12 Feature-length Documentaries from 11 Countries Contend for $60,000 in Cash Prizes   San Francisco, CA – The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5) today announced its Documentaries in Competition for the esteemed Golden Gate Awards. The International will award close to $100,000 in total prizes this year. Sixty thousand dollars will be awarded to winners in three categories: investigative documentary feature ($25,000), documentary feature ($20,...

  Cinequest Film Festival 21 (CQFF21) proved to be so much more than a film festival by continuing to transform lives across the globe through discovery, innovation, connecting and creativity. The festival celebrated 75 U.S., North American and World Premieres representing over 41 countries. Enhancing its position as the place to discover the future of film innovations, Cinequest produced 22 art and innovation forums and workshops. A record 91,000 participants enjoyed premier venues loaded ...

By Maria Esteves – March 12, 2011 The 26th Annual 2011 International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) presented by the Winter Music Conference; hosted by chief executive officer/founder Daniel Glass, Glassnote Records, with Naughty Natalia de la Cruz was held at Dolce, Miami Beach, FL, Thursday, March 10, 2011. IDMA annually acknowledges exceptional achievements and innovation in the dance music industry worldwide (artists, DJs, producers, promoters, remixers, record labels, radio shows, podca...

By Maria Esteves – March 12, 2011 The 83rd Academy Awards presented by AMPAS for outstanding film achievements of 2010 co-hosted by Academy Award nominee James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway commenced Sunday, February 27, 2011, 8:00pm ET and 5:00pm PT at the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, California. Live television coverage of Oscars were seen in the U.S. on ABC Network and in more than 200 countries worldwide. This year’s Oscar winners by category are: Best Picture THE KING’...

EXPERIMENTAL Winner: Abstract? / Alexei Dmitriev/ Russia Honorable Mention: Next/ Joshan Esfondian/ Germany ANIMATION Winner: Astronomer"s Sun / Peter Kershaw/ USA ( Santa Fe) Honorable Mention: Prayers for Peace / Dustin Grella/ USA DOCUMENTARY Winner: Charcoal Burners / Piotr Zlotorowicz/ Poland Honorable Mention: Dreams Awake/ Kevin Gordon/ USA Honorable Mention: The Fall Line/ Tyler Stapleford/ USA DRAMATIC FICTION Winner: Estocolmo/ Juan Francisco V...

  The Indian Film Festival: Bollywood and Beyond is delighted to announce the winners of the 2011 Western Union Short Film Competition. Indian director Collin D'Cunha is the International winner for his film MUMBAIKAR GANESH, director Ridwan Hassim is the Australian winner for his film, KHATABAH, and the New Zealand winner is Rajneel Singh with BLANK SPACES. Varan Sharma's ADJUST which tells the story of an Indian student realising his Australian dream received an Honorary Menti...

The Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival 2011 In June 2011 the Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival travels to Athens, where  the headquarters of the eponymous NGO organising the festival is based. This year, similar to last year, young artists from the Balkan region and beyond (Southeast Europe) up to the age of 30 are invited to create their own short films on a pre-defined subject. Entries are accepted from the 1st of November 2010 until the 31st of March 201...

FEST 2011 ended last night with a brand new film directed by Serbian film director Dejan Zečević  Enemy. The president of the Jury Europe Out Of Europe (Deborah Young, Barbara Lorey de Lacharriere and Dubravka Lakic), one of the best Serbian film directors Goran Paskaljević handed over Erythrocyte Award to a Macedonian film director Milcho Manchevski for his latest film Mothers (Majki). The award went to Manchevski because of, according to the jury, "really subtle exploration of truth...

  Pegasus Etalon d'Or in Burkina Faso, best film of the 2 years in Ouagadougou! Mohamed Mouftakir's film 'Pegase' (Pegasus) wins Best Picture (Etalon d'Or) in Burkina Faso at FESPACO (Pan-African Film Festival of Ouagadougou). Mohamed's film premiered at the 2011 Dubai Film Festival DIFF and has since won Best Picture (Grand Prix) in Tangier International Film Festival before winning in Ouagadougou.   General delegate of the 22nd Pan-African Film and TV F...

FANTASPORTO AWARDS 2011 The year 2011 proves to be a year of discoveries. The Dutch film "Two Eyes Staring" born of a conversation between director Elbert Van Strien and his therapist won the Grand Prix best Film Award of the 31st edition of International Film Festival of Porto, and also the Award for Best Screenplay. This is a sophisticated psychological thriller with shades of horror about how we deform the reality from what we see. With a surreal atmosphere, surrounde...

Who will go wawy with the fantasporto prizes? R U There? I saw the Devil? Red Nights? answers for you tonite at 9.15! Followed by the Ball Chance to see Mario Dorminsky with some make up on!   ...

      If you’re reading this, chances are you know what to expect; smart-ass remarks, a turn of a phrase and a decent amount of cleverly placed sarcasm and profanity, which is why I so enjoy the Independent Spirit Awards.  Spirited aptly describes the entire day from weather to wardrobe, from nominees to winners, from one open bar to the next with Jameson shots and Stella Artois chasers, some sponsor favorites among many a guest.  But the flowing alcohol certainly wasn’t needed to loo...

By Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent Here's what happens backstage at the Oscars, actors routinely forget what they said on stage when they accepted their statutettes. Live from the Press Pool at the 83rd Academy Awards Presentation, get close up as Christian Bale lets his hair down: CHRISTIAN BALE: I've got a question for you guys, actually. You know, you get up there and you're giving your speech, and I hope to God that I said Mark and Melissa and Amy and Jack. Did I...

By Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent   If you wonder what people inside the industry are thinking tonight, get this: The 83rd Annual Oscar presentation was very... independent. In fact, while many derided the indy-minded Spirit Awards for cold weather and water-logged press tents, the Oscars were roundly applauded for their brave indie choices... warm green rooms, and great Wolfgang Puck food, of course. Here's proof from our friends at IFTA:  INDEPENDENT FILMS...

  BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer) Black Swan BEST DIRECTOR Darren Aronfosky, "Black Swan" BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer) Get Low JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer) Daddy Longlegs BEST SCREENPLAY "The Kids Are All Right" BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY "Tiny Furniture" BEST FEMALE LEAD Natalie Por...

By Maria Esteves - February 26, 2011 The amazing two eight foot golden Oscar statues made their triumphant arrival at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York on Friday, February 25, 2011, in preparation for the Official New York Oscar Night Party of 83rd Annual Academy Awards, Sunday, February 27. The Carlyle Restaurant kitchen sous chef Michael De Jesus carefully created and displayed samples of the mid-course, entrée, and desert dishes to be served at the Oscar Night celebration. ...

 by Marla LewinFilm Independent which sponsors the Independent Spirit Awards which honor the independent filmmaker gave its awards today.Best Feature                                                   Fox SearchlightBlack Swan                                                      Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver Best Director             �...