Dear Friend of the Festival,

I’m still catching up on emails so you may hear from me with a more personal reply soon. But I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a Big Thank You for your support of Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2017 which wrapped up at the end of last week.

We had hugely successful year with ten sell-out screenings, including selling out for the first time in our history our International Short Film Program!  Not to mention all the great reviews and word of mouth generated for the 50-odd short and feature films that screened as part of our 12th Annual Edition! Plus a historic number of filmmakers in attendance for lively Q&A's and social events shared with some 10,000 attending fans over nine thrilling nights.

It takes a huge community effort to deliver an independent film festival at such a hiqh quality on a relatively small budget. But once again we pulled it off for the fans and the filmmakers, and I'm so happy to have had your support in making our latest edition such a outstanding success.

Please be sure to add our next festival's dates to your calendar, October 11-19, 2018, as I hope you'll join me again After Dark for our Spooktacular 13th Edition!

Cheers!

Adam

Adam Lopez

Festival Director & Founder

Toronto After Dark Film Festival

Horror, Sci-Fi & Action Movies

13th Annual Event: Oct 11-19, 2018

www.torontoafterdark.com

Fest Forums delegates will have the priviledge of the first public screening of Jeff Bridges work of passion: Living the Futures past.

We are in the final countdown leading up to FestForums 2017. The program is very strong this year (as you have seen we have Jeff Bridges, T Bone Burnett, Frances Fisher, the Coen Bros, Kenny Loggins, Chuck Leavell, Nancy Silverton and of course 100’s of festival producers). 

Stu has done a stellar job of building an amazing exhibit hall with close to 100 sponsors. We have great films (preview of Jeff Bridges doc), music (Judith Owen & Kenny Loggins) and the James Beard Celebrity Chef Dinner (discount passes available), a complimentary oyster bar, great wines & lots of special events happening. 

Includes Opening Night Gala Presentation of Doc Ben-Gurion, Epilogue, Winner of Best Documentary, Israeli Academy Ophir Awards

Festival Runs November 5th – 21st

From Ben-Gurion, one of the world’s greatest leaders, to a profile of the first Iraqi-Jewish family to become a household name in Israel, to the history of North African and Eastern European immigrants in Southern Israel, to an understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in human terms and to the story of brotherhood, resilience and hope, five award winning documentaries will screen at the 31st Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, running November 5th – 21st.

Festival screenings will take place at the Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts (Beverly Hills), Laemmle Royal Theater (West L.A.) and the Laemmle Town Center 5 (Encino).  The Opening Night film, on November 5th, is Yariv Mozer’s Documentary Ben-Gurion, Epilogue, Winner of the 2017 Israeli Academy Ophir Award for Best Documentary, to be screened at the Saban Theatre.  For further information or to purchase tickets, contact IsraFest Foundation:  310.247.1800 or info@IsraelFilmFestival.org.  Tickets are also available to purchase on the website:   www.IsraelFilmFestival.com

“The Israel Film Festival will highlight the recent best documentary winners of the Ophir Awards (Israel’s equivalent of the Academy Awards) and the Jerusalem Film Festival,” noted Meir Fenigstein, founder/executive director of the Festival.  “These stories of history, triumph and tragedy will 

DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

BEN-GURION, EPILOGUE | בן גוריון, אפילוג
31st IFF OPENING NIGHT GALA PRESENTATION
Dir: Yariv Mozer
Lost for decades, this interview of an 82 year-old David Ben-Gurion reveals the mind and soul of one of modern history's greatest leaders. Interviewed in his desert home, far from the political fray, his deep reflections provide a surprising vision for today's world leaders and for the future of Israel. | 2016, 70 Min
2017 Ofir Awards – Winner Best Documentary
Guest in Attendance: Director Yariv Mozer
Festival Screenings: November 5th/7:30 pm, Saban Theatre (Gala Opening Night); November 13th/7:15 pm, Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre (post Q&A with director); November 16th/9:30 pm, Laemmle Town Center Theatre; November 18th/5:00 pm Laemmle Royal Theatre

DIMONA TWIST | דימונה טוויסט
WEST COAST PREMIERE
Dir: Michal Aviad
Dimona Twist combines conversations and rare archival footage of seven women who came to the desert decades ago. Coming from far regions of the world, they share stories full of humor, fashion and sorrow, facing with dignity their struggles to create a rich and meaningful life in the middle of nowhere. | 2016, 71 Min
2016 Jerusalem Film Festival – Best Israeli Documentary
Festival Screenings: November 11th/5:00 pm, Laemmle Town Center Theatre; November 16th/5:00 pm, Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre

MUHI | מוחי
WEST COAST PREMIERE
Dir: Rina Castelnuovo, Tamir Elterman
For the past seven years Muhi, a brave boy from Gaza and his devoted Muslim grandfather, have been living in an Israeli hospital, unable to return home. Saved by those considered enemies of his people, Muhi’s story transcends identity, religion and the conflict that divides his world. |
2017, 89 Min
2017 Jerusalem Film Festival – Best Documentary
Festival Screenings: November 12th/12:00 pm, Laemmle Royal Theatre; November 20th/5:00 pm, Laemmle Town Center Theatre

PHOTO FARAG | פוטו פרג'
L.A. PREMIERE
Dir: Kobi Farag
A real -life story of the first Iraqi-Jewish family to become a household name in Israel. The Farag family built a hugely successful photography business that revolutionized the way Israelis created and related to pictures. Photo Farag explores the destructive forces within a family determined to leave its mark on Israeli society. | 2017, 77 Min
2017 Silver Award at the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
Festival Screenings: November 11th/5:00 pm, Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre; November 19th/12:00 pm, Laemmle Royal Theatre

WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS |כשהעשן מתפזר
U.S. PREMIERE
Dir: Rebecca Shore
True stories of young war veterans whose unthinkable battle experiences leave them with life-altering mental and physical scars that disconnect them from society. A revolutionary idea gives them the courage to face their obstacles and pain. Their shared healing and personal growth transforms them into the heroes of their own lives. | 2017, 85 Min
2017 Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival
Festival Screenings: November 9th/7:15 pm, Laemmle Town Center Theatre; November 13th/7:15th, Laemmle Royal Theatre

For 31 years, the Festival has presented over 950 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to close to a million film goers and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art.  The Israel Film Festival is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization created in 1982.  Among the Sponsors of the 31st Israel Film Festival are long-time partners Millennium Media, Adelson Family Foundation, The Hollywood Reporter, Rabinovich Film Project, Israel Film Fund, Variety, Eclipse, Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Max Webb Foundation, David and Judy Shore Foundation, CAA, Screen International, New Regency, Bank Leumi USA, Four Seasons Hotel, The Orlando Hotel, SLS Hotel, Pacific Holdings, Yvel and the Israel Consulate in Los Angeles, to name a few. 

Opening Night Gala VIP Tickets: $150
Opening Night Gala Tickets: $50

To attend the 31st IFF Opening Night Gala, Award Presentation and Screenings of the Israel Film Festival, or to purchase tickets contact IsraFest Foundation:
Office: 310.247.1800 • Email: info@IsraelFilmFestival.org

Visit us at www.IsraelFilmFestival.com

Speakers include Focus Features’ Kiska Higgs, Lionsgate’s Thomas Hughes, OddLot Entertainment’s Adrian Alperovich, Producer/Agent Cassian Elwes, Skydance Media’s Jesse Sisgold and STX Films’ Sam Brown

The American Film Market (AFM^®) today announced its full list of speakers for their conferences, roundtables and workshops. A large number of leading independent producers, distributors, financiers and marketing executives are confirmed to participate. This year’s market is taking place November 1 - 8, in Santa Monica.

Conferences on finance, pitching, production and distribution connect attendees to thought leaders from across the industry, providing exclusive access to insider knowledge. Roundtables explore specialized topics and timely issues in an intimate setting.

Confirmed speakers and moderators, in alphabetical order, include:

• Adrian Alperovich, COO, OddLot Entertainment
• Adrian Ward, SVP & Manager, Entertainment Industries Division, Pacific Mercantile Bank
• Alexis Garcia, Partner, Global Finance & Distribution, WME
• Alison Thompson, Co-President, Cornerstone Films
• Andy Bohn, Co-Founder & Partner, The Film Arcade
• Anjay Nagpal, SVP Production & Distribution, Bron Studios
• Anna Godas, CEO, Dogwoof
• Barbara Mudge, President & Founder, Worldwide Film Entertainment
• Ben Stillman, SVP, Black Bear Pictures
• Brian O’Shea, CEO, The Exchange
• Bruce Eisen, President, Digital Advisors
• Cassian Elwes, Independent Producer/Agent
• Christine D’Souza Gelb, Agent, WME
• Clay Epstein, President, Film Mode Entertainment
• Cynthia Tollett, Assistant Executive Director, Directors Guild of America
• Dana Lustig, Principal, Dana Lustig Productions
• Darrien Michele Gipson, National Director, SAGindie
• David Austin, EVP, Bridgestone Multimedia
• DeVon Franklin, Producer & CEO, Franklin Entertainment
• Felix Tsang, Sales and Acquisitions Manager, Golden Scene Company Limited
• Geena Davis, Actress, Producer, Activist
• Gerren Crochet, Packaging Agent, Film Finance and Distribution, The Gersh Agency
• Hanny Patel, VP, Video Marketing, AT&T Entertainment Group
• Ian Bricke, Director, Content Acquisition, Netflix
• Jen McGowan, Director
• Jesse Sisgold, President/COO, Skydance Media
• Jim Whitaker, Producer, A Wrinkle in Time
• Joe Chianese, EVP, EP Financial Solutions
• John Penotti, President, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
• Kay S. Wolf, Senior Representative/Member Organizing Department, Writers Guild of America West
• Kevin Downes, Producer & President, Kevin Downes Production & South West Film Group
• Kevin Iwashina, Founder & CEO, Preferred Content
• Kiska Higgs, Head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Focus Features
• Laurens Grant, Director & Producer
• Lisa Remington, Producer
• Lisa Wilson, Partner, The Solution Entertainment Group
• Lucy Mukerjee-Brown, Director of Programming, Outfest & Newfest
• Mark Damon, CEO & Chairman, Foresight Unlimited
• Martin Katz, Founder and President, Prospero Pictures
• Neema Barnette, Director
• Patrick Frater, Asia Bureau Chief, Variety
• Paul Bales, Partner, The Asylum
• Paul Hanson, CEO, Covert Media
• Paul Hertzberg, President & CEO, CineTel Films, Inc.
• Pilar Alessandra, Instructor/Consultant, On The Page
• Rebecca Cammarata, Director of Development, Stay Gold Features
• Richard Botto, Founder & CEO, Stage 32
• Rick Bonn, Head of Development & Acquisitions, Pure Flix Entertainment
• Russell Levine, CEO, Route One Films
• Sam Brown, Head of Production, STXfilms
• Shirley Davis, Executive Vice President, Physical Production, Alcon Entertainment, LLC
• Stefan Lütje, Partner/Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
• Steve Chan Chi-Fat, Director, Weeds on Fire
• Tania Jones, VP of Marketing & Customer Service, Shift72
• Thomas Hughes, EVP, Worldwide Digital Distribution, Lionsgate
• Tobin Armbrust, President, Worldwide Production & Acquisitions, Virgin Produced
• Tom Ara, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
• Vicky Wong, Director, Trivisa
• Wendy Calhoun, Writer/Producer, EMPIRE, NASHVILLE, JUSTIFIED

Conference Schedule

Friday, November 3

Finance Conference I: The Big Picture

• The Future of Global Film Finance
• Spotlight Sessions

Saturday, November 4

Pitch Conference

• Pitching Essentials
• The 2-Minute Pitches

Sunday, November 5

Finance Conference II: Funding Films Today

• Producing Studio Films with Independent Budgets
• The Film Finance Matrix: From Script to Screen

Monday, November 6

Production Conference

• Producing for the Pre-Sales Marketplace
• What They Want: Inside the Studios

Tuesday, November 7

Distribution Conference

• Working with Sales Agents
• The Future of Video On Demand

Roundtable Schedule

Thursday, November 2

• The Changing Hong Kong Movie Scene: What is New, How and Why?

Saturday, November 4

• Building A Future For LGBTQ Film

Sunday, November 5

• The Passion of the Film: Reaching the Faith Community
• The Future is Female

Monday, November 6  

• Distributing & Monetizing Feature Documentaries

Tuesday, November 7

• Working with the U.S. Guilds

Writers Workshop Sessions

Sunday, November 5

• You Had Me At Page One
• The Art of Cinematic Storytelling: Transforming Your Premise Into An Engaging Screenplay

Monday, November 6

• ReVision: Seeing Your Script With New Eyes
• Writing Compelling Characters

Special Events will include Engage: Navigating Hollywood’s Shifting Landscape, presented by Pepperdine Alumni Affairs and Pepperdine’s Institute for Entertainment, Media, and Culture.

Visit AmericanFilmMarket.com/programs-events to view the full program.

The American Film Market is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance, IFTA-online.org. More information on the AFM can be found at: AmericanFilmMarket.com

About the American Film Market

The American Film Market is the world’s largest motion picture business event. Over 7,000 industry leaders converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, conferences, networking and parties. Participants come from more than 80 countries and include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world’s press and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry.

Unlike a film festival, the AFM is a marketplace – with over 200,000 square feet of exhibition space – where production and distribution deals are closed. In just eight days, more than US$1 billion in deals will be sealed — on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production.

Participants may view more than 500 screenings of 300+ films – 29 new films every two hours – the majority world or U.S. premieres. Titles range from big budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios to lower budget art and genre films recognized at international film festivals.

With 7,000 attendees, 500 screenings, 300 exhibiting distributors, and the industry’s largest Conference series, AFM is the pivotal destination for independent filmmakers and business people from all over the world.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival unveils the opening film and Flanders Focus lineup

The 21st Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (aka PÖFF) will see Flanders, Belgium as the focus region of the festival, that will include 10 films in the specially-curated programme In Focus: Flanders. The festival will be opened with another film from the region, Racer and the Jailbird.

Following the tradition of choosing a country of focus for each edition to introduce slices of its culture and cinematic history, PÖFF has instead focused on a region this time, choosing the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium - Flanders - as its region of focus for 2017. The festival has curated a retrospective programme of 10 films that explore the developments in Flemish cinema between 1983 and 2016.

The programme includes two Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award nominations - Daens by director Marc Didden (1983) and Bullhead by Michaël R. Roskam (2011), the only film in the programme that has screened at PÖFF before. One of the films, Facades by directors Kaat Beels & Nathalie Basteyns, will have its international premiere at the festival.

Other entries include the winner of the best director award in Venice’s Orizonti competition Home by director Fien Troch, Cargo that was nominated for the Sebastiane award at San Sebastian and Toto the Hero, a co-production between Flemish, Walloons and Germans, that was nominated for a BAFTA and won the Golden Camera award for the director Jaco van Dormael at Cannes in 1991.

The film to be screened at the opening ceremony of the festival on 17 November in the Nordea Concert Hall is Racer and the Jailbird, the romantic heist thriller by director Michaël R. Roskam that had its world premiere in Venice. The film has been chosen as the Belgian candidate for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Says Tiina Lokk, director of Black Black Nights Film Festival: ‘Why Flanders? Because it is a remarkable region with a rich cultural heritage and an exciting cinematic output. What I, as an Estonian, admire especially is how they have made a much greater impact in the world than their size would seem to suggest. They’ve been making great, distinctive films for decades now, having put themselves strongly on the map with two Academy Awards nomination in the last decade and a remarkable presence at the festival circuit.

And their films have always made a strong impact our festival’s audiences and juries alike. To bring some examples, in 2012 Felix van Groeningen’s Broken Circle Breakdown won the audience award, in 2014 Gust van den Berghe’s Lucifer won the Grand Prix and in 2015 Martha Canga Antonio won the best actress award for Black. In addition, we have a great Flemish debut Resurrection in this year’s First Feature Competition programme.’

Says Yves Wantens, General Representative of the Government of Flanders:
‘The kind of Flanders Focus with Black Nights is one of the bigger events we have initiated with a film festival. The reputation and the quality of the PÖFF festival was one of the elements to decide on this collaboration with PÖFF.

From the side of the Flemish Government we try to promote the internationalization of our movies and audio visual series from a cultural and an economic side and participation in festivals like PÖFF is also one way of promoting our movies to the international public.’

The focus is supported by the Government of Flanders, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund and Screen Flanders.

The tickets for the Flanders Focus films are now available at poff.ee.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival takes place from 17 November until 3 December.
 

In Focus: Flanders

Brussels by Night (1983), director Marc Didden
Crazy Love (1987), dir Dominique Deruddere
Toto the Hero (Toto le héros, 1991), Jaco van Dormael
Daens (Daens, 1992), Stijn Coninx
The Misfortunates (De helaasheid der dingen, 2009), Felix van Groeningen
Bullhead (Rundskop, 2011), Michaël R. Roskam
Home (2016), Fien Troch
Past Imperfect (Le passé devant nous, 2016), Nathalie Teirlinck
Cargo (2017), Gilles Coulier
Facades (Façades, 2017), Kaat Beels & Nathalie Basteyns

From September 28 – October 15 the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s  New York Film Festival presented its 55^th edition with an enlarged program in five venues. It included 23 productions in its main slate, four sections with 24 short films covering narratives, genre stories, New York stories, and documentaries, 15 essential classic films which were recently restored or released, 18 documentaries. 41 short and feature films in the new Projections section, and 25 films in the much acclaimed retrospective of Robert Mitchum.  Numerous free events were open to the public;  three convergence virtual reality projects, four The Wild Cave projections screenings and several dialogues with directors whose films were in the 2017 program, Lucrecia Martel, Agnes Varda & JR, Hong Song-soo, and Philippe Garrel.  Richard Linklater discussed with the NYFF Director Ken Jones films that inspired them, illustrating points presented with film clips. Issues of the digital divide Without a Net a documentary by Rory Kennedy was shown free of charge.  The journal Film Comment, published by the Film Society of Lincoln Center premiered  A Gentle Creature by Sergei Loznitsa and arranged three free talks covering The Cinema of Experience, Filmmakers Chat, and the end of the festival’s Festival Wrap. In two evening events Kate Winslet and Ava Du Vernay with her guest shared their views about films.  In the special events section Claude Lanzmann portraits in four new 2017 films of four Eastern European women and their destiny were shown which had their world premiere at the festival. The special events also included a master class with Kent Jones and  two distinguished cinematographers Vittorio Storaro and Ed Lachman, world premieres of The Opera House (Susan Froemke), Spielberg (Susan Lacy), Trouble No More (Jennifer Lebeau) and G.W. Pabst’s 1929 Pandora’s Box with a new orchestra score composed and directed by Jonathan Ragonese. There is no doubt that the New York Film Festival offers a comprehensive   innovative program in its many sections, a differentiated selection of domestic and international themes and issues, new cinematic approaches, immersive technologies and revival of classics to name some cardinal areas of interest the fest satisfied.  But what is also rather important is the festival’s service to the general  public as expressed in the large number of events and screenings which are free of charge.        

The Square, Ruben Oestlund, Sweden, 2017

As in his other films, Play featuring robberies of helpless white children with adults not intervening because the robberies are carried out by kids from minority groups and Force Majeure dissecting a father’s state of mind who spontaneously decides to save his cell phone rather than his family when threatened by an avalanche, Oestlund depicts in The Square the frailty of human bonds focusing on the precarious nature of interaction. The context is provided over one week by actions of Christian, a young chief curator running a modern art museum who is setting up his introductory exhibit The Square. The film’s episodes are embedded in the art community he serves, the art business, his somehow dysfunctional social family life and numerous loose   sequences.  Interactions he depicts are complicated, provocative and frequently open ended and Oestlund does not provide answers for the audience.  The Square is a small circumscribed and neon bordered area in front of the museum, an avant-garde art work intended to create a statement about behavior. The Square represents the locus of compassion, sympathy and our shared space of understanding. The film offers a satirical portrait of this young self-possessed art curator and of the manners and pretensions his upscale culturally entitled bourgeois audience embraces. When people rush for the museum-provided customary delicious lunch after a presentation the speaker requests that they have to slow down since enough foods is available. A seminar   is interrupted by a man with Tourette’s syndrome cursing the speaker and the audience which is to helpless to respond.  Christian’s one night stand ends with a battle about the condom used and he fails to remember his partner’s name.  When queried about art he responds that any object including the purse of the journalist interviewing him are elevated to a work of art by labelling it art. The interview takes place in front of several piles of dirt that are now art given their designation as art. During a black-tie fundraising dinner, a semi-clad ape man terrifies the well behaved guests through his rapid movements and roars disrupting the dinner and grabbing guest. First they freeze not knowing how to respond but after their frame of behavior is broken, a group of men tries to kill him. When a video from a marketing agency showing  a homeless girl being blown up on the square to generate maximum attention for the art show goes viral on YouTube Christian is fired and is helpless trying to explain the video and his loss of the job to a large audience of journalists.  Within a week his status of the self-assured intellectual has faded.

For Oestlund  our society is dominated  by  media management and marketing.  In politics the more exposure one gets through media  the higher chance of election as demonstrated by Trump’s elevation.  In  art the value is determined by the market and funding for art determined by reaction of sponsors. The more offensive it comes across to sponsors and interest groups the smaller the amount raised and the greater the censorship.

Faces Places  Agnes Varda and JR, France, 2017

The film is a persuasive documentary essay of people and places in rural France.  88 year old Agnes Varda and her much younger  collaborator JR, a 34 year old street photographer, engage in a photographic voyage reacting and recording spontaneously   elements of the environment  focusing primarily on unknown people from all walks of life.  Their tools for understanding are the large images of people produced by JR’s photo booth on a truck.  They  are pasted as black and white murals   to the walls  and other surfaces and come close to large public art project.  Images reflect mostly people but also groups and reproductions of old photos. More importantly are the sentiments of the people who were photographed which they express in non-directive talks about themselves, the environment and work, and the reaction to their images.  Varda and JR also shared reflections about their life and art. They place themselves as much into the center of the film as the people they met in their spontaneous passages. Varda and JR had no script for the film nor had preconceptions about the content. They started with the idea of exploring the reality of persons met at random and it took them  a long time to get enough funds to realize the project.

Hall of Mirrors, Ena Talakic and Ines Talakic, USA 2017

This documentary portrait of  the non-partisan Edward J. Epstein is a compelling analysis of his investigative journalism using as a central theme his recently published book “How America Lost Its Secrets: Edward Snowdon, the Man and the Theft” and material from numerous books and articles by the 81 year old author. They cover a broad range from his investigation of the Warren Commission, the economics of Hollywood, the case study of the diamond industry to the revealing analysis of Edward Snowdon absconding with 1.2 million secret documents from the National Security Agency. Epstein demystifies in the film and Q&A session Snowdon and removes him from the pedestal of a whistle-blowing hero to that of a common hacker who found with his stolen information a new home in Russia. But Epstein makes it clear that the NSA takes much of the blame by outsourcing the handling of sensitive information.  Comparing his work as an investigative journalist early in his career to what he is doing now Epstein emphasized that effective investigation has become much more difficult. Access to and the quality of information is filtered by many factors including the use by policy makers of public relations and crisis management experts. Further Facebook and other interest driven social media are rarely a source of valid information. The gap between fact and fiction or appearance and reality is growing steadily and the status of news precarious.

The films noted below are part of ‘Projections’ a showcase for international film and video works. Encompassing 41 short and feature films. Projections was sponsored by MUBI, a streaming service offering demanding films. The films productions shown at the festival “expand upon our notions of what the moving image can do and be” and impact our perception of reality.

Caniba, Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, USA, France, UK, 20017

Shown for the first time in the United States this documentary offers a disturbing portrait of Issei Sagawa who lives near Tokyo with by his brother Jun. Sagawa was declared legally insane in 1981 by a French court for killing a fellow student, raping her corpse and cannibalizing it and was deported to Japan. He turned there into a media sensation making a living as a manga book author and pornographic film maker capitalizing on his outrageous crime. He is now cared for by his brother Jun due to impairments caused by a stroke.  The documentary conveys that Sagawa still desires human flesh and would  like to be killed by another cannibal.  Ironically, his brother  shows in the documentary strange sadomasochistic sexual desires.  The anthropologist film makers try to refrain from judgmental statements but the subject matter, imagery and the brothers’ statements presented rather disturbing.

Occidental, Neil Bekoufa, France, 2017

Also premiering is this non-linear feature about the guests and staff of a bohemian downtrodden hotel in Paris staged against the background of protests, riots and street violence.  Directed by Neil Bekoulaf, a visual artist, Occidental’s narration is restricted to the hotel and its claustrophobic theater-like setting with occasional excursions to the chaotic outside. The cast of odd characters engaging frequently in unpredictable actions includes a gay Italian couple that has checked into the hotel’s marriage suite  with empty suitcases, some English guests prone to drinking, an old American man with his attractive young female lover,  and a suspicious hotel manager with her receptionist and an assistant who cannot communicate.  There are no clear connections between the characters since they do not seem to be what they represent to each other fitting the genre breaking construction of the film.  The hotel manager calls the police suspecting the gay couple of being thieves or terrorists, the cops do not believe her account since there is no evidence or logic to her stories. Her assistant faints when queried and the receptionist seems to be falling in love with a guest. It is not clear to the audience what and why things are happening and confusion prevails, including the destruction of the hotel Occidental by an explosive rapidly spreading fire. The hotel’s inmates escape into the street riots and contradictory accounts of the fire are shared. If the destruction of the hotel stands for the demise of the occident is not clear.  Bekoufa turned the hotel into an art object installation after the film was completed and provided incomplete answers in the Q & A session, musing that the meaning of his film has to be ascertained by the viewers.

Claus Mueller, filmexchange@gmail.coma

Hey Guys,

I wanted to take a second to introduce myself and the new organization I work for. CineLove is a new streaming platform/film festival and movie movement. To say hello & welcome I wanted to offer y’all a sweet discount on entry to our very first short film comp. Just use the code friends over at FilmFreeway to enter for $2.50.

Here is a little more about our organization.

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CineLove is looking for the voices of the new generation.

We’re a new streaming service dedicated to bringing the film festival experience into your home.

Enter our rolling contest NOW.

• Meet a new audience through our screening events and streaming service.

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CineLove Short Film Festival

Enjoy three days celebrating the best indie TV pilots in the heart of historic York, UK at the newly opened Everyman Cinema.

Thursday 10 May to Sunday 13 May

Everyman Cinema, York

Thursday 10 May 2018

8 - 9 pmWelcome reception
9 - 10:30 pmScreenings

Saturday 12 May 2018

2:30 - 3:30 pm Screenings

Sunday 13 May 2018

9 - 10 pm Awards announcement

Categories

1. Micro-budget TV Pilot (under $5k)

2. Small-budget TV Pilot (under $10k)

3. Comedy TV Pilot

4. Drama TV Pilot

5. Sci-Fi TV Pilot

6. Documentary TV Pilot

7. Dramedy TV Pilot

8. Animation TV Pilot

9. Action TV Pilot

10. Adventure TV Pilot

11. Arthouse TV Pilot

12. Historical TV Pilot

13. Horror TV Pilot

14. Erotica TV Pilot

15. Animal-Led Narrative TV Pilot

Prizes

• First place £250 cash prize

• Get paid to stream films to audiences in UK, US, and Canada via CineLove

• Screen your movie at film festivals and special screening events via our indie cinema partners in UK/US/CAN.

• Invitation to a film festival event in your region

About CineLove

The future of streaming launches winter 2017.

We are in a new golden age of television

– but too many choices leave us confused.

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With daily exclusive content & originals, all for just one monthly flat fee

plus film news, reviews, and education.

We are the only subscription cinephiles & filmmakers need.

 

Follow us on the social networks and filmfestivals.com.                     

 

 

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Filmfestivals.com Wine tasting Party for festival directors ends with bitter taste of stolen camera

We regret that we will not be able to share more pictures of our event. They are gone with the camera.
Every one enjoyed meeting their peers and sharing festival stories, wines from Bernardus were amazing, thanks to our friends at Fest Forums and Vision Films we had a great time...untill we realized at the end that someone with a badge had walked away with my camera stolen from our table.  This is the first time in afm this year that an object is reported stolen,  the security told us... How unfortunate for me to be the lucky winner! "from all the bars in the world you had to walk  into mine..."

 

Dead on Arrival at ARPA film Festival red carpet premiere with the team

Dead on Arrival a remake of the classic noir movie, shot by Stephen Cyrus Sepher (Hesit) played as center piece at Arpa International Film Festival at the Egyptian December 4th. Sylvia Minassian (festival director) is getting a thank you hug from Billy Flynn... The whole cast of the film in attendance offered some humourous and very warm moments of friendship on the red carpet. The film played to a full house with an eletric ambiance, all tension was released at the end of the movie with a Q...

 

Catching the Wave at AFM: Full details of AFM panels, keynotes and events

Wednesday November 1st AFM Orientation Jonathan Wolf, Managing Director, American Film Market   3:00 PM  -  4:30 PM ,  November 1 2017  ArcLight - Screen 1 Thusrday November 2nd The Changing Hong Kong Movie Scene: What is New, How and Why?   3:00 PM  -  4:30 PM ,  November 2 2017  Loews Hotel - AFM Studio   ...

 

The 'Future is Female' panel with Geena Davis

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE (5:00PM) Jennifer Warren Chairperson & Founder, Alliance of Women Directors   “This is the 20th anniversary of the Alliance of Women Directors, and only in the last two years have we had a response. It is new, and a nice change. People are now listening to the fact that there is no parity in the workplace for women, which is principally what we are after here. Women directors hold only about six percent of positions as feature film directors. We feel i...

 

 

The other side of Russia AFM Panel

THE OTHER SIDE OF RUSSIA (2.15pm) Val Kupeev Film Commissioner, Russian Office of Film Commissions   “Russia is the land of sand dunes, warm seas, unique forests, mesmerizing lakes, magnetic mountains, mystic Siberia, icy winters and history.”   “Russia has the influence of different European cultures – these are reflected in our architecture. We have modern architecture as well. There are plenty of futuristic locations, including Moscow’s financi...

 

 

From Script to Screen The Finance Matrix Panel

THE FILM FINANCE MATRIX: FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN (11.15am) Shirley Davis Executive Vice President, Physical Production, Alcon Entertainment, LLC   “You have to build a solid foundation – build the skeleton of your budget first because that’s going to be your bible and that’s what’s going to determine whether you’ll profit or not from your film.”   “I always ask people what type of project they’re trying to make before building...

 

Quotes from The Producing Studio films with Independent budget Panel

PRODUCING STUDIO FILMS WITH INDEPENDENT BUDGETS (9.15am) Paul Hanson CEO, Covert Media   “In today’s marketplace, there are lots of alternatives that will allow you to build an interesting distribution model across some of these up and coming streaming platforms.”   “There’s a dynamic nature to pre-sales. At any point in time, this dynamic can change.”   “10 years ago, you could have a B/B- grade film, but if you had the right st...

 

Finance Conference II November photos and quotes

November 5, 2017: Los Angeles: Today the AFM hosted: ·         Finance Conference II, featuring the following two sessions: o   Producing Studio Films with Independent Budgets o   The Film Finance Matrix: From Script to Screen ·         The Passion of The Film: Reaching The Faith Community roundtable, which saw filmmakers revealing the essential elements of story, ministry and o...

 

Projects of WIZART Studio are going to China, Great Britain and Germany

The Russian animation studio sold the rights to its tentpole to China, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Wizart also reports about the deal on Sheep and Wolves – the project will be soon released in the theatres of Great Britain and Ireland     The third film of The Snow Queen franchise is scheduled for...

 

AFM Screenings & Events Update | Monday, November 6

Events Production Conference Time: 9:15am – 12:45pm Location: Fairmont Hotel, Starlight Ballroom Romania Welcomes Hollywood Time: 11:30am &nda...

 

 

Animation! Pitching Sessions in Ventana Sur is growing

The call for Latin American projects for animated feature films and TV series in development for Animation! Pitching Sessions has broken the record this year, with 180 registrations from all Latin America. Ventana Sur   ...

 

First Look Photo of Theo James and Emily Ratajkowski in LYING AND STEALING

Principal photography has begun on location in Los Angeles this week on the heist thriller LYING AND STEALING, starring Theo James and Emily Ratajkowski, directed by Matt Aselton (Gigantic) from his script co-written by Adam Nagata.    The film also stars Fred Melamed (A Serious Man), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Chi Raq), Evan Handler (Sex and the City, American Crime Story) and John Gatins.   ...

 

 

Film Distribution and Goldfinch Studios partnering on Craig Conway’s upcoming film Kruger - a dark psychological thriller

Craig Conway will make his Directorial Debut; Production to commence in South Africa in March 2018   Kaleidoscope Film Distribution (KFD) and Goldfinch Studios announced today a partnership on the upcoming dark psychological thriller Kruger, which marks the directorial debut for actor/producer Craig Conway (Giantland). The project is fully-financed by Goldfinch Entertainment, and produced by Kirsty Bell and Craig Conway of Bird Box Pictures, a Goldfinch Studio company. &n...

 

 

Action thriller Lucky Day directed by Academy Award winner Roger Avary enters the market from Film Nation

Introducing a brand NEW production still from the highly anticipated action thriller Lucky Day directed by Academy Award winner Roger Avary (The Rules of Attraction, Pulp Fiction), starring Crispin Glover (American Gods), Nina Dobrev (Flatliners), Luke Bracey (Point Break), Clifton Collins (HBO’s “Westworld”), Clé Bennett (Jigsaw), Nadia Fares (Marseille), David Hewlett (u...

 

 

The AFM hosted the Building A Future For LGBTQ Film roundtable

A discussion of the independent film landscape, which used case studies of specific financing models to identify a sustainable way forward for LGBTQ representation in cinema. Lucy Mukerjee Moderator Director of Programming, Outfest & Newfest   Christine D’Souza Gelb Agent, Endeavor Content   [on waiting for festival premieres to sell your film]  “When you have the right distributor with the right plan, you just want to sign up right away and get everyone on...

 

 

The AFM Pitch Conference drew an audience of more than 700 people – a full house

Today the AFM hosted its annual Pitch Conference which drew an audience of more than 700 people – a full hous ·         The morning started out with moderator Pilar Alessandra, Producer Cassian Elwes ane!d Virgin Produced’s Tobin Armbrust sharing practical advice and the essential rules and tools of pitching. ·         The second part of the session consisted of 14+ filmmakers hitting the ...

 

 

38th Edition of the American Film Market Sees Significant Increase in Exhibitor Participation 18% and counting

The American Film Market (AFM®), which opened its doors on Wednesday and runs until November 8 in Santa Monica, has seen a significant surge in participants this year with 445 exhibiting companies attending, an 18% increase over 2016.  Notable growth comes from around the world, including South Korea (+13), Italy (+9), Romania (+9) France (+5) and Russia (+5). Exhibitors from India (3) participated after a three-year absence for the country.   AFM is seeing a strong contingent of...

 

05.11.2017 | American Film Market Dailies's blog

Gravitas Ventures Acquires "Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies" for distribution

  Cardinal XD is the International Sales Agent for the zombie horde film.   Director Mark Newton's Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies, winner of "Goriest Film" at last week's FANtastic Horror Film Festival in San Diego, has been acquired by Gravitas Ventures for domestic distribution, announced Daniel Wood, Executive Producer.   "Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies has a great Southern vibe and gives a unique twist to the zombie film genre, with a ...

 

The Devilworks company brought to AFM a new supernatural thriller called THE HOLLOW CHILD

      ...

 

Charlie Sheen’s Ex’s Move into a Glass House Together!

  Charlie Sheen’s on-screen ex Jennifer Taylor (Two And A Half Men) and his real life ex Denise Richards (The World is Not Enough) star together in a new drama just picked up for international sales by NY-based sales company Glass House Distribution. Lili Bordan (The Martian) who just recently wrapped Book Club with Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton, also stars in this female ensemble driven movie, and keeping it all under one roof, the movie is executive produced by Glass House Distribu...

 

Frenchman's Flat and "The Measure of Your Faith" from Unlike Any Other Productions

I hope this email finds you well.  I am Jonathon James Williams, partner of Unlike Any Other Productions. We are wishing to line up a meeting either at AFM or beforehand.    We have two film projects which would be of interest to yourself and your company. As well as a cutting edge Faith-based biblical series. All works are unique, original and generate a universal audience and gathering a lot of interest! ...

 

Nephilim: “Some are Born, Some are made. Some are chosen”

“Some are Born, Some are made. Some are chosen” Synopsis: NEPHILIM is a supernatural, action-thriller following an atypical young priest, Father Markus, into a mystical world of blended realities, as he is thrown into the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. The NEPHILIM story follows an atypical young priest, Father Markus, and four other warrior characters on a mission to save the world from a catastrophic ending, as they must choose to work together to defeat an up...

Watch a teaser I Request a screener and meet with Gilbert Nash at AFM

Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” Baby Driver) is set to star in the taut supernatural thriller Off Season,

 

Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” Baby Driver) is set to star in the taut supernatural thriller Off Season, it was announced today by Protagonist Pictures CEO Dave Bishop. The electric wilderness chiller is produced by Nira Park (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) through her Big Talk Pictures and J. Miles Dale (The Shape of Water, Mama) under his Demilo Productions banner.   Off Season is the highly anticipated first feature from BAFTA nominated w...

 

Saga Films Locks Multi-Title Deal with Lightning Entertainment

Independent sales, distribution and acquisitions company SAGA FILMS today announced a multi-title deal with LIGHTNING ENTERTAINMENT for films including Freezer starring Golden Globe® winner Dylan McDermott, Craig Clyde’s Storm Rider, Australian romcom Until She Came Along starring Rachael Taylor and Josh Lawson, and Warren. P. Sonoda’s comedy Servitude.   The deal will see SAGA FILMS acquire all rights (except theatrical) for the four LIGHTNING ENTERTAINMENT signature li...

 

At AFM 2017, Thai Ministry of Commerce unveils plan to make Thailand’s the leading film production hub of the ASEAN region

Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi presides over Thai Night AFM 2017 – Thailand Where Films Come Alive, an event of celebration of Thai cinema organized during the American Film Market 2017.    Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barna...

 

ADAM FUSS A Landscape of Imagination the new film by Svetlana Cemin

Kenya Film Commission would like to announce that submission of films for the 2017 Film and TV Awards has officially closed. This year, the commission registered the highest number of entries ever received since the inception of Kalasha International, with the submission of 237 films!, an affirmation of the credibility of the Kalasha over the last 7 years and the fact that more film makers are keen to have Kenyans consume local content.
The Awards gala is our very own Kenyan Oscars with various categories spanning feature films, short films, documentaries, T.V documentaries, T.V commercials, T.V drama, T.V comedies and TV shows.
The Jury is currently vetting all the films in preparation for the unveil of the 2017 nominees and probably one of the grandest event in 2017- Kalasha Film & TV Awards scheduled for Saturday 9^th December 2017.

This year, the Kalasha International has been split in 3 with the Kalasha International Film Festival set from 4th – 8th December 2017 and the market set for March 2018.
 
Kalasha International is the biggest film market in East Africa bringing under one roof a Film Festival, a Film & TV Awards and a Film & TV Market. Further details can be accessed via; http://kalashainternational.com/company-register/. For exhibiting, sponsoring or advertising, contact us at connect@kalashainternational.com.
 

THE CONSPIRACY OF LOVE

Saturday, November 18
1:00 - 1:50 PM

Turkey’s one the most anticipated event International Izmir Short Film Festival begins Tuesday the 7^th of November. The festival screens 400 films from 42 different countries free of charge for film lovers. Along with special film selections, festival also hosts exciting workshops, exhibitions and events until the 12^th of November.

The festival will take place on November 7- 12. 400 films from 42 different countries have spread out to 146 showings, including university screenings. Films will be shown free of charge at the Institut Français, Izmir Art in Culture Park, Buca Municipality Tarik Akan Youth Center and at the participating universities’ halls.

Events & Workshops
İzmir's festival aims to provide training in every field for short films. With this aim at its heart, workshops, talks and seminars have been organized with the pioneers of the film industry. The workshops will start with the successful cast director Harika Uygur. Actress Irem Altug will be sharing her experiences in film and TV. While Advertiser Heval Hazal Kurt will be searching the answers for short films’ marketing issues in her workshop, film critic and International Competition jury member Murat Tolga Sen will be talking about film writing and Turkish Cinema. Oktostore will run an interesting workshop on digital cinema where the participants will have a chance to discuss the latest technologies and equipment. Berlin based sound operator Tolga Uygur will share his knowledge on sound recording, boom operating, microphones and sound editing in his workshop.

Film lovers will also have the opportunity to meet with successful actors Burak Demir, Basak Parlak and director Bulent Isbilen. Actress Deniz Cakir, who will serve in the National Competition jury this year, will also meet with the festivalgoers in a talk session during the festival.

Festival will host a special screening of Luis González's feature film "The Turkish Way" at the French Cultural Center. The documentary tells the story of three chiefs of the El Celler de Can Roca, which was chosen as the best restaurant in the world in 2015. They begin a gastronomic journey from Argentina and travel to Turkey. 

Portraits from Turkish Cinema photograph exhibition by Mehmet Kostumoglu can be visited at Buca Municipality Culture Center during the festival. Kostumoglu’s 24 years’ worth of work comprises of 200 portraits of the greatest names of the Turkish Cinema; Tarik Akan, Mujde Ar, Münir Özkul, Tuncel Kurtiz, Mujdat Gezen, Ediz Hun, Omer Lutfi Akad, Hale Soygazi, Perihan Savas and Sener Sen.

11 Awards
Short films from all over the globe will be competing for the Golden Cat Awards. The best fiction film and the runner ups in the international and national competitions will be awarded. In the national category, the best documentary, the best experimental, the best animation films awards and best newcomer and best cinematographer awards also be presented.  

Ege University, Yasar University, İzmir Economy and Izmir Institute of Technology students will be voting for the title of the best film to receive the Migros Youth Prize amongst the finalist films which will be screened at the universities’ halls.

Festival is kindly supported by the Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Izmir General Directorate of Cinema, Buca, Konak, Bornova and Karşıyaka Municipalities and French Cultural Center.