by Marla Lewin The Santa Fe Film Festival has announced the selection of Michael Hare and Rose Kuo as Co-Executive Directors of the Festival succeeding Founder and Executive Director, Jon Bowman, whose retirement from the Festival was announced late last year. Commenting on the selections of Hare and Kuo, Tom Maguire, Sante Fe Film Festival Chairman of the Board, said “The Sante Fe Film Festival has enjoyed much success over the course of its ten year history and we are p...

Writer, Director, and Actor, Mr Spike Lee, known for his revolutionary work that have left audiences worldwide  to think critically, and who epitomizes the definition of the words "social change',  was awarded last night at "Walter Reed Cinema" at "Lincoln Center" by "Image Nation". Spike reflected back on his education, and paid homage to his classmates from  "Howard" and "NYU Film School", admitting that "Do the Right Thing" ...

Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced today that James Earl Jones, whose acting prowess and iconic voice are world-renown, will receive the Guild’s most prestigious accolade—the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Jones will be presented the Award, given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” at the “15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®,” which premieres live on TNT and TBS Sunday...

“Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer”, a horror comedy by writer/director Jon Knautz (debut) and starring Robert Englund of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame, is the first acquisition purchased out of the Slamdance Film Festival this year. Several distributors were chasing “Jack Brooks” for domestic rights after a successful premiere on the first Saturday night at Slamdance, but it was Anchor Bay Entertainment who ended up with the domestic distribution rights for a mid-six figures deal, with a th...

I thought this was a particularly good interview with Michael Bay and since Transformers premiered at the LA Film Festival, I wanted to include this interview in this blog.  Robin Rowe, a Los Angeles screenwriter and facilitator of weekly filmmaker events, asks Bay practical questions that I think a lot of filmmakers will appreciate.  Enjoy!  (Contact information for Robin is at the bottom of this email.) Michael Bay Interview: Transformersby Robin Rowe [More articles] Read Robin's Sci-...

Saturday, November 11-----The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, which ends its run in Fort Lauderdale tomorrow (before taking 20 titles and filmmakers to the resort town of Key West next week), has saved some of its strongest titles for its final wrap up. Certainly one of the most anticipated films of the Festival is the Festival Closing Night Film, the Southeast Premiere of LOCAL COLOR. The autobiographical film, written and directed by George Gallo, will receive a premiere screeni...

Man Ray's Famous Photograph Wednesday, November 2----Three films showing at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival will focus on the creative life and careers of three different artists, each in a style all its own. The three films make an interesting triptych that demonstrates how the art of film can be used to interpret the art of the canvas or photograph. A local South Florida artist with an international following, Purvis Young is a prolific painter who uncovers the beauty and uni...

Wednesday, October 11----The 21st Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, which opens on October 20th with the Southeast Premiere of Pedro Almodovar's VOLVER, has announced that the biographical film LOCAL COLOR will be the Festival Closing Night Gala on November 12th. The film will receive a premiere screening at the historic Parker Playhouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, capping a three-week celebration of more than 250 independent and international films. The film, directed by George G...