Award Winners at the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival Announced

17th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival Announces Award Winners

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced today the winners of the 2016 Festival. On April 28, 2016, the Festival wrapped up its eight day run with the Southern California premiere of The Fixer starring Dominic Rains, James Franco, Rachel Brosnahan and Melissa Leo at Lido Live (3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach) with the post party in the Via Lido Plaza.

    The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced the winners of the 2016 Festival.

The Newport Beach Film Festival celebrated outstanding contribution to global cinema at a special event during the 17th annual Festival at the Balboa Bay Resort on April 23. Additionally, The Festival’s selection committee reviewed more than 2,500 films. The Festival screened over 400 films, representing 50 countries. The films competed for Jury, Festival Honors and Audience Awards.

The 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival jury featured an impressive roster of film industry professionals, including Vice President of Film Acquisitions at Fandor, Amanda Salazar, Film industry veteran, Arthur Jeppe, Executive Director of the Cucalorus Film Festival, Dan Brawley, award-winning independent producer, screenwriter and director, Hans-Martin Liebing, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions, Research, and Network Operations for Pivot, Jennie Morris, Screenwriter Kenneth Young, Program Director for the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF), Jim Brunzell III, Toronto International Film Festival’s Lisa Haller, Kim Leadford, co-founder of StarStream Media and Reel Asian Head of Programming Kristine Estorninos.

NEWPORT HONORS AWARDS

NBFF WOMAN OF DISTINCTION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO ACTING - Kate Beckinsale (Love & Friendship)

LEGEND AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC IN CINEMA - Burt Bacharach (Po)

LEGEND AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA – Rita Moreno (Remember Me)

AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SCREENWRITING - Linda Woolverton

2016 AUDIENCE AWARDS:

FEATURE FILM – The Lennon Report – Jeremy Profe, Director
FEATURE FILM - Nobody Walks in LA – Jesse Shapiro, Director
FOREIGN FILM - Battalion (Батальон) - Dmitry Meskhiev, Director
DOCUMENTARY - Orange Sunshine - William A. Kirkley, Director
DOCUMENTARY - The Ataxian - Zack Bennett and Kevin Schlanser, Directors
ACTION SPORTS - Dirty Old Wedge - Tim Burnham, Director
ENVIRONMENTAL - Huntwatch - Brant Backlund, Director
ART, ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN - Tyrus – Pamela Tom, Director
FAMILY- The Kids From 62-F - Imani Shakur, Director

SHORT FILMS

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM - Seeking: Jack Tripper - Quinlan Orear
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM - Reality+ - Coralie Fargeat, Director
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM – Follow Your Heart - Rob O'Neill, Director
BEST FOREIGN SHORT FILM – Zaatari - David Ghali - Director
ART, ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN - The Whimsical Imagineer – Ken Kebow, Director

2016 JURY AWARDS

BEST FEATURE FILM – Embers - Claire Carré, Director
BEST ACTOR - George Kosturos - American Wrestler: The Wizard
BEST DIRECTOR - Claire Carré - Embers
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Rudiger Barth, William A. Kirkley - Orange Sunshine
BEST DOCUMENTARY - Off The Rails - Adam Irving, Director
BEST EDITING - Chris Catanach - Orange Sunshine

SHORT FILMS

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM - Hi, How Are You – Director, Daniel Johnston
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM - The Last Barn Dance - Jason Arthurs and Ted Richardson, Directors
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM – Violet - Windy Marshall, Director
BEST FOREIGN SHORT FILM – Deszcz - Malina Maria Mackiewicz, Director

2016 FESTIVAL HONORS:

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DIRECTING - Bob Yari - Papa: Hemingway in Cuba
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FEATURE FILM - Love & Friendship – Director Wit Stillman
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FEATURE FILM - American Wrestler: The Wizard - Alex Ranarivelo, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN FILM - The Violin Teacher – Sergio Machado, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN FILM - The Innocents (Agnus Dei) – Anne Fontaine, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING - Dev Patel - The Man Who Knew Infinity
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING - Evanna Lynch - My Name is Emily
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SCREENWRITING - Alexander Janko - Year By The Sea
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: EDITING - Todd Holmes - Coming Through The Rye
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ENSEMBLE CAST - Love Is All You Need?
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT FILM – Roksana - Shaina Pakravan, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT FILM – Zelos - Thoranna Sigurdardottir, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT FILM - Clock Maker’s Dream - Cashell Horgan, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT FILM - Delicate Things - Patrick Maxwell, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT FOREIGN FILM - Foal
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM Twin Visions – Louise Salter and Gavin Bowden, Directors
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT ANIMATION FILM – Dissonance - Till Nowak, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FAMILY FILM - Lost & Found - Liam O'Neill, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: MUSIC – Monument - Israel Anthem, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTION SPORTS - Fire and Water – Thomas Brookins, Director
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTION SPORTS - Chasing Niagara – Rush Sturges
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE - Brianna Hildebrand – The Voice Inside, Actress & Producer

Attendance at the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival was 50,000 with a record number of sellouts. The Newport Beach Film Festival is sponsored in part by City of Newport Beach, Visit Newport Beach, Arrowhead Water, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Celebrity Cruises, Fashion Island and Los Angeles Times.


About The Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrated as one of the leading lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival seeks to bring to Orange County the best of classic and contemporary filmmaking from around the world. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class international film program, a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportunities, the NBFF focuses on showcasing a diverse collection of studio and independent films from around the globe. The 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival ran April 21st - April 28th and spotlighted over 400 films from around the world.

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Crime Drama, "The Fixer," to Close 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival

2016 Newport Beach Film Festival Announces Closing Night Film and Celebration

17th Annual Festival to Close with The Fixer Starring Dominic Rains, James Franco, Rachel Brosnahan and Melissa Leo

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) proudly announces its Closing Night film and celebration. The Festival will end its eight-day run with the Southern California premier of “The Fixer” on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 7:30pm at Regency Lido Live (3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA). Following the screening, the Newport Beach Film Festival, in partnership with Modern Luxury and Via Lido Plaza, will host the Closing Night Celebration at Via Lido Plaza (3425 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA). The outdoor event will feature culinary creations from top Orange County’s restaurants, hosted bar by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Stella Artois, live entertainment and a special fashion presentation from Ted Baker London.

    The Newport Beach Film Festival proudly announces its Closing Night film, "The Fixer", and Celebration!

“The Fixer” tells the story of a former Afghan journalist (Dominic Rains) who settles in a small town in Northern California and takes a job with a local newspaper. However, when he attempts to cover local crime, he stumbles into local corruption that puts himself and others in danger.

“The 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival will enlighten the public with a first-class international film program and exciting seminars. We are honored to close an excellent festival with a world premiere of such an impressive film,” stated Gregg Schwenk, Executive Director/CEO of NBFF.

"We are thrilled to bring The Fixer to the Newport Beach Film Festival! I can't wait to share the film with their audience," said Ian Olds, director, “The Fixer.”

"We couldn't be more honored to close the Newport Beach Film Festival and are excited to have some of our cast there to celebrate this Northern California-made film with the festival," added Caroline von Kuhn, producer, “The Fixer.”

The Festival will showcase over 350 films from 50 countries, along with nightly special events, red carpet galas, post screening receptions, compelling conversations with filmmakers, international spotlights, industry seminars and retrospectives. The Festival offers filmgoers unique opportunities to mingle with celebrities, filmmakers from around the globe and film industry professionals in a beautiful seaside locale. The NBFF is sponsored in part by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Fashion Island and the Los Angeles Times.

Tickets to the Closing Night Film and Celebration are $95 and can be purchased in advance at the Festival’s website. The minimum age for guests is 21 years old.

Passes and tickets for film screenings, galas and special events are available online at www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com


About the Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrated as one of the leading lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival seeks to bring to Orange County the best of classic and contemporary filmmaking from around the world. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class international film program, a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportunities, the NBFF focuses on showcasing a diverse collection of studio and independent films from around the globe. The 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival runs April 21st- April 28th and will spotlight over 350 films from around the world.

About Newport Beach, California
Nestled among golden stretches of pristine Pacific coastline between Los Angeles and San Diego, Newport Beach epitomizes the casually sophisticated lifestyle of Southern California. This idyllic seaside destination is widely celebrated for its natural beauty and vibrant yachting community alongside stylish accommodations, eclectic coastal cuisine and upscale shopping. Ranked among the “Top 10 Resort Towns in the U.S.,” Newport Beach also is distinguished as one of the country’s “Top 10 Best Family Beaches.” A mild climate and picturesque backdrop minutes from John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) offers year-round appeal. For more information on Newport Beach or for a complimentary visitor guide, visit visitnewportbeach.com, or call (800) 94-COAST.

Cast and crew from “The Fixer” are scheduled to appear at the red carpet and screening. Press check in will be from 5:30pm - 6:30pm and red carpet arrivals will take place from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. The screening will commence at 7:30pm. All press must be credentialed prior to covering the Closing Night event. Press can register for credentials online at www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.

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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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Kate Beckinsale, Rita Moreno Among 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival Honorees

The Newport Beach Film Festival Honors Outstanding Contribution to Global Cinema in Special Celebration

Event Includes Variety's 10 Cinematographers to Watch

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Newport Beach Film Festival will celebrate outstanding contribution to global cinema at a special event during the 17th annual Festival (April 21-28, 2016) at the Balboa Bay Resort, April 23.

    Kate Beckinsale, Burt Bacharach and Rita Moreno among those to be recognized at Newport Beach Film Festival

“The Newport Beach Film Festival is proud to continue its tradition of recognizing superior achievements in global cinema. From composing, to acting and screenwriting, this year’s honorees are legends and leaders in their craft,” stated Newport Beach Film Festival Co-Founder and CEO Gregg Schwenk.

This year the honorees include:

KATE BECKINSALE
NBFF Woman of Distinction Award for Outstanding Contribution to Acting
Kate Beckinsale is an English actress who appeared in the "Underworld" film series and has since starred in many action films, including "Van Helsing," "Whiteout," "Contraband," and "Total Recall." Her dramatic projects include "Snow Angels," "Winged Creatures," and "Nothing but the Truth" (for which she earned a Critic's Choice Award nomination in 2008). She is currently starring in the comedy “Love & Friendship,” screening at this year’s NBFF.

BURT BACHARACH
Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in Cinema
Burt Bacharach is a six-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Academy Award winning composer, songwriter, record producer, pianist and singer. His music and film scores have spanned six decades and included an impressive list of collaborations. Burt composed the score for “Po,” screening at this year’s NBFF.

RITA MORENO
Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema
Rita Moreno has had a thriving acting career spanning six decades and is one of only twelve performers to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards, which include an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony. Some of her most memorable roles include Anita in “West Side Story” and Tuptim in “The King and I.” She is currently starring in the film, “Remember Me” screening at this year’s NBFF.

LINDA WOOLVERTON
Award for Outstanding Contribution to Screenwriting
Screenwriter, playwright and novelist, Linda Woolverton was the first woman to write an animated feature screenplay for Disney with “Beauty and the Beast,” and the first and only female screenwriter with a sole writing credit on a billion-dollar film, “Alice in Wonderland.” Linda is a former guest lecturer at the NBFF seminar series and has several upcoming films and series including “Alice through the Looking Glass” and “Maleficent 2.”

In addition to the Festival Honors, the Festival, in partnership with Variety will recognize 10 Cinematographers to Watch. The 2016 10 to Watch are:

DREW DANIELS
Shot Trey Edward Shults’ “Krisha,” the big prizewinner at SXSW last year (Grand Jury Award and Audience Award) and a Cannes Critics’ Week selection.

THIMIOS BAKATAKIS
Shot Cannes Jury prizewinner and 2016 BAFTA nominee “The Lobster,” directed by fellow Greek Yorgos Lanthimos. Other credits include “Blind,” “Keep the Lights On” and the upcoming “Una,” with Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn.

DIEGO GARCIA
Shot two stunning-looking 2015 features at opposite ends of the spectrum, linked only by the genius of their cinematography: Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Cemetery of Splendor” and Brazilian Gabriel Mascaro’s “Neon Bull.”

MANUEL DACOSSE
In the past three years, he’s lensed four of the most visually striking Euro art/genre films: “Alleluia,” “The Strange Color,” “Of Your Body’s Tears,” “Evolution,” and “The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun.”

MANUEL BILLETER
Created the noir tone of Netflix’s “Jessica Jones,” which released to critical acclaim last year. “Jessica Jones” is the second show – alongside “Daredevil, Luke Cage” (which Billeter is currently lensing). Billeter’s other credits include: episodes of “Orange is the New Black,” episodes of “Person of Interest,” and episodes of “Law & Order.”

POLLY MORGAN
Went into this year’s Sundance Film Festival with two films in competition: the cult documentary “Holy Hell” and the dramatic comedy “The Intervention,” which was sold to Paramount and will release in September 2016. Morgan also recently wrapped a new Sundance/BBC co-production, “The A Word,” by Peter Balker. Her first work on the small screen came on the hit FX show “American Horror Story: Asylum,” shooting alongside Michael Goi, ASC. Her next project is the horror film “Slumber” starring Maggie Q.

PETER FLINCKENBERG
Finnish cinematographer Flinckenberg recently shot “Woodshock” for Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte designers) and starring Kirsten Dunst. Last year, Flinckenberg won the ASC Spotlight Award for his work on “Concrete Night,” which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was also nominated to the Camerimage main competition and won a Jussi, the Finnish equivalent of the Academy Award, for Best Cinematography.

MARK PATTEN
Patten is the cinematographer behind FX’s highly anticipated series “Taboo” starring Tom Hardy. The show is directed by Kristoffer Nyholm. He served as the director of photography on “Morgan,” directed by Luke Scott and will be released later this year.

MONIKA LENCZEWSKA
The Polish DP was one of the only cinematographers to have two films simultaneously premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival: “Imperial Dreams,” directed by Malik Vitthal and Zeresenay Mehari’s “Difret,” which was executive-produced by Angelina Jolie. Lenczewska went on to receive a Best Cinematography nomination at Sundance and Best Cinematography Debut nomination at Camerimage. Lenczewska shot Fabrice Du Welz’s mystery noir thriller “Message from the King,” starring Chadwick Boseman and Luke Evans. Previously, she shot the Polish film “Strange Heaven” for director Dariusz Gajewski and the Greek film “Park” for director Sofia Exarhou, which was developed out of the Sundance Lab.

LAURIE ROSE
Mr. Rose is better know in England, where his work with bad boy director Ben Wheatley has raised eyebrows in their style and audacity, especially their latest collaboration, “High-Rise,” a dystopian tale based on J.G. Ballard’s near-future sci-fi novel. His work on the two recent mini-series “Peaky Blinders” and “London Spy” only points to Rose’s rich versatility.

The event will be held:
Balboa Bay Resort, 1221 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach
April 23
6 - 8 PM

Tickets are $150 and available at www.NewportBeachFilmfest.com.

Awards will be designed and presented by Tiffany and Co.

As part of the 2016 Honors, the Festival hosted a special celebration in London, England with its partner Visit Newport Beach, Inc., celebrating the film “Brooklyn” as Best Picture with special recognition to the director and screenwriter.


About the Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrated as one of the leading lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival seeks to bring to Orange County the best of classic and contemporary filmmaking from around the world. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class international film program, a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportunities, the NBFF focuses on showcasing a diverse collection of studio and independent films from around the globe. The 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival runs April 21st-April 28th and will spotlight over 350 films from around the world.

About Newport Beach & Company
Founded in January 2013, Newport Beach & Co. is a non-profit organization established to serve as the official marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. The agency brings together all of the marketing entities connected to the Newport Beach brand, and is designed to oversee separate business units that include Visit Newport Beach, Dine Newport Beach, Celebrate Newport Beach, Enterprise Newport Beach and Newport Beach TV. For more information, please visit VisitNewportBeach.com.

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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Documentary to Premiere at SXSW 2016

“SECRETS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS: A CINEMATIC JOURNEY” TO PREMIERE AT SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2016

Feature-length Documentary—an in-Depth Bonus Feature on the Upcoming Digital HD and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack—Debuts at the Paramount Theatre March 14 in Austin, Texas

BURBANK, CALIF.— “Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey, ” a feature-length documentary will have its world premiere during the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW®), being held in Austin, Texas, March 11-19, 2016. The documentary, a bonus feature on the upcoming Digital HD and Blu-ray Combo Pack release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is an inside look at the making of this epic movie, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers.

The documentary will be shown at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin on Monday, March 14, 2016, at 12:00 p.m.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ BAFTA Award–winning and Academy Award®–nominated visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett, Academy Award®–nominated supervising sound editor Matthew Wood and co-producer Michelle Rejwan will be on hand for a Q&A following the screening.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens shattered box office records upon its debut to become the cinematic event of a generation with over $926 million domestic and $2 billion worldwide. 

The epic movie will be available to own early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on April 1, and is available on iTunes and other digital providers for pre-order now. Fans can also explore all things Star Wars at iTunes.com/Starwars.  It comes home on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on April 5, 2016.


ABOUT STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.

ABOUT SXSW
Now in its 23rd year, SXSW Film brings together creatives of all stripes over nine days to experience a diverse film line up and access to more than 500 Conference sessions with visionaries from all corners of the entertainment and media industries. SXSW 2016 takes place March 11-20 in Austin, TX.

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique industry convergence of music, film, and interactive technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery. The event is a launch pad for innovative content with new media presentations, music showcases and film screenings providing exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for attendees. For more information, please visit sxsw.com.

© 2016 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

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Dark Horse Announces an American Edition of Swedish Grahpic Novel, "Alena"

Kim W. Andersson’s “Alena” Arrives in America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MILWAUKIE, OR— Kim W. Andersson is making waves in the international comics and film community. His original Swedish graphic novel Alena was adapted into a feature-length film in Sweden that just received a critically acclaimed US debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2016. Now the graphic novel will see full US distribution through Dark Horse Comics.

Alena’s life is a living hell. Since she arrived at a snobbish boarding school, she’s been harassed every day by Philippa and the girls on the lacrosse team. But Alena’s best friend Josephine is not going to accept that anymore.

Not from the counselor or the principal, not from Philippa, and not from anyone else at that horrid school. If Alena does not fight back, then Josephine will take matters into her own hands.

There’s just one problem . . . Josephine has been dead for a year.

Author and artist Kim W. Andersson (The Complete Love Hurts) is the winner of the Swedish Comics Academy’s Adamson statue—Sweden’s most prestigious comics award—and a creator to watch in the coming year.

Alena (978-1-50670-215-5) is in stores August 24, 2016.

Praise for Kim W. Andersson:

“Kim W. Andersson’s graphic novel Alena has unsurprisingly been described as Let the Right One In meets Show Me Love set in a boarding school. Count on vengeance, violence and broken teenage hearts.”—Stockholm Film Festival

“Not for the faint of heart, but wicked fun for the right audience.”—Booklist

“Kim Andersson is able to play around with many different styles, and it works. He does a good job bringing a different side of love to life.”—San Francisco Book Review

Also available from Kim W. Andersson:
The Complete Love Hurts TPB | 978-1-61655-859-8 | $19.99


About Dark Horse
For 30 years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

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BET to Produce the 2016 American Black Film Festival Awards

BET Networks Partners with the American Black Film Festival to Produce the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood Premiering Tuesday, February 23rd at 8pm ET/PT

Don Cheadle, Regina King and Ryan Coogler Join Diahann Carroll and Will Packer as Honorees for an Evening Celebrating Excellence in Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, ABFF Ventures and BET Networks announced their partnership to produce the “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” hosted by actor and comedian Mike Epps and premiering on BET and Centric Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The Awards celebrates Black culture and recognizes individuals, movies and television shows of the past year that have had a significant impact on American entertainment, as well as the people who have been proponents in championing diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. This year’s event will be taped on Sunday, February 21st, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

In addition to recognizing the top television shows and films of the year, the “ABFF Awards: Celebration of Hollywood” will pay tribute to film legends along with today's creative forces, who together inspire the filmmakers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Iconic actress, Diahann Carroll, will be presented with the Hollywood Legacy Award, and television and film producer Will Packer will receive the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award at the 2016 ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood.

Joining our illustrious list of honorees, we are excited to reveal the Excellence in the Arts Award (male and female), to Actors/Directors Don Cheadle and Regina King. Our Rising Star Award honoree is Director Ryan Coogler.

“Twenty years ago, I created the American Black Film Festival to spotlight the rich diversity of talent and achievement. It was born out of my love for film and desire to ensure that Black people gained opportunity and equity in every arena of Hollywood. I am truly honored to partner with BET to showcase the work of our most talented artists.” - Jeff Friday, ABFF Founder and CEO

“It’s clear that there’s a need for this show. BET is very excited to partner with Jeff and ABFF to present A Celebration of Hollywood. We will unabashedly acknowledge performances and achievements of African-Americans on screen from this past year and give special honor and recognition to artists that have thrilled us during their highly-acclaimed careers. 2015 was ripe with tremendous and inspiring performances by African-Americans and we are beyond thrilled to be the ones to recognize them with class and admiration.” - Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks

With a resume that’s as varied and expansive as it is rich in depth of the characters he brings to life, Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle is, without question, one of the most highly sought after and premier actors of his generation. Turning in consistently powerful performances, Don has not only taken on challenging roles, but put his talents into producing projects he believes in as well.

Don currently stars as ‘Marty Kaan’ on the critically acclaimed Showtime series House of Lies. House of Lies has earned multiple nominations for the series and Don himself, including four Emmy Nominations, a Golden Globe® Award and two additional Golden Globe® nominations and a SAG Award nomination. Recently Don directed his first feature film, Miles Ahead, which he also co-wrote and produced. Don also stars in the film, based on the life of legendary jazz artist, Miles Davis, along with Ewan McGregor.

Don is well known for his passionate performances on stage and screen, stemming from his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in A Blue Dress, where he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics. In 2012, Cheadle garnered critical acclaim for his role in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight. Additional film credits include Talk To Me; the 2006 Oscar® winning Best Picture, Crash, which Cheadle also produced; Hotel Rwanda, for which his performance garnered Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, Broadcast Film Critics Award and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominations for Best Actor; Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, Boogie Nights, Bulworth, Swordfish, Mission To Mars and Rosewood, for which Cheadle earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.

Regina King’s distinguished talents have not gone unnoticed by Hollywood. She has recently been seen in recurring roles on CBS’s hit show The Big Bang Theory, Showtime’s critically acclaimed series Shameless and FX’s thriller The Strain. The skilled actress wrapped the fifth and final season of TNT’s drama Southland in 2013. In addition to directing episodic television for ABC’s Scandal and BET’s Being Mary Jane, King also helmed the teleplay adaptation of the best-selling book, Let the Church Say Amen, for BET Networks. Regina is currently a series regular on two critically-hailed television dramas including HBO’s “The Leftovers,” as well as the John Ridley ABC anthology American Crime, which has garnered her very first Emmy Award Nomination, as well as her first Golden Globe Nomination for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.” Regina also starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the comedy Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, as well as voiceovers for the animated film, Ant Bully and the hit television show, The Boondocks. Her appearance in the Oscar-nominated film Ray, opposite Jamie Foxx, garnered King critically-acclaimed praise, as well as her role as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s wife Marci, in the blockbuster film, Jerry Maguire.

Regina made her television debut on the hit sitcom “227.” After five seasons, King made the leap to the silver screen with a role in John Singleton’s powerful directorial debut, Boys N the Hood. She would soon collaborate with Singleton again in Poetic Justice and Higher Learning. This committed actress has always been consistent in showing her dynamic range, bouncing effortlessly from dramatic material to comedic performances, like in the hit film Friday with Ice Cube and in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, opposite Martin Lawrence.

American Black Film Festival alum, Ryan Coogler, was born in Oakland, CA and always harbored a talent for storytelling. Ryan discovered his own passion for filmmaking as a college freshman, and began shooting shorts with his teammates and friends. After being admitted into the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he went on to create his award winning shorts Locks, Fig and Gap. After receiving his M.F.A., he began to work as a juvenile hall counselor before creating a short film, which won the HBO Short Film Competition at the American Black Film Festival in 2011 and then directed his first feature film, Fruitvale Station, which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Ryan has received much success with his recent feature, Creed, and has recently been tapped to direct Marvel Comics’ Black Panther.

“The ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood,” presented by the American Black Film Festival and BET Networks, will be one of the highlights of the Hollywood Awards season and Black History Month. The event is an ABFF Ventures production and is executive produced by show creator Jeff Friday, Debra Lee, Stephen Hill, Jesse Collins, Suzanne de Passe and Connie Orlando. Sponsors are Cadillac (Presenting Sponsor), Hilton Worldwide, Moet Hennessy, and Prudential Inc. (Gold Sponsors), and Morgan Stanley and Verizon (Silver Sponsors).

For more information on the American Black Film Festival and the ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood, go to www.ABFF.com, www.ABFF.com/ABFFAwards, www.BET.com and BET.com/ACelebrationOfHollywood.

Join the conversation on social media by logging on to ABFF and BET’s multiple social media platforms:

• On Twitter by using hashtag: #BETCelebratesHollywood; follow us @BET and @ABFF

• On Facebook by liking the fan page at facebook.com/BET and at facebook.com/American-Black-Film-Festival

•On Instagram by liking the fan page at Instagram.com/BET and Instagram.com/AmericanBlackFilmFestival


ABOUT ABFF:
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF), founded in 1997, is an annual event dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. The festival is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF founder Jeff Friday, conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture industry, and strengthen the Black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development. Today, the ABFF is recognized as the preeminent pipeline to new Black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the world. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC., which is a partnership between Film Life, Inc. and Black Enterprise. Celebrating its 20th year, the 2016 ABFF will take place June 15-19, 2016 in Miami, Florida.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; Centric, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Soul, BET Jams and BET Gospel, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Sony Pictures Classics Obtains "The Eagle Huntress"

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS HAS LANDED AT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

SUNDANCE DOCUMENTARY SEALS DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH SPC FOR NORTH AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA, GERMANY, AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND, SCANDINAVIA AND ASIA

Sundance hit film THE EAGLE HUNTRESS – A FILM BY OTTO BELL has come to rest at Sony Pictures Classics (SPC). A distribution deal was announced today by the film's producers with SPC acquiring distribution rights in North America, Latin America, Germany, Australia/New Zealand, Scandinavia and Asia.

Directed by Otto Bell, and Executive Produced by Academy® Award-nominated director/producer Morgan Spurlock and actress Daisy Ridley ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens"), THE EAGLE HUNTRESS is the spellbinding true story of Aisholpan, a 13-year old Mongolian girl who is striving to become the first female Eagle Hunter in the 2,000 years of male dominated history.

Aisholpan is a real life role model on an epic journey to win victory in a faraway land. Under the tutelage and support of her father and her grandfather, she learns all aspects of this ancient tradition, including taming her very own eaglet and training for the annual Golden Eagle Festival, which involves competing against 70 male Eagle Hunters. She even dreams of hunting in the frozen winters to prove that a girl can do anything a boy can, so long as she's determined.

The film is set amongst the magical Altai Mountains of Northwestern Mongolia - the most remote part of the least populated country on Earth. This little known world is rich in exquisitely preserved tradition, yet spoiled by an ignorance that is perpetuated by this isolation. For far too long, women have been seen as "too fragile" to hunt with an eagle. Aisholpan is out to prove them wrong and change history.

"Without question Sony Pictures Classics is the dream distributor for our film," stated director Bell. "Now audiences around the world can enjoy Aisholpan's story on the big screen. We are all very grateful for SPC's passionate belief in this film."

"This is a spectacular, one of a kind movie. This young girl's true story about her amazing skills with eagles is told in a fresh and exciting way. It will inspire audiences of all ages," said Sony Pictures Classics.

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS had its world premiere last week at the 2016 Sundance to standing ovations and sold out screenings. Aisholpan, together with her father and mother, made the over 6000-mile journey from Mongolia to Park City, Utah to present the film and participate in discussions.

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS is the first feature documentary from director Otto Bell and is produced by Stacey Reiss and Sharon Chang. Daisy Ridley, Morgan Spurlock, Jeremy Chilnick, Marc H. Simon, Dan Cogan, Regina K. Scully, Barbara Dobkin and Susan Maclaury are executive producers in association with Artemis Rising Foundation, Impact Partners, Shine Global and Warrior Poets. The film is edited by Pierre Takal and director of photography is Simon Niblett with the film's theme song written and sung by internationally renowned singer/songwriter SIA.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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Female Driven Wall Street Film, "Equity," Goes to Sony Pictures Classics

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES EQUITY

Park City, Utah – Sony Pictures Classics announced today, on the eve of the film's world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, that they have acquired worldwide rights to the first female driven Wall Street film, EQUITY. The film stars Anna Gunn ("Breaking Bad"), James Purefoy ("The Following"), Sarah Megan Thomas (Backwards) and Alysia Reiner ("Orange is the New Black").

Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop's (Anna Gunn) world of high-power big money is brutal and fierce, and one she thrives in. When a controversial IPO threatens the fragile balance of power and confidentiality, Naomi finds herself entangled in a web of politics and deception. With an aggressive prosecutor (Alysia Reiner) from her past on her heels, and a strained relationship with her junior, Erin (Sarah Megan Thomas), Naomi is forced to reexamine her own ambitions and the cutthroat world she loves—one where women have yet to break the glass ceiling.

EQUITY is directed by Meera Menon (Farah Goes Bang) with a screenplay by Amy Fox from a story by Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner and Amy Fox.

Broad Street Pictures' Alysia Reiner and Sarah Megan Thomas serve as producers.

The deal was negotiated on behalf of the producers by CAA.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

ABOUT BROAD STREET PICTURES
Broad Street Pictures, a company with a mission to produce thought-provoking films that employ more women in front of and behind the camera, is engaged in the development and production of movies for worldwide theatrical, video, television, and electronic distribution. The company is led by Alysia Reiner and Sarah Megan Thomas.

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2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards; "Birth of a Nation" Wins Top Prizes

Actor and filmmaker Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute, a non-profit organization, in 1981.  The Sundance Institute actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.  Through its offices in Park City, Los Angeles, and New York City, the organization provides creative and financial support to emerging and aspiring filmmakers, directors, producers, film composers, screenwriters, playwrights, and theater artists via a series of Labs and Fellowships

The 2016 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 21 to Jan 31, 2016.

2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards:

U.S. DRAMATIC

Audience Award
Birth Of A Nation - Nate Parker

Grand Jury Prize
Birth Of A Nation - Nate Parker

Directing
Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan - Swiss Army Man

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
Chad Hartigan - Morris From America

Special Jury Award – Individual Performance
Melanie Lynskey - The Intervention

Special Jury Award – Individual Performance
Craig Robinson - Morris from America

Special Jury Award – Breakthrough Performance
Joe Seo - Spa Night

Special Jury Award
As You Are - Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize
Weiner - Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman

Audience Award
Jim: The James Foley Story - Brian Oakes

Directing
Roger Ross Williams - Life, Animated

Special Jury Award – Vérité Filmmaking
The Bad Kids - Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe

Special Jury Award – Writing
Kate Plays Christine - Robert Greene

Special Jury Award – Social Impact Filmmaking
Trapped - Dawn Porter

NEXT Audience Award
First Girl I Loved - Kerem Sanga

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC

Audience Award
Between Sea and Land / Colombia - Directors: Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo

Sand StormGrand Jury Prize
Sand Storm / Israel - Director: Elite Zexer

Directing Award
Belgica / Belgium-France-Netherlands - Felix van Groeningen

Special Jury Award – Unique Vision and Design
The Lure / Poland - Director: Agnieszka Smoczyńska

Special Jury Award – Screenwriting
Mi Amiga Del Parque / Argentina-Uruguay - Screenwriters: Inés Bortagaray, Ana Katz

Special Jury Award – Acting
Vicky Hernandéz, Manolo Cruz - Between Sea and Land / Colombia

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize
Sonita / Germany-Iran-Swizerland - Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami

Directing
All These Sleepless Nights / Poland - Michal Marczak

Special Jury Award – Best Editing
We Are X / UK-U.S.-Japan - Editors: Mako Kamitsuna, John Maringouin

Special Jury Award – Best Cinematography
The Land Of The Enlightened / Belgium - DP: Pieter-Jan De Pue

Special Jury Award – Best Debut Feature
When Two Worlds Collide / Peru - Directors: Mathew Orzel, Heidi Brandenburg

Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize (announced Wednesday – January 27th)
Embrace of the Serpent - Directed by Ciro Guerra

SHORT FILM PRIZES
(announced Wednesday – January 27th)

Short Film Grand Jury Prize
Thunder Road / U.S. - Director and screenwriter: Jim Cummings

Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction
The Procedure / U.S. - Director and screenwriter: Calvin Lee Reeder

Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction
Maman(s) / France - Director and screenwriter: Maïmouna Doucouré

Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction
Bacon & God’s Wrath / Canada - Director: Sol Friedman

Short Film Jury Award: Animation
Edmond / UK - Director and screenwriter: Nina Gantz

Short Film Special Jury Award for Outstanding Performance
Grace Glowicki - Her Friend Adam

Short Film Special Jury Award for Best Direction
Peacock / Czech Republic - Director: Ondřej Hudeček, Screenwriters: Jan Smutny, Ondřej Hudeček

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Sony Pictures Acquires to "Eat That Question-Frank Zappa In His Own Words"

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO THORSTEN SCHÜTTE’S FRANK ZAPPA DOC EAT THAT QUESTION AT 2016 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

(Park City) — In advance of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights (excluding France and Germany) from NYC-based sales company Submarine to Thorsten Schütte’s documentary on iconoclastic composer-musician Frank Zappa, EAT THAT QUESTION–FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS, an intimate portrait told through rare archival footage.

EAT THAT QUESTION is an energetic celebration of Zappa told entirely through archival footage culled from the performer's 30-year career in entertainment. Weaving together rare TV interviews and performances from around the world, the film by the German director explores Zappa's unconventional and irreverent handling of the media, his irrepressible quest for enlightenment and his witty self-dramatization.

"I'm delighted and I'm thrilled that Sony Pictures Classics believes in the film and I feel we're in very good hands," remarked filmmaker Thorsten Schütte. "The news of the acquisition is really the cherry on the cake of our world premiere at Sundance."

The deal was negotiated by Sony Pictures Classics with Josh Braun, Dan Braun and David Koh of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers.

EAT THAT QUESTION premiered at Sundance on Monday, January 25, 2016 in the Documentary Premieres section. It has also been pre-selected for Germany’s top film awards, the LOLAs, and will next be showcased in the LOLA at Berlinale section of the Berlin Film Festival.

EAT THAT QUESTION is produced by Estelle Fialon of Les Films du Poisson (France) and Jochen Laube of UFA Films (Germany), and co-produced by ARTE France and SWR.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some" to Open SXSW Film Festival 2016

SXSW FILM ANNOUNCES RICHARD LINKLATER’S EVERYBODY WANTS SOME TO OPEN 2016 FILM FESTIVAL

Austin, Texas – The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Film Conference and Festival announced the world premiere of Everybody Wants Some as its Opening Night film for the 23rd edition of SXSW Film on March 11, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Set in the world of 1980s college life, Everybody Wants Some is a comedy, directed and written by Richard Linklater, that follows a group of college baseball players as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Get ready for the best weekend ever.

Richard Linklater is a world-class filmmaker who put Austin on the map. He creates consistently stellar work including Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, Scanner Darkly, School of Rock, Bernie, Fast Food Nation, the Midnight trilogy and last year’s Academy Award®-nominated Boyhood. Linklater also serves as the Artistic Director for the Austin Film Society, which he founded in 1985.

“We are so thrilled to premiere Richard’s latest work, which is really funny, instantly quotable, filled will great new talent,” said Janet Pierson, head of SXSW Film. “Audiences are going to love this paean to competition and coming of age in the 80s.”

Everybody Wants Some features an ensemble cast of Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Anthony Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell. The film is written and directed by Richard Linklater and produced by Megan Ellison of Annapurna Pictures, Richard Linklater and Ginger Sledge. Paramount Pictures will release the film on April 15, 2016.

Everybody Wants Some is designated as a SXsports film, which means that Film, Interactive, Gold, and Platinum badges all have access to attend the screening.

Additional teasers for the 2016 event will be released in December.  Feature Films (with the exception of Midnighters) will be announced on Tuesday, February 2. Midnighters, all Short Films, Music Videos and Title Sequences will be announced on Tuesday, February 9.

SXSW REGISTRATION DEADLINE – REGISTER BY NOVEMBER 20 AND SAVE
Register for a SXSW badge today at sxsw.com/attend, and join us March 11 – 20, 2016 for unparalleled access to screenings, sessions, parties, the SXSW Trade Show and, of course, a creative and inspirational experience that only SXSW can deliver. Be sure to register soon, and gain access to conveniently located hotels. Register by 11:59pm CT on Friday, November 20 and save off the walk-up rate.


About SXSW
Now in its 23rd year, SXSW Film brings together creatives of all stripes over nine days to experience a diverse film line up and access to more than 500 Conference sessions with visionaries from all corners of the entertainment and media industries. SXSW 2016 takes place March 11-20 in Austin, TX.

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique industry convergence of music, film, and Interactive technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery. The event is a launch pad for innovative content with new media presentations, music showcases and film screenings providing exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for attendees. For more information, please visit sxsw.com.

SXSW March 11-20 | Interactive March 11-15 | Film March 11-19 | Music March 15-20

SXSW is proud to be an official qualifying festival for the Academy Awards® Short Film competition. The Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short winners become eligible for the Academy Awards.

SXSW 2016 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy Capitol One, Bud Light, McDonalds and The Austin Chronicle.

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Sony Pictures Announces Restoration of Charles Vidor's "Cover Girl"

SONY PICTURES CREATES 4K RESTORATION OF RITA HAYWORTH MUSICAL "COVER GIRL"

CULVER CITY, CALIF  — Sony Pictures Entertainment recently completed an all-new 4K restoration of Cover Girl, director Charles Vidor's 1944 Technicolor musical that marked one of the first starring roles for Rita Hayworth. The new restoration, completed under the supervision of Grover Crisp, Sony Pictures EVP Asset Management, Film Restoration & Digital Mastering, recently premiered at The Museum of Modern Art in New York's just-concluded 13th International Festival of film preservation, To Preserve and Project.

Cover Girl, in which Hayworth plays a chorus girl who's given a chance for stardom, was conceived as a showcase for Columbia Pictures' fast rising star. With terrific songs from Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin, including the Oscar-nominated "Long Ago and Far Away", the film also won an Oscar for the musical score by Carmen Dragon and Morris Stoloff. It is also notable as the first film where co-star Gene Kelly was given an opportunity to choreograph his own dance numbers (working with his longtime partner Stanley Donen).

"While Rita is the star, I really think of this as a Gene Kelly film," observes Grover Crisp. "He was on loan from another studio and was given much more freedom to invent on this film that he was accustomed to. You can see in the dance numbers what could be called the genesis of his later mature work in films like Singin' in the Rain and An American in Paris. The Alter Ego number, for example, where he dances with his mirror image, is both a technical and a choreographic success."

Cover Girl was Columbia Pictures' first big film shot in the Technicolor three-strip process. For the new 4K restoration, the team went back to the original 3-strip nitrate camera negatives. "There was a preservation initiative with this film in the 1990s that involved making some positive intermediate elements for video transfer, but our current process dictates that we source the most original materials possible to come up with the best visual result for our 4K workflow," recalls Crisp. "The technical capabilities that we have now allow us to digitally recombine the three separate black and white negatives to create a color image that is virtually free of the fuzzy registration issues inherent in the traditional analogue work, in addition to the usual removal of scratches and other physical flaws in the film."

The greater color range facilitated the recreation of a Technicolor look that is as authentic as possible, especially where original dye transfer prints were available as reference points. "We consider this new work to be our contribution to the 100th anniversary and celebration of Technicolor," notes Crisp. "Working with our colorist, Sheri Eisenberg, we strived to get the colors, with deep blacks and vibrant reds, right."

The premiere of the new restoration at MoMA furthers the studio's collaboration with the Museum's film department. Sony Pictures has been a strong contributor to the museum's film preservation program in a relationship spanning 25 years. During that time Sony Pictures and MoMA have worked together on a number of film restorations, including the Judy Holliday classic Born Yesterday.

"Sony Pictures represents the gold standard in film preservation," says Josh Siegel, Curator of MoMA's Department of Film. "Their care and skill are clearly evident in the new Cover Girl restoration where capturing the tonalities and nuances of Technicolor posed a special challenge. MoMA is excited to bring this wonderful film out of the vaults."


About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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Stephen Frears' "The Program" Closes 2015 Austin Film Festival

Austin Film Festival Announces Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong Film, The Program, as Closing Night Film

Additional Marquee Programming to Feature The 33, Love the Coopers, and Retrospective Screening of Lone Star Presented by Chris Cooper

Confirmed guests include Kristen Connolly, Estelle Parsons, Mary Kay Place, Steve Nicolaides, Caroline Thompson, and a special Skype conversation with TV Legend Carl Reiner

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Austin Film Festival & Screenwriters Conference (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing the writers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, released today their final program additions, including new marquee films and special guests. The 22nd Annual Austin Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, October 29 and runs through Thursday, November 5, 2015.

The Program joins the Festival as the 2015 Closing Night Selection, held at the historic Paramount Theatre. From Academy Award®-nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena), comes the true story of the meteoric rise and fall of one of the most celebrated and controversial men in recent history: Lance Armstrong, the world-renowned Tour de France champion. Written by John Hodge (Trainspotting), The Program features Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Guillaume Canet, Dustin Hoffman, and Jesse Plemons.

The Festival revealed new marquee titles, including Love the Coopers and The 33, and a retrospective screening of Lone Star presented by AFF’s Extraordinary Contribution to Film – Actor award recipient, Chris Cooper.

Confirmed guests recently slated to attend the 2015 Festival & Conference:

•     Mary Kay Place will present AFF’s 2015 “Outstanding Television Writer” award to Norman Lear
•     Kristen Connolly joins the cast for the staged script reading of Rosaline, an unproduced screenplay written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars)
•     James Moll (Foo Fighters: Back and Forth, The Last Days) joins the Conference’s Independent Filmmaking Track for a discussion on documentary filmmaking
•     Steve Nicolaides will present the 2015 “Extraordinary Contribution to Film” award to John Singleton
•     Caroline Thompson (writer Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas) will participate as a panelist in the Screenwriters Conference

Austin Film Festival will also present a special Skype conversation with TV Legend Carl Reiner, focusing on his work on "The Dick Van Dyke Show," on Saturday, October 31, 2015 during the Screenwriters Conference.

The full Film and Conference schedule, and more information on Badges and Passes, can be found at www.austinfilmfestival.com.

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Team Behind "Paranormal Activity" Franchise to Be Honored

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY TEAM TO BE HONORED AT THE SCREAMFEST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

OREN PELI TO RECEIVE THE TRAILBLAZER AWARD; JASON BLUM TO ACCEPT THE FUTURE ICON AWARD ON BEHALF OF BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTIONS

SCREAMFEST TO SHOW THE ORIGINAL “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY,” FOLLOWED BY A Q&A WITH OREN PELI

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Screamfest Horror Film Festival, the largest and longest running horror film festival in the U.S., will honor “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” director Oren Peli and production company Blumhouse at this year’s festival at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Jason Blum will accept the Future Icon Award on behalf of Blumhouse during Opening Night on Tuesday, October 13th, 2015. Oren Peli will be honored with the Trailblazer Award at the Closing Night screening of “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION” on Thursday, October 22nd, 2015, which marks the series’ return to the festival where the first “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” film made its debut in 2007.

“Screamfest has played such an important part in the ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY’ franchise so it’s only natural that we end it where it all began,” said Blum. “Our company loves making all things scary so we are so grateful to receive this award and hope that the fans have an amazing time at the festival.”

“It’s an honor to receive the Trailblazer Award from Screamfest, which has supported independent films and filmmakers, all trailblazers in their own right, for years,” said Peli. “The original ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY’ had its world premiere at Screamfest eight years ago, which led to the film’s distribution and the creation of the franchise. I am thankful to Screamfest for its hand in launching the franchise and, after five sequels, I can’t think of a more fitting closure than to come full circle for the screening of the final ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY’ film.”

Commented Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Founder and Festival Director: “Jason Blum and Blumhouse Productions have revitalized the horror genre by consistently delivering quality films that have turned into successful franchises, such as ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY,’ ‘THE PURGE,’ and ‘INSIDIOUS.’ By empowering filmmakers and giving them creative freedom, Blumhouse has quickly established itself as an icon in the genre and we look forward to its many future hits.

“Oren Peli changed the trend in the horror genre with his first film, ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY,’ which spurred a huge franchise. As a trailblazer, he created one of the most terrifying films to date and helped forge the found footage subgenre. We are excited to honor him eight years after the original ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY’ premiered and was honored at our festival in 2007.”

In addition to screening the latest film on Closing Night, Screamfest will host a special screening of the original “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” on Wednesday, October 21st, 2015 at the TCL Chinese 6, followed by Q&A with Oren Peli.

As a tribute to the original film’s most passionate fans, for the first time ever, Screamfest will expand nationwide with special advance screenings of “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION” in the 12 markets in which the first film opened with “Demand It” fan screenings before its theatrical run in 2009. The new film will play in Ann Arbor, MI; Baton Rouge, LA; Boulder, CO; Columbus, OH; Durham, NC; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; Orlando, FL; Santa Cruz, CA; Seattle, WA; State College, PA; and Tucson, AZ on October 22nd.

See the unseen in “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION” – the horrifying conclusion to the “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” films in theaters on October 23rd. The film is produced by Jason Blum and Oren Peli, based on the film “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” by Oren Peli. Story by Brantley Aufill and Jason Harry Pagan & Andrew Deutschman, with a screenplay by Jason Harry Pagan & Andrew Deutschman and Adam Robitel & Gavin Heffernan. Directed by Gregory Plotkin. Starring Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Dan Gill, Ivy George, Jessica Brown, Chloe Csengery, Don McManus, Hallie Foote and Cara Pifko.

The 2015 Screamfest Film Festival will run October 13th through October 22ndat the TCL Chinese Theater. Tickets are available at http://screamfestla.com.

Screamfest Film Festival premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. Many of the filmmakers have garnered distribution and representation as a result of the festival. Film entries are accepted in the categories of Best Feature, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Special Effects and Musical Score. In addition, there are special categories for Best Animation, Best Short, Best Documentary and Best Student Film.

Screamfest was formed in August 2001 by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in order to give filmmakers and writers in the horror/sci-fi genres a venue to have their work showcased to people in the industry.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION is in theaters October 23, 2015

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Tyrese Gibson is Festival Ambassador at 2015 Urbanworld Film Festival

Urbanworld Film Festival Announces Tyrese Gibson as Festival Ambassador and Adds Shame to 2015 Festival Line-up

Urbanworld Digital, hosted by HBO, Announces Line-Up

Nation’s Premiere Showcase for Multicultural Cinema to Be Held in New York September 23 – 27, 2015

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 19th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by BET Networks with founding sponsor HBO, announced the addition of the world premiere of Shame to its slate on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 6:30pm at Manhattan's AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street.

    “We are proud to support Urbanworld Digital, as it provides a unique opportunity to connect diverse content creators and industry influencers within the rapidly evolving digital landscape.”

Tyrese Gibson and Academy Award® winner Jennifer Hudson star in Shame, a Paul Hunter film produced by Denzel Washington. In the short film written by Gibson, up-and-coming soul singer Lionel Jacobs (played by Gibson) is working the nightclub scene, trying to climb to the top of the charts while married to his background singer Bobbi Ann (played by Hudson). He wants to do right by his wife and their children but, his struggle with drugs and alcohol test the strength of his fidelity and their relationship. A conversation with Gibson will follow the screening.

Gibson will also serve as the ambassador for this year’s festival. “I'm honored to serve as the ambassador of the 2015 Urbanworld Film Festival and to premiere my short film Shame in such a creative and exciting environment. I strive to create art across all mediums that supports and showcases our diverse landscape and Urbanworld is the perfect partner as they actively and significantly do the same. I'm thrilled to join the filmmakers showcasing their projects at the festival as we inspire, encourage and excite others through film.” says Gibson.

Also confirmed to participate in the festival, ABC News Correspondent Deborah Roberts will moderate the panel discussion with prima ballerina Misty Copeland and Nelson George from the closing night film A Ballerina’s Tale on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Gbenga Akinnagbe and Tai Beauchamp will host the festival’s invitation-only awards brunch. Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Fletcher, Orange Is The New Black’s Selenis Leyva, Raven-Symoné, Loretta Devine, Lamman Rucker, Angie Martinez, Bevy Smith and Omari Hardwick are also confirmed to attend the week-long events.

Urbanworld Digital, presented by HBO since 2010, is a day dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital technology and content creation by exposing its audiences to the innovation and opportunities that exist. This year, the series of panels, presentations and conversations will be on Thursday, September 24 from 12 noon until 6:00 pm. Festival filmmakers and digital influencers, as well as a mix of executives, entrepreneurs and content creators seeking ideas on how to best leverage digital platforms to amplify their work on both the creative and business sides of the industry are invited. “HBO recognizes the importance of technology as it relates to content creation, distribution and multicultural audiences,” said Dennis Williams, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at HBO. “We are proud to support Urbanworld Digital, as it provides a unique opportunity to connect diverse content creators and industry influencers within the rapidly evolving digital landscape.” Session curators include HBO Now, Global Grind, Time Warner, The Virtual Reality Company, NBCUniversal and Urban Movie Channel (UMC). UMC will curate A Conversation with Bob Johnson, RLJ Entertainment Chairman and BET Founder.

This year's Urbanworld Music will include partnerships with New York's finest music masters via a series of parties curated by some of the best DJ’s in New York City. Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia will appear on Thursday, September 24 and DJ Moma of Everyday People will lead the festivities on Friday, September 25. E.Z. Mo Breezy of Saturday Morning Cartoons fame will co-host on Saturday, September 26. www.urbanworld.org/music includes a full list of the events.

BET Networks will review the finalist scripts for the best screenplay competition with consideration for potential development at the network and a $5,000 award to the winner. The four scripts selected as finalists include four female writers—Are They Dead Yet? written by Inda Craig-Galván, Bleeding Sunshine written by Yaa Boaa Aning, Chasing Jeremy written by Mary McCallum and Y Los Hipsters Que written by Yohanna Baez. A live screenplay reading event will be hosted by BET Networks in partnership with WGA East, where an ensemble of actors will perform a selected scene from each finalist’s script in front of an audience.

Along with presenting sponsor BET Networks and founding sponsor HBO, key supporters of Urbanworld Film Festival include premiere sponsors Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo and Time Warner. Industry Circle supporters are Fox Audience Strategy, Fox Global Directors Initiative, Interactive One, MoviePass, RLJ Entertainment, Urban Movie Channel, The Swirl Group, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America and AMC Entertainment. In addition, Urbanworld collaborates with a myriad of media, promotional and community partners.

For the complete slate of films, film synopsis, ticket information, complete list of sponsors and the most up to date full daily schedule of films and events for the nation’s largest competitive multicultural film festival, September 23-27, 2015 in New York, visit www.urbanworld.org and @UWFilmFest on Twitter.


ABOUT URBANWORLD® FILM FESTIVAL
The Urbanworld® Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind. The five-day festival includes narrative features, documentaries, short films, spotlight screenings, events, live staged screenplay readings, the Urbanworld® Digital track focused on digital and social media panels and workshops and Urbanworld Music, which highlights emerging talent in live performances during after party events. Over the last 19 years, Hollywood studios, indie film distributors, and established and emerging filmmakers have consistently chosen Urbanworld® to premiere box office and award-winning hits. Urbanworld® has also provided a platform for some of today's leading brands seeking to reach key influencers across the industry and within the consumer marketplace. The Urbanworld® Film Festival is an initiative of the Urbanworld® Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that endeavors to consistently manifest its mission of redefining and advancing the presence and impact of the multicultural community in cinema and cross-platform media. By implementing initiatives that actively support and develop content creators of color, Urbanworld significantly contributes to the evolution of the media and entertainment landscape and the diversity that it reflects. Gabrielle Glore serves as Festival Director for the Urbanworld Film Festival. The festival website is www.urbanworld.org.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; Centric, the first network dedicated to Black women; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Don Cheadle's "Miles Ahead" Heads to Sony Pictures Classics

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES DON CHEADLE’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT MILES AHEAD

NEW YORK (August 5, 2015) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired worldwide* rights to Don Cheadle’s directorial debut, MILES AHEAD. MILES AHEAD tells the story of a few lost days in the life of Miles Davis (Cheadle), the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period, conspires with a Rolling Stone writer (McGregor) to steal back his music, and relives the years he had with his great love, Frances Taylor (Corinealdi). The film was recently announced as this year’s Closing Night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival.

Written by Steven Baigelman and Cheadle, MILES AHEAD stars Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield. Cheadle, Lenore Zerman, Pamela Hirsch, Daniel Wagner, Robert Ogden Barnum, Darryl Porter and Vince Wilburn, Jr. produced the film. Mark Amin, Baigelman, Jonathan Gardner and Brian Pope executive produced. Davis’ son, Erin Davis, and daughter, Cheryl Davis, are also executive producers, and the film was made with the participation of The Miles Davis Estate. The film was financed by BiFrost Pictures.

"Miles was many things…a supreme artist and a national treasure but also an enigma to those around him, especially during his so-called quiet period," said Cheadle. "With the family’s blessing and Miles’ tenets on creativity as our guide, we used these cloistered years as a jumping off point to compose the story of a self-exiled artist creating his own ‘centrifugal adventure’ to spin himself back into playing music again. And now I’m delighted that we’ve found the perfect partners in Michael, Tom and the SPC team to take this journey with us."

"What Don Cheadle has done here with the spirit of Miles Davis is truly astounding. We are not only witnessing for the first time this part of Miles Davis’ story as it deserves to be told, but also the birth of a major film director who happens to portray the iconic musician in a jaw dropping performance. This movie will be embraced by audiences everywhere and we are so pleased to help make that happen," stated Sony Pictures Classics.

The deal was negotiated by SPC with UTA Independent Film Group, which arranged the financing and represented the filmmakers in the deal. IM Global handled pre-sales in multiple territories.*

*Pre-sale territories were Portugal, Switzerland, UK, Ex-Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel and Middle East.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (132 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Welcomes Guests of Honor

2015 JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO WELCOMES ACTOR TADANOBU ASANO, DIRECTOR KOJI MORIMOTO AND TECHNO DJ LEGEND KEN ISHII AS OFFICIAL GUESTS OF HONOR

Star Of Ichi The Killer, Thor, And Battleship Will Attend To Receive Japan Film Festival Of San Francisco Honorary Award And Joins Renowned Anime Director And Legendary Techno DJ For Special Appearances

San Francisco, CA – The 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF), the first and only fully-dedicated Japanese film celebration for the S.F. Bay Area together with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT proudly present actor Tadanobu Asano, anime director Koji Morimoto and techno DJ Legend Ken Ishii as official Guests of Honor for San Francisco’s annual Japanese pop culture festival. Tadanobu Asano will attend the opening night event at The Castro Theatre to receive Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award.

Tadanobu Asano is widely known for starring roles in movies such as Ichi the Killer, Zatoichi, Thor, 46 Ronin, and Battleship. Koji Morimoto is renowned as one of Japan’s top anime directors and is also a founder of acclaimed Studio 4℃ and known for works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. Ken Ishii is a legendary techno DJ and producer who has performed live internationally and enjoys a worldwide fan base in the electronic music scene.

An Opening Night Event on Friday August 7th at The Castro Theatre kicks off the Japan Film Festival of S.F. with a special 35mm presentation of director Sogo Ishii’s Electric Dragon 80000V, a rollicking comic-book style action film that stars top Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, who will be on hand to personally introduce the film and participate in an audience Q&A immediately following the screening. Throughout the weekend, the Japan Film Festival of S.F. will present additional films also starring Asano, including My Man and Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi.

The Opening Night Event will culminate with a live DJ set collaboration between Japan’s legendary techno DJ and producer, Ken Ishii, and director Koji Morimoto. Advance tickets to the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT/JFFSF Opening Night Event at the Castro Theatre are available now for $25.00 each from http://jpop2015.brownpapertickets.com. 

Tadanobu Asano also is set to appear at the SF premiere screening of My Man on Saturday, August 8th 6:00PM. Asano will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A at NEW PEOPLE Cinema.

Koji Morimoto is set to appear at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT at Fort Mason Main Stage on Saturday, August 8th, 12:00 PM ahead of the screening event, The World of Koji Morimoto, a collection of 3 illustrious animated short films by Koji Morimoto set to screen on Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. Morimoto will introduce the film and will participate in an audience Q&A.

Koji Morimoto will additionally appear for an autograph session at on Saturday, August 8th 1:30 PM in bookseller Kinokuniya’s booth at Fort Mason. Additional details to be announced shortly at J-POP.com.

Ken Ishii is set to headline a second evening concert performance of J-POP LIVE NIGHT on Sunday, August 9th at the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT Fort Mason.

“It is a great pleasure to present Tadanobu Asano with the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Honorary Award,” says Manami Iiboshi, Executive Director of Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. “As one of the most inspiring and outstanding figures leading the Japanese film industry, and as an internationally acclaimed actor who actively works on projects beyond boundaries, he is extremely deserving of this Award. We are also thrilled to have director Koji Morimoto and DJ Ken Ishii performing together at our opening night event at the Castro. It is probably the first time since their legendary collaboration on “EXTRA” in the 1990’s.”

Opening in conjunction with the 2015 J-POP SUMMIT on Saturday, August 8th and running thru Sunday, August 16th, the 2015 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco will take place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the NEW PEOPLE entertainment complex in Japantown at 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115 (www.newpeoplecinema.com). Tickets to individual screenings are $13.00 each, unless otherwise noted. Film summaries, trailers, screening times and advance tickets are available at: www.JFFSF.org.

JFFSF Opening Night at Castro Theatre

ELECTRIC DRAGON 80000V
Friday, August 7th, 8:00pm

Dragon Eye Morrison (played by Tadanobu Asano) is a reptile investigator who suffers from an intermittent explosive disorder caused by brain damage he sustained in a childhood accident. He manages to find a way to survive and control his urges to destroy with his love of reptiles and an electric guitar. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt Buddha (played by Masatoshi Nagase), an electric repairman turned vigilante who has acquired powerful electro-conductive powers after sustaining a childhood accident, goes after crime bosses and gangsters that take advantage of electric signals. Holding an obsessive hatred towards Morrison, Thunderbolt Buddha challenges him to a final showdown on the rooftops of Tokyo.

Tadanobu Asano & Koji Morimoto Films to Screen at the 2015 JFFSF:

MY MAN
Saturday, August 8th, 6:00pm – Special Guest Appearance by Tadanobu Asano

When loneliness leads to forbidden love, how far will you go? After losing everything in a tsunami disaster, 10-year-old Hana is taken in by a young distant relative Jungo. The pair begins living together as family while sharing the profound sense of loss. Amidst the deep snows of Hokkaido, both desire to fill their empty, love-starved hearts and they set foot into a forbidden world. When an elder benefactor in their small town Mr. Oshio learns of Jungo and Hana's illicit relationship, tragedy begins to take over. Don't miss the special personal appearance by actor Tadanobu Asano who will introduce this film!

The World of Koji Morimoto
Sunday, August 9th, 1:50pm – Special Guest appearance by Director Koji Morimoto

A collection of three short films by one of Japan’s top anime director Koji Morimoto, widely known as a founder of Studio 4℃ and his works such as Animatrix and Genius Party Beyond. The famed director will appear in person to introduce the films as well as participate in an audience Q&A.

Magnetic Rose (45min): Magnetic Rose is the first of three episodes of MEMORIES, based on the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo (the creator of Akira). The film follows the members of the deep space salvage vessel Corona. While performing a salvage mission, the crew encounters an odd distress signal emanating from the Sargasso region, ominously nicknamed “The graveyard of space.” Soundtrack composed by Yoko Kanno.

Noiseman Sound Insect (15min): In the space of music, people used to live in the music fruit in the trees. One day, Dr. Frankein secretly succeeds in creating the creature 'Noiseman' by feeding the music fruit as fuel. Since then, the space was dominated by noise, not music. When a pair of kids Tobio and Reina find out this secret, they challenge Noiseman to bring the music back home again. The film’s soundtrack was written by Japanese composer, arranger, and musician Yoko Kanno.

Genius Party Beyond: Dimension Bomb (20min): Dimension Bomb is one of the five short animated omnibus "Genius Party Beyond," produced by Studio 4℃, which director Koji Morimoto founded in 1986. One day, a boy named Shin who wears a pupa-like mask encounters a girl named Koo. The days spent with Koo, who is a free spirit unlike any other, start to fill up his life with cherished and unforgettable moments. Noted musical composer and arranger, Yoko Kanno, provides the voiceover of Koo.

BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI
Sunday, August 9th, 4:00pm

Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is a 2003 samurai action film, directed by and starring actor Takeshi Kitano ("Beat" Takeshi) as Zatoichi. It also co-stars Tadanobu Asano, who plays Ronin Hattori, Zatoichi's rival. The film is a revival of the classic Zatoichi series of film and television series. It won the prestigious Silver Lion for Best Director award at Venice Film Festival and went on to win numerous other awards internationally.

NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events. www.newpeoplecinema.com


About JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO
Launched in 2013, Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is the first and only fully dedicated Japanese film event for the SF Bay Are. This year’s edition will feature a colorful mix of narratives, anime and documentary film premieres and exclusive screenings with special guest appearance at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema in SF’s Japantown from August 8th (Sat) through August 16th (Sun), 2015. More details and ticket information is available at www.jffsf.org.

About J-POP SUMMIT
The J-POP SUMMIT is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration held in San Francisco, CA that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. In 2014, the two-day event attracted 125,000 attendees. Details on J-POP SUMMIT are available at www.J-POP.com.

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