a festive post-screening reception.

    UK Films featured at 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival

Distinguished director Terence Davies (The House of Mirth, The Long Day Closes) returns to the screen with this adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon's classic novel about a farming family struggling to eke out a living in northeast Scotland during the early 1900s. Sunset Song is directed by Terence Davies and stars Peter Mullan, Agyness Deyn, Ron Donachie, Jack Greenlees, and Kevin Guthrie.

The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the true story of Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, (Dev Patel) whose intuitive sense for pure mathematics sees him invited from India to study at Cambridge University, mentored by noted academic G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons). The Man Who Knew Infinity is directed by Matt Brown with performances by Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Toby Jones, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Northam, Kevin McNally and Devika Bhise.

Directed by Ben Wheatley (Down Terrace, Sightseers), High-Rise follows Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston) as he moves into a high-tech concrete skyscraper, stratified according to each inhabitant’s social class. A world unto its own, the building has a strict residential hierarchy led by a de-facto “king” (Jeremy Irons). Life seems like paradise until a breakdown in services on the lower levels incites an uprising against the higher, more affluent floors. High-Rise is directed by Ben Wheatley and stars Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss and James Purefoy.

“The Festival continues a proud tradition of presenting the very best in British Cinema. We are honored to host the Regional Premiere of Sunset Song. Terence Davies has crafted a stunning, visual masterpiece.” stated Gregg Schwenk, CEO of the Newport Beach Film Festival. “Dev Patel delivers an outstanding and emotionally perfect performance in The Man Who Knew Infinity. High-Rise is sure be one of the most talked about films at the Festival. Director Ben Wheatley takes us on a phantasmagorical journey through the inner workings of a highly stylized dystopian world.”

All UK Spotlight films will screen on Friday, April 22nd, 2016. Sunset Song will screen at 8:00pm at the Island Cinemas (999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660) at the center of Fashion Island. The Man Who Knew Infinity screens at 8:30pm and High-Rise plays at 8:15pm at the Starlight Triangle Theaters (1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627).

The post-screening celebration will start at 10:00pm at Anthropologie in Fashion Island (999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660). The Gala will include a hosted bar by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Stella Artois Beer, signature tastings from top Orange County restaurants, multiple DJs and entertainment.

The Newport Beach Film Festival UK Spotlight is supported by Cadillac, Visit Newport Beach, HMV - UK, Bulgari Hotel London, British American Business Council – Orange County, BritWeek and Screen International.

Admission to a UK Spotlight Film and Gala is $65.00. Admission to UK Celebration Gala only is $45.00. The minimum age for Gala attendees is 21 years old.

On Friday, April 22 at 6:00pm the Festival will present a UK Shorts program spotlighting five short films. The screening will take place at Island Cinema (999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach) and will feature The Dreaming of Peggy Lee, Crack, Blue Borsalino, and Colours.

The Festival will present the U.S. Premiere of the documentary The First Film, directed by David Nicholas Wilkinson on April 25 at 5:45pm at Island Cinema and the West Coast Premiere of Tear Me Apart directed by Alex Lightman on April 26 at 8:00pm at Edwards Big Newport.

Admission to the general screenings is $15. For ticket information and updates visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com


About The Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrated as one of the leading film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival has evolved into a prestigious multicultural event, attracting over 55,000 attendees to Southern California. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class international film program, a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportunities, the Festival focuses on showcasing a fresh and diverse collection of studio and independent films from around the globe. Located along the pristine Orange County coastline, the Newport Beach Film Festival offers attendees an optimal setting to experience filmmaking at its best. With its action packed slate of film screenings, red carpet galas, international spotlights, nightly receptions, compelling conversations with filmmakers, fashion shows, music performances and industry seminars, the Newport Beach Film Festival has quickly gained recognition among filmmakers and audiences worldwide. The 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival runs April 21st - April 28th, 2016 and will spotlight over 300 films from around the world. www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com

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Select Regal Theatres Screening Oscar Nominated Short Films

Watch the Oscar® Nominated Shorts at Regal

See the best of the best in Animated and Live Action

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Regal Entertainment Group, a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and operating the largest theatre circuit in the United States, today announces that ten of the best Live Action and Animated Shorts will be available at select Regal theatres. This year's most spectacular short films across Live Action and Animation will be available for a limited time to watch on the big screen February 19-21, 2016.

"Oscar® aficionados will want to buy their ticket to see the animated and live action shorts," said Mike Viane, Senior Vice President of Film at Regal Entertainment Group.  "These passion projects are not widely available, and Regal is offering a unique opportunity to watch these at the theatre the way the directors intended - on the big screen."

The Live Action Shorts include:

    --  Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany)
    --  Day One (USA)
    --  Everything Will Be Okay (Germany/Austria)
    --  Shok (Kosovo/United Kingdom)
    --  Stutterer (United Kingdom/Ireland)

The Animated Shorts include:

    --  Bear Story (Chile)
    --  Prologue (United Kingdom)
    --  Sanjay's Super Team (USA)
    --  We Can't Live Without Cosmos (Russia)
    --  World of Tomorrow (USA)

Tickets can be purchased at the box office or REGmovies.com.  For additional information and a list of participating theatres, please check http://www.regmovies.com/promotions/Oscar-Shorts.

Regal fans are encouraged to like Regal Cinemas' Facebook page and download the Regal Movies app. The Regal app also gives patrons the ability to upload their Regal Crown Club card straight to their phone for easy access while on-the-go. Through the industry-leading Regal Crown Club, 13-million patrons each year accumulate credits at the box office and concession stand to earn rewards including free popcorn, soft drinks and movies. Free membership is available at the box office or online at REGmovies.com/Crown-Club.


About Regal Entertainment Group:
Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) operates the largest and most geographically diverse theatre circuit in the United States, consisting of 7,361 screens in 572 theatres in 42 states along with the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan as of December 31, 2015. The Company operates theatres in 46 of the top 50 U.S. designated market areas. We believe that the size, reach and quality of the Company's theatre circuit not only provide its patrons with a convenient and enjoyable movie-going experience, but is also an exceptional platform to realize economies of scale in theatre operations.

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Review: "Mr. Holmes" Shows that Ian McKellan is as Sharp as Ever

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

[A version of this review originally appeared in Patreon.]

Mr. Holmes (2015)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:  Bill Condon
WRITER:  Jeffrey Hatcher (based on the novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind, by Mitch Cullin)
PRODUCERS:  Iain Canning, Anne Carey, and Emile Sherman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Tobias A. Schliessler
EDITOR:  Virginia Katz
COMPOSER:  Carter Burwell

DRAMA with elements of a mystery

Starring:  Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan, Patrick Kennedy, Frances de la Tour, Roger Allam, and John Sessions

Mr. Holmes is a 2015 British-American drama from director Bill Condon and writer Jeffrey Hatcher.  The film is based on the 2005 novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind, from author Mitch Cullin.  Mr. Holmes the movie focuses on an aged and retired Sherlock Holmes, who struggles with early dementia as he tries to remember his final case, which haunts him.

Mr. Holmes opens in 1947.  The long-retired Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) returns from abroad and travels to Headley House, his farmhouse in Sussex.  He shares his home with Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney), his housekeeper and a war widow, and Roger (Milo Parker), her young son.  Holmes is suffering from early dementia or “senility.”  His trip abroad was to Japan, specifically Hiroshima, where he hoped to find the prickly ash plant, as he believes a “jelly” made from the plant can act as an elixir and help his failing memory.

Holmes is trying to recall his last case, which occurred over 30 years prior.  A suspicious husband, Thomas Kelmot (Patrick Kennedy), had asked Holmes to investigate his wife, Ann (Hattie Morahan).  Something happened, leaving the case unfinished and causing Holmes to retire.  Unhappy with his ex-partner, Dr. John Watson's account of the case, Holmes hopes to write his own account.  However, he has trouble recalling the details, but young Roger's curiosity drives the legendary detective to close a troubled chapter in his famed career.

Sherlock Holmes first appeared in the 1887 detective novel, A Study in Scarlet, which was written by British author, Arthur Conan Doyle.  Just over a decade later, the Holmes character began appearing in films, and after a little more than a century, Holmes has appeared in over 200 films (according to the British newspaper, The Telegraph).

Although I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I would be surprised if I have seen even 30 of those films.  I am certainly happy to have experienced Mr. Holmes.  It is one of the best Sherlock Holmes films that I have ever seen, primarily because of Ian McKellen's tenderly-wrought and alluring turn as Holmes.

As the 93-year-old Holmes, McKellen fashions a vulnerable man, who doggedly fights a losing battle with his health.  Still, he maintains his dignity and learns to change and to acknowledge his errors and misjudgments, both in the past and in the present.  As the Holmes seen in this film's flashbacks, who is in his late 50s or early 60s (which is somewhat unclear), McKellen presents a Holmes who is clearly a man of some age, but who is also clearly still a detective in full.  It is a testament to McKellen's skills and talent as a thespian that he can make two versions of “old-man Holmes” that are distinct from one another and are of different states of mind and intellect.

Laura Linney is potent and fiery as Mrs. Munro, although the script mostly keeps her restrained, even silently suffering.  Once again, a consummate actor takes what is given to her and makes it more than an actor of lesser skills could.  Young Milo Parker steals the movie as the brash Roger, who is on the cusp of young manhood and whose curiosity is a torch that brings light to what could have been a dark and moody film.

I recommend Mr. Holmes without reservations to fans of Sherlock Holmes movies and to fans of director Bill Condon.  He seems always to deliver interesting films that grab the audience with their unique way of being film narratives.  I think that there must simply be at least a few film award nominations in its future because Mr. Holmes does Sherlock Holmes so differently and so delightfully.

8 of 10
A

Saturday, November 21, 2015


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