Month: January 2011

2011 Sundance Film Festival Announces Jury Prizes In Short Filmmaking

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2011 Sundance Film Festival Announces Jury Prizes In Short Filmmaking

Filmmakers from Australia, Poland, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Canada and the United States Celebrated for their Documentary and Narrative Work

Park City, UT –The 2011 Sundance Film Festival this evening announced the jury prizes in shorts filmmaking and gave honorable mentions based on outstanding achievement and merit. The awards were presented at a ceremony held in Park City, Utah. These award recipients will also be honored at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony hosted by Sundance Alum Tim Blake Nelson on Saturday, January 29.

The 2011 Short Film jurors are Barry Jenkins (director, writer, Medicine for Melancholy); Kim Morgan (Film and Culture writer, Sunset Gun, The Hitlist) and Sara Bernstein (Vice president, HBO Documentary films; supervising producer, Baghdad ER, White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

The Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking was awarded to Brick Novax pt 1 and 2 (Director and Screenwriter: Matt Piedmont)— Penniless and now living in a seedy motel with only weeks to live, international super legend Brick Novax records his amazing tales as an astronaut, movie star, corporate CEO, and famous musician to preserve his legacy as the coolest guy in the history of the world.

The Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking was given to Deeper Than Yesterday Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Ariel Kleiman) – After three months submerged underwater in a submarine, the crew have become savages. Oleg, one of the men onboard, fears that losing perspective may mean losing himself.

In addition, The Shorts Jury awarded Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking to:

Choke / Canada (Drector and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer)— Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.

Diarchy / Italy (Director and Screenwriter: Ferdinando Cito Filmomarino) – Giano and Luc are traveling through the woods when a storm breaks, forcing them to take shelter in Luc’s villa. Gradually and insidiously, a competition emerges between them, with terrible consequences.

The External World / Germany, Ireland (Director and Screenwriter: David O’Reilly) – A boy learns to play the piano.

The Legend of Beaver Dam / Canada (Director: Jerome Sable; Screenwriters: Jerome Sable and Eli Batalion) – When a ghost story around the campfire awakens an evil monster, it’s up to nerdy Danny Zigwitz to be the hero and save his fellow campers from a bloody massacre.

Out of Reach / Poland (Director and Screenwriter: Jakub Stozek) – Karolina and Natalia seek refuge from their domineering father and reminiscence about sad childhood without a mother in a basement of their block of flats.

Protoparticles / Spain (Director and Screenwriter: Chema García Ibarra) – The experiment was a success: protomatter exists.

Festival Sponsors
The 2011 Sundance Film Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors—Entertainment Weekly, HP, Acura, Sundance Channel and Chase SapphireSM; Leadership Sponsors—Bing™, Canon, DIRECTV, Honda, Southwest Airlines and YouTube™; Sustaining Sponsors—FilterForGood®, a partnership between Brita® and Nalgene®, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, L’Oréal Paris, Stella Artois®, Timberland, and Trident Vitality™. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations will defray costs associated with the 10-day Festival and the nonprofit Sundance Institute’s year-round programs for independent film and theatre artists. In return, sponsorship of the preeminent Festival provides these organizations with global exposure, a platform for brand impressions and unique access to Festival attendees.

About Sundance Film Festival
Supported by the nonprofit Sundance Institute, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, The Cove, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious, Trouble the Water and Napoleon Dynamite and, through its New Frontier initiative, has brought the cinematic works of media artists including Isaac Julian, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp and Matthew Barney. www.sundance.org/festival

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 theatre 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, Light in the Piazza and Angels in America. www.sundance.org

Sundance Film Festival

Two African films compete for Foreign Language Oscar

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Two African films, Outside the Law from Algeria and Life Above All from South Africa are among the 9 films that will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 83rd Academy Awards. They were selected from 66 films that qualified in the category.

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Notably is Rachid Bouchareb’s “Outside the Law,” the French-Algerian film that annoyed French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy’s political party, who wanted the film banned at the last Cannes Film Festival, because “it denigrates France and the French military.”

“Outside the Law”, tells the story of three brothers who fought for Algeria’s independence from France after World War II. After losing their family home in Algeria, three brothers were scattered across the globe. Messaoud joined the French army fighting in Indochina; Abdelkader became a leader of the Algerian independence movement; whilst Said moved to Paris to make his fortune in the shady clubs and boxing halls of Pigalle. Gradually, their interconnecting destinies reunited them in the French capital, where freedom is a battle to be fought and won.

“Life, Above All” an emotional and universal drama about a young girl who fought the fear and shame that have poisoned her community. It was directed by South African filmmaker Oliver Schmitz who adapted the international award winning novel “Chanda’s Secrets” by Allan Stratton.

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Chanda, 16, is a smart and determined South African girl on track to win a scholarship – but she’s suddenly thrust into an impossible situation, forcing her to adopt maturity beyond her years. When we first meet her, she’s making funeral arrangements for her year-old sister, Sara. If people begin to suspect Sara’s death was due to more than a passing flu, Chanda will be faced with shame and stigma, not only for the victim, but also for their entire family.

When Lilian’s (Chanda’s mother) illness becomes impossible to hide, their nosy, eccentric next-door neighbor, Mrs. Tafa, engages a spirit doctor to perform a startling ritual. The spirit doctor determines that a curse is hanging over her and her children. In order to lift it,
Lilian must return to the village from where she was banished decades before, leaving Chanda alone to care for her siblings.

Meanwhile, Chanda’s best friend, Esther, has turned to prostitution in a desperate attempt to survive and reunite her own family. Though the community shuns Esther, Chanda refuses to reject her friend. To the horror of those around her, Chanda opens her house to Esther at her friend’s moment of greatest need. That’s just the beginning of Chanda’s fight against convention.

When Chanda discovers that her mother may have gone away to die in order to spare her children shame, she ignores the cautions of the meddling Mrs. Tafa, and embarks on a fateful journey to bring her mother home. And in doing so, challenges the people around her to reject their prejudices and embrace the truth.

The 9 films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Oscar

Algeria, “Outside the Law”), Rachid Bouchareb, director;
Canada, “Incendies,” Denis Villeneuve, director;
Denmark, “In a Better World,” Susanne Bier, director;
Greece, “Dogtooth,” Yorgos Lanthimos, director;
Japan, “Confessions,” Tetsuya Nakashima, director;
Mexico, “Biutiful,” Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director;
South Africa, “Life, above All,” Oliver Schmitz, director;
Spain, “Tambien la Lluvia” (“Even the Rain”), Iciar Bollain, director;
Sweden, “Simple Simon,” Andreas Ohman, director.

16th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

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“The Social Network”was chosen as the Best Picture and the director David Fincher won Best Director for the film.

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Colin Firth, won the Best Actor award for his role in “The King’s Speech” and Natalie Portman, who won Best Actress for her role in “Black Swan.” Christian Bale got the Best Supporting Actor award and Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress both for their outstanding roles in “The Fighter.”

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Click here for the photo gallery of the red carpet at the 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A. on Jan. 14.

The Best Action Movie was “Inception,”, Best Art Direction and Best Editing went to “The Social Network”, “The Fighter” had Best Acting Ensemble, the Best Original Screenplay award was won by David Seidler for “The King’s Speech”, Best Young Actor/Actress was Hailee Steinfeld for her remarkable role in “True Grit”, “Toy Story 3″ won Best Animated Feature and “Easy A” was the Best Comedy.

Nominees in attendance included: Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Duvall, Jesse Eisenberg, Elle Fanning, Colin Firth, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling, Jon Hamm, Nicole Kidman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa Leo, Julianne Moore, Mandy Moore, Jeremy Renner, Sam Rockwell, Mark Ruffalo, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Spielberg, Jacki Weaver, Hailee Steinfeld and Michelle Williams.

Presenters at the gala included: Hank Azaria, Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Ice Cube, Jesse Eisenberg, Jane Fonda, Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, Rob Huebel, the Kardashians (Khloe, Kim), Jimmy Kimmel, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Lawrence, Julianne Moore, Joan Rivers, Tim Roth, Paul Scheer, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Spacey, Emma Stone and Sofia Vergara .

Maroon 5 was this year’s house band. In addition to entertaining the audience throughout the awards ceremony, the band gave a special red carpet performance during the live pre-show, and also performed “Stuck in the Middle with You” from the movie “Reservoir Dogs.” Keri Hilson also performed “Son of a Preacher Man” during the Critic’s Choice Music+Film Award tribute to Quentin Tarantino.

Click here for the full news release.

‘The Social Network’ wins Best Picture at Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

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15 Jan 2011 06:43 Africa/Lagos

The 16th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards Select ‘The Social Network’ as Best Picture and David Fincher as Best Director

“THE SOCIAL NETWORK” LEADS THE NIGHT WITH 4 AWARDS
COLIN FIRTH WINS BEST ACTOR FOR “THE KING’S SPEECH” BEST ACTRESS AWARD GOES TO NATALIE PORTMAN FOR “BLACK SWAN”
WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT AWARDS CEREMONY BROADCAST LIVE ON VH1
WATCH THE SHOW’S BEST MOMENTS ONLINE NOW AT CRITICSCHOICE.VH1.COM

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced the winners of the 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards earlier this evening. The star-studded ceremony was held at the Hollywood Palladium and aired live on VH1. “The Social Network” was named the year’s Best Picture and David Fincher won Best Director honors for the film.

Other big winners of the night included Colin Firth, who took Best Actor for his role in “The King’s Speech” and Natalie Portman, who won Best Actress for her role in “Black Swan.” Also honored were Christian Bale with the Best Supporting Actor award and Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress both for their work in “The Fighter.”

Best Action Movie went to “Inception,” while Best Art Direction and Best Editing went to “The Social Network.” “The Fighter” was honored with Best Acting Ensemble and Best Original Screenplay honors went to David Seidler for “The King’s Speech.” Best Young Actor/Actress went to Hailee Steinfeld for “True Grit.” “Toy Story 3” won Best Animated Feature and Best Comedy went to “Easy A.”

Distinguished actor and humanitarian Matt Damon was honored with the fourth annual Joel Siegel Award presented by Emily Blunt and Jimmy Kimmel. The BFCA created this award to honor those in the film community whose actions demonstrate that the greatest value of celebrity is the ability to do good work for others. This award pays homage to beloved “Good Morning America” film critic and BFCA member Joel Siegel, who lost his struggle with cancer in June, 2007.

The 16th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards also included a special nod to iconic film director Quentin Tarantino, who received the inaugural Critics’ Choice Music+Film Award, presented by Tim Roth and Ice Cube. The all new Critics’ Choice Music+Film Award was created to honor a single filmmaker who has not only inspired moviegoers with his cinematic storytelling, but has heightened the impact of film through the brilliant use of source and soundtrack music.

Nominees in attendance included: Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Duvall, Jesse Eisenberg, Elle Fanning, Colin Firth, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling, Jon Hamm, Nicole Kidman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa Leo, Julianne Moore, Mandy Moore, Jeremy Renner, Sam Rockwell, Mark Ruffalo, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Spielberg, Jacki Weaver, Hailee Steinfeld and Michelle Williams.

Presenters at the gala included: Hank Azaria, Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Ice Cube, Jesse Eisenberg, Jane Fonda, Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, Rob Huebel, the Kardashians (Khloe, Kim), Jimmy Kimmel, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Lawrence, Julianne Moore, Joan Rivers, Tim Roth, Paul Scheer, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Spacey, Emma Stone and Sofia Vergara .

The show featured Maroon 5 as this year’s house band. In addition to entertaining the audience throughout the awards ceremony, the band gave a special red carpet performance during the live pre-show, and also performed “Stuck in the Middle with You” from the movie “Reservoir Dogs.” Keri Hilson also performed “Son of a Preacher Man” during the Critic’s Choice Music+Film Award tribute to Quentin Tarantino.

Viewers also got an exclusive sneak preview of VH1’s upcoming 2-hour scripted series premiere event “Single Ladies,” a comedic drama premiering Monday, May 30th at 9 PM ET/PT on VH1. Produced by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, “Single Ladies” asks the question: What do women really want in a relationship? The preview is now available on VH1.com.

For the show’s best moments, acceptance speeches, red carpet photos and interviews and a complete list of winners visit criticschoice.vh1.com.

Historically, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations. All four major acting category winners at the Academy Awards in 2010 were first Critics’ Choice Movie Awards winners in the same categories and were present at the January 15, 2010 ceremony to graciously give their first acceptance speeches of the awards season. The BFCA also recognized “The Hurt Locker” for “Best Picture” and Kathryn Bigelow as “Best Director,” making her the first female to win the award. “The Hurt Locker” and Bigelow also went on to win the Academy Award for “Best Picture” and “Best Director” but were both overlooked at the Golden Globes.

The 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, honoring the finest in cinematic achievement among 2010 film releases, announced its nominees on Monday, December 13, 2010. Final ballots went out to the BFCA members on January 10, 2011 with the deadline for returning final ballots on January 12, 2011. For a full list of this year’s nominees and information about the show visit CriticsChoice.VH1.com.

The 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards is executive produced by Jesse Ignjatovic for Den of Thieves, Joey Berlin for Berlin Entertainment and Lee Rolontz for VH1.

About The Broadcast Film Critics Association:

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 250 television, radio and online critics. BFCA members are the primary source of information for today’s film going public. The very first opinion a moviegoer hears about new releases at the multiplex or the art house usually comes from one of its members.

About Den of Thieves:

Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, Den of Thieves has quickly emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, Ignjatovic and Prager launched Den of Thieves as the TV arm of the Warner Music Group in 2007. After a successful three year partnership there, they branched out and are now fully independent. With an array of formats ranging from Comedy Central’s stand-up special “Russell Brand in NYC” to VH1’s “The T.O. Show” to the MTV Video Music Awards, Den of Thieves continues to create, develop and produce original television.

About VH1:

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 98 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

MEDIA: For additional information on this event, contact Andy Gelb or Stephanie Samson of Slate PR at (310) 556-0444 or andy@slate-pr.com / stephanie@slate-pr.com.

WINNERS OF THE 16TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE

“The Social Network”

BEST ACTOR

Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”

BEST ACTRESS

Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale – “The Fighter”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

“The Fighter”

BEST DIRECTOR

David Fincher – “The Social Network”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“The King’s Speech” – David Seidler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“The Social Network” – Aaron Sorkin

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“Inception” – Wally Pfister

BEST ART DIRECTION

“Inception” – Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias and Doug Mowat

BEST EDITING

“Inception” – Lee Smith

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

“Alice in Wonderland” – Colleen Atwood

BEST MAKE-UP

“Alice in Wonderland”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

“Inception”

BEST SOUND

“Inception”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

“Toy Story 3”

BEST ACTION MOVIE

“Inception”

BEST COMEDY

“Easy A”

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

“The Pacific”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“Waiting for Superman”

BEST SONG

“If I Rise” performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman. Music by A.R. Rahman. Lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong – “127 Hours”

BEST SCORE

“The Social Network” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

JOEL SIEGEL AWARD

Matt Damon

CRITICS’ CHOICE MUSIC+FILM AWARD

Quentin Tarantino

SOURCE VH1

CONTACT: Andy Gelb, Andy@slate-pr.com, or Stephanie Samson, Stephanie@slate-pr.com, both of Slate PR, +1-310-461-0111; or Scott Acord, +1-310-752-8075, Scott.Acord@vh1.com, or Candice Ashton, +1-310-752-8352, Candice.Ashton@vh1.com

Web Site: http://www.vh1.com

14 films compete for Tiger Awards at 40th IFFR

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IFFR 2011

The 40th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) begins from 26 January to 6 February 2011.

The first or second feature films concurring for three equal top prizes of each 15,000 euro, includes three world premieres. Two of the competing films have been supported by Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund.

The Jury of the Tiger Awards Competition 2011:

 Lucrecia Martel, filmmaker, scriptwriter and film producer (Argentina)
 Sandra den Hamer, director of the EYE Film Institute Netherlands and former IFFR director
 filmmaker Andrei Ujica (Romania)
 Wisit Sasanatieng, filmmaker (Thailand)
 Lee Ranaldo, vocalist, guitarist, composer and co-founder of noise rock band Sonic Youth (USA).

The Jury of the Tiger Awards selected the following 14 films for the prestigious Tiger Aawrds and the winner will be announced on Friday February 4, 2011.

Chitra sutram / The Image Threads
Vipin Vijay, India, 2010, 104’, European premiere
A tale about a computer teacher, a black magician and a cyber creature who are predestined for online and offline encounters. The story oscillates between Indian mythology, surrealist personal symbolism and the cyber world. First feature film of Vipin Vijay.

Vete más lejos, Alicia / Alicia, Go Yonder
Elisa Miller, Mexico, 2010, 67’, International premiere
A moving and visual portrayal of the excitement, alienation, and loneliness nineteen-year old Alicia experiences when she leaves her parental home in Mexico for Buenos Aires with the ambition to become an acrobat. First feature film of Elisa Miller.

Pasuggun / Bleak Night
Yoon Sung-Hyun, South Korea, 2010, 116’, International premiere
Yoon’s New Current Award winning film focuses on the subdued aggression and explosive relationships among friends in Korea’s often repressive school system. First feature film of Yoon Sung-Hyun.

Finisterrae
Sergio Caballero, Spain, 2010, 80’, International premiere
Portraying two lost ghosts who take the Way of Saint James to the end of the world (Finisterra), this hypnotizing road movie is a treat for eyes and ears. It draws inspiration from Philippe Garrel’s The Inner Scar. First feature film of Sergio Caballero.

Wasted Youth
Argyris Papadimitropoulos & Jan Vogel, Greece, 2011, 98’, World premiere & Opening Film
During a hot summer in Athens, the lives of two protagonists unexpectedly cross paths: a passionate teenage skater and a policeman in his midlife crisis. Second feature film of
Argyris Papadimitropoulos and first feature film of Jan Vogel.

Gromozeka
Vladimir Kott, Russia, 2011, 104’, World premiere
Funny, serious and touching at the same time, the film offers a view of contemporary Russia following three parallel stories of old school friends. Now a police officer, taxi driver and surgeon in their forties, they cross paths without realizing it. Second feature film of Vladimir Kott.

Fasl-e baran-haye moosemi / Rainy Seasons
Majid Barzegar, Iran, 2010, 86’, European premiere
This intimate Iranian film tells the story of an urban teenage boy trapped between his parents’ divorce and his own troubles. It reveals a seldom shown side of Iranian society – middle class urban youths that have the same problems as everywhere around the world. First feature film of Majid Barzegar.

Headshots
Lawrence Tooley, Germany, Austria, 2010, 92’, International premiere
Subtle distance characterizes the point of view of the filmmaker towards his subject: a female photographer makes her way through 21st century Berlin, a city full of artistic and complicated people. Second feature film of Lawrence Tooley.

O céu sobre os ombros / The Sky Above
Sérgio Borges, Brazil, 2010, 72’, International premiere
Blurring borders between documentary and fiction, this film portrays a few moments from the lives of three men from Belo Horizonte: a transsexual prostitute and academic, a Hare Krishna soccer fan and a would-be writer. Winner of five awards at the Festival of Brazilian Cinema. First feature film of Sérgio Borges.

Fuyu no kimono / Love Addiction
Uchida Nobuteru, Japan, 2010, 92’, International premiere
In Love Addicton, superior improvisation and total commitment overcome all limitations of low budget film-making. The filmmaker points his camera at four characters, co-workers who have complicated relationships during and after working hours. Second feature film of Uchida Nobuteru.

Igillena maluwo / Flying Fish
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara, Sri Lanka, 2011, Hubert Bals Fund, 125’, World premiere
This daring, exciting story from northern Sri Lanka convincingly captures the madness in a land where the psychology of war is omnipresent. Three parallel stories deal with the attempts of ordinary village people to lead a normal life in abnormal circumstances. First feature film of Sanjeewa Pushpakumara.

Tee-rak / Eternity
Sivaroj Kongsakul, Thailand, 2010, Hubert Bals Fund, 105’, European premiere
After his death, a man returns to the landscape of his childhood and relives the relationship that was meant to last forever. Eternity is a romantic and spiritual film as well as a meditation about the death of a loved one. First feature film of Sivaroj Kongsakul.

Todos tus muertos / All Your Dead Ones
Carlos Moreno, Colombia, 2010, 90’, International premiere
One Sunday morning, a Colombian farmer finds a pile of dead bodies in his corn field. On Election Day, the local politicians however have other things on their mind than dealing with the crime. Second feature film of Carlos Moreno.

Musan il-gy / The Journals of Musan
Park Jung-Bum, South Korea, 2010, 127’, European premiere
Already an award winning film, The Journals of Musan portrays the plights and emotions of a North Korean defector who is trying to adapt to South Korea’s capitalist society. First feature film of Park Jung-Bum, who plays the lead himself.

© 2011 International Film Festival Rotterdam

Femi Odugbemi Launches IREP Documentary Film Festival in Lagos

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Femi Odugbemi photo

Multiple award winning Nigerian documentary filmmaker Femi Odugbemi is launching the first international documentary film festival in Nigeria called iREPRESENT (iREP).

The international documentary film festival initiated with the objective of promoting independent documentary features will now hold between January 20 and 23 at Terra Kulture on Tiamiyu Savage Street in Victoria Island Lagos and at the Lagos Business School also in Victoria Island, Lagos respectively.

iREPRESENT (iREP) was earlier scheduled to hold this December. So far about 10 renowned professional filmmakers have all agreed to be in Nigeria for the festival which also aims at promoting independent documentary features with emphasis on training and skill development to the benefit of the young, aspiring and practising film makers in Nigeria, especially for those with flair for Documentary films.

Some of the renowned professional filmmakers who have confirmed their participation include Jihan El-Tahri, producer of Behind the Rainbow, a documentary that has been programmed as the festival opening film; David Max Brown, producer of ‘The Manuscripts and Timbuktu’ directed by Zola Maseko from South Africa; Manthia Diawara, producer of ‘The Tropical House’ who is also giving the keynote address on the topic ‘Can Documentary Change the World’ and Mario Mabor, the Sudanese filmmaker who produced ‘The Rabbaba Man’. Others on the list of confirmed participants are Talal Afifi, a film festival organiser who is leading a team of three from Sudan; Director of Mnet’s Great African Series Akin Omotosho, Professor Awam Amkpa who will be leading discussions in the workshop and symposium sessions, Issraa El-Kogali, producer of ‘In Search of Hip Hop and Lydie Diakhate, director of Real Life Documentary Forum who will be leading the workshop session.

Attending from Nigeria will be Sandra Obiago who will be presenting a collection of films from Communicating for Change (CFC); Femi Odugbemi who will be presenting three of his critically acclaimed documentaries—Oriki, Ibadan and Bariga Boys and Professor Tunde Babawale, Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) who will be leading the team from CBAAC to present two films—Omo Alaketu and ‘Festac 77’ a UNESCO and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) documentary film. The premier film institution, the National Film Institute will be presenting works by some of its students. The institute Governing Board Chairman who is also Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, Fidelis Duker of the Abuja International Film Festival, Dr. Tunde Adegbola of the University of Ibadan, filmmaker Tunde Kelani and President of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN) Mr. Busola Holloway have all confirmed their participation as lead speakers and discussant at the festival workshop and symposium.

The organizers also revealed that iREP 2010 will run as a 3-day event featuring paper presentations, screenings, networking, forums and workshops that will afford young filmmakers the opportunity to learn from industry veterans and build connections across the spectrum of creativity. According to them, each filmmaker will be expected to personally present their films and entertain questions from the audience, while also participating in the training and workshop sessions that have been scheduled to run in the course of the festival. The theme for the maiden edition of iREP is The Impact of Documentary Production in a developing Society/Economy and it will have such other sub topics like its cost effectiveness vis a viz Film & Television production, Shooting techniques and tricks, and Career advisory. The organizers say that the workshops and panel discussions that will follow aims at introducing young filmmakers to the many opportunities documentary production offers. ‘Hence at least 4 professionals, specializing in key departments of documentary film making have been invited to conduct workshops and clinics in the course of the three day event’ the statement added.

iREP International Documentary Film Festival was founded by a board of directors which include; Femi Odugbemi, producer, director, past President of ITPAN (Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria) & CEO of DVWORX STUDIOS; Jahman Anikulapo, culture journalist and activist, Programmes Director of CORA (Committee for Relevant Art) & Project Director of Culture Advocates Caucus, (CAC); and, Makin Soyinka, culture activist, filmmaker and Director of The Lagos Film Office — all are operatives of the West African Documentary Film Forum, WADFF – with a mission to develop and nurture the talent of young filmmakers in Africa and internationally. The festival was also founded in recognition of the fact that that in spite of the high rate of debutants, many of whom lack appropriate knowledge in relevant departments of film making, there are still quite a good number of well-trained, talented and serious filmmakers in Nigeria who are willing and ready to work hard to reclaim the lost glory of the industry. ‘It is imperative that at this time in its socio-political history, Nigeria ought to stand up and be counted among the real filmmaking countries, not only in Africa but also in the entire world. The example of countries like South Africa, Burkina Faso and many of the North African countries should serve as inspiration in this regard’ Dapo Kolade, Festival Director of iREP 2010 said in a pre-event press statement.

-End-

For further informaton and interviews please contact – Femi Odugbemi- 08034251963

Getting ‘Red Carpet Ready’ in 2011 with Valerie Waters

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California Raisins and Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Valerie Waters, Offer Advice on Getting ‘Red Carpet Ready’ in 2011
– Upload Red Carpet Moments in New Sweepstakes for Chance to Win Hollywood Trip; Visit LoveYourRaisins.com for Details –

Valerie_Waters

Fresno, Calif., January 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — From school reunions and weddings to anniversaries and date night, life is never short of occasions when we want to look and feel our best. That’s why California Raisins has teamed up with trainer to the stars, Valerie Waters, to offer fitness and healthy eating advice on getting paparazzi prepared in 2011 for all of life’s red carpet moments.

Along with guidance from Waters, California Raisins is also launching a new, easy-to-enter sweepstakes called, “What’s Your Red Carpet Moment?” Now through March 15, participants can share their upcoming red carpet moments on the California Raisins’ Facebook page for a chance to win a trip to the red carpet capital of the world—Hollywood, Calif. Contest details and an official set of rules can be found at www.loveyourraisins.com.

“Getting in shape is no different for super stars or super moms; it is all about making your mind up to eat right, snack smart and get active—regardless if you are preparing for a movie premiere, your 20-year class reunion or a milestone birthday,” says Waters. “Feeling your best for life’s special occasions is a matter of consistently making wise choices.”

Following are some tips from Waters on how to begin making wise choices now:

1. Make the commitment. Every health and fitness journey starts with making daily changes—not just when you can fit them in your schedule or when you have time. The first step toward achieving your health and fitness goals is simply making the decision to set them.
2. Eat breakfast every day. Beginning your day with a nutritious meal jump starts your metabolism and sets you up for eating right the whole day. Healthy breakfasts that don’t take much time:
* 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites scrambled with veggies (just about any will do) with one piece of whole grain toast
* 1 packet of plain instant oatmeal with a scoop of chocolate protein powder plus a tablespoon of California Raisins
* 1 piece of whole grain toast with a tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter and banana slices
* ½ cup of low fat yogurt topped with California Raisins and sliced almonds
3. Snack smart. No workout in the world can compensate for consistently unhealthy eating choices. Food and fitness go hand-in-hand and that is why I encourage my clients to never leave healthy eating to chance. Plan ahead and make nutritious lunches and snacks that include plenty of veggies, whole grains and fruits, such as California Raisins. Raisins are a great on-the-go snack, and just a ¼ cup equals a full serving of fruit—plus they are fat- and cholesterol-free.
4. Consistency is key. A short workout is better than no workout at all. So even if you only have ten minutes to spare, move your coffee table to the side and make some space to do an at-home workout. And when our time is limited, avoid working out only your problem areas, like your stomach. Instead of doing crunches, which burns very little calories, a more important objective is to work out as many muscle groups as you can in the time you have available. Below is one of my favorite heart pumping circuits inspired by my book, Red Carpet Ready. Repeat the circuit three times for a great at-home workout.
* Plié Squat
* Reverse Lunge
* Bent Over Row
* Lateral Raise
* Ultimate Crunch

To view simple, follow-along fitness videos, visit www.loveyourraisins.com

“Physical activity and healthy eating go hand-in-hand,” says Waters. “From breakfast through dinner and the snack times in between, reach for lean proteins, veggies and fruits, like California Raisins, which are delicious, nutritious and perfectly portable for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or pre-workout energy boost.”
About the California Raisin Marketing Board

A State Marketing Order in 1998 created the California Raisin Marketing Board and it is 100 percent grower-funded. Its mission is to support and promote the increased use of California-grown raisins and sponsor crop production, nutrition and market research. For more information about the California Raisin Marketing Board and to browse delicious recipes, visit www.loveyourraisins.com.

Media Contact:
Julie Berge
Fleishman-Hillard
916-492-3339
julie.berge@fleishman.com

TV Land Celebrates Betty White’s 89th Birthday

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Betty White 2

6 Jan 2011 02:06 Africa/Lagos

TV Land Celebrates Betty White‘s 89th Birthday With a Fan-Generated, Star-Studded Global Facebook Birthday Card

Tina Fey, Taylor Swift, Joel McHale, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and More Salute Comedy Icon With Digital Birthday Card Video Messages

PR Newswire

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 5, 2011

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — TV Land celebrates Betty White’s 89th birthday by giving stars and fans the opportunity to honor everyone’s golden girl with birthday wishes and personal video messages via a birthday card that is on the “Hot in Cleveland” Facebook page. Join superstars Tina Fey, Joel McHale, Taylor Swift, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Kristin Chenoweth, Jessica Walter and more along with fans around the world in wishing the incomparable Betty White a happy birthday. Visitors are invited to “Like” the page and post their messages and video birthday well wishes alongside their favorite celebrities including Betty’s “Hot” co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves. The birthday card will be presented to Ms. White at her TV Land birthday bash happening in New York City on January 18th, and a compilation of messages will be available for all to see on TVLand.com.

“From her Emmy® award-winning appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ to being honored as one of Barbara Walters’ ’10 Most Fascinating People of 2010,’ it really has been the year of Betty,” said Larry W. Jones, president of TV Land. “Betty is embraced by people of all ages and is truly America’s sweetheart. We wanted to create a space where fans could share their birthday wishes and express their gratitude for the 60 years of laughs and entertainment our beloved Betty has given…and continues to give us.”

White, who celebrates her 89th birthday on January 17th, is one of television’s most beloved and talented actresses with a career that has spanned over 60 years. The Emmy® Award winning actress is best known for her roles in the classic sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and the beloved series “The Golden Girls.” She has also guest-starred on a number of television programs including “Ally McBeal,” ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “That 70s Show” and won an Emmy® in 1996 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, appearing as herself on a memorable episode of “The John Laroquette Show.” White had a recurring role in ABC’s “Boston Legal” from 2005 to 2008 as the calculating, blackmailing gossip-monger Catherine Piper, a role she originally portrayed as a guest star on “The Practice” in 2004. Most recently, she appeared in the 2009 major motion picture, “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. In January 2010, White was honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and in August, the actress was awarded an Emmy® for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy for her much-talked about stint hosting “Saturday Night Live.” White was also recently nominated for a Screen Actors Guild® Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.

About “Hot in Cleveland”

The second season of “Hot in Cleveland” premieres January 19, 2011 at 10PM ET/PT on TV Land and revolves around three fabulous best friends from Los Angeles – novelist Melanie Moretti (Valerie Bertinelli), eye-brow archer to the stars Joy Scroggs (Jane Leeves) and former soap star Victoria Chase (Wendie Malick) – who find their lives changed forever when their plane, headed for Paris, makes an unexpected landing. When the friends discover that life is better for them since they are hot in Cleveland, they decide to stay. Starting over together, they rent a house that happens to come with a very opinionated caretaker (Betty White).

TV Land and all related logos and titles are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

About TV Land

TV Land is the programming destination featuring the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, classic and contemporary television series acquisitions, hit movies and a full-service Web site, TV Land is now seen in over 98 million U.S. homes.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

SOURCE TV Land
NOTE TO EDITORS: Please log onto www.tvlandpress.com for up-to-the-minute information, press releases and photos.

CONTACT: Vanessa Reyes Smith, Vanessa.reyes@tvland.com, +1-310-752-8081, or Mitchell Squires, Mitchell.squires@tvland.com, +1-212-846-7356

Web Site: http://www.TVLand.com

Bobby Farrell, so unforgettable

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Bobby-Farrell

Roberto “Bobby” Alfonso Farrell (October 6, 1949 – December 30, 2010)

BONEY M DADDY COOL por ROBINSONLP no Videolog.tv.

Millions of the fans of the famous 1970s disco group Boney M are mourning the unfortunate loss of Bobby Farrell, the only male singer and lead dancer who died on December 30 while on tour in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 61-year-old native of Aruba died of heart disease.

Bobby was a spectacular performer known for his glittering showmanship on stage in his choreography of the blend of disco and Calypso music that was the signature of Boney M.
An Associated Press report said, Farrell was found dead of unknown causes in his hotel room after he failed to answer a wake-up call.

His rendering of the group’s chart topping hit single “Daddy Cool” was electrifying. But his charisma and showmanship did not stop his exit from the group in 1981, and the split of the original lineup in 1986.

boney-m-16The Original Line Up of Boney M