Thursday, October 11------Charles Griffith, a screenwriter and director best known for writing the screenplay for the 1960 cult classic THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, died last week at the age of 77. Griffith made a name for himself in low-budget horror-comedy films, frequently collaborating with the producer/director Roger Corman, who also gave burgeoning filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppolla, Dennis Hopper and others their first cracks at directing feature films.THE LITTLE S...
Friday, July 27-------It did not seem like it at the time, but the films of a new generation of filmmakers in the 1970s truly did revolutionize the industry and save the studios from financial disaster. By the following decade, Hollywood was back to its old tricks of mounting blockbusters and lowest-common-denominator genre films. But for a period of about ten years (from 1967 to 1977, roughly defined by the release of Mike Nichol's THE GRADUATE and the unprecedented boxoffice extravaganza...
The screenwriter, director and producer PAUL HAGGIS (2006 double Academy Award®-winner for the movie "Crash") is the Chairman of the 5th edition of "Ischia Global Film & Music Fest”; the festival of cinematic art and the cultural trademark of "made in Italy" - from the 10th to the 15th of July at the legendary Regina Isabella Resort & Spa in the isle of Ischia, Italy. The festival is produced by Pascal Vicedomini and the Ischia International Arts Academy, with the support of the Film Departm...
With over 250 films of every kind to choose from, (mostly new or very recent, but some archival oldies as well), the Seattle Int'l Film Festival might be described as an "embarrassment of riches", mostly gold but, inevitably, some dross and Fool's Gold mixed in with a treasure chest as large as this. The main problem for the would-be writer is not filtering out the nuggets from the crap, the promising from the obviously to be avoided, but trying to navigate the city bus system between the widely...
Thursday, June 7-----Even though he has acted in almost 300 films, ranging from comedies to westerns to dramas to sci-fi epics, it is hard to think of Christopher Lee and not instantly conjure up the image of Count Dracula stalking another victim for fresh blood. In Setubal, Portugal on Saturday evening, Lee will receive the Lifetime Achievement Dolphin Award at Festroia for over 60 years as an iconic actor of the screen, joining such previous luminary winners as Kirk Douglas, Robert Mit...
Wednesday, June 6-----Even though he has acted in almost 300 films, ranging from comedies to westerns to sci-fi epics, it is hard to think of Christopher Lee and not instantly conjure up the image of Count Dracula stalking another victim for fresh blood. Lee, now aged 85 and a refined gentleman of the old school, appeared at a Press Conference today at Festroia, slighly scolding the press for typecasting him in the horror genre, which admittedly made his career some 50 years ago. "I tel...
REGINA ISABELLA HOSTS THE 5TH ISCHIA GLOBAL FILM & MUSIC FESTIVAL :10-15 JULY 2007This year the event will be Chaired by multiple Academy Award winner Paul Haggis. "I'm proud of the chairmanship, which I assume with much respect towards Italian cinema and its traditions” says Haggis, whose major film credits include "Crash”, “Million Dollar Baby”, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Casino Royale".The event will feature special screenings, performances, enco...
Friday, April 27-----Last evening, the audience at a packed screening theater at Pace University had a singular treat.....the world premiere screening of a documentary portrait of the most influential actor of the past century. BRANDO, directed by Leslie Greiff and Mimi Friedmann, is an exhaustive three-hour study of Marlon Brando....the man, his talent and his demons. The film was produced by Turner Classic Movies, which will show the film in two parts next week, as part of its "star of ...
Thursday, April 12----Few places in the world have the instant recognition and the glamorous reputation of Palm Beach, on the fabled Gold Coast of Florida. A playground for the rich and famous for more than a century, Palm Beach (and its sister city West Palm Beach and surrounding towns Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lake Worth and others) has also built its reputation over the years as a place of cultural excellence and diversity. Those qualities are on abundant display as the Palm Beach Internat...
The screenwriter, director and producer PAUL HAGGIS (2006 double Academy Award®-winner for the movie "Crash") is the Chairman of the 5th edition of "Ischia Global Film & Music Fest”; the festival of cinematic art and the cultural trademark of "made in Italy" - from the 10th to the 15th of July at the legendary Regina Isabella Resort & Spa in the isle of Ischia, Italy. The festival is produced by Pascal Vicedomini and the Ischia International Arts Academy, with the support of the Film Departm...
Friday, February 16----Much has been written about the "golden age of documentaries" that we suddenly and fortunately are currently immersed in. Perhaps it is a response to a violent and confusing world to which we are looking to bring knowledge, healing and understanding. Aside from aesthetic considerations, the documentary has also proven to be a highly profitable item for distributors, with such films as FAHRENHEIT 911, MARCH OF THE PENGUINS and this year's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH...
During his last visit to WorldFest, Jack Palance spoke to filmmakers and VIP guests at the Remi Grand Awards Gala. He even performed his famous one-hand push-up. A legendary actor and one of the last truly great stars of the Silver Screen... Each year, WorldFest honors someone that has contributed significantly to the Art of Film. In the past, WorldFest has honored Jimmy Stewart, Frank Capra, Josh Logan, Gregory Peck
Mental phenomenon and celebrity entertainer, the "Psychic Madman" Jim Karol, who was just featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, is now appearing in theaters everywhere in the movie, Jackass: number two. Chris Pontius, Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, and the whole crew return to the silver screen to raise the stakes higher than ever before. And this time they have brought the world's one-and-only, real-life "Rainman" and mental rock star, Jim Karol ...
From 6th to 10th September, the “German Sundance“ festival will turn the contemplative city in Northern Germany into a mecca for film enthusiasts.This year´s opening film is “Vineta” by Franziska Stünkel, who gained international reputation with her short films. Her testosterone-laden debut features some of the most prominent German actors and tells the story of an architect coming to the edge of reason while trying to build the perfect city. The International Section shows a series o...
The Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia, presided by Davide Croff, has accepted the proposal by Director Marco Müller to award the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to US director David Lynch at the 63.Venice International Film Festival, scheduled to take place on the Lido di Venezia from August 30th through September 9th 2006. The award will be presented to the director on September 6th, in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema, on the occasion of the screening of his new maste...
Did you ever see Bill Murray do the salsa? Or the mambo, rumba or any of that other Latin stuff? Well, let me tell you something. The guy’s got rhythm. I couldn’t help myself watching him in awe as he steered his way around the dance floor with a couple of breathless women. So, thinking I should get a firsthand experience, I navigated through the crowd of undulating bodies in a hope of being next in line. But woe is me, the music suddenly ended and Bill slipped off the floor.I found him in a...
“The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!”By Cassendra Gavawas all I could think of on that week leading up to the 4th annual RUSSIAN NIGHTS FILM and CULTURAL FESTIVAL, stationed in LA’s royal blue architectural gem, the Pacific Design Center. Now I love attending film festivals, especially exotic ones, but helping to organize them is another can of beans entirely. As a creative consultant to my “mad Russians”, as I tenderly refer to them, I was quickly driven to slurp the vo...
Director and producer John Landis, will be at Lacco Ameno of Ischia-Italy on July 16 to receive the “Regina Isabella Legend Award.” The popular American artist (“Animal House,” “Blues Brothers”, “An American Werewolf in London”, “Beverly Hills Cop”) will also be at the center of the final International Kimbo Cinema Forum of the six planned for the festival’s third edition.The announcement was given by the CEO of the Ischia International Arts Academy, Pascal Vicedomini, who ...
“The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!” was all I could think of on that week leading up to the 4th annual RUSSIAN NIGHTS FILM and CULTURAL FESTIVAL, stationed in LA’s royal blue architectural gem, the Pacific Design Center. Now I love attending film festivals, especially exotic ones, but helping to organize them is another can of beans entirely. As a creative consultant to my “mad Russians”, as I tenderly refer to them, I was quickly driven to slurp the vodka and guzzle t...
The new king of the International cinema, Canadian writer-director-producer Paul Haggis will join the hosts of honor for the 4th Ischia Global Film & Music Fest to be held July 11-16, 2006, at the Regina Isabella Resort & Spa in Lacco Ameno on the island of Ischia, Italy. The extraordinary double 2006 Academy Award® winner for the movie “Crash” and previous Oscar® nominee for the screenplay of the movie "Million Dollar Baby” by Clint Eastwood, as well as the next announced blockbuster "F...
Malibu - The Malibu Film Festival wrapped it’s 7th year here Monday and it seems like after a few false starts this regional festival is finding an identity. Malibu Beach is a community that is known worldwide. The point break at Surfriders is where the sport of surfing gained popularity in the early 60’s and the town is home to countless residents associated with the entertainment and record industry. This years festival featured a potent combination of surf/skate films, music documentaries...
The Palm Beach International Film Festival announced today the celebrities and filmmakers scheduled to appear to promote their respective films including Academy Award® Nominee Dennis Hopper and Academy Award® winners Bobby Moresco (Crash) and Faye Dunaway (Network). A record number of filmmakers will be coming to this year’s festival from around the world including Canada, Japan, Switzerland and Germany. Filmmakers and celebrities coming to promote their films will all host Q&A sessions fo...
Film Festival Maastricht 6th - 9th April- The film event of the South!For a period of 4 days Filmtheater Lumière will be the venue for the annual ’film festival Maastricht’. The second edition of the festival comprises more than 40 titles for your consideration. With anything between new mainstream films, cutting-edge independent-productions from the U.S., the best in world cinema from all over the globe and major new works from renowned artists in the business making up the program, it ...
PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALUNVEILS 2006 LINE-UP Over 125 Films Headline April 20 - 28 Event The Palm Beach International Film Festival Executive Director Randi Emerman announced today the film line-up for the 11th annual event to be held April 20 – 28. Over a 125 films will screen at this years event, including features, documentaries and shorts. The eight-day Fest will introduce 18 world premieres, 3 U.S. premieres and 59 Florida premieres, including 31 international films.Opening...
THE 4TH ANNUAL ISCHIA GLOBAL FILM & MUSIC FEST – KIMBO CINEMA FORUM FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE FROM JULY 11TH – 16TH ON ISLAND OF ISCHIA, ITALY. SPECIAL HOMAGE TO THE GERMAN MOVIE INDUSTRY International screen stars and industry leaders of the European, American and Italian film communities will celebrate the ever-evolving culture of cinema at the 4th Annual Ischia Global Film & Music Fest - Kimbo Cinema Forum in the spectacular Regina Isabella Resort & Spa on the Isle of Ischia, Italy from July...
