This year’s San Sebastian Festival closed with a Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award to Dustin Hoffman, a tribute to one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, winner of two Academy Awards and with a brilliant career behind him. Hoffman also was chosen to close the Festival with his directorial debut: Quartet, on which the actor steps behind the camera to direct a splendid cast headlining Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Sheridan Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay, Tr...

This year’s San Sebastian Festival closed with a Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award to Dustin Hoffman, a tribute to one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, winner of two Academy Awards and with a brilliant career behind him. Hoffman also was chosen to close the Festival with his directorial debut: Quartet, on which the actor steps behind the camera to direct a splendid cast headlining Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Sheridan Smith, Pauline Collins, Tom Courtenay, ...

  Today we attended the official presentation of the 60th San Sebastian International Film Festival. Every day since the beginning of September we have been receiving news about films and film stars that will be attending the San Sebastian Film Festival on its 60th Anniversary due from 21-29 of September. Names like Richard Gere,Susan Sarandon,Oliver Stone,Tommy Lee Jones,John Travolta,Ewan MacGregor will be on the red carpet during the festival. Today jet anothe...

The Berlin & Beyond Film Festival (Sept 27-Oct 4) is excited to announce that it will honor legendary German acting talent Mario Adorf with a lifetime achievement award in acting and a four-film tribute as part of its 17th annual program. The festival will screen the actor’s classic films The Tin Drum (Saturday Sept 29th, 8:45PM), Ship of the Dead (Friday, Sept 28th, 4:30PM) and Lola (Tuesday, Oct 2nd, 6:00PM) and will present the award at the screening of his most recent film The Rhino an...

Independent icon Seymour Cassel lends his name to new festival award.    There is hardly an actor who better embodies the passion and love for independent cinema than American performer Seymour Cassel. For more than 50 years he has been working in front of the camera and is revered for his work with John Cassavetes while being THE face of independent cinema. Sam Peckinpah, Don Siege, Kenn Russell and Alender Rockwell or Wes Anderson have used his luminous qualities. For his performan...

The Last Rites of Ransom Pride, an Authentic Western film By Ron Gilbert When you enter a theater to watch a film, it should you really want it to be an experience. So best not to read the press kit or the other film festival reviews. because you do not want to prejudice your reactions to the film if possible. So I went to a late night screening at the Laemmle Sunset Five Theatres to see The Last Rites of Ransom Pride. From the opening shot of the film I knew that this was goi...

Ernest Borgnine, who is exuberantly entering his seventh decade of creating memorable characters and award-winning performances, will receive Screen Actors Guild (SAG)’s most prestigious accolade-—the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Borgnine, who has performed in more than 200 motion pictures, five television series and dozens of television films and guest appearances, will be presented the Award, given annually to an actor w...

Victoria, BC As part of its commitment to Independence, Innovation and Inspiration the Victoria Film Festival has developed an award for a person in the film industry who exemplifies these qualities through their work in film. The Victoria Film Festival Welcomes Kris Kristofferson as this Year’s IN Award Winner.   Richard Crouse, of Canada AM will host the inaugural IN Award ceremony celebrating lifetime achievements. We wanted to come up with an award that would honour...

In Cannes for his latest detective film screening in Competition, Vengeance, Hong Kong director Johnnie To was made an officer in the Ordre National des Arts et des Lettres by French Cultural Minister Christine Albanel at the Café des Palmes today, attended by Johnny Hallyday, lead actor in Vengeance. "You have set the tone of the cinema territory Hong Kong, and conveyed to us all your original vision of your hometown.", said Ms Albanel, who further elaborated by say...

The Paso Digital Film Festival, planned for November 20th through November 25th,will honor highly regarded film-editor Joel Cox with a Lifetime Achievement Award.The virtuoso piano performances of Ignace Paderewski (1860--1941), were once known world wide. Also the Prime Minister of Poland, he was the first soloist to perform on the opening night of Carnegie Hall in 1891. This Statesman was known for his brilliant, sensitive playing, tossing his long hair as he pounded on the piano keys. In 1913...

The Paso Robles Digital Film Festival, planned for Nov. 20 through 25 will honor highly regarded film-editor Joel Cox with a Lifetime Achievement Award, named after one of Paso Robles, California’s best-known historic guests and residents, the classical concert pianist and popular musical super-star from the Turn of the Century, Ignace J. Paderweski. The virtuoso piano performances of Ignace Paderewski (1860--1941), were once knownworld wide. Also the Prime Minister of Poland, he was the first...

On the Opening Night of the 28th Netherlands Film Festival on Wednesday 24 September, actor Rutger Hauer (1944) will be honoured with the Golden Calf for the Culture Award 2008. The prize will be presented by Minister Ronald Plasterk. The Golden Calf for the Culture Award is granted by the board of the Foundation Netherlands Film Festival to a person or organisation that made an important contribution to the Dutch film culture. Rutger Hauer graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Amsterdam...

The Paso Robles Digital Film Festival, planned for Nov. 20 through 25 will honor highly regarded film-editor Joel Cox with a Lifetime Achievement Award, named after one of Paso Robles, California’s best-known historic guests and residents, the classical concert pianist and popular musical super-star from the Turn of the Century, The virtuoso piano performances of Ignace Paderewski (1860--1941), were once known world wide. Also the Prime Minister of Poland, he was the first soloist to perform ...

First Annual Ignace Paderewski Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to the World of Music and Movies, will go to Academy Award Winner JOEL COX The Paso Digital Film Festival, planned for November 20th through November 25th, will honor highly regarded film-editor Joel Cox with a Lifetime Achievement Award.The virtuoso piano performances of Ignace Paderewski (1860--1941), were once known world wide. Also the Prime Minister of Poland, he was the first soloist to perform on the opening night...

 Friday, March 21-------It is a very rare thing indeed for a European director to have the opportunity to remake a small art film in another language (the only other recent example was Dutch director George Sluizer’s THE VANISHING). But Michael Haneke is that rare director. The English-language version of his domestic thriller FUNNY GAMES, originally shot in his native Austria in the German language and starring Ulrich Muhe (the Stasi spy in THE LIVES OF OTHERS) has just opened in the United ...

"Have you ever heard the expression "Let sleeping dogs lie"? Sometimes you're better off not knowing." -- Jake Gittes from Chinatown "It is the old wound, my King.  It has never healed." -- Lancelot from Excalibur "Hollywood will fuck you when no-one else will." -- Russ Millard from The Black Dahlia I saw the Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia about eleven months ago. I finally watched it again last night. It takes a second viewing and a daily t...

The fifth edition of the Rock N’ Roll Film Fest is back in Philly tomorrow, Thursday, March 29th through Sunday, April 1st at the Backseat Theater (941 N. Front Street, Btwn Spring Garden and Girard). Tickets are $5 for one film program or $30 for an all access laminate for access to all 12 film programs (14 Features, All Philly Premieres!). All after parties are FREE with ticket stub or laminates, and as always, all tickets include a free shot and beer! Many of the feature film directors will...

It's always a bit of a let-down when a big one like this wraps and you look through the catalogue noting oodles of films you were dying to see but just didn't have time to get to. Ouch! Among the most coveted 'near misses' (since it would have been possible to see them, but at the expense of missing other simultaneously scheduled events) I can list with sweet regret (and this is only a small sampling), the following: "The Notorious Betty Page" (with a fetishistically luscious Gretchen Mol); "Ab...

The exground filmfest in Wiesbaden is one of the most important festivals of Independent Film in Germany.From November 11 to November 20, 2005 exground filmfest presents once again the highlights of independently produced short and long films in the Hessian capital – the best out of a record high of 1,700 entries.The sections American Independents, News from Asia, International, documentations, and Shorts comprise about 360 productions, among them several premieres. This year’s host country,...

THE SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL 2004 AWARDSThe Santa Fe Film Festival awarded Luminaria Awards to two film legends – Alan Arkin and Alfonso Arau, showcased both the Governor’s state-wide awards and the Film Museum’s industry tributes, and awarded ten Milagro Awards at a star studded gala Saturday night.Hosted by Jonathan Richards, the sold-out Gala lauded Arkin and Arau for careers of many decades and across several artistic endeavors. Retrospectives of their work had played to enthusiastic fa...