Steven Spielberg and John Williams have collaborated on multiple projects over the years, where the filmmaker’s compelling narratives are enhanced by Williams’ musical compositions. Among their cherished collaborations, one that has become particularly special to the Oscar-winning filmmaker has been the soundtrack for the 1993 war drama Schindler’s List.
Schindler’s List | Credit: Universal Pictures
Spielberg has described it as the greatest piece of composition Williams has done for him. However, settling on one soundtrack proved challenging, especially after the composer presented him with two choices, leading to conflict over which theme music best captured the sorrow of the Holocaust.
Steven Spielberg and John Williams Clashed Over Schindler’s List Theme Music
Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark, the 1993 epic historical drama follows the German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Polish Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II.
Schindler’s List | Credit: Universal Pictures
Spielberg has described it as the greatest piece of composition Williams has done for him. However, settling on one soundtrack proved challenging, especially after the composer presented him with two choices, leading to conflict over which theme music best captured the sorrow of the Holocaust.
Steven Spielberg and John Williams Clashed Over Schindler’s List Theme Music
Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark, the 1993 epic historical drama follows the German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Polish Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II.
- 5/2/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
30 years ago, "Schindler's List" earned Steven Spielberg his first Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director. It was a long-delayed coronation, one that was contingent on the director putting away childish things and making a serious movie for grown-ups. Spielberg was obviously deserving, but these should've been Oscars number five and six after "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial".
Though the Academy never showed Spielberg the love for his escapist classics, John Williams certainly made out well. He won Best Original Score for "Jaws" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" before taking home his fifth overall Oscar for "Schindler's List" -- which was as daunting of a challenge for Williams as it was for Spielberg (who credits the film with restoring his faith in filmmaking). Williams's music had always been an integral component of Spielberg's movies, but he'd never composed anything this somber for the director. In fact,...
Though the Academy never showed Spielberg the love for his escapist classics, John Williams certainly made out well. He won Best Original Score for "Jaws" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" before taking home his fifth overall Oscar for "Schindler's List" -- which was as daunting of a challenge for Williams as it was for Spielberg (who credits the film with restoring his faith in filmmaking). Williams's music had always been an integral component of Spielberg's movies, but he'd never composed anything this somber for the director. In fact,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Ready to jump into 2024 with a head of steam? Your path to a better you could start with a deep discount to MasterClass. An individual year-long membership is normally $120, but if you take the leap before January 7, you can grab it for just $72. That’s $6/month to learn how to improve almost every area of your life!
Get the Deal $6/month masterclass.com Sign up before January 7, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. to get the deal! What is MasterClass?
MasterClass is a streaming service dedicated to personal improvement. The best part is the roster of instructors. Learn chess from Garry Kasparov. Learn Gordon Ramsay’s cooking secrets. Discover how to do magic from Penn and Teller. Upgrade your poker skills with Daniel Negreanu. You can get violin lessons from Itzhak Perlman, improve your barbecue technique with Aaron Franklin, or get singing tips from Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. There are 180+ world-class...
Get the Deal $6/month masterclass.com Sign up before January 7, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. to get the deal! What is MasterClass?
MasterClass is a streaming service dedicated to personal improvement. The best part is the roster of instructors. Learn chess from Garry Kasparov. Learn Gordon Ramsay’s cooking secrets. Discover how to do magic from Penn and Teller. Upgrade your poker skills with Daniel Negreanu. You can get violin lessons from Itzhak Perlman, improve your barbecue technique with Aaron Franklin, or get singing tips from Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. There are 180+ world-class...
- 1/3/2024
- by Ben Bowman
- The Streamable
Update: John Leguizamo and his wife Justine were given choice spots at the White House State Dinner: At the president’s table, seated with figures including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Earlier, Leguizamo told a reporter that he “definitely” would be hitting the campaign trail for Joe Biden in 2024.
Asked about Biden’s outreach to Latino voters, Leguizamo said, “I think he’s doing the right things, which is getting Latin consulatns and talking to Latin experts who tell him how to address us, and make the effort. If you make the effort, we will be there, but you have to make the effort. I think he’s doing all that — him and Kamala Harris as well.”
Previously: The guest list for tonight’s White House State Dinner for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon includes a number of names from entertainment and media.
Earlier, Leguizamo told a reporter that he “definitely” would be hitting the campaign trail for Joe Biden in 2024.
Asked about Biden’s outreach to Latino voters, Leguizamo said, “I think he’s doing the right things, which is getting Latin consulatns and talking to Latin experts who tell him how to address us, and make the effort. If you make the effort, we will be there, but you have to make the effort. I think he’s doing all that — him and Kamala Harris as well.”
Previously: The guest list for tonight’s White House State Dinner for Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon includes a number of names from entertainment and media.
- 10/25/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Composer Chanda Dancy had roughly two months to create more than four hours of orchestra music for The Defeated, the Netflix series about life in Berlin following World War II.
She recorded with an 85-piece orchestra in Prague as well as solo elements in her studio in Pasadena. She crafted music of that time but added modern sensibilities. She mixed the sound of a grand, sweeping orchestra with synthesizers and elements of Edm.
And she met that incredibly short deadline.
“This was essentially like being asked to swim from Los Angeles to Japan,” Dancy tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Me not knowing how long that distance is — I was like, ‘I can do that in a couple hours. I’m a good swimmer.’ It really didn’t sink in until I was done, honestly.”
“It was wild. I didn’t see my son for a month. I had my parents drive...
She recorded with an 85-piece orchestra in Prague as well as solo elements in her studio in Pasadena. She crafted music of that time but added modern sensibilities. She mixed the sound of a grand, sweeping orchestra with synthesizers and elements of Edm.
And she met that incredibly short deadline.
“This was essentially like being asked to swim from Los Angeles to Japan,” Dancy tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Me not knowing how long that distance is — I was like, ‘I can do that in a couple hours. I’m a good swimmer.’ It really didn’t sink in until I was done, honestly.”
“It was wild. I didn’t see my son for a month. I had my parents drive...
- 1/13/2023
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Spielberg's cinema is one of emotional symphonies; discovery, laughter, tears, bravery, fear, to name but a few. He uses sound to great effect to immerse viewers in the multitudes of worlds he’s created over his career. This mix traces the legacy of one of contemporary cinema’s most renowned figures; with his semi-autobiographical new film The Fabelmans out in theaters this autumn, it felt apt to visit Spielberg's treasure trove of cinematic sound. Tim: “Do you hear that?”
Gennaro: “Maybe it’s the power trying to come back on?”
Lex: “What is that?”The mix begins with the sound of luscious rain sounds from Jurassic Park (1993), followed by children whispering wondering, fearful questions. (The mix cuts away just before the terror of a dead goat landing on the roof of the kids’ car.) This is a great example of how sounds in Spielberg's films sway between powerfully orchestral,...
Gennaro: “Maybe it’s the power trying to come back on?”
Lex: “What is that?”The mix begins with the sound of luscious rain sounds from Jurassic Park (1993), followed by children whispering wondering, fearful questions. (The mix cuts away just before the terror of a dead goat landing on the roof of the kids’ car.) This is a great example of how sounds in Spielberg's films sway between powerfully orchestral,...
- 11/21/2022
- MUBI
Marvin Josephson, who helped grow a small management company that could not afford a secretary into an international entertainment agency with multiple offices, died May 17 in New York. He was 95.
Josephson was born March 6, 1927 in Atlantic City, N.J. to immigrant parents. Upon graduation from Atlantic City High School, he entered the US Navy just before the end of World War II. After the Navy, he attended Cornell University, where he received a B.A. degree.
He went on to night law school at New York University School of Law and received his law degree in 1952. That same year, Josephson got a job in the CBS legal department. He left CBS to start his own company and was the only employee, since he could not afford a secretary.
The new company started April 1, 1955 as a personal management company. The first important client was Bob Keeshan, who produced and starred in “Captain Kangaroo,...
Josephson was born March 6, 1927 in Atlantic City, N.J. to immigrant parents. Upon graduation from Atlantic City High School, he entered the US Navy just before the end of World War II. After the Navy, he attended Cornell University, where he received a B.A. degree.
He went on to night law school at New York University School of Law and received his law degree in 1952. That same year, Josephson got a job in the CBS legal department. He left CBS to start his own company and was the only employee, since he could not afford a secretary.
The new company started April 1, 1955 as a personal management company. The first important client was Bob Keeshan, who produced and starred in “Captain Kangaroo,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
If learning an instrument has been on your list for months, years, even decades, right now is an ideal time to dust off that guitar, keyboard, flute, violin, or ukulele and sign up for online lessons.
No more carrying your instrument to a music store, school or an instructor’s house. These classes let you learn right from home, and provide complete coverage from the basics on up.
If learning an instrument has been on your list for months, years, even decades, right now is an ideal time to dust off that guitar, keyboard, flute, violin, or ukulele and sign up for online lessons.
No more carrying your instrument to a music store, school or an instructor’s house. These classes let you learn right from home, and provide complete coverage from the basics on up.
- 5/2/2022
- by Joshua Kanter
- Rollingstone.com
As the state prepares to wrap up the presentation of its sex-trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell, prosecutors on Wednesday used documentation to place the accuser known as Jane on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane four times between 1996 and 2001. Defense again sought to distance Maxwell from Epstein, a convicted sex offender and her former boyfriend, for whom she is accused of helping to procure underage girls.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey questioned a second former pilot of Epstein’s, David Rodgers, who worked for Epstein for nearly 30 years between 1991 and 2019. Like fellow pilot...
Prosecutor Maurene Comey questioned a second former pilot of Epstein’s, David Rodgers, who worked for Epstein for nearly 30 years between 1991 and 2019. Like fellow pilot...
- 12/9/2021
- by Andrea Marks
- Rollingstone.com
Tiffany Haddish isn’t given much of a character to play, but at least she gets to sing
There’s an unwritten rule that when comedy professionals make movies about comedy professionals — be they stand-ups, late-night sketch stars, or talk-show gag-writers — the jokes made by the comedians-within-the-movie are almost never funny. That’s certainly the case with “Here Today,” although the thudding attempts at humor are the least of the movie’s problems.
Director, star, and co-writer Billy Crystal, back on the crying-on-the-inside beat some three decades after “Mr. Saturday Night,” wants viewers to chuckle and weep with this tale of a legendary comedy writer facing the grim realities of oncoming dementia, but “Here Today” takes pretty much everything “The Father” did right and does it wrong, and as a bonus, reduces the elemental force that is Tiffany Haddish to a magical caregiver.
Crystal stars as Charlie Burnz, a legendary...
There’s an unwritten rule that when comedy professionals make movies about comedy professionals — be they stand-ups, late-night sketch stars, or talk-show gag-writers — the jokes made by the comedians-within-the-movie are almost never funny. That’s certainly the case with “Here Today,” although the thudding attempts at humor are the least of the movie’s problems.
Director, star, and co-writer Billy Crystal, back on the crying-on-the-inside beat some three decades after “Mr. Saturday Night,” wants viewers to chuckle and weep with this tale of a legendary comedy writer facing the grim realities of oncoming dementia, but “Here Today” takes pretty much everything “The Father” did right and does it wrong, and as a bonus, reduces the elemental force that is Tiffany Haddish to a magical caregiver.
Crystal stars as Charlie Burnz, a legendary...
- 5/5/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Rush’s Geddy Lee will participate in “The Show Must Go On: Stories of Resilience,” a virtual music and storytelling event organized by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
The show takes place Monday, February 18th from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Et. Tickets start at $100 Cad; for an additional “Gala in a Box” charge, wine and charcuterie will be delivered to the buyer’s home.
Other participants include k.d. lang, former Barenaked Ladies member Steven Page, violinist Itzhak Perlman and the Vso. It’s unclear whether Lee will perform or speak during the event.
The show takes place Monday, February 18th from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Et. Tickets start at $100 Cad; for an additional “Gala in a Box” charge, wine and charcuterie will be delivered to the buyer’s home.
Other participants include k.d. lang, former Barenaked Ladies member Steven Page, violinist Itzhak Perlman and the Vso. It’s unclear whether Lee will perform or speak during the event.
- 1/12/2021
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
Once in a blue moon, a super sugary sweet movie comes along from Disney that screams the Mouse House.
In 2007, that movie was Enchanted with Amy Adams.
This year, it’s Godmothered with Jillian Bell and Isla Fisher, debuting on Disney+ for the whole world to bask in its joy.
Bell stars as Eleanor, who seems to be the only Fairy Godmother left in her community who believes they shouldn’t be demoted to the Tooth Fairy.
She still dresses in beautiful pink and carries her wand like an Englishman carrying tea. Eleanor has faith. Yet Moira (Jane Curtin) sees the writing on the wall.
The world in 2020 doesn’t need Godmothers, and her training facility is simply wasting its time and must close soon.
Refusing to believe that, Eleanor finds a Godmother wish from Mackenzie (Fisher) in a dusty old library and takes it upon herself to prove that these magical,...
In 2007, that movie was Enchanted with Amy Adams.
This year, it’s Godmothered with Jillian Bell and Isla Fisher, debuting on Disney+ for the whole world to bask in its joy.
Bell stars as Eleanor, who seems to be the only Fairy Godmother left in her community who believes they shouldn’t be demoted to the Tooth Fairy.
She still dresses in beautiful pink and carries her wand like an Englishman carrying tea. Eleanor has faith. Yet Moira (Jane Curtin) sees the writing on the wall.
The world in 2020 doesn’t need Godmothers, and her training facility is simply wasting its time and must close soon.
Refusing to believe that, Eleanor finds a Godmother wish from Mackenzie (Fisher) in a dusty old library and takes it upon herself to prove that these magical,...
- 12/4/2020
- by Joel Amos
- TVfanatic
It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to clue us in on who is the Queen of Jazz. It’s Ella Fitzgerald, my dear Watson, Lady Ella. William Basie began to boogie-woogie piano keys at a Harlem club catering to “uptown celebrities.” After a quick stomp through Kansas City, he came back as Count Basie. There are few true royalties among jazz, ask anyone waiting for residual checks, but as Duke Ellington made clear, these two had that thing which made them swing. Eagle Rock Entertainment is dropping two documentaries celebrating these American jazz icons: Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things and Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes exclusively on digital formats on Sept. 11.
“Recently enjoying a hugely successful Virtual Cinema release, Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things presents a deep, insightful look into the life of The ‘First Lady Of Song,’” according to the press statement. “Ella Fitzgerald’s journey is thoroughly explored,...
“Recently enjoying a hugely successful Virtual Cinema release, Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things presents a deep, insightful look into the life of The ‘First Lady Of Song,’” according to the press statement. “Ella Fitzgerald’s journey is thoroughly explored,...
- 8/26/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
In today’s TV news roundup, Sesame Workshop announced a premiere date for “Sesame Street’s Historic 50th Anniversary Celebration” and “Brave New World” adds Sophie McIntosh.
Casting
New Zealand actress Sophie McIntosh has been cast in USA Network’s “Brave New World” series, Variety has learned exclusively. She will play the recurring role of Jane, and joins a cast which includes Alden Ehrenreich, Harry Lloyd and Jessica Brown Findlay. McIntosh is repped by Echo Lake Entertainment, Johnson and Laird Management in New Zealand, and Bloomfields Welch Management in the U.K.
Dates
Iliza Shlesinger’s fifth original Netflix comedy special will premiere Nov. 19 on the streaming platform. In the hour-long special, the newly married Shlesinger will pull back the veil on the dangers of having a zombie bachelorette army while also discussing wedding planning, garters and honeymooning.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind “Sesame Street,” announced the historic 50th season...
Casting
New Zealand actress Sophie McIntosh has been cast in USA Network’s “Brave New World” series, Variety has learned exclusively. She will play the recurring role of Jane, and joins a cast which includes Alden Ehrenreich, Harry Lloyd and Jessica Brown Findlay. McIntosh is repped by Echo Lake Entertainment, Johnson and Laird Management in New Zealand, and Bloomfields Welch Management in the U.K.
Dates
Iliza Shlesinger’s fifth original Netflix comedy special will premiere Nov. 19 on the streaming platform. In the hour-long special, the newly married Shlesinger will pull back the veil on the dangers of having a zombie bachelorette army while also discussing wedding planning, garters and honeymooning.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind “Sesame Street,” announced the historic 50th season...
- 10/16/2019
- by Lorraine Wheat
- Variety Film + TV
The Baxter family is staying put at Disney Channel: The network has renewed the family sitcom Raven’s Home for Season 4.
Production on the new season will begin later this year, with Alison Taylor (Just Jordan) joining the creative team as executive producer alongside star Raven-Symoné and Ep/showrunner Warren Hutcherson (The Bernie Mac Show).
More from TVLineTVLine Items: SpongeBob Musical on TV, Pandora Renewed at CW and MoreThe Stand: Katherine McNamara, Eion Bailey Join CBS All Access Event SeriesRatings: Evil, The Unicorn, Two Other Newbies Steady; Sunnyside Goes Lower
“Raven is a huge part of the Disney Channel family,...
Production on the new season will begin later this year, with Alison Taylor (Just Jordan) joining the creative team as executive producer alongside star Raven-Symoné and Ep/showrunner Warren Hutcherson (The Bernie Mac Show).
More from TVLineTVLine Items: SpongeBob Musical on TV, Pandora Renewed at CW and MoreThe Stand: Katherine McNamara, Eion Bailey Join CBS All Access Event SeriesRatings: Evil, The Unicorn, Two Other Newbies Steady; Sunnyside Goes Lower
“Raven is a huge part of the Disney Channel family,...
- 10/16/2019
- TVLine.com
Nothing takes you back to time and a place like the music of a particular era. That’s one big reason why music documentaries are flourishing at a time of enormous demand for high-end docu productions.
This year’s five Grammy Award nominees for best music film reflect the appetite for stories about renowned and beloved musical figures, from Whitney Houston to Itzhak Perlman to Elvis Presley to Quincy Jones. Music docus have a natural commercial appeal and a built-in core target audience, which provides a foundation for marketing efforts to spur word-of-mouth about a title.
“What’s beautiful about doing a music documentary is that it immediately transcends the borders of the docu-loving audience and the community of an artist’s fans,” said Vinnie Malhotra, Showtime’s head of documentary programming. “They’re emotional. There’s a nostalgia factor to them. At their best they give you new perspective...
This year’s five Grammy Award nominees for best music film reflect the appetite for stories about renowned and beloved musical figures, from Whitney Houston to Itzhak Perlman to Elvis Presley to Quincy Jones. Music docus have a natural commercial appeal and a built-in core target audience, which provides a foundation for marketing efforts to spur word-of-mouth about a title.
“What’s beautiful about doing a music documentary is that it immediately transcends the borders of the docu-loving audience and the community of an artist’s fans,” said Vinnie Malhotra, Showtime’s head of documentary programming. “They’re emotional. There’s a nostalgia factor to them. At their best they give you new perspective...
- 12/8/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
The White House announced Sunday the seven individuals who will be honored by Donald Trump with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The honorees include icon Elvis Presley, baseball legend Babe Ruth, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, NFL hall of famer Roger Staubach, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan C. Page, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, and doctor and humanitarian Miriam Adelson. They will be honored by Trump on November 16.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor. It is awarded by the President to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
Presley is probably the most well-known on the list. The musician and actor is an icon in America as well as all over the world. As a musician, he sold more than a billion...
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor. It is awarded by the President to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
Presley is probably the most well-known on the list. The musician and actor is an icon in America as well as all over the world. As a musician, he sold more than a billion...
- 11/10/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
For anyone who might not have noticed, we’re in the midst of a Fred Rogers moment.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s film about the late children’s television pioneer, climbed above the $22 million mark at the box office over the weekend, continuing its run as one of the most successful documentaries of recent years. But the Rogers resurgence extends beyond the theatrical space to the television arena. The documentary Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like, which aired on PBS, has broken through with a couple of Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
It’s You I Like sprang from the Fred Rogers Company as a way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the debut of his show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, on PBS in 1968.
“We had been talking about all the kinds of things we might do in 2018 for the 50th,...
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s film about the late children’s television pioneer, climbed above the $22 million mark at the box office over the weekend, continuing its run as one of the most successful documentaries of recent years. But the Rogers resurgence extends beyond the theatrical space to the television arena. The documentary Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like, which aired on PBS, has broken through with a couple of Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
It’s You I Like sprang from the Fred Rogers Company as a way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the debut of his show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, on PBS in 1968.
“We had been talking about all the kinds of things we might do in 2018 for the 50th,...
- 8/20/2018
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The Television Critics Association press tour is much like one of its omnipresent candy buffets: seemingly endless, and packed with so many different treats that just looking at it inspires a sugar rush/crash. As networks try to stand out and make their upcoming schedule seem the most attractive (especially in the ever-swollen age of Peak TV), they pull out all the stops and stars to make sure that the journalists in attendance will remember them come premiere time.
One network, however, makes itself stand out in all the best ways by doing exactly none of that.
Sure, PBS offers fewer flashy stars and urgent breaking news. But every panel it presented over two days at this year’s summer tour was on brand, informative, and incisive. Befitting the public broadcasting network, many panels were for nonfiction programming across an astonishing range of topics.
In 45-minute spurts, we learned about...
One network, however, makes itself stand out in all the best ways by doing exactly none of that.
Sure, PBS offers fewer flashy stars and urgent breaking news. But every panel it presented over two days at this year’s summer tour was on brand, informative, and incisive. Befitting the public broadcasting network, many panels were for nonfiction programming across an astonishing range of topics.
In 45-minute spurts, we learned about...
- 8/1/2018
- by Caroline Framke
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman has pulled out of a prestigious Jerusalem awards ceremony, citing “distress” at recent events in Israel and saying through a representative that she is uncomfortable with travel to Israel at this time.
Portman, a dual Israeli-American citizen, was born in Jerusalem and is beloved by the Israeli public. She was due this June to accept the 2018 Genesis Prize, an annual award given to a Jewish person who has achieved career excellence and international recognition. The prize, which has previously been awarded to actor Michael Douglas and violinist Itzhak Perlman, comes with $2 million this year and is presented at a flashy Jerusalem ceremony attended by dignitaries and local celebrities. Past emcees include Bar Refaeli and Jay Leno.
But the Genesis Prize announced Thursday that it was canceling this year’s ceremony following Portman’s decision to withdraw. Organizers said they had been notified by the actress’s...
Portman, a dual Israeli-American citizen, was born in Jerusalem and is beloved by the Israeli public. She was due this June to accept the 2018 Genesis Prize, an annual award given to a Jewish person who has achieved career excellence and international recognition. The prize, which has previously been awarded to actor Michael Douglas and violinist Itzhak Perlman, comes with $2 million this year and is presented at a flashy Jerusalem ceremony attended by dignitaries and local celebrities. Past emcees include Bar Refaeli and Jay Leno.
But the Genesis Prize announced Thursday that it was canceling this year’s ceremony following Portman’s decision to withdraw. Organizers said they had been notified by the actress’s...
- 4/20/2018
- by Debra Kamin
- Variety Film + TV
Documentarian Alison Chernick has made a career of profiling artists from Jeff Koons and Matthew Barney in features to Roy Lichtenstein and Rick Rubin in shorts. Her latest subject is renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman — a victim of polio as a child in Israel who found himself at Julliard before earning Grammys, Emmys, and countless international awards. He overcame a disability (walking on crutches when not in his wheelchair) that never impaired his playing, but constantly hung over his head as a psychological hindrance in the minds of those with the opportunity to help his education. It took Ed Sullivan and an assumed desire to showcase a teenaged Itzhak’s skill despite his handicap rather than removed from it to bring him to New York and carve his path forward.
Itzhak is a hybrid of sorts that doesn’t merely draw his linear trajectory from birth to the present or focus...
Itzhak is a hybrid of sorts that doesn’t merely draw his linear trajectory from birth to the present or focus...
- 4/18/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Itzhak Greenwich Reviewed by: Harvey Karten Director: Alison Chernick Cast: Itzhak Perlman, Toby Perlman, Alan Alda, Amnon Weisntein, Stefan Valcuha, Billy Joel, Zubin Mehta, Pinchas Zukerman, Evgeny Kissin, the Klezmatics Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 3/2/18 Opens: March 16, 2018 Why do so many Jews play violin? That’s a question dealt with in this intriguing […]
The post Itzhak Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Itzhak Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/5/2018
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
(Spoiler alert: This post includes details of the Winter Olympics from PyeongChang not yet aired in the U.S.) German figure skater Nicole Schott’s decision to perform to the score from Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning Holocaust drama “Schindler’s List” overshadowed her actual performance early Friday morning local time in PyeongChan, South Korea. While the film’s main theme music composed by John Williams and performed by violinist Itzhak Perlman is hauntingly beautiful, many thought it was inappropriate considering Germany’s history with the Nazis and Jewish concentration camps. Schott’s use of the score was described as “a bad music choice” by one Twitter user, while another said it “feels real f—ed up.” Also...
- 2/23/2018
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
The Genesis Prize Foundation (Gpf) and 2017 Genesis Prize Laureate and world-renowned artist and human rights activist Anish Kapoor today announced grants to five prominent NGOs engaged in alleviating the global refugee crisis.
The recipient organizations assist refugees globally and include the International Rescue Committee (IRC), led by its president David Miliband, as well as the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees (Mfa), Hias (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), Help Refugees, and Hillel International.
The grants are funded by the $1 million Genesis Prize, dubbed the “Jewish Nobel” by Time Magazine. Anish Kapoor has chosen to focus on refugees as an expression both of his lifelong commitment to supporting excluded people and as an expression of core Jewish values.
The Genesis Prize honors extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement, and commitment to the Jewish people and Jewish values, such as social justice,...
The recipient organizations assist refugees globally and include the International Rescue Committee (IRC), led by its president David Miliband, as well as the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees (Mfa), Hias (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), Help Refugees, and Hillel International.
The grants are funded by the $1 million Genesis Prize, dubbed the “Jewish Nobel” by Time Magazine. Anish Kapoor has chosen to focus on refugees as an expression both of his lifelong commitment to supporting excluded people and as an expression of core Jewish values.
The Genesis Prize honors extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement, and commitment to the Jewish people and Jewish values, such as social justice,...
- 1/22/2018
- Look to the Stars
Itzhak, the Alison Chernick-directed documentary that served as the opening-night film at the most recent Hamptons Film Festival, has been acquired by newbie distributor Greenwich Entertainment. The plan is for a theatrical release nationwide beginning March 9 in New York. It will also be broadcast as part of PBS' American Masters series. The film, which takes an in-depth look at Itzhak Perlman, widely considered the world’s best violinist, will be the first theatrical…...
- 1/18/2018
- Deadline
Newly formed indie distributor Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Itzhak, Alison Chernick’s documentary about violinist Itzhak Perlman.
The film, which screened as the opening night film at the Hamptons International Film Festival and also played Doc NYC and the Palm Springs Film Festival, will be released theatrically beginning May 9 in New York and will be broadcast on PBS’ American Masters in October as part of their National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Itzhak was produced by Chernick and executive produced by Michael Kantor and Penny Lieberman.
New York-based Greenwich was launched in September...
The film, which screened as the opening night film at the Hamptons International Film Festival and also played Doc NYC and the Palm Springs Film Festival, will be released theatrically beginning May 9 in New York and will be broadcast on PBS’ American Masters in October as part of their National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Itzhak was produced by Chernick and executive produced by Michael Kantor and Penny Lieberman.
New York-based Greenwich was launched in September...
- 1/18/2018
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Driving up to the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman’s leafy East Hampton, New York, estate, the first things one encounters on an unseasonably warm fall day are the family’s two Portuguese water dogs, Muttek and Boychick, gleefully bounding from the front door of the great white house to greet visitors. Perlman jokes that the two fluff balls are “the stars” of the new documentary about him, Itzhak, playing at documentary film festival Doc NYC on Nov. 16.
The evening prior, the film had its world premiere as the 25th annual Hamptons International Film Festival's opening-night centerpiece, following which Perlman and graduates...
The evening prior, the film had its world premiere as the 25th annual Hamptons International Film Festival's opening-night centerpiece, following which Perlman and graduates...
- 11/9/2017
- by Ray Rogers, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Genesis Prize Foundation (Gpf) announced that world-renowned actress, director and social activist Natalie Portman has been selected as the 2018 Genesis Prize Laureate.
The annual $1 million award honors extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement, commitment to Jewish values and to the Jewish people.
Portman is a globally-acclaimed actress and director. She began her acting career at the age of 12 and has since achieved recognition and praise from audiences around the world. She is a winner of multiple prestigious awards, including an Academy Award (Oscar), two Golden Globe Awards, the British Academy of Film and Television Award, as well as other industry honors.
Portman was born in Israel and, after moving to the Us as a child, retained a close connection to her Jewish and Israeli roots. In 2015, she directed Tale of Love and Darkness, a Hebrew-language film made...
The annual $1 million award honors extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement, commitment to Jewish values and to the Jewish people.
Portman is a globally-acclaimed actress and director. She began her acting career at the age of 12 and has since achieved recognition and praise from audiences around the world. She is a winner of multiple prestigious awards, including an Academy Award (Oscar), two Golden Globe Awards, the British Academy of Film and Television Award, as well as other industry honors.
Portman was born in Israel and, after moving to the Us as a child, retained a close connection to her Jewish and Israeli roots. In 2015, she directed Tale of Love and Darkness, a Hebrew-language film made...
- 11/9/2017
- Look to the Stars
Alison Chernick's documentary about famed violinist Itzhak Perlman does a thorough job of showcasing the venerable musician's engaging personality and deep passion for music. Unfortunately, Itzhak proves less successful in biographical terms, making it more suitable for Perlman's longtime fans than those who have only a cursory knowledge of his life and career. Having recently received its world premiere as the opening night film of the Hamptons International Film Festival, the documentary will be broadcast in 2018 on PBS' American Masters.
Itzhak briefly relates the story of the violinist's early years, including his being afflicted with polio and making...
- 10/10/2017
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Hamptons International Film Festival kicked off its 25th anniversary edition Thursday night with the world premiere of an Itzhak Perlman documentary and Dick Cavett receiving the inaugural edition of an artistic champion award named for him from Hiff co-chairman Alec Baldwin.
Over the course of Columbus Day weekend, Hiff will present the U.S. premieres of Margot Robbie's Tonya Harding biopic (I, Tonya), Andy Serkis' directorial debut Breathe and a special event for critically acclaimed horror film Get Out, released earlier this year. In addition, the festival will feature screenings of Oscar hopefuls like The Shape of Water, The Florida Project, Call...
Over the course of Columbus Day weekend, Hiff will present the U.S. premieres of Margot Robbie's Tonya Harding biopic (I, Tonya), Andy Serkis' directorial debut Breathe and a special event for critically acclaimed horror film Get Out, released earlier this year. In addition, the festival will feature screenings of Oscar hopefuls like The Shape of Water, The Florida Project, Call...
- 10/6/2017
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Hamptons International Film Festival has set the world premiere of the Itzhak Perlman documentary, Itzhak, as the opening-night film for its 25th anniversary edition. The conductor, who is an East End resident, will be in attendance at the screening of director Alison Chernick's film about the life and music of the man widely considered to be the world's greatest living violinist.
Additionally, the festival will host world premieres for Jennifer Garner-starrer The Tribes of Palos Verdes, with Garner expected to attend the event, and docs about makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin and the day of the 2016 election.
...
Additionally, the festival will host world premieres for Jennifer Garner-starrer The Tribes of Palos Verdes, with Garner expected to attend the event, and docs about makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin and the day of the 2016 election.
...
- 8/30/2017
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Hamptons Film Festival revealed this morning that Alison Chernick's Itzhak Perlman documentary Itzhak will be the opening-night film at this year’s 25th anniversary fest, which kicks off October 5 in East Hampton, NY. The famed violinist and conductor, who lives in the East End, will attend for the world premiere. The fest unveiled seven more world bows to go along with its already announced Centerpiece film, Andy Serkis’ Breathe. New titles include the Dylan Baker-sta…...
- 8/30/2017
- Deadline
Sean Wilson Aug 4, 2017
Yes, Star Wars. But what about all the great John Williams scores from less famous movies? Here are 15 of them...
Cinema's most esteemed and popular film composer, John Williams, turned 85 this year (you might have seen the recent spectacular BBC Proms concert in his honour). Careers don't come more astonishing than that of Williams, nominated for 50 Academy Awards which puts him second only to Walt Disney for the most ever.
See related What does Iron Fist tell us about Marvel's Defenders? The Defenders: recapping Netflix's Marvel universe so far The Defenders: brand new images released
However it's all too tempting to boil Williams' career down to the more obvious highlights: Star Wars, the Indy trilogy, Superman, E.T., Jurassic Park and the like. In truth, he's a far more versatile composer than many like to give him credit for, and he's much more than just a big themes guy.
Yes, Star Wars. But what about all the great John Williams scores from less famous movies? Here are 15 of them...
Cinema's most esteemed and popular film composer, John Williams, turned 85 this year (you might have seen the recent spectacular BBC Proms concert in his honour). Careers don't come more astonishing than that of Williams, nominated for 50 Academy Awards which puts him second only to Walt Disney for the most ever.
See related What does Iron Fist tell us about Marvel's Defenders? The Defenders: recapping Netflix's Marvel universe so far The Defenders: brand new images released
However it's all too tempting to boil Williams' career down to the more obvious highlights: Star Wars, the Indy trilogy, Superman, E.T., Jurassic Park and the like. In truth, he's a far more versatile composer than many like to give him credit for, and he's much more than just a big themes guy.
- 8/1/2017
- Den of Geek
Close your eyes and you can hear the music of John Williams without trying too hard. You know the greatest hits and can probably hum through most of them from start to finish, even if the extent of your musical career is plunking out “Heart and Soul” on your grandparent’s piano.
The legacy of Williams’ music extends beyond the cinema. The “NBC Nightly News” theme? That was him. That fanfare you’ll be hearing once the Olympics arrive? Him, too. A fan of that “Sunday Night Football” march that leads up to kickoff? Guess who.
And even though the world now recognizes Williams for his trademark triumphant horns and sweeping orchestral strings, this was a composer who, a year before “Jaws,” was penning acoustic love themes so ’70s they would make Burt Bacharach blush. So as much as we remember the soundtracks to dizzying flights across space and wide shots of dinosaurs in paradise,...
The legacy of Williams’ music extends beyond the cinema. The “NBC Nightly News” theme? That was him. That fanfare you’ll be hearing once the Olympics arrive? Him, too. A fan of that “Sunday Night Football” march that leads up to kickoff? Guess who.
And even though the world now recognizes Williams for his trademark triumphant horns and sweeping orchestral strings, this was a composer who, a year before “Jaws,” was penning acoustic love themes so ’70s they would make Burt Bacharach blush. So as much as we remember the soundtracks to dizzying flights across space and wide shots of dinosaurs in paradise,...
- 6/30/2016
- by Steve Greene and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand Are Among President Obama’s Recipients of the Medal of Freedom
President Barack Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest recognition the president can bestow upon a civilian — to a group of 17 "extraordinary" individuals, including many in the arts and entertainment industry, such as Barbra Streisand, Itzhak Perlman, James Taylor, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Stephen Sondheim, and Steven Spielberg. “Even by the standards of Medal of Freedom recipients, this is a class act. We are just reminded when we see these individuals here on the stage what an incredible tapestry this country is," said Obama. "They represent what’s best in us." The New York Times reports that as President Obama was describing Spielberg's many accomplishments, a phone rang. “Somebody is calling to see if they can book him for a deal right now. They want to make a pitch," joked Obama. He started, “So there’s this really good-looking president ..." We can see President Obama's post-presidential life...
- 11/25/2015
- by E. Alex Jung
- Vulture
Washington (AP) — President Barack Obama is recognizing 17 Americans with the nation's highest civilian award Tuesday, including giants of the entertainment industry such as Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg, baseball legends Willie Mays and Yogi Berra, and politicians, activists and government innovators. In addition to filmmaker Spielberg and singer and Oscar-winner Streisand, Obama will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan, singer James Taylor, composer Stephen Sondheim and violinist Itzhak Perlman. Mays was among the first African-American players in Major League Baseball. Berra, who died in September, was a Yankee great at
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- 11/24/2015
- by The Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Spielberg and Barbara Streisand are among the entertainment industry elite to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the 2015 honors list. The Obama administration announced Monday that the Hollywood stars are among the select 17 who will receive their medals at the Nov. 24 White House ceremony. Also included in this year’s prestigious list are musician Gloria Estefan, producer Emilio Estefan, singer James Taylor and conductor Itzhak Perlman. Also Read: Bill Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom at Risk “I look forward to presenting these 17 distinguished Americans with our nation’s highest civilian honor,” the president said in a statement.
- 11/16/2015
- by Dionne Clarke
- The Wrap
Hollywood and Broadway royalty are among the newest recipients of the nation’s highest civilian honor. Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim and 14 others will receive Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama during a November 24 ceremony at the White House. Other figures from the arts and culture worlds among this year’s honorees include violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, singer-songwriter James Taylor and the Miami Sound Machine power…...
- 11/16/2015
- Deadline TV
Hollywood and Broadway royalty are among the newest recipients of the nation’s highest civilian honor. Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim and 14 others will receive Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama during a November 24 ceremony at the White House. Other figures from the arts and culture worlds among this year’s honorees include violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, singer-songwriter James Taylor and the Miami Sound Machine power…...
- 11/16/2015
- Deadline
'Music of the Heart' cast: Meryl Streep, Gloria Estefan, Aidan Quinn and Angela Bassett. 'Music of the Heart': Unusually bloodless Wes Craven movie works as Meryl Streep showcase Wes Craven, the director of the Scream franchise and of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, is hardly the kind of filmmaker from whom one would expect a syrupy motion picture about a determined violin teacher who wins the hearts and minds of her inner-city school students. Yet Craven is the man responsible for Music of the Heart, a film utterly devoid of slashed faces, lethal stabbings, and deadly fingernails. Instead, this distaff version of Mr. Holland's Opus – with touches of To Sir with Love – offers loads of sentiment, some classical music (violinists Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, and Mark O'Connor appear as themselves), plenty of bad pop tunes, and a superb performance by Meryl Streep as a...
- 9/2/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Among those famous folks to be feted with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are three of the most recent Best Actor nominees -- Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper and Michael Keaton -- and two-time Oscar winner Quentin Tarantino. The other bold-faced names being honored for their movie work are: Ashley Judd, Kurt Russell and Toshiro Mifune. -Break- Watch dozens of video chats with 2015 Emmy contenders Those being tapped for their TV roles include Emmy champs Barbara Bain, Kathy Bates, Allison Janney, Debra Messing and Gary Sinise. Also on the roster are Roma Downey, David Duchovny, Rob Lowe, Tracy Morgan and the late William S. Paley. Each of the music honorees -- Shirley Caesar, LL Cool J, Cyndi Lauper, Adam Levine, Bruno Mars, Itzhak Perlman and the late 'Mama' Cass Elliot -- has at least one Grammy. Those drawn from the live theatre and live performance category are Angelica M.
- 6/23/2015
- Gold Derby
HT2FF – Hamptons Take 2 Documentary Film Festival is about to take place for its 7th edition, December 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th just after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. For four days the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor on Long Island’s East End, is booked back-to-back with documentaries of the finest caliber but which are not necessarily premieres.These are films that both deserve and need exposure, hence the festival title, “Take 2”. The audience is enthusiastic and loyal.
Jacqui Lofaro was herself a documentary filmmaker until she started this festival which now consumes her days and nights. Not that she doesn’t have an idea for her next documentary, but, at this moment the festival, is exploding, a case of spontaneous combustion. The festival has taken over her life with screenings throughout the year, such as this spring’s screening of Frieda Lee Mock’s 2013 critically acclaimed film, “Anita”. With a panel of experts the screening was an event playing to a packed house. It didn’t matter that the film had already had its theatrical release. According to Jacqui “that’s what Take 2 is all about. Our mission is simply to show great documentary films to our local East End audience”. This festival reaches out to the community by showing films throughout the year in local libraries as well.
This year, the festival will screen a total of 32 documentaries at the Bay Street Theater. Using only one theater venue makes this festival intimate and very, very easy.
There is a balance in the festival between social issue documentaries and other docs, and between bringing in filmmakers and focusing on community filmmakers. Indeed the first day of the festival is devoted to regional filmmakers with a “Focus on Locals”.
In addition, the festival will feature several sections which are targeted at local youth: Young Voices (short docs made by local middle and high school students), Future Voices (films by Student Filmmakers from the NYC Media Arts Centers) and Emerging Voices (two strong films by recent graduates of the School of Visual Arts Mfa Social Documentary Program, introduced by documentary filmmaker and Sva professor, Deborah Dickson).
The Evening Galas are not red-carpet-celebrity events. Rather they honor documentary filmmakers such as Richard Leacock the inventor of the sound-sync camera or Susan Lacy of American Masters or Chris Hegedus & D A Pennebaker. This year the honors go to Barbara Kopple who has been making ground-breaking docs for 40+ years. Her first film on a devastating coal miners’ strike in Kentucky, “Harlan County USA”, was an Oscar winner, and will screen to this growing audience of doc fans.
This rock-solid festival is not premiere driven. However, this year the festival was offered the New York premiere of Michael Apted’s “Bending the Light” about lens making for photographers and filmmakers, and will also feature the east coast premiere of “The Big Beat”, made by local filmmaker and archivist, Joe Lauro. Also screening is Martin Scorsese’s “Fifty Year Argument”, an HBO documentary about the anniversary of The New York Review of Books.
The closing night film is reserved for the annual Filmmaker’s Choice Award which this year goes to Wendy Keys both filmmaker and former administrator at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Her documentary “Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight, “ a warm and insightful view of the iconic American graphic designer of the “I Love New York” campaign and the founder of New York Magazine, will be the feature film.
The enthusiasm and efficiency behind this festival abide with Jacqui to such an extent that I wondered how she did it and wondered about her own docs, made by her company Justice Productions.org. She said they do not have traditional distribution, however, they continuously sell on Amazon’s Create Space, and she is invited to speak and show the film at universities, libraries and other venues where audiences care about social issues. Recently the Reel Recovery Film Festival showed “The Last Fix: An Addicts Passage from Hell to Hope” at the Quad. “The Empty Chair: Death Penalty Yes or No,” the recipient of the 2006 prestigious Thurgood Marshall Broadcast Journalism Award aired on national television on the Hallmark Channel’s World of Faith and Values and is still actively requested as well.
The festival has welcomed Karen Arikian (former Exec. Dir of the Hamptons International Film Festival and currently the Us rep for the Berlin International Film Festival) on board as Creative Advisor, and Jacqui has put together an Industry Advisory Board of top film and television professionals. Jacqui describes board meetings at the Paley Center for Media (Board Member, Ron Simon, is Paley’s Curator for TV and Radio) taking place in the Chairman’s office around Paley’s own round leather desk. As Jacqui puts it: “Now that’s a place of inspiration”.
Industry Advisory Board:
Julie Anderson - Executive Producer, Documentaries and Development at PBS/Wnet; former producer at Espn; documentary filmmaker at HBO Sports; executive at HBO Original Documentary Programming.
Karen Arikian - Founded her independent consulting company with offices in Germany and New York for clients including BAFTA, Toronto International Film Festival, Hamburg Media School; Us Delegate to (Berlinale) Berlin International Film Festival.
Susan Lacy - Founded "Pentimento Productions" in 2014, with a film to premiere on HBO, the first in an exclusive multi-picture deal with HBO Documentary Films; former creator, director & executive producer of 200 documentaries for the PBS “American Masters” series.
Don Lenzer - Documentary director and cinematographer whose credits can be found on five Academy Award winning feature documentaries and numerous public television programs; co-directed and shot the Emmy Award winning Great Performances documentary "Itzhak Perlman; In The Fiddler's House."
Susan Margolin - President of Docurama and Special Acquisitions at Cinedigm. She oversees the recently launched Docurama Channel as well as the Docurama brand of award winning documentary films across all platforms including theatrical, home entertainment, and digital distribution.
Nigel Noble - Producer, director and Academy Award winner for the documentary short, “Close Harmony;" producer and director of films and video for theaters, television, not-for-profits, major businesses with works earning nominations and accolades from the Director’s Guild of America, Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival.
Roger Sherman - Director, producer and cinematographer of documentaries that have won an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award and two Academy award nominations. He is a co-founder of Florentine Films with Ken Burns.
Ron Simon - Curator of television and radio for The Paley Center for Media; an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University, New York University and Hunter College; judge on the George Foster Peabody committee; member editorial board of Television Quarterly.
Jacqui Lofaro was herself a documentary filmmaker until she started this festival which now consumes her days and nights. Not that she doesn’t have an idea for her next documentary, but, at this moment the festival, is exploding, a case of spontaneous combustion. The festival has taken over her life with screenings throughout the year, such as this spring’s screening of Frieda Lee Mock’s 2013 critically acclaimed film, “Anita”. With a panel of experts the screening was an event playing to a packed house. It didn’t matter that the film had already had its theatrical release. According to Jacqui “that’s what Take 2 is all about. Our mission is simply to show great documentary films to our local East End audience”. This festival reaches out to the community by showing films throughout the year in local libraries as well.
This year, the festival will screen a total of 32 documentaries at the Bay Street Theater. Using only one theater venue makes this festival intimate and very, very easy.
There is a balance in the festival between social issue documentaries and other docs, and between bringing in filmmakers and focusing on community filmmakers. Indeed the first day of the festival is devoted to regional filmmakers with a “Focus on Locals”.
In addition, the festival will feature several sections which are targeted at local youth: Young Voices (short docs made by local middle and high school students), Future Voices (films by Student Filmmakers from the NYC Media Arts Centers) and Emerging Voices (two strong films by recent graduates of the School of Visual Arts Mfa Social Documentary Program, introduced by documentary filmmaker and Sva professor, Deborah Dickson).
The Evening Galas are not red-carpet-celebrity events. Rather they honor documentary filmmakers such as Richard Leacock the inventor of the sound-sync camera or Susan Lacy of American Masters or Chris Hegedus & D A Pennebaker. This year the honors go to Barbara Kopple who has been making ground-breaking docs for 40+ years. Her first film on a devastating coal miners’ strike in Kentucky, “Harlan County USA”, was an Oscar winner, and will screen to this growing audience of doc fans.
This rock-solid festival is not premiere driven. However, this year the festival was offered the New York premiere of Michael Apted’s “Bending the Light” about lens making for photographers and filmmakers, and will also feature the east coast premiere of “The Big Beat”, made by local filmmaker and archivist, Joe Lauro. Also screening is Martin Scorsese’s “Fifty Year Argument”, an HBO documentary about the anniversary of The New York Review of Books.
The closing night film is reserved for the annual Filmmaker’s Choice Award which this year goes to Wendy Keys both filmmaker and former administrator at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Her documentary “Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight, “ a warm and insightful view of the iconic American graphic designer of the “I Love New York” campaign and the founder of New York Magazine, will be the feature film.
The enthusiasm and efficiency behind this festival abide with Jacqui to such an extent that I wondered how she did it and wondered about her own docs, made by her company Justice Productions.org. She said they do not have traditional distribution, however, they continuously sell on Amazon’s Create Space, and she is invited to speak and show the film at universities, libraries and other venues where audiences care about social issues. Recently the Reel Recovery Film Festival showed “The Last Fix: An Addicts Passage from Hell to Hope” at the Quad. “The Empty Chair: Death Penalty Yes or No,” the recipient of the 2006 prestigious Thurgood Marshall Broadcast Journalism Award aired on national television on the Hallmark Channel’s World of Faith and Values and is still actively requested as well.
The festival has welcomed Karen Arikian (former Exec. Dir of the Hamptons International Film Festival and currently the Us rep for the Berlin International Film Festival) on board as Creative Advisor, and Jacqui has put together an Industry Advisory Board of top film and television professionals. Jacqui describes board meetings at the Paley Center for Media (Board Member, Ron Simon, is Paley’s Curator for TV and Radio) taking place in the Chairman’s office around Paley’s own round leather desk. As Jacqui puts it: “Now that’s a place of inspiration”.
Industry Advisory Board:
Julie Anderson - Executive Producer, Documentaries and Development at PBS/Wnet; former producer at Espn; documentary filmmaker at HBO Sports; executive at HBO Original Documentary Programming.
Karen Arikian - Founded her independent consulting company with offices in Germany and New York for clients including BAFTA, Toronto International Film Festival, Hamburg Media School; Us Delegate to (Berlinale) Berlin International Film Festival.
Susan Lacy - Founded "Pentimento Productions" in 2014, with a film to premiere on HBO, the first in an exclusive multi-picture deal with HBO Documentary Films; former creator, director & executive producer of 200 documentaries for the PBS “American Masters” series.
Don Lenzer - Documentary director and cinematographer whose credits can be found on five Academy Award winning feature documentaries and numerous public television programs; co-directed and shot the Emmy Award winning Great Performances documentary "Itzhak Perlman; In The Fiddler's House."
Susan Margolin - President of Docurama and Special Acquisitions at Cinedigm. She oversees the recently launched Docurama Channel as well as the Docurama brand of award winning documentary films across all platforms including theatrical, home entertainment, and digital distribution.
Nigel Noble - Producer, director and Academy Award winner for the documentary short, “Close Harmony;" producer and director of films and video for theaters, television, not-for-profits, major businesses with works earning nominations and accolades from the Director’s Guild of America, Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival.
Roger Sherman - Director, producer and cinematographer of documentaries that have won an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award and two Academy award nominations. He is a co-founder of Florentine Films with Ken Burns.
Ron Simon - Curator of television and radio for The Paley Center for Media; an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University, New York University and Hunter College; judge on the George Foster Peabody committee; member editorial board of Television Quarterly.
- 11/11/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star Elna Garana and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Today, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS check local listings.
- 10/18/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star Elna Garana and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS check local listings. Click below to watch a preview...
- 10/11/2013
- by TV News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star Elna Garana and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS check local listings.
- 9/20/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
DVD Release Date: April 9, 2013
Price: DVD $27.95
Studio: First Run Features
Arturo Toscanini (l.) and Bronislaw Huberman in 1936 in Orchestra of Exiles.
The Orchestra of Exiles is 2012 documentary directed by Josh Aronson, who previously helmed the Academy Award-nominated 2000 doc Sound and Fury.
In the early 1930′s Hitler began firing Jewish musicians across Europe. Overcoming extraordinary obstacles, violinist Bronislaw Huberman moved these great musicians to Palestine and formed a symphony that would become the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. With courage, resourcefulness and an entourage of allies including Arturo Toscanini and Albert Einstein, Huberman saved nearly 1000 Jews – and guaranteed the survival of Europe’s musical heritage.
Featuring commentary by musical greats including Itzhak Perlman, Zubin Mehta and Joshua Bell, Orchestra of Exiles is a timeless tale of a brilliant young man coming of age, and the suspenseful chronicle of how his efforts impacted
cultural history.
Bonus features on the DVD include the following
Filmmaker...
Price: DVD $27.95
Studio: First Run Features
Arturo Toscanini (l.) and Bronislaw Huberman in 1936 in Orchestra of Exiles.
The Orchestra of Exiles is 2012 documentary directed by Josh Aronson, who previously helmed the Academy Award-nominated 2000 doc Sound and Fury.
In the early 1930′s Hitler began firing Jewish musicians across Europe. Overcoming extraordinary obstacles, violinist Bronislaw Huberman moved these great musicians to Palestine and formed a symphony that would become the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. With courage, resourcefulness and an entourage of allies including Arturo Toscanini and Albert Einstein, Huberman saved nearly 1000 Jews – and guaranteed the survival of Europe’s musical heritage.
Featuring commentary by musical greats including Itzhak Perlman, Zubin Mehta and Joshua Bell, Orchestra of Exiles is a timeless tale of a brilliant young man coming of age, and the suspenseful chronicle of how his efforts impacted
cultural history.
Bonus features on the DVD include the following
Filmmaker...
- 3/25/2013
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Here’s a truth bomb that will rock you to your very core: Sometimes, at big, important events, singers don’t actually sing.
An artist may choose to mouth along to a pre-recorded track during a “live” performance for any number of reasons. Maybe the weather is bad; maybe she simply isn’t feeling well. Whatever the excuse, though, lip-synching is about as ubiquitous as the common cold — especially if the singer in question happens to be performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Jennifer Hudson did it at Super Bowl Xliii in 2009. Whitney Houston also did it when delivering her definitive version...
An artist may choose to mouth along to a pre-recorded track during a “live” performance for any number of reasons. Maybe the weather is bad; maybe she simply isn’t feeling well. Whatever the excuse, though, lip-synching is about as ubiquitous as the common cold — especially if the singer in question happens to be performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Jennifer Hudson did it at Super Bowl Xliii in 2009. Whitney Houston also did it when delivering her definitive version...
- 1/22/2013
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Beyonce's stirring performance of the national anthem at President Obama's inauguration on Monday (Jan. 21) was maybe not so stirring after all: She didn't sing live.
The singer pre-recorded a vocal track in the days before the ceremony and made an 11th-hour decision to use it Monday, a Marine Corps Band spokeswoman tells the Times of London. Other outlets also confirmed the lip-syncing, noting that it didn't appear the band was playing live.
The spokeswoman says that the Marine Corps Band pre-records all the music for the inauguration "and have done since time immemorial." She says it was Beyonce's decision to go with the pre-recorded track.
Beyonce pulled her earpiece out midway through the song, but that was apparently just for show.
Beyonce isn't the first inauguration performer to go with pre-recorded music. Four years ago, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman pre-recorded their performance because the cold weather may have affected their instruments.
The singer pre-recorded a vocal track in the days before the ceremony and made an 11th-hour decision to use it Monday, a Marine Corps Band spokeswoman tells the Times of London. Other outlets also confirmed the lip-syncing, noting that it didn't appear the band was playing live.
The spokeswoman says that the Marine Corps Band pre-records all the music for the inauguration "and have done since time immemorial." She says it was Beyonce's decision to go with the pre-recorded track.
Beyonce pulled her earpiece out midway through the song, but that was apparently just for show.
Beyonce isn't the first inauguration performer to go with pre-recorded music. Four years ago, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman pre-recorded their performance because the cold weather may have affected their instruments.
- 1/22/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Tune in to PBS tonight, September 27, 2012, at 8 p.m. for Live From Lincoln Centers telecast of the New York Philharmonics Opening Gala conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert. The program will feature world famous violinist Itzhak Perlman performing personal favorites including Williams Theme from Schindlers List and Massenets Meditation from Thas, as well as works by Sarasate, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. The broadcast, which features extended artist profiles, will also include Respighis celebrated Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome.
- 9/27/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
New York — Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin and Liza Minnelli took turns singing songs by the late Marvin Hamlisch during a stirring memorial service for the composer on Tuesday.
Minnelli sang "If You Really Knew Me" from the musical "They're Playing My Song," Franklin gave a soulful rendition of "Nobody Does It Better" from the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" and Streisand brought the crowd to its feet when she finished "The Way We Were" from the film of the same name.
The composer's wife of 26 years, Terre Hamlisch, welcomed the crowd.
"These are Marvin's melodies," she said. "Marvin Hamlisch lives in them. This is who Marvin Hamlisch was."
Hamlisch composed or arranged hundreds of scores for musicals and movies, including "A Chorus Line" on Broadway and the films "The Sting," "Sophie's Choice," "Ordinary People" and "The Way We Were." He died on Aug. 6 in Los Angeles at age 68 after a short illness.
Minnelli sang "If You Really Knew Me" from the musical "They're Playing My Song," Franklin gave a soulful rendition of "Nobody Does It Better" from the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" and Streisand brought the crowd to its feet when she finished "The Way We Were" from the film of the same name.
The composer's wife of 26 years, Terre Hamlisch, welcomed the crowd.
"These are Marvin's melodies," she said. "Marvin Hamlisch lives in them. This is who Marvin Hamlisch was."
Hamlisch composed or arranged hundreds of scores for musicals and movies, including "A Chorus Line" on Broadway and the films "The Sting," "Sophie's Choice," "Ordinary People" and "The Way We Were." He died on Aug. 6 in Los Angeles at age 68 after a short illness.
- 9/19/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
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