Events

"The Seminarian" star Mark Cirillo with comedy writer Bruce Vilanch at the L.A. premiere of the drama directed by Joshua Lim. The film concerns Ryan (Cirillo), a closeted gay student in his final semester of seminary studies who embarks on a relationship with a man while trying to complete his thesis. [Photo by Jerry Buteyn]

Ron Howard and Demetri Martin at Canon's Project Imagin8ion LA premiere of "When You Find Me" at CAA. The project marks the first Hollywood film to be based solely on eight independently contributed photographs, selected from nearly 100,000 submissions in the "Project Imagina8ion" contest.

To hype the theatrical release of Guy Moshe's action flick "Bunraku," mixed media artist Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell unveiled a series of original art pieces inspired by the film at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood earlier this week. Pictured from left to right at the event: "Bunraku" director Moshe and stars Josh Hartnett, Kevin McKidd and Ron Perlman. The films hits select theaters this Friday, September 30. [Photo courtesy of AP Images, Katy Winn]

Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, JBFC Executive Director Steve Apkon. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg received the 2011 Vision Award at the Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) 10th anniversary celebration in Pleasantville, New York. Spielberg, who was honored for his career as a director, screenwriter, and producer, was presented with the award by film director and JBFC board member, Ron Howard. (Photo: Lynda Shenkman Curtis)

Actresses Lindsay Sloane and Lake Bell hamming it up at the after party for a screening of "A Good Old Fashioned Orgy" on August 25, in Hollywood, California. The film comes out in limited release this Friday, September 2, via Samuel Goldwyn Films. [Photo credit: Todd WIlliamson/AppleRIdgeFilms]

Claire Danes joined the cast and crew of her Showtime series "Homeland" at a screening of the pilot in East Hampton this past Saturday. The event, hosted by Showtime and The Cinema Society was held outdoors at a private house overlooking the ocean. "Homeland" premieres this fall. Pictured above: Mandy Patinkin, Danes, David Nevins (President of Entertainment, Showtime), Matthew Blank, Morena Baccarin, Damian Lewis. Guests included: Matthew C. Blank (Chairman & CEO, Showtime), Paul McCartney, Kiefer Sutherland, Hugh Dancy, Matthew Broderick, Gabourey Sidibe, John Benjamin Hickey, Stephen Gaghan, Brett Ratner, Mary-Kate Olsen, Melissa George, Steve Guttenberg, Russell Simmons, Rachel Zoe, CNN’s Alina Cho, Chuck & Ellen Scarborough, Jerry Della Femina & Judy Licht, Giada De Laurentiis, Nacho & Delfina Figueras, Fern Mallis, Olivia Chantecaille, Tabitha Simmons & Craig McDean, Minnie Mortimer, Amy Sacco, Frederique Van Der Wal, Debbie Bancroft, Dan Abrams, Celine Rattray, Nina Griscom, Howard Gordon (exec producer), Alex Gansa (exec producer), Michael Cuesta (director/exec producer), Dana Walden (Chairman, Twentieth Century Fox Television), Gary Newman (Chairman, Twentieth Century Fox Television), and Cinema Society founder Andrew Saffir. [Photo by Nick Hunt/Patrick McMullan Co.]

Golden Globe Nominees Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio with HFPA President Dr. Aida Takla O’Reilly at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Annual Luncheon, yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. At the event, $1.5 million in financial grants was presented to non-profits and scholarship programs. [Photo Credit: Getty/Frazer Harrison]

Star of the Golden Globe winning series “Mad Men,” Elisabeth Moss (center) with Golden Globe winner, Kevin Bacon (left) and HFPA President Dr. Aida Takla O’Reilly (right) at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Annual Luncheon in Beverly Hills. [Photo Credit: Getty/Frazer Harrison]

I took this picture outside Los Angeles' Cinefamily theater, where "Bellflower" had its first LA screening and moments after director Evan Glodell demonstrated the unholy fire-belching powers of the Medusa. The racket was extraordinary and the Fairfax Ave. location was an engraved invitation for arrest and impoundment. But the demo went off without a hitch and I ran into the street (between lights, checking for traffic) to take this picture of the victorious "Bellflower" crew. No sooner than I was back on the sidewalk than one of LA's finest rolled up next to the Medusa. Evan stuck his head in the police car and I looked at my feet; I didn't want to see the night spoiled by Medusa being towed, or worse. But then the cops drove away. I asked Evan what happened. "It was nothing," he said. "They just didn't want people standing in the middle of the street to take a picture." [Photo by Dana Harris]

Nicole Holofcener's ("Please Give," "Lovely and Amazing") first feature "Walking and Talking" came out in 1996, the same year indieWIRE first launched. So it was no brainer that indieWIRE (in collaboration with 92YTribeca) chose the comedy to kickoff a series of events and screenings toasting to the company's birthday Wednesday night. Holofcener's Manhattan-set debut stars Catherine Keener and Anne Heche as two best friends struggling to move smoothly into the next phase of adulthood. The film also stars a young Liev Schrieber and Kevin Corrigan ("Pineapple Express," "Superbad"). Corrigan (center), along with the film's editor Alisa Lepselter (Woody Allen's main gal since "Sweet and Lowdown") and an extra from the film (Corrigan's friend) took part in a Q&A at 92YTribeca moderated by indieWIRE's critic Eric Kohn. Lepselter, who hasn't worked with Holofcener since, said the reason they parted ways was due to Holofcener's move to Los Angeles from New York. She spoke fondly of their time together. Corrigan meanwhile reminisced about how this was the film to get him noticed by critics. He's since gone on to work with Holofcener again in her most recent comedy, "Please Give." Holofcener recently took part in a FIRST PERSON feature for indieWIRE where she looked back on making her debut.

“Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay reunited with Joanne Willette, her best friend from her college days, at the 2011 UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) Commencement Ceremony, held on June 10. Hargitay was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Theater. [Photo courtesy of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television]

Over the weekend, supermodel Christy Turlington Burns directorial debut, the 60-minute documentary "No Woman, No Cry," premiered in Southampton for the launch of The Plum Network's Plum Hamptons magazine. Out to support Turlington Burns' were ABC's "20/20" anchor Chris Cuomo (right) and designer Donna Karen (center). Additional guests included Plum Hamptons editor-in-chief Cristina Cuomo, co-host Peggy Siegel, Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon, designer Nanette Lepore, Plum TV founder Tom Scott and wife J. Crew co-founder Emily Scott. [Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan Company]

The rain stayed away long enough for Morgan Spurlock to make his way down a very crowded red carpet for the official East Coast premiere of his latest film, "POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" in POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pennsylvania Wednesday evening (though the film had opened theatrically via Sony Classics in New York). Oh well, the crowd had a good time and all were well fed with candy, popcorn and soda (and we do mean A LOT!) during the screening. Whenever local brand Sheetz made it to the screen, the crowd of 1,000-plus invited guests roared on cue. After it was all said and done, Spurlock's entourage headed back to the Jet Blue plane waiting on the tarmac. But weather grounded the plane for 90 minutes, so it was more POM cocktails and an impromptu disco party in the aisle as the crowd waited for the OK to take off... The plane landed around 1am... And thus the end of "The Greatest Day Ever..."

The former welcome sign was still present - it was a throwback to an earlier era when the city formerly known as Altoona was $25,000 poorer.

Following lunch at Sheetz, Morgan headed to the main thoroughfare into town to pose with the sign welcoming visitors and residents alike to PWPTGMES, PA. It was getting pretty humid though and the clouds started gathering...

Not all were thrilled with how the city's windfall was going to be allocated, however. Several protesters walked through with signs saying money should go for education. Apparently, city officials were allocating the $25K for the local police department, but this group of former Altoonans had other ideas. Spurlock acknowledged them in his speech and told one vocal opponent during the meet and greet that he gave the money to the city - it was up to them how to spend it...

Morgan Spurlock handed over a giant-sized check to the Mayor of POM Wonderful Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold, PA for the 60-day naming rights of the city in the company of the Sheetz corporate head on the steps of city hall. Spurlock then took pictures and did a meet and greet with PWPGMES-ites who came out for the joyous occasion.

Dressed in his corporate logo best, Morgan Spurlock sported an early morning POMtini to get things rolling on his chartered Jet Blue flight en route to Altoona, PA as the plane taxied to the runway at JFK Wednesday morning. His entourage of several dozen were well lubricated with POMtinis or POM-vodkas as the plane waited in a long queue for take off.

About 75 guests who flew over with Morgan Spurlock and producer Jeremy Chilnick took pics from the tarmac as the two descended from the chartered Jet Blue flight from JFK Wednesday. And, thus began the Pennsylvania leg of the "Greatest Day Ever."

The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) descended upon Newport Beach over the weekend for their 12th annual gathering, 'The New Now: Defining the Future Together.' Pictured above: Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Governor Bill Richardson (left), there to collect the Lifetime Achievement in Advocacy Award, and James McNamara (right), the Chairman of Pantelion Films. [Photo credit: Lindsey Rowe/NMA]

McDonald’s honored two talented independent Latino filmmakers on the rise at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) gala Saturday April 16th. McDonald’s provided a $7,500 filmmaker grant to two NALIP Estela Award winners, one in the Narrative and one in the Documentary category. From left to right: Estela Winner-Documentary, Francisco Bello, NALIP Executive Director Kathryn Galan, Max Gallegos of McDonald’s and Javier Fuentes-Leon, Estela Winner-Narrative. [Photo credit Lindsey Rowe, NMA]

Director James Gunn, actors Ellen Page, Rainn Wilson, Liv Tyler, and Nathan Fillion arrive at the premiere of IFC Midnight's "Super" at the Egyptian Theatre on March 21, 2011 in Hollywood, California. [Photo credit: Todd Williamson/WireImage]

Writer/director James Gunn, Ellen Page and Rainn Wilson at the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of their superhero satire "Super" at the Egyptian Theater this week in Hollywood, California. [Photo credit: Todd Williamson/WireImage]

Director Ivan Reitman, actor Eugene Levy , producer Daniel Goldberg and CFC Founder Norman Jewison attend The Canadian Film Centre cocktail reception celebrating the Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab held at Avalon Hotel on March 9, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy WireImage.

"True Blood"'s on screen and and off couple Anna Paquin (left) and Stephen Moyer (right) hit up the 28th annual William S. Paley Television Festival over the weekend in Beverly Hills, CA. The two took part in a panel along with the show's creator Alan Ball and cast mates Alexander Skarsgard, Deborah Ann Woll, Nelsan Ellis, Ryan Kwanten, Marshall Allman, Chris Bauer, Carrie Preston and Kevin Alejandro. [Photo courtesy of Paley Center for Media's PaleyFest 2011]

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) students topped the Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards, taking first prize and three other top prizes out of over 151 submissions received from eight University of California campuses. The Goldwyn Awards carry prizes of $15,000 for first place, $7,500 for second place, $4,000 for third place, $2,000 and $1,000 for honorable mention. Previous Goldwyn winners include writers and directors Allison Anders, Francis Ford Coppola, Pamela Gray, Colin Higgins, Eric Roth and novelist Jonathan Kellerman. Pictured at the awards ceremony are: Branden Cahn (left), UCSB, Second Place; Matt Wheeler, UCLA (TFT), First Runner-Up; Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.; Meg Gifford, UCLA (TFT), First Place; Ryan Finnerty, UCLA (TFT), Second Runner-Up; Owen Donovan Yarde, UCLA (TFT), Third Place. [Photo by Todd Cheney/UCLA]

David Linde made it out on an early Halloween Sunday at the DGA in Los Angeles along with 100 or so others in the crowd. The former Universal head shared some "war stories" in the trenches of indie film during his time at Miramax, Focus and Universal in a casual chat at Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum. Linde was a late addition to the weekend schedule, but iW was excited to hear one thing Linde had to share (and we would love to hear more). Now at Lava Bear, Linde said that he believes film companies will be more willing to spend more on films in the near(ish) future... So, bring it on!

Director Doug Liman (left) with screenwriter John August on the stage at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles following a screening of Liman's latest, "Fair Game." The film centers on the events surrounding the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, played by Naomi Watts, and the fall out between Plame, her husband, Joe Wilson (Sean Penn) and the intrigue that shook at the core of the Bush Administration. Liman told the crowd after the screening, marking the start of Film Independent's Filmmaker Forum this weekend at the DGA, that he first received a 300-page script with detail about the frightening and illegal circumstances and ramifications of Plame's exposure. "Reading the script, I got a great overview of the whole thing," Liman told the large crowd. "But my movies usually take the point of view of a person, so I decided to focus on Joe and Valerie. Meeting them, I fell in love with them. They're like characters who would be in a movie - something out of your imagination..." A Summit release, "Fair Game" took 45 days to shoot, with locations in the U.S., Jordan, Egypt, Kuala Lampur and even Baghdad. "I like to shoot where the events really take place," Liman said. Despite all the locations, the film's budget was around $22 million.

"Humor is a risky thing sometimes," said director Michael Moore (right) last Friday at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in New York for a screening of the raucous documentary "Winnebago Man," directed by Ben Steinbauer. "When I saw I was so thrilled to be in the midst of kindred spirits." The film came to New York following a win for Best Comedy Documentary at the Traverse City Film Festival, which Moore himself co-founded. Moore was on hand to introduce the film to the sold out audience. The person the crowd really wanted to see however was the Winnebago Man himself, Jack Rebney (left), who made a rare appearance. Following the screening he sent the audience into a laugh riot during an obscenity laden Q&A alongside Steinbauer. [Photo by Roberto Machado]

Director Sally Potter (left) and actress Tilda Swinton pose at the U.S. premiere of the freshly restored 1992 adaptation of Virginia Woolf's "Orlando," at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), July 7th. The event kicked off MoMA's Sally Potter Film Exhibition that runs from July 7-21. The ladies stuck around after the screening for a sprightly q&a with the audience. "Orlando" will make its way back to theaters July 23 for a limited theatrical run, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. [Photo by Nigel M. Smith]

Director Lee Daniels ("Precious") and producer Roger Corman ("The Prophet") were honored recently by the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) at the closing night gala of the UCLA 2010 Festival of New Creative Work. The event's "Directors Spotlight" centered on "the voice of the independent filmmaker" and honored student's work in the field of directing. Pictured are Lee Daniels, Filmmaker of the Year Award winner; Teri Schwartz, Dean, UCLA TFT; and Roger Corman, Champion Spirit Award winner. [Image courtesy of UCLA TFT]

From left to right: Focus Features president Andrew Karpen , writer/director Noah Baumbach, and actors Greta Gerwig, Ben Stiller, and Rhys Ifans at the March 18th special screening of their new movie "Greenberg." "I’m always interested in how people, myself included, have ideas of themselves, of how they thought they would be, or of how they want to be seen," Baumbach said in an interview published on indieWIRE earlier this week. Photo courtesy of Focus Features.

Chinlin Hsieh, programmer at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Florence Almozini, BAMcinématek’s Director of Programming, Pedro González-Rubio, director of "Alamar," and Rutger Wolfson, International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Artistic Director at the Rotterdam @ BAM Opening Night party on Wednesday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The series, which showcases all 15 films from Rotterdam's Tiger Awards competition, kicked off with the US premiere of González-Rubio's Tiger-winner "Alamar," followed by an opening night, trans-Atlantic bash in the BAMcafe. [Photo by GODLIS/BAMcinématek]

Writer/Director Conor McPherson, star Ciarán Hinds, and Tribeca Enterprises Creative Director Geoffrey Gilmore at the New York premiere of McPherson's "The Eclipse," presented by Bloomberg, Magnolia Pictures and The Tribeca Cinema Series, at Tribeca Cinemas, February 25, 2010. The film opens theatrically on March 26 through Magnolia Pictures. [Photo by Marcia Ciriello]

At an event hosted by Tilda Swinton, Catherine Keener, Michel Gondry and Rainn Wilson, the members of the band Anvil! - subjects of Sacha Gervasi's doc "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" - celebrated the release of the film's DVD. Pictured with the band are the film's producer Rebecca Yeldham, Gervasi, and moderator Steven Zaillian at a Q&A following the film's screening at the WGA theater in Los Angeles. Cameron Crowe, Edward James Olmos, Robert Culp were amongst the 400+ attendees. Yesterday, DVD screeners were sent to the entire Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences membership. [Photo courtesy of 42 West]

At lunch yesterday in Montevideo, Uruguay -- attending this year's Miami International Film Festival Abroad program in the city -- are progammer Monika Wagenberg with Uruguyan filmmaker Federico Veiro (Acné) and Argentine producer Hernán Musaluppi ("Gigante," "Whisky").

"Ponyo" director Hayao Miyazaki shares the stage with John Lasseter at this weekend's Comic-Con International in San Diego. “My process is thinking, thinking, and thinking," Miyazaki said. "Thinking about my stories for a long time.” After another pause, he added with a grin, “If you have a better way, please let me know.” Photo by Doug Jones.

"The Answer Man" producer Kevin Messick (left), writer/director John Hindman (writer/director), stars Lauren Graham and Jeff Daniels, and producer Jana Edelbaum at the film's premiere in New York City Thursday night. The film - which debuted at Sundance as "Arlen Faber" - opens next Friday in limited release. It stars Daniels as a reclusive author who falls in love with a single mom played by Graham. Photo courtesy of the film.

Director Sam Mendes with his stars Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski in New York City at the June 1st premiere of their Focus Features movie "Away We Go." Photo credit: Dave Allocca/StarPix.

Internationally acclaimed animators the Quay Brothers, just in from London, with Denise Kasell, Executive Director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Boston. Their first stop in Boston was the Fourth Wall Project, the gallery space where their work will be exhibited through May 21. The Quays are the recipients of the 2009 Coolidge Award, presented by the Coolidge Corner Theatre and honoring film artists whose work "advances the spirit of original and challenging cinema." The Coolidge Award festivities take place May 6 - 7. Previous honorees are film producer Jeremy Thomas in 2008, film editor Thelma Schoonmaker in 2007, actress Meryl Streep in 2006, Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro in 2005 and Chinese director Zhang Yimou in 2004. Photo credit: David Fox

Canadian Film Centre founder and helmer Norman Jewison, center, stand with (l to r) Slawko Klymkiw, CFC Executive Director, Marc Graboff, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Studio, Roma Khanna, President of Global Networks and Digital Initiatives for NBC Universal, and Ron Suter, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Canada, NBC Universal Television Distribution and Universal Studios Canada. Photo: George Pimentel, caption by Michael Jones.

At a cocktail reception Thursday night atop LA hotspot The London, the Canadian Film Centre announced a pact with NBC Universal to create the NBC Universal Content Creator Program. The program will assist students in developing and packaging original ideas for an international audience. Photo: George Pimentel, caption by Michael Jones.

"Is Anybody There?" stars Michael Caine and Bill Milner at the film's premiere in New York City earlier this week. "Anybody," a story of a unusual ten year old boy growing up in 1980s seaside England, opens next Friday, April 17th in NY and LA through Story Island Entertainment. Image courtesy of Story Island Entertainment.

Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa talks about his latest film, 2008 Cannes Jury Prize Winner, “Tokyo Sonata" for an indieWIRE event at the Apple Store in San Francisco last Wednesday. Check out indieWIRE's review of the film here.