You don’t have to experience profound loss to know it’s debilitating. It sticks with you. No matter how you try to avoid it, the memories never fade. This is the reality of widower Eric Black (Tom Hughes) in Russell Owen’s sophomore feature, Shepherd. Touching on grief and guilt, and taking inspiration from Welsh ghost stories, Owen creates an engrossing experience that makes the audience feel they are going through every emotion that plagues the titular shepherd. He’s desperately searching for peace – but he may never find it.
“Such guilt so heavy a punishment endures.” The film quotes Dante’s Inferno in its opening frame, and the sound design that follows provides the sense that Eric is drowning in the pits of hell, so desperate to swim back up – like most with depression feel. He’s alone, living in a house in shambles, and the image of...
“Such guilt so heavy a punishment endures.” The film quotes Dante’s Inferno in its opening frame, and the sound design that follows provides the sense that Eric is drowning in the pits of hell, so desperate to swim back up – like most with depression feel. He’s alone, living in a house in shambles, and the image of...
- 5/6/2022
- by Sara Clements
- DailyDead
The incongruities abound at the start of Russell Owen’s Shepherd to put us in a state of unease the moment we discover Eric Black’s (Tom Hughes) wife Rachel (Gaia Weiss) has died at sea, her body lost. He and those who knew her fill her coffin with memories and keepsakes instead, a pile of objects that appear contemporary in their appearance despite them now inhabiting an old-timey wooden planked box sealed shut with rough nails from a bygone era. Did my eyes deceive me? Were Rachel’s belongings not as modern as I assumed? Was Owen’s setting always a window into the past? If not for the alarm clock that wakes Eric, I might have believed it. With its presence, however, it seems this widower is caught completely out-of-time.
The car he drives to his mother’s (Greta Scacchi’s Glenys) home isn’t the newest or flashiest of models,...
The car he drives to his mother’s (Greta Scacchi’s Glenys) home isn’t the newest or flashiest of models,...
- 5/5/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Saban Films just shared with Bloody Disgusting an exclusive clip from Shepherd, a brand new supernatural horror from director Russell Owen that tells the story of a widower who attempts suicide after the suspicious death of his adulterous wife. In the film, “Running from grief after the mysterious death of his wife, Eric Black takes a job […]
The post Exclusive ‘Shepherd’ Clip Burns in Hell’s Fire [Video] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post Exclusive ‘Shepherd’ Clip Burns in Hell’s Fire [Video] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 5/3/2022
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Hello and Happy May, everyone! Now that a new month is officially underway, that means we have a new batch of digital and VOD releases headed to platforms in the coming weeks, and to help you plan accordingly, we have a rundown of what to expect in terms of horror and sci-fi digital debuts during May 2022.
Shudder has a lot of great new horror headed to its platform this month, as well as the 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards on May 15th, and if you’re still not feeling comfortable heading into theaters just yet, you can even check out the new Firestarter adaptation on May 13th when it arrives on Peacock. Other films getting a digital and/or VOD release during May include Riley Stearns’ Dual, The Innocents, Monstrous featuring Christina Ricci, and Hanna Bergholm’s Hatching.
Happy Streaming!
Escape the Field (Lionsgate) - May 6th
The fear is inescapable and...
Shudder has a lot of great new horror headed to its platform this month, as well as the 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards on May 15th, and if you’re still not feeling comfortable heading into theaters just yet, you can even check out the new Firestarter adaptation on May 13th when it arrives on Peacock. Other films getting a digital and/or VOD release during May include Riley Stearns’ Dual, The Innocents, Monstrous featuring Christina Ricci, and Hanna Bergholm’s Hatching.
Happy Streaming!
Escape the Field (Lionsgate) - May 6th
The fear is inescapable and...
- 5/2/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Stanley Nelson: Director/Producer/Writer has directed and produced such acclaimed films as “Freedom Summer” which is an astounding history of what led up to the Black Power Movement. It aired in June on PBS’s American Experience to wide acclaim. The audience at Sundance this past January was astounded at how he put into context the 1964 voter registration drive in Mississippi, the surprising truth of the Chicago Democratic Convention and the Mississippi delegation and how the undemocratic turn of events led to the Black Power Movement and to the Voting Rights Act.
“Freedom Riders” tells the story leading up to “Freedom Summer” and to quote Nelson, he thinks this is his best film. As “Freedom Summer” closes with Stokely Carmichael chanting “We Want Black Power!” so “ The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution” opens with Stokely still chanting “We Want Black Power” which creates a progressive unity between the two films.
“The Murder Of Emmett Till” was another eye-opening film which revealed so much beyond what the headlines of the times told us, the public.
“The Black Panthers” will be screened for free this weekend August 29 in Ferguson. Its theatrical release is a huge deal. Nelson has made over 35 films and this is the first with theatrical distribution. With sufficient advertising money behind it, this momentous and timely film will released Wednesday September 2 in New York’s Film Forum, September 11 at Magic Johnson’s in Harlem and then in 20 more cities including L.A.’s Landmark Nuart Theater on September 25. Nelson will go to every opening along with former panthers, scholars and photographers.
You can see the schedule and more at www.BlackPanthers.com.
“The Black Panthers” was also Nelson’s eighth film (out of 12 docs he has made) to premiere at Sundance Film Festival. Winter 2016 will see the special presentation on Independent Lens (Public TV).
Nelson says this about the Black Panthers film:
Seven years ago, I set out to tell the story of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, a little known history that hadn’t been told in its entirety. In particular, I wanted to offer a unique and engaging opportunity to examine a very complex moment in time that challenges the cold, oversimplified narrative of a Panther who is prone to violence and consumed with anger. Thoroughly examining the history of the Black Panther Party allowed me to sift through the fragmented perceptions and find the core driver of the movement: the Black Panther Party emerged out of a love for their people and a devotion to empowering them. This powerful display of the human spirit, rooted in heart, is what compelled me to communicate this story accurately.
It is essential to me as a filmmaker to try and give the viewer a sense of what it has meant to be black in America and consider this within our contemporary context. The legacy of the Black Panther Party had a lasting impact on the way black people think and see ourselves, and it is important that we look at and understand that. As a great lover of music, I wanted to capture this sentiment in the music we used to give audiences a sense of the time and the undercurrents of change and revolution.
I knew that archival footage would be just as important as interviews when telling this story. The Black Panther history cannot be encapsulated in sound bytes and stills; the movement continues to live and breathe in the hearts and minds of those who endured. I had to dig deeper for footage that captured an authentic portrayal of the Party and which was not distorted by mainstream media. What I found was a treasure of personal records from former members and allies across the globe. These rarely seen images became an important character in the film, telling the story of how the Black Panther Party impacted all communities. There is something incredibly powerful in seeing an array of faces - white, Asian, Latino, black, and native - together at a Black Panther Party rally calling for the reform of corrupt and unjust state institutions.
Nearly half a century later, we find our voices in a renewed chorus for justice and equality. We continue to witness a state apparatus that perpetuates a culture of fear and aggression with frequent and unwarranted displays of racial violence and oppression. As we consider the similarities between the injustices of yesterday and today, it is important to understand that the Panthers were energized largely by young people - 25 and under - who started as a small group of actively engaged individuals that collectively became an international human rights phenomenon. My hope is that the film reveals itself to be more than just thought-provoking observations of our past. The parallels between pivotal moments within the movement and events occurring in our communities today are undeniable. To better understand the Black Panther Party is to be able to better reflect on our own racial climate and collective responsibility to ensure basic rights are fulfilled, not diminished, and that voices of justice and dissent are celebrated, not silenced.
The Nation loved the film; read its review, White Hands and Black Skulls: From the Panthers to ‘Straight Outta Compton’
Read more from Shadow and Act Here and here: Here.
With numerous industry awards to his credit, Nelson is acknowledged as one of the preeminent documentary filmmakers working today. Currently he is in production on “Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities”, which is the second in a series of three films Nelson will direct as part of a new multi-platform PBS series entitled America Revisited.
He is also exec producing “Free for All: Inside the Public Library”...
“Freedom Riders” tells the story leading up to “Freedom Summer” and to quote Nelson, he thinks this is his best film. As “Freedom Summer” closes with Stokely Carmichael chanting “We Want Black Power!” so “ The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution” opens with Stokely still chanting “We Want Black Power” which creates a progressive unity between the two films.
“The Murder Of Emmett Till” was another eye-opening film which revealed so much beyond what the headlines of the times told us, the public.
“The Black Panthers” will be screened for free this weekend August 29 in Ferguson. Its theatrical release is a huge deal. Nelson has made over 35 films and this is the first with theatrical distribution. With sufficient advertising money behind it, this momentous and timely film will released Wednesday September 2 in New York’s Film Forum, September 11 at Magic Johnson’s in Harlem and then in 20 more cities including L.A.’s Landmark Nuart Theater on September 25. Nelson will go to every opening along with former panthers, scholars and photographers.
You can see the schedule and more at www.BlackPanthers.com.
“The Black Panthers” was also Nelson’s eighth film (out of 12 docs he has made) to premiere at Sundance Film Festival. Winter 2016 will see the special presentation on Independent Lens (Public TV).
Nelson says this about the Black Panthers film:
Seven years ago, I set out to tell the story of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, a little known history that hadn’t been told in its entirety. In particular, I wanted to offer a unique and engaging opportunity to examine a very complex moment in time that challenges the cold, oversimplified narrative of a Panther who is prone to violence and consumed with anger. Thoroughly examining the history of the Black Panther Party allowed me to sift through the fragmented perceptions and find the core driver of the movement: the Black Panther Party emerged out of a love for their people and a devotion to empowering them. This powerful display of the human spirit, rooted in heart, is what compelled me to communicate this story accurately.
It is essential to me as a filmmaker to try and give the viewer a sense of what it has meant to be black in America and consider this within our contemporary context. The legacy of the Black Panther Party had a lasting impact on the way black people think and see ourselves, and it is important that we look at and understand that. As a great lover of music, I wanted to capture this sentiment in the music we used to give audiences a sense of the time and the undercurrents of change and revolution.
I knew that archival footage would be just as important as interviews when telling this story. The Black Panther history cannot be encapsulated in sound bytes and stills; the movement continues to live and breathe in the hearts and minds of those who endured. I had to dig deeper for footage that captured an authentic portrayal of the Party and which was not distorted by mainstream media. What I found was a treasure of personal records from former members and allies across the globe. These rarely seen images became an important character in the film, telling the story of how the Black Panther Party impacted all communities. There is something incredibly powerful in seeing an array of faces - white, Asian, Latino, black, and native - together at a Black Panther Party rally calling for the reform of corrupt and unjust state institutions.
Nearly half a century later, we find our voices in a renewed chorus for justice and equality. We continue to witness a state apparatus that perpetuates a culture of fear and aggression with frequent and unwarranted displays of racial violence and oppression. As we consider the similarities between the injustices of yesterday and today, it is important to understand that the Panthers were energized largely by young people - 25 and under - who started as a small group of actively engaged individuals that collectively became an international human rights phenomenon. My hope is that the film reveals itself to be more than just thought-provoking observations of our past. The parallels between pivotal moments within the movement and events occurring in our communities today are undeniable. To better understand the Black Panther Party is to be able to better reflect on our own racial climate and collective responsibility to ensure basic rights are fulfilled, not diminished, and that voices of justice and dissent are celebrated, not silenced.
The Nation loved the film; read its review, White Hands and Black Skulls: From the Panthers to ‘Straight Outta Compton’
Read more from Shadow and Act Here and here: Here.
With numerous industry awards to his credit, Nelson is acknowledged as one of the preeminent documentary filmmakers working today. Currently he is in production on “Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities”, which is the second in a series of three films Nelson will direct as part of a new multi-platform PBS series entitled America Revisited.
He is also exec producing “Free for All: Inside the Public Library”...
- 8/28/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
TV Picks: Black History Month On PBS’ Independent Lens Brings Two New Documentaries in February.This February, Independent Lens presents two provocative new documentaries that take a fresh look at not only the African American experience but the ongoing question of the meaning of race in America.Independent Lens | Through a Lens Darkly | PBS The first documentary to explore the role of photography in shaping the identity, aspirations and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present, Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People premieres on Monday, February 16, 2015, 10:00-11:30 p.m. Et […]...
- 1/21/2015
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Always up for a smashing good time, Chrissy Teigen showed up at Lord & Taylor in New York City for Buffalo David Bitton’s Guys Night Out last night (December 11).
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl was in great spirits as she paraded around the soiree in Bitton’s Eric black shirt and Fay skinny knit trousers, both from the label’s latest lineup. Chrissy made sure to pose for plenty of photos while hobnobbing with the more than 250 guests lucky enough to score an invite to the event.
Stars for a Cause: John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Hire Food Trucks For NYC Protesters
And thankfully, Ms. Teigen wasn’t afraid to indulge in some of her favorite Christmas cookies as she smiled guiltily from beneath her festive Santa hat!
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl was in great spirits as she paraded around the soiree in Bitton’s Eric black shirt and Fay skinny knit trousers, both from the label’s latest lineup. Chrissy made sure to pose for plenty of photos while hobnobbing with the more than 250 guests lucky enough to score an invite to the event.
Stars for a Cause: John Legend & Chrissy Teigen Hire Food Trucks For NYC Protesters
And thankfully, Ms. Teigen wasn’t afraid to indulge in some of her favorite Christmas cookies as she smiled guiltily from beneath her festive Santa hat!
- 12/13/2014
- GossipCenter
The Third Annual St. Louis Black Film Festival will be September 6-14 2014 at the Mx Theater at 618 Washington Ave. in downtown Saint Louis. All the films screened will be new movies and not only will the fest feature feature-length films but music videos, short films, and short documentaries as well.
The St. Louis Black Film Festival provides the American Midwest with a forum for African American independent film and video, and also serves as an advocate for African American film and video production in the state of Missouri. The Festival seeks to introduce the best films and videos from the surrounding area to its culturally diverse, film-loving audiences Stlbff was initially established as a vehicle for exposing Black cinema. The event was green-lighted after recognition that though St. Louis is the largest city in Missouri, it did not have a viable Black film festival. Independent filmmakers with films featuring a Black,...
The St. Louis Black Film Festival provides the American Midwest with a forum for African American independent film and video, and also serves as an advocate for African American film and video production in the state of Missouri. The Festival seeks to introduce the best films and videos from the surrounding area to its culturally diverse, film-loving audiences Stlbff was initially established as a vehicle for exposing Black cinema. The event was green-lighted after recognition that though St. Louis is the largest city in Missouri, it did not have a viable Black film festival. Independent filmmakers with films featuring a Black,...
- 9/3/2014
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Sundance Institute today announced the participants for its annual Creative Producing Labs and Creative Producing Summit, both held the week of July 28 at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. These activities are part of the Institute’s year-round Creative Producing Initiative, which encompasses a series of Labs, Fellowships and other signature events that support independent producers. The Creative Producing Labs and Summit wrap the summer season of 10 residential Labs hosted in Utah by Sundance Institute, collectively representing 15 weeks of residency support and mentorship for the most promising new independent film and theater projects from the United States and around the world.
Nine films, both documentary and narrative, will participate in the Labs (July 28 – August 1), where they will work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative producing, communication and problem-solving skills in all stages of film production. These Producing Fellows will also receive ongoing creative and strategic support throughout the year, as well as direct granting for further development and production. This year’s Fellows represent nine projects identified by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Documentary Film Program. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, ”Independent producers play a critical role in discovering, fighting for and shaping original voices. Sundance Institute is committed to developing and supporting independent producers whose skills and tenacity are critical to maintaining the health and vibrancy of independent film.”
Immediately following the Labs, the Summit (August 1-4) takes place. The Creative Producing Summit is a three-day, invitation-only gathering that connects 40 independent filmmakers with more than 50 top film industry professionals including producers, distributors, sales agents, financiers and broadcasters to build a dialogue on film producing and the state of the independent film industry. Programmed events include case study sessions, panels, roundtable discussions, one-on-one meetings and pitching sessions. Panelists this year include Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Tom Quinn (Radius-twc), Paul Mezey (Journeyman Pictures), Rena Ronson (UTA), Ron Yerxa (Bona Fide Productions),
Diane Weyermann (Participant), Jessica Lacy (ICM), John Sloss (Cinetic), Jess Search (BritDoc), Kevin Iwashina (Preferred Content), Lois Vossen (Independent Lens), Ian Bricke (Netflix) and Josh Braun (Submarine).
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab allows emerging narrative feature film producers to work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative and strategic instincts and skills in all stages of film production. This year’s Creative Advisors include producers Paul Mezey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"),Pam Koffler ("Boys Don’t Cry"), Jay Van Hoy ("Love is Strange") and Julie Lynn ("Albert Nobbs").
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Feature Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Black Bats
Producing Fellows: Adam Hendricks and John Lang
Feeling cast out from society, two teens form a romantic relationship under the belief that they’re transforming into monsters. What begins as fantasy ends with horrific consequences as they both lose touch with reality. (Writer/Director: Rick Spears)
Adam Hendricks has had over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, including development positions at The Jinks/Cohen Company and Macari Edelstein Entertainment. Adam left development to raise financing and produce the independent feature film Caroline and Jackie (Tribeca Ff 2012). He developed and produced a variety of web series for Fourth Wall Studios, including Dirty Work, winner of the 2012 Emmy for Original Interactive Programming. In 2013, Adam partnered with John Lang to form Divide & Conquer, a production company specializing in independent films, as well as commercials for clients including Ford, EA Sports and Victory Motorcycles.
John Lang began his career in Austin, Texas, working with the Austin Cinemathéque and South by Southwest Film Festival. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2008, John has worked in a variety of fields within the film industry including production, development, festivals, and sales. In 2011, John joined Rough & Tumble Films as a development and production executive, where he co-produced We Gotta Get Outta this Place (Tiff 2013). In 2013, John partnered with Adam Hendricks to form the commercial and feature film production company, Divide & Conquer.
I’m No Longer Here
Producing Fellows: Gerry Kim and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Following the death of his older brother, a teenage Mexican boy is forced to migrate to New York City. When he arrives, he quickly realizes that the violence plaguing his home is no match for the feelings of alienation and loneliness he experiences in America. (Writer/Director: Fernando Frias)
Gerry Kim & Mayuran Tiruchelvam formed Dodgeville Films to produce humanistic narrative and documentary films. Their most recent documentary, "To Be Takei," a portrait of actor/activist GeorgeTakei, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Starz Digital Media. Gerry produced House of Suh, a feature documentary that premiered at HotDocs in 2010 and aired on MSNBC. Mayuran wrote and co-produced "The Girl is in Trouble," executive produced by Spike Lee, and line-produced "The Mend," which premiered at SXSW in 2014. In addition to " I’m No Longer Here," Gerry and Mayuran are developing Christina Choeʼs Nancy, which was selected for the 2013 Ifp Emerging Storytellers Lab, the 2013 Venice Film Festivalʼs Biennale College Cinema Program, and Film Independentʼs Fast Track. They are in post-production on the documentary Farewell, Ferris Wheel, a participant in the 2014 Film Independent Documentary Lab. They received their MFAs from Columbia University in New York City.
Microchip Blues
Producing Fellow: Riel Roch Decter
Fed up with his mundane existence working at the microchip factory, Jimmy teams up with a washed up mystic scientist to build the world's fastest microchip, win back his ex-girlfriend and save his factory from going quantum. (Writer/Director: Aaron Beckum)
Riel Roch Decter is a Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based producer and the Co-Founder of Memory, a new media and film company. Riel began his career as the Director of Production for the independent production company Olympus Pictures working on such films a "Rabbit Hole" and "Beginners." He has produced numerous awarding-winning films including the short "Night Giant"and the feature film The Wait, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny which premiered at SXSW 2013.
Tracktown, USA
Producing Fellow: Laura Wagner
In a small American town obsessed with competitive running, a famous but sheltered and lonely young runner rebels against her parents, coach and everything she’s ever known in the midst of her first Olympic Trials. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremy Teicher, Co-Writer: Alexi Pappas)
Laura Wagner is an independent producer, founder of Bay Bridge Productions and current resident at San Francisco Film Society’s FilmHouse. She recently produced the feature film"It Felt Like Love" by Eliza Hittman, which premiered at Sundance in 2013 and opened in theaters in 2014. She also produced the film "Memorial Day" by Josh Fox, and she was Associate Producer of the documentary "John Leguizamo: Tales from a Ghetto Klown," which premiered on PBS and "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey," the award-winning Imax film directed by the creators of "Stomp."
We the Animals
Mark Silverman Honoree & Producing Fellow: Jeremy Yaches
Based on the bestselling novel by Justin Torres,We the Animals is about the brutal yet loving dynamic of a mixed-race working class family, seen through the eyes of the youngest son, as he discovers his heritage, his sexuality and his madness. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremiah Zagar, Co-Writer: Dan Kitrosser)
Jeremy Yaches is an Emmy-nominated producer and co-founder of Public Record, a production company that specializes in film, TV, branded content, and commercials. He produced the award-winning documentary "In A Dream," which has screened all over the world and was broadcast on HBO. A graduate of Boston University, Jeremy lives and works in Brooklyn.
Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab
The Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab allows documentary filmmakers to work intensively with award-winning Creative Advisors to hone their craft. The Lab includes sessions on financing, creative distribution, marketing and outreach for independent documentary films. This year’s Creative Advisors include Producers Bonni Cohen ("The Island President"), Brenda Coughlin ("Dirty Wars"), Josh Penn (Court 13) in addition to Nancy Willen (Acme PR), Jess Search (Britdoc), and Josh Braun (Submarine).
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Documentary Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Transgender Youth Documentary
Director: Eric Juhola
Producer: Jeremy Stulberg
The Mathis Family in Colorado Springs struggle when their 6-year-old transgender daughter, Coy, is banned from the girl's bathroom at her elementary school. Coy's parents hire a lawyer to fight back and the family is thrust into the media spotlight, causing their lives to change forever.
Eric Juhola founded the film and television production company Still Point Pictures and produced the Gotham Award nominated documentary "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," winning 8 best documentary prizes at festivals around the world, followed by a theatrical release and Us broadcast on the Sundance Channel. Eric has additionally directed and produced documentaries and specials for Itvs/PBS, Discovery Channel, MTV, TLC, and TruTV, and has been featured at many film festivals including Tribeca.
Jeremy Stulberg is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and motion picture editor. His feature documentary, "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," co-directed with his sister Randy, screened at over 40 film festivals in the Us and Europe Jeremy has produced and edited award winning documentaries and feature films such as "My Mother’s Garden" (HotDocs, MSNBC) and "White Horse" (Berlin Ff 2008, HBO).
(T)error
Co-Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
"(T)error" is the inside story of ******, an active counterterrorism informant for the FBI. Filmed on the ground, it captures the dramatic unraveling of the informant's 20-year career with the Bureau after the target of his investigation realizes that he’s been set up.
Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Lyric R. Cabral is an independent documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in New York City. Cabral's photography has been recently published through the Gordon Parks Foundation, the Aperture Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution Photography Initiative, and National Geographic Channel UK.
David Felix Sutcliffe is an independent documentary filmmaker recently named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” His first film, "Adama," was broadcast on PBS in November 2011. Sutcliffe has worked as a cinematographer on films in Paris, Indonesia, Kenya, and Kansas, and has taught documentary film for the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Tribeca Film Institute, and the Brooklyn Arts Council since 2003.
Uncertain
Co-Directors/Co-Producers: Anna Sandilands & Ewan McNicol
On the shores of a dying lake, neighbors in the once outlaw town of Uncertain, Texas, are haunted by their pasts and battling demons for a future more certain—a tender, humorous southern gothic tale.
Anna Sandilands is a documentary filmmaker and founder of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Ewan McNicol she has made the short films "The Roper," "Missing," "Ufologist," "Dirt Racer," and "Oil Man" and make TV commercials and communications for clients including Google, Apple, Nike, Nokia and BlackBerry. Anna was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Ewan McNicol is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, photographer and partner of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Anna Sandilands, his work has received awards including the Webby for Best Documentary, The One Club’s One Screen award for Best Documentary, an Effie and been nominated for a Cinema Eye award. Their films have been screened at film festivals including Sundance, BFI London International Film Festival, Edinburgh, SXSW, True/False, Seattle, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, Visions du Reel and Idfa. Ewan was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Speed Sisters
Producer: Avi Goldstein
The Middle East’s first all-women motor racing team has come together in Palestine. What will it take to go further and faster than anyone thought they could? Speed Sisters captures the drive to follow your dreams against the odds, leaving in its trail shattered stereotypes about gender and the Arab world.
Avi Goldstein co-founded SocDoc Studios to produce story-driven films that engage audiences with social issues. He recently completed the documentary film "Fire Lines" (to be distributed by Journeyman Pictures) with the Ma'an Network in Bethlehem and Common Ground Productions. Avi received an BA in Psychology from Princeton University and was previously a consultant at Vantage Partners, a Boston-based negotiation and relationship management consulting firm spun out of the Harvard Negotiation Project. He recently completed an Ma in Non-Profit Management and Leadership, and facilitates interest-based negotiation and problem-solving skills workshops for high schools students. "Speed Sisters" is his first feature-length documentary.
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theater artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as "Born into Brothels," "Trouble the Water," "Son of Babylon," "Amreeka," "An Inconvenient Truth," "Spring Awakening," "I Am My Own Wife," "Light in the Piazza" and "Angels in America."Join Sundance Institute on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube.
Nine films, both documentary and narrative, will participate in the Labs (July 28 – August 1), where they will work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative producing, communication and problem-solving skills in all stages of film production. These Producing Fellows will also receive ongoing creative and strategic support throughout the year, as well as direct granting for further development and production. This year’s Fellows represent nine projects identified by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Documentary Film Program. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, ”Independent producers play a critical role in discovering, fighting for and shaping original voices. Sundance Institute is committed to developing and supporting independent producers whose skills and tenacity are critical to maintaining the health and vibrancy of independent film.”
Immediately following the Labs, the Summit (August 1-4) takes place. The Creative Producing Summit is a three-day, invitation-only gathering that connects 40 independent filmmakers with more than 50 top film industry professionals including producers, distributors, sales agents, financiers and broadcasters to build a dialogue on film producing and the state of the independent film industry. Programmed events include case study sessions, panels, roundtable discussions, one-on-one meetings and pitching sessions. Panelists this year include Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Tom Quinn (Radius-twc), Paul Mezey (Journeyman Pictures), Rena Ronson (UTA), Ron Yerxa (Bona Fide Productions),
Diane Weyermann (Participant), Jessica Lacy (ICM), John Sloss (Cinetic), Jess Search (BritDoc), Kevin Iwashina (Preferred Content), Lois Vossen (Independent Lens), Ian Bricke (Netflix) and Josh Braun (Submarine).
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab allows emerging narrative feature film producers to work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative and strategic instincts and skills in all stages of film production. This year’s Creative Advisors include producers Paul Mezey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"),Pam Koffler ("Boys Don’t Cry"), Jay Van Hoy ("Love is Strange") and Julie Lynn ("Albert Nobbs").
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Feature Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Black Bats
Producing Fellows: Adam Hendricks and John Lang
Feeling cast out from society, two teens form a romantic relationship under the belief that they’re transforming into monsters. What begins as fantasy ends with horrific consequences as they both lose touch with reality. (Writer/Director: Rick Spears)
Adam Hendricks has had over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, including development positions at The Jinks/Cohen Company and Macari Edelstein Entertainment. Adam left development to raise financing and produce the independent feature film Caroline and Jackie (Tribeca Ff 2012). He developed and produced a variety of web series for Fourth Wall Studios, including Dirty Work, winner of the 2012 Emmy for Original Interactive Programming. In 2013, Adam partnered with John Lang to form Divide & Conquer, a production company specializing in independent films, as well as commercials for clients including Ford, EA Sports and Victory Motorcycles.
John Lang began his career in Austin, Texas, working with the Austin Cinemathéque and South by Southwest Film Festival. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2008, John has worked in a variety of fields within the film industry including production, development, festivals, and sales. In 2011, John joined Rough & Tumble Films as a development and production executive, where he co-produced We Gotta Get Outta this Place (Tiff 2013). In 2013, John partnered with Adam Hendricks to form the commercial and feature film production company, Divide & Conquer.
I’m No Longer Here
Producing Fellows: Gerry Kim and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Following the death of his older brother, a teenage Mexican boy is forced to migrate to New York City. When he arrives, he quickly realizes that the violence plaguing his home is no match for the feelings of alienation and loneliness he experiences in America. (Writer/Director: Fernando Frias)
Gerry Kim & Mayuran Tiruchelvam formed Dodgeville Films to produce humanistic narrative and documentary films. Their most recent documentary, "To Be Takei," a portrait of actor/activist GeorgeTakei, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Starz Digital Media. Gerry produced House of Suh, a feature documentary that premiered at HotDocs in 2010 and aired on MSNBC. Mayuran wrote and co-produced "The Girl is in Trouble," executive produced by Spike Lee, and line-produced "The Mend," which premiered at SXSW in 2014. In addition to " I’m No Longer Here," Gerry and Mayuran are developing Christina Choeʼs Nancy, which was selected for the 2013 Ifp Emerging Storytellers Lab, the 2013 Venice Film Festivalʼs Biennale College Cinema Program, and Film Independentʼs Fast Track. They are in post-production on the documentary Farewell, Ferris Wheel, a participant in the 2014 Film Independent Documentary Lab. They received their MFAs from Columbia University in New York City.
Microchip Blues
Producing Fellow: Riel Roch Decter
Fed up with his mundane existence working at the microchip factory, Jimmy teams up with a washed up mystic scientist to build the world's fastest microchip, win back his ex-girlfriend and save his factory from going quantum. (Writer/Director: Aaron Beckum)
Riel Roch Decter is a Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based producer and the Co-Founder of Memory, a new media and film company. Riel began his career as the Director of Production for the independent production company Olympus Pictures working on such films a "Rabbit Hole" and "Beginners." He has produced numerous awarding-winning films including the short "Night Giant"and the feature film The Wait, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny which premiered at SXSW 2013.
Tracktown, USA
Producing Fellow: Laura Wagner
In a small American town obsessed with competitive running, a famous but sheltered and lonely young runner rebels against her parents, coach and everything she’s ever known in the midst of her first Olympic Trials. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremy Teicher, Co-Writer: Alexi Pappas)
Laura Wagner is an independent producer, founder of Bay Bridge Productions and current resident at San Francisco Film Society’s FilmHouse. She recently produced the feature film"It Felt Like Love" by Eliza Hittman, which premiered at Sundance in 2013 and opened in theaters in 2014. She also produced the film "Memorial Day" by Josh Fox, and she was Associate Producer of the documentary "John Leguizamo: Tales from a Ghetto Klown," which premiered on PBS and "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey," the award-winning Imax film directed by the creators of "Stomp."
We the Animals
Mark Silverman Honoree & Producing Fellow: Jeremy Yaches
Based on the bestselling novel by Justin Torres,We the Animals is about the brutal yet loving dynamic of a mixed-race working class family, seen through the eyes of the youngest son, as he discovers his heritage, his sexuality and his madness. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremiah Zagar, Co-Writer: Dan Kitrosser)
Jeremy Yaches is an Emmy-nominated producer and co-founder of Public Record, a production company that specializes in film, TV, branded content, and commercials. He produced the award-winning documentary "In A Dream," which has screened all over the world and was broadcast on HBO. A graduate of Boston University, Jeremy lives and works in Brooklyn.
Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab
The Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab allows documentary filmmakers to work intensively with award-winning Creative Advisors to hone their craft. The Lab includes sessions on financing, creative distribution, marketing and outreach for independent documentary films. This year’s Creative Advisors include Producers Bonni Cohen ("The Island President"), Brenda Coughlin ("Dirty Wars"), Josh Penn (Court 13) in addition to Nancy Willen (Acme PR), Jess Search (Britdoc), and Josh Braun (Submarine).
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Documentary Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Transgender Youth Documentary
Director: Eric Juhola
Producer: Jeremy Stulberg
The Mathis Family in Colorado Springs struggle when their 6-year-old transgender daughter, Coy, is banned from the girl's bathroom at her elementary school. Coy's parents hire a lawyer to fight back and the family is thrust into the media spotlight, causing their lives to change forever.
Eric Juhola founded the film and television production company Still Point Pictures and produced the Gotham Award nominated documentary "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," winning 8 best documentary prizes at festivals around the world, followed by a theatrical release and Us broadcast on the Sundance Channel. Eric has additionally directed and produced documentaries and specials for Itvs/PBS, Discovery Channel, MTV, TLC, and TruTV, and has been featured at many film festivals including Tribeca.
Jeremy Stulberg is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and motion picture editor. His feature documentary, "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," co-directed with his sister Randy, screened at over 40 film festivals in the Us and Europe Jeremy has produced and edited award winning documentaries and feature films such as "My Mother’s Garden" (HotDocs, MSNBC) and "White Horse" (Berlin Ff 2008, HBO).
(T)error
Co-Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
"(T)error" is the inside story of ******, an active counterterrorism informant for the FBI. Filmed on the ground, it captures the dramatic unraveling of the informant's 20-year career with the Bureau after the target of his investigation realizes that he’s been set up.
Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Lyric R. Cabral is an independent documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in New York City. Cabral's photography has been recently published through the Gordon Parks Foundation, the Aperture Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution Photography Initiative, and National Geographic Channel UK.
David Felix Sutcliffe is an independent documentary filmmaker recently named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” His first film, "Adama," was broadcast on PBS in November 2011. Sutcliffe has worked as a cinematographer on films in Paris, Indonesia, Kenya, and Kansas, and has taught documentary film for the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Tribeca Film Institute, and the Brooklyn Arts Council since 2003.
Uncertain
Co-Directors/Co-Producers: Anna Sandilands & Ewan McNicol
On the shores of a dying lake, neighbors in the once outlaw town of Uncertain, Texas, are haunted by their pasts and battling demons for a future more certain—a tender, humorous southern gothic tale.
Anna Sandilands is a documentary filmmaker and founder of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Ewan McNicol she has made the short films "The Roper," "Missing," "Ufologist," "Dirt Racer," and "Oil Man" and make TV commercials and communications for clients including Google, Apple, Nike, Nokia and BlackBerry. Anna was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Ewan McNicol is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, photographer and partner of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Anna Sandilands, his work has received awards including the Webby for Best Documentary, The One Club’s One Screen award for Best Documentary, an Effie and been nominated for a Cinema Eye award. Their films have been screened at film festivals including Sundance, BFI London International Film Festival, Edinburgh, SXSW, True/False, Seattle, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, Visions du Reel and Idfa. Ewan was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Speed Sisters
Producer: Avi Goldstein
The Middle East’s first all-women motor racing team has come together in Palestine. What will it take to go further and faster than anyone thought they could? Speed Sisters captures the drive to follow your dreams against the odds, leaving in its trail shattered stereotypes about gender and the Arab world.
Avi Goldstein co-founded SocDoc Studios to produce story-driven films that engage audiences with social issues. He recently completed the documentary film "Fire Lines" (to be distributed by Journeyman Pictures) with the Ma'an Network in Bethlehem and Common Ground Productions. Avi received an BA in Psychology from Princeton University and was previously a consultant at Vantage Partners, a Boston-based negotiation and relationship management consulting firm spun out of the Harvard Negotiation Project. He recently completed an Ma in Non-Profit Management and Leadership, and facilitates interest-based negotiation and problem-solving skills workshops for high schools students. "Speed Sisters" is his first feature-length documentary.
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theater artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as "Born into Brothels," "Trouble the Water," "Son of Babylon," "Amreeka," "An Inconvenient Truth," "Spring Awakening," "I Am My Own Wife," "Light in the Piazza" and "Angels in America."Join Sundance Institute on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube.
- 7/30/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
In commemoration of Black History Month and as part of its ongoing commitment to provide diverse programming and resources for all Americans, PBS will broadcast premiere Dawn Porter's (Gideon’s Army) riveting documentary - the delectably-titled Spies Of Mississippi (which tells the compelling story of how State spies tried to block voting rights for African Americans during the Civil Rights era) - via its Independent Lens documentary series, Tonight, at 10pm. Check your local listings. The closing night film of last year’s Nyadiff is a documentary that is, at its core, about how completely delusional racists are. It is, after all, only delusion that could make...
- 2/10/2014
- by Zeba Blay
- ShadowAndAct
Washington -- Just before the March on Washington in 1963, President John F. Kennedy summoned six top civil rights leaders to the White House to talk about his fears that civil rights legislation he was moving through Congress might be undermined if the march turned violent.
Whitney Young Jr. cut through the president's uncertainty with three questions: "President Kennedy, which side are you on? Are you on the side of George Wallace of Alabama? Or are you on the side of justice?"
One of those leaders, John Lewis, later a longtime congressman from Georgia, tells the story of Young's boldness in "The Powerbroker: Whitney Young's Fight for Civil Rights," a documentary airing during Black History Month on the PBS series "Independent Lens" and shown in some community theaters.
In the civil rights struggle, Young was overshadowed by his larger-than-life peer, Martin Luther King Jr. But Young's penetration of white-dominated corporate boardrooms...
Whitney Young Jr. cut through the president's uncertainty with three questions: "President Kennedy, which side are you on? Are you on the side of George Wallace of Alabama? Or are you on the side of justice?"
One of those leaders, John Lewis, later a longtime congressman from Georgia, tells the story of Young's boldness in "The Powerbroker: Whitney Young's Fight for Civil Rights," a documentary airing during Black History Month on the PBS series "Independent Lens" and shown in some community theaters.
In the civil rights struggle, Young was overshadowed by his larger-than-life peer, Martin Luther King Jr. But Young's penetration of white-dominated corporate boardrooms...
- 2/23/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
We're one week late. Every week during the month of February, Independent Lens will release a film online to celebrate Black History Month. These are films that previously aired on the PBS film series. This week, the film that's been made available is Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Greene, which takes a look at two-time Emmy Award-winner, Petey Greene, who overcame drug addiction and a prison sentence for armed robbery, to become one of the most prominent media personalities in Washington, DC, candidly tackling topical issues like racism, poverty, drugs, among others. Coming up next week will be: Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock; and the week...
- 2/13/2013
- by Courtney
- ShadowAndAct
Lots to take in here via press release from PBS... some old programming, as well as some new. We'll follow-up with individual highlights. PBS Celebrates Black History Month With Special Programs And New Black Culture Website On Independent Lens, follow "The Powerbroker: Whitney Young's Fight for Civil Rights," watch an American Masters profile of "Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll" and take a behind-the-scenes look at "Roots" on Pioneers Of Television "Miniseries" New Black Culture Connection Website Connects PBS Programming to Digital Resources on PBS.org Arlington, Va - January 28, 2013 -...
- 1/28/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
A fresh start for The Wearsiders today as they travel to Wolves, their players knowing that they have something of a fresh slate with new manager Martin O’Neill (who will be in the stands today, assistant manager Eric Black in charge until Monday) and the impetus is there to impress their new gaffer. It was obvious in the last couple of weeks that former boss Steve Bruce had lost not only the support of his players but of the fans too and with a new manager in it will hopefully bring better horizons. It sure does feel a lot longer than six months ago when Bruce led Sunderland to their highest top flight finish in a decade.
For Wolves, they were at one point this season desperate for boss Mick McCarthy to similarly be given the chop but he has rode it out and so far remains. The struggling...
For Wolves, they were at one point this season desperate for boss Mick McCarthy to similarly be given the chop but he has rode it out and so far remains. The struggling...
- 12/4/2011
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Sunderland chairman/owner Ellis Short has confirmed he has held talks with Martin O’Neill about becoming the new manager of the Black Cats. It is believed these talks took place last night, just 24 hours after Short brought down the axe on Steve Bruce after an appalling 2011 in charge of the Wearsiders, who now lie 16th in the table and are looking anxiously over their shoulder at the drop zone.
The word is talks with O’Neill went well and he will be swiftly appointed after the weekend’s game away at Wolves, for which Assistant Manager Eric Black will be in charge. The expectation is O’Neill may be in the stands by Saturday’s game at the Molineux. O’Neilll is known to have been a Sunderland fan as a kid.
59 year old O’Neill has been out of work since quitting as Aston Villa boss just days...
The word is talks with O’Neill went well and he will be swiftly appointed after the weekend’s game away at Wolves, for which Assistant Manager Eric Black will be in charge. The expectation is O’Neill may be in the stands by Saturday’s game at the Molineux. O’Neilll is known to have been a Sunderland fan as a kid.
59 year old O’Neill has been out of work since quitting as Aston Villa boss just days...
- 12/2/2011
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
After being recruited from Wigan in 2009 and consecutive improvements on Sunderland’s league position in his two completed seasons at the club, time was up for Steve Bruce after he was sacked as manager of the North East club on Sunday. Our question is, who is in the running to take the reigns at the Stadium of Light?
We know that owner Ellis Short has financial muscle and will no doubt want to improve the club as a force in the league. With this train of thought, we can assume that the American owner will want to attract the big names and the well respected managers of the business as opposed to an up and coming manager who may cost the club less but potentially be a risk to appoint.
Managers like Huddersfield’s Lee Clark or Brighton’s Gus Poyet could’ve been good shouts for the position but,...
We know that owner Ellis Short has financial muscle and will no doubt want to improve the club as a force in the league. With this train of thought, we can assume that the American owner will want to attract the big names and the well respected managers of the business as opposed to an up and coming manager who may cost the club less but potentially be a risk to appoint.
Managers like Huddersfield’s Lee Clark or Brighton’s Gus Poyet could’ve been good shouts for the position but,...
- 12/1/2011
- by Kyle Gammon
- Obsessed with Film
After an absolutely abysmal 2011 where Sunderland were genuinely challenging for Europe in January only to almost stumble out of the league by May, and with the Black Cats currently lying 16th in the table, Sunderland have sacked manager Steve Bruce. The club had only won two games out of thirteen played this season and Bruce becomes the first managerial casualty of the campaign.
Assistant manager Eric Black will now take charge of the North East club for the game away at Wolves on Saturday and until an appointment is made.
The timing of Bruce’s sacking is curious as 99% of the time managers lose their jobs on a Monday after the weekend’s previous result was the final straw but Bruce was given two days to train with his players before the axing came down on him today.
Owner/Chairman Ellis Short said in a statement;
“This has been a...
Assistant manager Eric Black will now take charge of the North East club for the game away at Wolves on Saturday and until an appointment is made.
The timing of Bruce’s sacking is curious as 99% of the time managers lose their jobs on a Monday after the weekend’s previous result was the final straw but Bruce was given two days to train with his players before the axing came down on him today.
Owner/Chairman Ellis Short said in a statement;
“This has been a...
- 11/30/2011
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
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