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From the "Biz" Archives:
with articles by Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks/indieWIRE
>> Santa Barbara Unveils Plans for Leaner Fest in 2002
(indieWIRE: 01.31.02) -- Citing financial reasons, the Santa Barbara
International Film Festival has announced plans for this year's shortened
five-day installment (February 27 - March 3, 2002).
Calling it a "leaner and meaner" festival, Artistic Director Renee Missel
told indieWIRE yesterday that while she had to be more selective when
putting together this year's program, the festival's overall structure
remains. Back is the focus on world cinema and American independent
pictures, according to Missel, as well as an annual group of illustrious
panelists and honorees. 10 world premieres, 6 North American premieres
and 3 U.S. premieres will screen during the event.
Henry Jaglom's "Festival in Cannes" will open the Santa Barbara fest, while
it will close with George Hickenlooper's "The Man From Elysian Fields."
Anne Thompson of Premiere will moderate this year's directing panel, with
Todd Field ("In The Bedroom"), Marc Forster ("Monster's Ball"), Jessie
Nelson ("I Am Sam"), Terry Zwigoff ("Ghost World") and others on hand. The
producers panel, moderated by Variety's Peter Bart, will include Darla
Anderson ("Monster's Inc."), Bruce Berman ("Ocean's Eleven"), Leonard
Goldberg ("Charlie's Angels"), David Hoberman ("Bandits"), Barry Mendel ("The Royal Tenenbaums"), and Ed Zwick ("I Am Sam"). Finally, the annual
screenwriting seminar will include Milo Addica ("Monster's Ball"), Julian
Fellowes ("Gosford Park"), Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind"), Ted Griffin ("Ocean's Eleven"), Christopher Nolan ("Memento"), Michael Sloane ("The Majestic") and Gina Wendkos ("The Princess Diaries").
Festival honorees include the Modern Master Award to Sean Penn, a salute to
Anjelica Huston, and a spotlight on directing with filmmaker Henry Jaglom.
Discussing this year's lineup yesterday with indieWIRE, Missel touted the
strength of the non-fiction selections. "Documentaries are flowering," she
explained, "In a country that doesn't subsidize (them) well." [Eugene
Hernandez]
For more information and the lineup
>> Rotterdam-Berlin Express Picks Up Six Projects
(indieWIRE: 01.31.02) -- Six projects from the Cinemart in Rotterdam, which
ended last night in The Netherlands, are en route to the European Film
Market in Berlin next month. The announcement is part of a new partnership
recently announced by the two festivals, dubbed the Rotterdam-Berlinale
Express.
Heading to the Market, which runs concurrently with the 52nd Berlin
International Film Festival, are: Lucrecia Martel's "La Nina Santa"
(Argentina), Yesim Ustaoglu's "Waiting for the Clouds" (Turkey), Fow Pynh
Hu's "The Paradise Girls" (The Netherlands), Aleksandr Sokurov's "Father and
Son" (Russia/Germany), Tian Zhuangzhuang's "Springtime in a Small Town"
(China), and Jamie Babbit's "The Giggle Factor" (USA). The projects will be
presented at the European Film Market on February 11th; a reception for the
Express participants will be held later that day.
With the same criteria as the annual Cinemart, the Express focuses on "high
potential projects within worldwide independent cinema...including both well
known film-makers as well as emerging talents." [Eugene Hernandez]
[Requests for meetings regarding the Rotterdam-Berlinale Express projects
are being accepted at:
>> New York, New York is the Star at American Museum of the Moving Image Series
(indieWIRE/01.31.02) -- Manhattan's American Museum of the Moving Image will
host a six-weekend series of films about New York City beginning February 23
- March 31. The event, "New York, New York," is a compilation of favorite
films about the city chosen by two dozen members of the New York Film
Critics Circle, the third year of the museum's collaboration with
organization members. Opening the series is a very rare screening of Andy
Warhol's 1960s 8-hour underground cult film, "Empire." Many prominent
New York filmmakers will be featured, including Sidney Lumet ("Dog Day
Afternoon," "Network," and "Bye Bye Braverman"); Martin Scorsese ("Mean Streets," "New York, New York") and Woody Allen ("Manhattan").
The program highlights a broad genre of work, from William A. Wellman's 1937
comedy "Nothing Sacred" to Samuel Fuller's film noir "Pickup on South
Street" (1953) as well as Hollywood classics "All About Eve," "Rear Window," and "Love Affair." Paul Morrissey's "Mixed Blood," Michael Roemer's "The Plot Against Harry" and Bennet Miller's "The Cruise" will represent the independents, in addition to a program of "underground" street films selected by The Village Voice's J. Hoberman.
"The New York Film Critics Circle is the most prestigious and influential
critics group in the country, and is one of the most important segments of
New York's vibrant film culture," commented museum chief film curator David
Schwartz in a prepared statement. "In the aftermath of September 11, this
seemed like a fitting time to present a cinematic tribute to the city."
[Brian Brooks]
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