Premiering in the Competition section of the Montreal World Film Festival this week are two American independent productions from directors with long histories in the indie arena. TWELVE THIRTY is the fourth film from writer/director Jeff Lipsky, whose films have been major hits at film festivals worldwide. TWELVE THIRTY is drama about a family with adult children that is broken, and a self-centered young man who, in the span of a week, becomes entangled in each of their lives,...

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and Los Angeles Film Festival, has announced the filmmakers and film projects selected for its 8th annual Directors Lab, sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company. Taking place in Los Angeles from now until the end of March, the Directors Lab is an intensive eight-week incubator designed to assist directors with strong, original voices develop new narrative feature films, improve their craft, and advance their filmmakin...

The 2008 Sundance Film Festival announced today the members of the six juries awarding prizes at the Festival, which runs January 17-27, 2008 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The juries collectively are comprised of twenty-four individuals from the global film community, each of whom brings unique perspective and range of experience. Award-winning directors, screenwriters, actors and cinematographers in the Competition categories will be announced on the evening of January...

The 2008 Sundance Film Festival announced today the members of the six juries awarding prizes at the Festival, which runs January 17-27, 2008 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The juries collectively are comprised of twenty-four individuals from the global film community, each of whom brings unique perspective and range of experience. Award-winning directors, screenwriters, actors and cinematographers in the Competition categories will be announced on the evening of January...

The 19th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will honor Emile Hirsch and Nikki Blonsky with separate Rising Star Awards at the Festival’s annual Awards Gala. They will join previously announced honoree Marion Cotillard who will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award. Festival chairman Earl Greenburg made the announcement at a private event at the historic Charlie Chaplin home of Patricia Barry in Beverly Hills, CA hosted by Festival board member Stephen Breimer, which...

Friday, May 18-------Like most New Yorkers, Alan Berliner cannot quite get to sleep. The veteran documentarian uses this as his touchstone to explore his own insomnia and the effect it has on his family, in WIDE AWAKE, which will screen twice tomorrow at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center. The director, undoubtedly with bags under his eyes, will introduce the film at the 6:00pm screening. For the night owl crowd, there will be a second screening at 11:00pm. Following both screenings, Be...

Saturday, February 24----LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and HALF NELSON, two films that had their premieres at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, were the big winners at the Spirit Awards, the annual awards event honoring independent filmmakers, producers and acting talents, sponsored by film organization Film Independent. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, which may just pull a Best Film Oscar out of its hat tomorrow night, was recognized for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for vet...

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and HALF NELSON, two films that had their premieres at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, were the big winners at the Spirit Awards, the annual awards event honoring independent filmmakers, producers and acting talents, sponsored by film organization Film Independent. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, which may just pull a Best Film Oscar out of its hat tomorrow night, was recognized for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for veteran Alan Arkin). HALF NEL...

THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP, the latest film from film auteur Michel Gondry, will be the Opening Night Gala of the first Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival. The film, which is slated to open theatrically in late September, will have an avant-premiere at the event on September 17th. Gondry, the writer/director who clicked with international audiences with his cult hit ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, has cooked up another romantic fantasy, this time starring Mexican hearthrob Gael Garc...

The Philadelphia Film Society announces the selection of Another Gay Movie and Quinceañera as this year’s 12th Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival’s opening and closing night films. From comedy to drama, these films represent the range and variety of talent highlighted throughout the 13-day festival, July 13-25.This year’s festival will kick off on a high note with the outrageous, hilariously raunchy, politically incorrect sex comedy, Another Gay Movie, on July 13 at 7:...

Image Film and Video Center’s 30th Annual Atlanta Film Festival, the South’s premier experience for movie lovers, independent filmmakers and fans, will take place June 9-17 in Downtown and Midtown Atlanta. Celebrating an impressive three decades, this film festival is one of the longest-running in North America and one of the best-attended in the Southeastern United States. "We are extremely excited to be celebrating our 30th anniversary. This year's program is our finest ever," said Jake ...

Alain Delon and Isabelle Huppert among a raft of celebrities attending this year’s Istanbul International Film FestivalAlain Delon will be guest of honour at the opening gala of the Istanbul International Film Festival (IIFF) next week. Ranked as one of the most charismatic, alluring and powerful actors in cinema since he made his debut film in 1957, Delon is due to arrive in Istanbul on March 30 and will be presented with an IIFF Lifetime Achievement Award on the evening of Friday 31 March.Th...

Several films by area and regional filmmakers are included in the 30th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). A festival regular, Local Heroes is the way we honor area filmmakers, actors, and crew; films set or shot in Ohio; filmmakers or subjects born here; and films that have a strong local connection. Our Local Heroes section is presented with the generous support of Cleveland State University and Tim & Nancy Callahan. You’ll find them under the category “Local Heroes” in our ...

22nd Sundance Film Festival Opens with FRIENDS WITH MONEY ALPHA DOG by Nick Cassavetes as Closing FilmAmongst the delicate snow flakes of the ski town Park City, Sundance Film Festival opened on January 19, 2006 with the World Premiere of FRIENDS WITH MONEY, written and directed by Nicole Holofcener and starring an dynamic cast that includes Jennifer Aniston, Scott Caan, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand. With the fresh snow blanketing the filmgoers, Sundance had the exciteme...

The award-winning designer Todd Oldham will lend his experience and creativity to the 2006 Sundance Film Festival as designer of the Opening Night, Music on Main, and Awards Night parties. Applying his experience as a graphic designer, photographer, and filmmaker, Oldham plans to create an environment that personifies the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, while simultaneously bringing to life the Festival’s history. The Sundance Film Festival takes place in and around Park City, Utah from January...

The 2006 Sundance Film Festival, taking place January 19-29, 2006Independent Feature Film Competition: DramaticAmerican independent cinema yields some of the most exciting and highly anticipated film in the world. These 16 films were selected from 1,004 submissions. From disaffected Latino youth finding family to a southern woman finding love, this section is filled with coming of age comedies and dramas, stories of love and addition with some characters seeking forgiveness for past sins. The...

Sundance Institute today announced the line-up of films for the Independent Feature Film and World Cinema Competitions in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, taking place January 19-29, 2006, in Park City, Utah. The Competition categories provide audiences with first look at the most compelling new dramatic and documentary films from emerging independent filmmakers. As the premier showcase for the best new work of American independent and international filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival screen...