Saturday, February 10----The Berlinale is paying homage and awarding an Honorary Golden Bear to the pioneering American director Arthur Penn. From his roots in New York theater and live television to his landmark films of the 1960s, Penn established himself as a leading icon of the New American Cinema, with such films as THE MIRACLE WORKER (1962), MICKEY ONE (1965), BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967), ALICE’S RESTAURANT (1969), LITTLE BIG MAN (1970) and THE MISSOURI BREAKS (1976). In his distinguished 4...
Tuesday, January 16----Even from a distance of 5000 miles, sitting comfortably in front of my flat screen television, and watching with amusement the telecast of the Golden Globe Awards, it was clear that this is one of Hollywood's biggest and most irreverent parties. It has long been noted that because the Awards Ceremony takes place in a hotel ballroom, where food is being served, and liquor is constantly being brought out, that this awards show is a far cry from the dignified demeanor of th...
Saturday, December 30-----For Westchester County film buffs, and intrepid New Yorkers not adverse to going off-island, the Jacob Burns Film Center is a distinctive cultural resource in the heart of New York’s northern suburbs. For the past five years, the Film Center has offered a serious alternative to the megaplex monotony of film theaters outside of Manhattan, with unique special programs and the best of independent and international cinema.
This is clearly evident in just the first we...
Alan Arkin, one of the most respected actors of his generation, makes a rare appearance this evening at New York's Walter Reade Theater. The special evening includes a screening of Arkin's latest hit, the quirky indie comedy LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, followed by an onstage conversation between the actor and Kent Jones, Associate Director of Programming of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The evening will also feature clips from Arkin's remarkable career, which has now spanned four decades of supe...
Tuesday, December 19----Alan Arkin, one of the most respected actors of his generation, makes a rare appearance this evening at New York's Walter Reade Theater. The special evening includes a screening of Arkin's latest hit, the quirky indie comedy LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, followed by an onstage conversation between the actor and Kent Jones, Associate Director of Programming of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The evening will also feature clips from Arkin's remarkable career, which has now spa...
The Santa Fe Film Festival celebrates its 7th season Dec. 6-10 with
its most prestigious slate ever, anchored by galas including MISS
POTTER, PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER, THE PAINTED VEIL, VOLVER and
VENUS. In addition, special presentations are planned for PAN’S
LABYRINTH and THE ASTRONAUT FARMER.
All told, the festival will showcase nearly 200 works in eight
separate series, running in nine venues citywide. Announced recipients
of the festival’s Luminaria Awards for lifetime achieveme...
The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival rounded off a successful fortnight of film screenings and events with Babel. This year’s 50th edition featured 183 feature films and 131 short films from 48 countries, 438 screenings and 1649 visiting international filmmakers and industry professionals.
International glamour on the red carpet featured throughout the Festival’s 16 days. Alejandro González Iñárritu was joined by actors Gael García Bernal and Rinko Kikuchi to introduce Babel, the Clo...
The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival rounded off a successful fortnight of film screenings and events with Babel. This year’s 50th edition featured 183 feature films and 131 short films from 48 countries, 438 screenings and 1649 visiting international filmmakers and industry professionals.International glamour on the red carpet featured throughout the Festival’s 16 days. Alejandro González Iñárritu was joined by actors Gael García Bernal and Rinko Kikuchi to introduce Babel, the Closi...
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...
“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...
Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep has been chosen to receive the prestigious Coolidge Award in Boston on April 5. The annual event, recognizing a selected film artist whose work advances the spirit of original and challenging cinema, was launched in 2004. The first film auteur so honored was Chinese director Zhang Yimou in 2004 (HERO, THE HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, RAISE THE RED LANTERN).Last year’s honors went to Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, whose long list of cinema masterpieces ...
CENTRAL PARK IN THE MOVIES AT THE 3rd ANNUAL CENTRAL PARK FILM FESTIVAL Little Manhattan Premiers Closing Night of This Five Night Film Festival, August 23 through August 27, at Central Park’s Rumsey PlayfieldCentral Park will be the location and the star of a five-night film festival hosted by the Central Park Conservancy and sponsored by Bloomberg. As a new edition, this year’s festival gives New Yorkers the unique opportunity to see a premiere screening of the new Regency Enterprise film ...
JOAN ALLEN TO RECEIVE PETER J. OWENS AWARD AT 48th SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALActor to be Saluted for Brilliance, Independence and IntegrityThe San Francisco Film Society announced today that Joan Allen will be the recipient of the Peter J. Owens Award to be presented at the 48th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21-May 5, 2005). The Owens Award, named after local cultural benefactor and longtime Film Society board member Peter J. Owens, honors an actor whose work ex...
First San Francisco Bay Area Festival: 28 January-13 February 2005Three Cities, Seventeen Days, Fifty Events.Rare Tornatore Work Starring Roman Polanski and Gerard Depardieu One of Fifteen Premieres; David O. Russell's Huckabees Infomercial Debuts; Films from Twelve Countries.After sold-out events in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., the International Buddhist Film Festival (IBFF) will present its first San Francisco Bay Area festival January 28, 2005 through February 13, 2005. Over fi...
The London Film Festival (November 20 – November 4) has opened appropriately, with a new English film, Mike Leigh’s “Vera Drake”, set in 1950s London. Mr. Leigh and the star of his film, Imelda Staunton, who is in line for an Oscar for her startling portrayal of a back-street abortionist in early post-war London, were guests of honour last night at the British premiere of the film. Other high profile guests were directors Anthony Minghella (“Cold Mountain”) and Ridley Scott. Vi...
The Mill Valley Film Festival wrapped up here this week and as in years past the films themselves were the focus. Outside of New York, the Bay Area is one of the top markets for independent and foreign films, in part because the populace is diverse and highly educated. The Mill Valley festival draws more filmmakers and producers than celebrity-struck fans, which is just fine for the people showing the films -- they'd rather see word of mouth race through the industry, so they can get distributio...
THE 2004 HOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL TO OPEN WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE CUTTING EDGE"AND CLOSE WITH THE U.S. PREMIERE OF "A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG"The screenings will take place from October 12 to 17 at Arclight Theatres located at 6360 Sunset Blvd., in Hollywood.Opening Night World Premiere - "The Cutting Edge" by Wendy AppleCenterpiece Premieres:"Finding Neverland" by Marc Forster"Eulogy" by Michael Clancy"Undertow" by David Gordon Green"P.S." by Dylan KiddClosing Night U.S. Premiere - "A L...
Today Aspen Filmfest announced the program for its 26th edition which runs September 29 - October 3 in Aspen at the Wheeler Opera House, Carbondale's Crystal Theatre and The Springs Theatre in Glenwood Springs. This annual highly respected festival will host a diverse array of features, documentaries and special presentations including an in-person tribute to Michael Douglas, a panel on the new political documentary, and acclaimed features and documentaries from around the world. Tickets go on s...
The Times bfi 48th London Film Festival : 20 October - 4 November 2004The countdown to The Times bfi 48th London Film Festival has begun, with less than 4 weeks until our Opening Night Gala, Mike Leigh's award winning Vera Drake The Gala section screens European and UK premieres including Wong Kar-Wai's 2046, the visually arresting martial arts tale House of Flying Daggers and Mira Nair's Vanity Fair. Closing Night Gala is I Heart Huckabees - a brilliant 'existential' comedy starring Dustin Hoff...
Stars Shine at Toronto’s 29th International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival now in its 29th year, brings the biggest and brightest stars of Hollywood, the film industry and the world to this prestigious Film Festival. TIFF takes place from September 9th to the 18th and is known and the largest and best Film Festival worldwide. The list of visitors who will be on hand in Toronto will be meeting greeting and highlighting there newest films and projects to best promote the m...
The 48th London Film Festival has selected Mike Leigh’s VERA DRAKE as its Opening Night Gala, and David O. Russell’s I HEART HUCKABEES as Closing Night Gala.The Opening Night Gala, on Wednesday 20th October, will be the UK Premiere of Mike Leigh’s VERA DRAKE starring Imelda Staunton and Phil Davis, it will be released in the United Kingdom by Momentum Pictures early in the New Year.The Closing Night Gala, on Thursday 4th November, will showcase the International Premiere of I HEART HUCKABE...
CHRIS COOPER TO RECEIVE PETER J. OWENS AWARD AT 47th SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALActor to be Saluted for Brilliance, Independence and Integrity The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Chris Cooper will be the recipient of the Peter J. Owens Award to be presented at the 47th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 15–29). The Owens Award, named after local cultural benefactor and longtime Festival board member Peter J. Owens, honors an actor whose work exempli...
Meryl Streep Follows De Niro in AFI Life Time Achievment tribute for 2004.The actress has been selected by the American Film Institute's (AFI) Board of Trustees to receive the 32nd AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film, it was announced today by Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. The award will be presented to Streep at a gala tribute on June 10, 2004, which will be held in the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland. Mr. Stringer commented, "Mer...
