EYES WIDE OPEN (Israel)  After a mercilessly cold and snowy winter, spring has finally sprung in New York, with its explosion of flowers, smells and colors. Amidst the ruby reds, the dazzling yellows and the intoxicating shades of green, there is a distinct shade of lavender, as gay and lesbian films make their annual pilgrimage to the city and its environs in the run-up to the area's gay pride celebrations in June. First out of the starting gate is the Jacob Burns Film C...

Featuring Emily Blunt, Elizabeth Banks, Kate Beckinsale, Russell Crowe, Sean Penn, Diane Kruger, Kristin Scott Thomas, Naomi Watts, Rachel Bilson, Mary J Blige, Alan Cumming, Naomi Campbell, Kirsten Dunst, Marion Cotillard, Benicio Del Toro, Harvey Weinstein, Giorgio Armani, Ana Beatriz Barros, Roberto Cavalli, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, Peter Dundas, Tom Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Eva Green, Natalie Imbruglia, Ryan Kavanaugh, Karl Lagerfeld, Diego Luna, Bar Refaeli, Carine Roitfeld, Mallika Sh...

  Since 1993, wonderful Cinema Against Aids events around the world have raised money for lifesaving AIDS research. The seventeenth annual Cinema Against AIDS, held during the Cannes Film Festival, is a black-tie event featuring a cocktail reception, dinner, and live auction. Over the years, Cinema Against AIDS has become the most eagerly anticipated and best-publicized party held during the Cannes Film Festival. Cinema Against AIDS events are always marked by unforgettable momen...

By Maria Esteves - March 3, 2010 The Annual 2010 Oscar Week Party has over thirty two celebrations sponsored by various organizations (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Women in Film, The German Consulate, et al.) and brands (BMW, Dior, Diane von Furstenberg, Moet Chandon, et al.). Invited filmmakers, actors and celebrity guests from around the world will attend an average of six events each night.  The 82nd Academy Awards presented by A.M.P.A.S. for outstanding film achieve...

The Annual 2010 Oscar Week Party has over thirty two celebrations sponsored by various organizations (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Women in Film, The German Consulate, et al.) and brands (BMW, Dior, Diane von Furstenberg, Moet Chandon, et al.). Invited filmmakers, actors and celebrity guests from around the world will attend an average of six events each night. The 82nd Academy Awards presented by A.M.P.A.S. for outstanding film achievements of 2009 co-hosted by Alec Baldwin and...

“Will You Marry Him?” By Kimberly Deisler And you thought you had a lot of friends on Facebook? One annoying aspect about working the film festival is how many actual friends, and those other pesky types who only “know” you when they want something, suddenly emerge from the woodwork when a particular guest or event appeals to them. Regardless of the level of intimacy, I honestly do try to accommodate as many people as possible, but there are those times when request...

    Yes, we all expected AVATAR and THE HURT LOCKER to have good showings for this morning's Oscar nomination announcements (they are both tied at 9 nominations each) and we were not surprised when the names George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep were intoned at the 5:30am ceremony in Los Angeles. And yes, even the six nods for PRECIOUS (including well-deserved nominations for Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, director Lee Daniels and screenwriter Geoffrey Flet...

In recent years Fantasy Football has been catching on at a fever pitch. An Internet thing, you get to pick any player from any team in any position to be on your imaginary fantasy team. On Thursday, February 4 the Santa Barbara International Film Festival hits the ground running with a line up that only seems possible in a fantasy, Internet or otherwise. Once again, Executive Director Roger Durling has accomplished the seemingly surreal in good ‘gets’ for the festival’s 25t...

By Marla Lewin The American Film Institute held its annual awards luncheon today in Los Angeles. The tenth annual event remained an honoree-only affair, with no press and no public in attendance. For each of the honored films and television programs, Hewlett-Packard, the event sponsor creates a scholarship to the world-renowned AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles. Because 2009 marked the 50th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST, AFI acknowledged this lan...

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor four-time Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore at the 25th edition of the Festival with the Montecito Award, which runs February 4 -14, 2010, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling. The Tribute will take place Thursday, February 11, at the historic Arlington Theatre. The Montecito Award was created in recognition of a performer who has given a series of classic and standout performances in his/her career, and has...

Yesterday, The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival rounded off another highly successful year with the world premiere of Sam Taylor-Wood’s NOWHERE BOY. This year’s Festival hosted 193 feature films and 113 short films from 46 countries including 15 world premieres. There were 515 screenings and 553 filmmakers, with 277 of the filmmakers from outside the UK.  With 874 industry delegates accredited, the Festival exceeded last year’s figures and reports the high...

Tonight, The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival rounded off another highly successful year with the world premiere of Sam Taylor-Wood’s NOWHERE BOY. This year’s Festival hosted 193 feature films and 113 short films from 46 countries including 15 world premieres. There were 515 screenings and 553 filmmakers, with 277 of the filmmakers from outside the UK. With 874 industry delegates accredited, the Festival exceeded last year’s figures and reports the highest ever audience attendance in e...

AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi today announced the complete lineup of films for the 23rd edition of the Festival, including the Closing Night Gala, Centerpiece Screening, Tributes and Special Presentations.   The Weinstein Company's A SINGLE MAN has been selected as the AFI FEST Closing Night Gala presentation. A SINGLE MAN will make its US Premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Thursday, November 5, 2009.   Sony Pictures Classics' THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS has been selected as ...

AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi today announced the complete lineup of films for the 23rd edition of the Festival, including the Closing Night Gala, Centerpiece Screening, Tributes and Special Presentations. The Weinstein Company’s A SINGLE MAN has been selected as the AFI FEST Closing Night Gala presentation. A SINGLE MAN will make its US Premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Thursday, November 5, 2009. Sony Pictures Classics’ THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS has been selected as AFI ...

AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi today announced the complete lineup of films for the 23rd edition of the Festival, including the Closing Night Gala, Centerpiece Screening, Tributes and Special Presentations.The complete program line-up for AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi is as follows:GALAS/TRIBUTESFANTASTIC MR. FOX (Opening Night Gala, North American Premiere) Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wally Wolodarsky, Eric Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen ...

  by Sandy Mandelberger, TIFF Dailies Editor   The Gala Presentations here at the Toronto International Film Festival are certainly meant to dazzle....and they are doing just that by bringing name actors and directors to the fold for Toronto's enthusiastic public. Expect to see the following helmers tomake their way down the red carpet over the course of the next few days to present their latest  films: Alejandro Amenábar, Miguel Arteta, Sylvain Chomet, Rodrigo Ga...

The programme for The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, announced today by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, includes a diverse selection of world and international premieres with a total of 191 features and 113 shorts screening alongside an exciting line-up of special events and expected guests.Opening Night film, Wes Anderson’s FANTASTIC MR. FOX, is one of the Festival’s 15 world premieres and will be presented by the director and cast members including Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Bill...

The programme for The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, announced today by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, includes a diverse selection of world and international premieres with a total of 191 features and 113 shorts screening alongside an exciting line-up of special events and expected guests.Opening Night film, Wes Anderson’s FANTASTIC MR. FOX, is one of the Festival’s 15 world premieres and will be presented by the director and cast members including Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Bill...

FATIH AKIN - SOUL KITCHEN Germany, 99' Adam Bousdoukos, Moritz Bleibtreu, Birol Uenel GIUSEPPE CAPOTONDI - LA DOPPIA ORA Italy, 95' Ksenia Rappoport, Filippo Timi, Giorgio Colangeli POU-SOI CHEANG - YI NGOI (ACCIDENT) China - Hong Kong, 89' Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Michelle Ye PATRICE CHÉREAU EAU - PERSÉCUTION France, 100' Romain Duris, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jean Hugues Anglade, Alex Descas FRANCESCA COMENCINI - LO SPAZIO BIANCO Italy, 96' Margherita Buy, Guid...