Festivals

IDFA chief and founder Ally Derks with filmmakers Morgan Spurlock and Peter Wintonick (who also works with the festival) in Amsterdam at the Cinelan announcement that it is partnering with the doc fest on its "Fast Forward" initiative.

In 2006, Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons) and Charles Atlas took their collaborative performance tour 'Turning' -- described as "a sensual and moving exploration of femininity and the basic desire of belonging" -- to major cities in Europe. Five years later, the film depicting the tour made its debut as a work in progress as the closing night film of CPH:DOX. A Danish-American co-production, it blends concert footage and behind-the-scenes footage to create an affecting portrait of Antony and his team's artistry and camaraderie. Antony (right) and Atlas (second from left) were on hand for the screening, which followed the festivals' awards ceremony.

James Franco was also at the Austin Film Festival this weekend for the premiere of "Sal," a film he wrote, directed and starred in. He was joined by Val Lauren (who plays Sal Mineo in the film). Franco also took some time to check out other films at the festival and partake in some panels during the Conference. [Photo by Jake Plunkett]

Johnny Depp on the red carpet for the Austin Film Festival premiere of "The Rum Diary" at the Paramount Theater on Friday, October 21. Depp, who did a Q&A after the screening with director Bruce Robinson, was also on hand at the event to receive the festival's inaugural Extraordinary Contribution to Film Acting Award at the Awards Luncheon on Saturday. At the luncheon, he presented the Distinguished Screenwriter Award to Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands, "The Nightmare Before Christmas"). [Photo by Jack Plunkett]

Though reportedly booed as she entered the theater, Madonna appeared in good spirits for the photo call of her "W.E.," which made its UK premiere last night at the BFI London Film Festival. Madonna struck a pose with (from left) actors Richard Coyle, James D'Arcy, Andrea Riseborough, Laurence Fox and Katie McGrath at Empire Leicester Square before the film's screening. Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images For The BFI.

Though set in New York, there's no mistaking Steve McQueen's "Shame" as a largely British entity. Collectively starring, written and directed by three Brits and an Irishman, the film made its UK debut at the 55th BFI London Film Festival this weekend, and McQueen and Fassbender (pictured) were in attendance. [Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images For The BFI].

Actor Tom Cullen, director Andrew Haigh, producer Tristan Goligher and actor Chris New attended the UK premiere of "Weekend" this weekend at the 55th BFI London Film Festival. The film - already released in the U.S. - is opening November 4th in its native UK. [Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images For The BFI]

Actress Vanessa Redgrave, Jon Snow, actor Brian Cox and actor/director Ralph Fiennes attended the "Coriolanus" premiere during the 55th BFI London Film Festival this weekend. It marked the UK debut of the film, which is being released Stateside by The Weinstein Company this December. [Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images For The BFI].

In a reunion of "The Messenger," actors Woody Harrelson (right) and Ben Foster (left) joined director Oren Moverman to celebrate their second film together, "Rampart." The film was screening as part of the 55th BFI London Film Festival, where it premiered over the weekend. [Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images For The BFI]

Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme ("Silence of the Lambs") dropped down in New Orleans to screen his New Orleans-set documentary "I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, The Mad, and The Beautiful," alongside Parker at the New Orleans Film Festival. The film follows Parker, a New Orleans Lower 9th Ward resident, who was one of the last to leave her neighborhood before Hurricane Katrina and one of the first to return to her flood-devastated community. Parker turned down attending the Venice and Toronto film festivals, so this marked her first time appearing in support of the doc. She was joined onstage by her daughter and producer Daniel Wolff.

Felicity Jones attended the "Like Crazy" premiere at 55th BFI London Film Festival last night. It was the first public screening of the film in Jones' native UK, where the long distance relationship film is also partially set. [Photo by Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images For The BFI]

"I have to say quite shocked to be opening this festival for the second time," "360" director Fernando Meirelles (pictured third from the left with members of the film's cast) said as he took the stage at the opening night festivities of the 55th BFI London Film Festival. "I always imagined that films that open festivals should be bombastic or controversial. But this is a very intimate film." Meirelles is pictured with (from left) "360" actor Vladimir Vdovichenkov, actress Lucia Siposova, actress Gabriela Marcinkova, actress Dinara Drukarova and actor Moritz Bleibtreu. The film also features Brits Rachel Weisz, Jude Law and Anthony Hopkins. The 55th BFI London Film Festival continues through October 27th. [Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.]

"Life Like" filmmakers Chase Whiteside and Erick Stoll (who have previously been profiled in iW's FUTURES column) party at the 2011 Camden International Film Festival with Natalie Difford of Chicken + Egg Pictures. The Maine festival ran this weekend, screening documentaries along the coast of Maine. [Photo Credit: Ingrid Kopp]

Two nights ago, Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr was honored with the Reykjavik Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award at the home of the President of Iceland. Here, the filmmaker converses with Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and Icelandic filmmaker Fridrik Thor Fridriksson. Icelandic filmmaker Ragnar Bragason introduced Béla Tarr and spoke of the distinctive style of Tarr's inspirational works: "It is a privilege to see the world through the eyes of Béla Tarr [...] his Hungary became my Hungary," Bragson said. He commented on Tarr's "strong social sensibility" and the "intense and provocative" nature of his works. Bragason also lamented the news that "The Turin Horse" is Tarr's final film, news that was abuzz at the festival. Béla Tarr humbly accepted his award, seemingly in disbelief over all of the attention. The President then warmly invited everyone to make themselves at home. "Turin Horse" will screen at the 49th New York Film Festival, which begins Friday. [Photo and caption by Alena Chinault]

The 2011 Reykjavik Film Festival is in full swing and Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr is in town to accept the event's Lifetime Achievement Award. He was present Tuesday night for a Q&A following a screening of "The Turin Horse." Tarr did, unfortunately, confirm that this is his final film, though his main reason is an admirable one: he believes that he has said all that he needs to say and does not want to repeat himself. The filmmaker will be honored with his Achievement Award at the residence of the President of Iceland. Stay tuned! [Photo and caption by Alena Chinault]

The seventh edition of Fantastic Fest kicked off at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar last night with the world premiere of "The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)." Director Tom Six, who premiered the first film at the genre festival two years ago, joined Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League for a surprisingly level headed post-screening Q&A also attended by the film's cast. Six claimed that "Hostel" director Eli Roth told him that Quentin Tarantino created human centipedes at his poolside parties, which explains the Tarantino references in the sequel. Six also talked about the eagerness of actors who wanted to land parts in the film. "A lot of them wanted to be on their hands and knees," he joked. Before the screening, League brought up volunteers from the audience for an eating contest involving sausages filled with face excrement, which was about as disgusting as it sounds. In his introduction, League also celebrated the recent addition to his household of two newborn twins. He was joined at the front of the room by Fantastic Fest regular Elijah Wood and several costumed members of the Fantastic Fest team to do a dance called "The Puppet Master" that ended (naturally) with a montage of heads exploding on the big screen.

A Telluride tradition is the Saturday afternoon group shot, gathering filmmakers, actors and film critics for a smiling session. Running late from this morning's screening of "The Descendants," Alexander Payne arrived in the nick of time, claiming a spot up front with Lynne Ramsay, who's at the fest with "We Need To Talk About Kevin." Surrounding the two filmmakers are a bunch of their fest friends (among those pictured left to right): Christian Jimenez ("Bonsai"), Josh Marston ("The Forgiveness of Blood"), Asgar Farhadi ("A Separation"), Penelope Ann Miller ("The Artist"), Agnieska Holland ("In Darkness"), George Clooney ("The Descendants" and Fest Honoree), Tilda Swinton ("We Need To Talk About Kevin" and Fest Honoree), Pierre Etaix (Fest Honoree), Gary Meyer (Telluride Fest Director), Tom Luddy (Telluride Fest Director) and Annette Insdorf (Telluride fest moderator).

Jason Baldwin with "Paradise Lost" filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky shortly after the August 19 release of the West Memphis Three.

Iconic French actor Gerard Depardieu addresses the massive outdoor audience at Locarno's Piazza Grande earlier this week. Depardieu was honored by the festival alongside Sylvie Pialat, the widow of French director Maurice Pialat, with whom Depardieu frequently collaborated. The festival is also screening several of the films they made together.

Harrison Ford holds the Lifetime Achievement Award he received from Locarno Film Festival artistic director Olivier Pere on Saturday night. Despite the constant rain, Ford took the outdoor stage of the Piazza Grande prior to the European premiere of "Cowboys and Aliens" and faced a Piazza filled with nearly 8,000 people. The actor thanked the festival and numerous filmmakers for letting him make movies "from time to time." After a brief acceptance speech, Ford blew kisses to the crowd and concluded, "On with the show." He was joined by director Jon Favreau as well as co-stars Olivia Wilde and Daniel Craig.

The 16th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival came to a wrap over the weekend with an awards ceremony following the closing night screening of "Almanya." Pictured from left to right: John Anderson, master of ceremonies at the 16th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival Closing Night Awards Reception; Sirad Balducci, co-producer (Hero Content), "Roadie," Jury Award Best Feature, Alan Inkles, founder and director of the Stony Brook Film Festival and Frank Hoeve, (Talent United/Dutch Mountain Movies) producer of "Don’t Touch My Children," Audience Choice Award. Go here for full list of winners. [Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Film Festival]

NewFest executive director Lesli Klainberg and Narrative Jury member Wilson Cruz caught up at the event's closing night screening of "Gun Hill Road" last night at the Walter Reade Theater. Before the film kicked off, Cruz along with his fellow jury members, awarded Best Film to Maryam Keshavarz's "Circumstance." Go here for the full list of winners. [Photo by Brian Brooks]

"Hit So Hard" producer Todd Hughes (left) and director P. David Ebersole (right) hit up the NewFest closing night screening of "Gun Hill Road" with NewFest's director of programming (and indieWIRE contributor) Bryce J. Renninger last night at the Walter Reade Theater. Ebersole's documentary takes an in-depth look at the life of Patty Schemel, the drummer of the band Hole. The film screened at the festival. [Photo by Brian Brooks]

"Kings Park: Stories from an American Mental Institution" director Lucy Winer with Stony Brook Film Festival founder/director Alan Inkles, currently underway. Winer's doc filled 1,550 seats, according to the festival with the filmmaker adding, "Last night at the Stony Brook Film Festival exceeded our wildest expectations. Our warmest thanks to the festival organizers and all the audience. The screening confirmed our faith in the power of this film to reach people and affect positive change in mental health care." The ten-day Stony Brook Film Festival runs through July 30, closing with the East Coast premiere of Almanya, directed by Yasemin Samdereli, who will be attending the Long Island film event from Germany with her co-writer and sister, Nesrin Samdereli. [Image courtesy of the festival]

Legendary independent film producer Christine Vachon ("Poison," "Boys Don't Cry") took to the stage at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade theater to accept the inaugural NewFest Visionary Award on the kickoff night of this year's NewFest. "This festival has been such a constant in my career that I'm really grateful for," she said in accepting the award after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd in attendance. "I've had an extraordinary career and I'm so grateful for it. It's so satisfying and rewarding that these movies all mean something to all of you guys. Thank you so, so much." [Photo by Nigel M. Smith]

Last night saw this year's edition of NewFest, New York's premier LGBT film festival, kickoff for the first time at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, their new partner for the event's gala presentations. The launch began with a pre-party in the Walter Reade space where filmmakers and the like drank and munched before the opening night film, David Weissman's harrowing AIDS documentary "We Were Here" screened to a sold out house. During the evening indieWIRE caught up with "The Seminarian" director Joshua Lim (left), his lead actor Mark Cirillo (center) and Casper Andreas (right), director of "Going Down in La La Land." The festival runs though July 28. [Photo by Nigel M. Smith]

Randy Barbato (left) and and Fenton Bailey (right), the duo responsible for "Becoming Chaz" and "RuPaul's Drag Race," were joined at Outfest by Tori Spelling and the festival's executive director Kirsten Schaffer at the event's awards ceremony over the weekend, where the two were honored with the 15th Annual Outfest Achievement Award. Photo by Kim Adelman.

The crew from the lesbian romantic comedy "Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together" hit up Outfest's opening night. Pictured above: Wendy Jo Carlton (director/writer), Jen LaForte (actor) and Anne Hanson (producer). Photo courtesy of Outfest.

Neil Patrick Harris (left) and his partner David Burtka (right) at the opening night of this year's Outfest with the festival's executive director Kirsten Schaffer (center). The three caught the event's opening night film, "Gun Hill Road." [Photo courtesy of Outfest]

Consulatant Brian Newman (left) and producer Ted Hope took part in a masterclass on July 5th at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. The event wraps on July 9th. [Photo courtesy of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival]

Director Ash Christian (middle), actor Peter S. Williams and Frameline Director Jennifer Morris before the screening of Christian's dark comedy "Mangus!" at the Castro Saturday night. The film, which also features John Waters, Jennifer Coolidge and Heather Matarazzo ("Welcome to the Dollhouse") centers on high schooler, Mangus, whose dream to take the title role of Jesus in the school's annual musical, "Jesus Christ Spectacular." But just as he lands the part, a freak accident threatens to derail his dreams.

Tears and laughter fill Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato's doc "Becoming Chaz," which follows the physical transformation of Cher and Sonny Bono's child, born Chastity Bono. The film, which screened at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, had its San Francisco debut Thursday at the ornate Castro Theatre where co-director Barbato said he had hoped the film would eventually screened. He noted that Chaz had come to the director duo ("The Eyes of Tammy Faye") after becoming familiar with their work. The film, which includes interviews with Chaz's famous mother noted that his transformation has been hard on her but noted that things improving. "She's much better with the pronouns now," Chaz said smiling on the stage. "It's understandably hard for parents. My mom knew me on way for 40 years and I've now been this way for two years, so I understand." Pictured here is Chaz Bono walking down the aisle at the Castro with his girlfriend, Jennifer following. [Photo by Brian Brooks.]

Since coming out of the closet, Country Singer Chely Wright may have been shunned by some quarters of the industry that made her famous in the 1990s and early to mid-2000s, but she again received an avalanche of applause and emotion from a packed Castro Theatre following the screening last week of the doc about her, "Wish Me Away" by Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf. The film tracks the singer's story with an emphasis on the months leading up to her public disclosure that she's a lesbian. "People see her through the movie and relate to her journey and what she had to go through," Frameline's Jennifer Morris told indieWIRE about the film. Here Wright makes her way to the stage at the Castro with her girlfriend following amidst a thunderous standing ovation. [Photo by Brian Brooks]

20 years after "Paris is Burning," director Sheldon Larry (pictured middle right) brought the house down with his fierce Ballroom dance musical, "Leave it on the Floor" Friday night at the Frameline SF LGBT Film Festival. The musical centers on Brad who is kicked out of his home and falls in with the struggling House of Eminence, a group of voguing would-be superstars who frequent downtown L.A. ballroom competitions. All seems to progress nicely until a love triangle brings down the house. The film includes very catchy original songs like "Justin's Gonna Call" (as in J.T.) and the title track, "Leave It On the Floor." And equally as catchy are moves superstar choreographer, Frank Gaston, Jr. (Michael Jackson, Destiny's Child).

The guys from "Longhorns," which had its debut at the Castro Theater at Frameline took some time out following their screening Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. Described as a "crowd-pleaser" by an insider, the film is a gay-straight weekend away. Beer, rambunctiousness and a little porn to boot, it's not too difficult to figure out what might ensue... Pictured near the Castro, (L to R): H.P. Mendoza (producer/composer/editor), Lewis Tice (producer), David Lewis (director) and David Wang (executive producer).

Country singer Chely Wright received a rousing welcome following the Centerpiece screening of the doc about her, "Wish Me Away" at Frameline in San Francisco Wednesday night. The film traces her meteoric rise to the top of the Country charts and her personal struggle with coming to terms with her sexuality and later coming out of the closet. The packed house at the Castro Theater cheered and jeered in all the right places throughout the doc, directed by Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf, and stomped and cheered as the director duo and Wright made their way to the stage after the credits rolled. "The minute I decided to come out in 2007, the right people came into my life," a tearful Wright said onstage. "I knew [Birleffi and Kopf] would handle [my story] with sensitivity - that I'm just like you. The 35th Frameline SF LGBT Film Festival continues through Sunday, June 26.

From left to right: Nantucket Film Festival Co-founder Jill Burkhart, Screenwriting Tributee Paul Haggis, Compass Rose Acting Award recipient Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, Renn Harkey, and Nantucket Film Festival Co-founder Jonathan Burkhart at the opening night party of the 16th Annual Nantucket Film Festival. [Photo by: Lawrence Akiya/Belugamedia]

Documentary superstar Albert Maysles made the lovely trip to the Provincetown International Film Festival to pick up a Career Achievement Award where he talked about one of his upcoming projects - himself. He will turn the lens on his long career, which is sure to be a sensation when completed. He also hung out with Tribeca Enterprises head Geoff Gilmore at a lovely outdoor fest event.

Actress/director Vera Farmiga and producer Renn Hawley (also husband) in Provincetown under a very shiny sun. Their film "Higher Ground," which Farmiga directed screened at the event. She also received the festival's Excellence in Acting Award during the event's lively awards show.

Celebrating the talents of Excellence in Acting award winner Vera Farmiga, cultural critic B. Ruby Rich noted that Farmiga has a reputation for being a director-friendly actor. Speaking with Rich, Farmiga talked about choosing roles: "There's gotta be something about a woman that turns my head." Working with Martin Scorcese: "Marty loves to talk...yap yap yap. He's got so much fervor and enthusiasm, but he talks until the cows come home." Her attraction to the script of her directorial debut, "Higher Ground," which was at the festival: "I have a great admiration for those solely focused on spiritual enlightenment. My father always feels the breath of God on his face. I sought to grasp that." [Photo by Brian Brooks, caption by Bryce Renninger]

In conversation with Annie Sundberg ("Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work"), legendary documentarian Albert Maysles ("Grey Gardens," "Gimme Shelter," "Salesman") detailed his filmmaking process at the Provincetown Int'l Film Festival Saturday, receiving the fest's Career Achievement Award. Speaking of his subjects, he said, "There's good in everybody, let the truth tell it all." "On getting people to open up: "People would much rather disclose than keep a secret." Maysles went on to detail a Kleenex commercial idea he had. In it, he would camp out in a maternity ward until a newborn baby was ready to be shown to its mother and Maysles would document the moment of meeting, Kleenex at the ready. He also confessed that when he was asked to make films on the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, he head to turn to his filmmaking partner/brother and ask "Who are they?" [Photo by Brian Brooks, caption by Bryce Renninger]

The Provincetown International Film Festival hosted a little bash at an art gallery in town amidst a rain storm which played a little havoc with people's hair Friday night - but who cares! It's P-Town. Among the people hanging out were producer Christine Vachon, John Waters, Hole doc ("Hit So Hard") producer Todd Hughes and director P. David Ebersole and Provincetown fest Director of Programming Andrew Peterson.

BAMcinemaFest got off to a roaring (and racy) start Thursday night in Brooklyn with the New York debut of the gay romance "Weekend," a hit at SXSW earlier this year. Four cinemas were filled to the brim with people who came to check out the film, which Sundance Selects picked up out of the SXSW in March. Taking in the fun at the post-screening party at BAM were director Andrew Haigh (right) and actor Tom Cullen (left) who received raves from attendees. indieWIRE caught up with Haigh to chat about the film's reception at BAM. "It's amazing," Haigh said. "It's a small film and you just don't know how it will play. It's about two gay guys. You don't know how it's going to transcend or resonate with a wider audience. The way it has is really good. Hopeful it will play to more than the obvious niche in England as well." [Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE]

These people have a pretty nice thing going on at the Maui Film Festival, which opened Wednesday. Andrew Garfield, Olivia Wilde, Garrett Hedlund & Megan Fox take in paradise at the Opening Twilight Reception at the Hotel Wailea. Fox received the festival's Iris Award Wednesday in recognition for being "a film artist with heartfelt respect for the environment and a willingness to support the causes she believes in..." The festival continues through June 19th. For more information, visit the event's website. [Photo credit: Michael Kovac - Getty Images, courtesy of the Maui Film Festival]

"Yelling to Sky" co-stars Zoe Kravitz and Gabourey Sidibe joined Gen Art Co-Presidents Jeffrey Abramson (left) and Elizabeth Shaffer (right) at the screening of their drama on the second night of the 16th annual Gen Art Film Festival in Manhattan. After the screening, crowds braved the summer storm and migrated to The Griffin in NYC’s Meatpacking District to get the party started. [Photo courtesy of the Gen Art Film Festival]

Veteran documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles ("Grey Gardens") was awarded with the inaugural Sheffield Doc/Fest Lifetime Achievement Award last night at City Hall. Pictured above: Maysles (left) and Sheffield's festival director Heather Croall. In honor of his influential body of work, the festival this year features a retrospective of his films, in addition to a Masterclass hosted by Maysles. [Photo by Roya Rastegar]

Director Emily James at the world premiere of her pro-environmental activism doc, "Just Do It," on the second day of the Sheffield Doc/Fest. "There was interest [from broadcasters] if I was going to be cynical about the subject matter," she said during the Q&A following the screening. "But these people are heroes. Yes, it’s a sympathetic portrait. But everything I make is propaganda, so fuck it." The film opens nationwide in the UK on July 15th. [Photo by Nigel M. Smith/indieWIRE]

Six months after it premiered in the midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival, Todd Rohal's "The Catacysm Cataclysm" screened to a lively response at the Seattle International Film Festival, in the city where it was shot last fall. Members of the cast and crew attended screenings on Wednesday and Thursday, including goofy leading man Steve Little (right, from HBO's "Eastbound and Down") and producer Megan Griffiths (left), whose directorial debut "The Off Hours" is also screening at SIFF. Riffing on the movie's playful take on priesthood, Rohal joked at Wednesday's Q&A that Little "looks a lot more like Jesus now." IFC Midnight plans to release the film in September.

Co-directors Bob Connolly (left) and Sophie Raymond (right) hit up the Sheffield Doc/Fest on opening night for the European premiere of the documentary, "Mrs. Carey's Concert." The film, already a hit in Australia where it's currently playing in 40 cinemas, follows music teacher, Karen Carey, as she prepares a new batch of girls at an all-girls school in Sydney, for a classical concert at the Sydney Opera House. Some of the girls are excited for the opportunity and attack rehearsals with passion. Others, meanwhile, act as if they'd rather be anywhere else; potentially sabotaging the experience for the grateful pupils. Most memorably, the documentary profiles Emily Sun, a violinist in Carey's class, who lost her father at a very young age. With Carey's guidance, she uses her profound loss to fuel her music. Connolly and Raymond stuck around for a Q&A where they discussed the 18 month shoot and lengthy editing period. [Photo by Nigel M. Smith/indieWIRE]

Director Mike Mills, star Ewan McGregor and the Seattle International Film Festival's Carl Spence strike a pose in front of the poster for "Beginners," which screened at the 37th annual event, which continues through June 12 in the Emerald City. "Beginners" revolves around a "young man who is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover." The mammoth three week-long festival opened May 19 with Justin Chadwick’s "The First Grader." Check out SIFF's lineup here. [Photo courtesy of SIFF]

Keirda Bahruth (left) accepts her award from Gold Coast International Film Festival executive director Regina Gil (right) for "Bob and the Monster," over the weekend. The film won the audience award for Best Documentary Feature and is described by the festival as a "compelling portrait of outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, from his life-threatening struggle with addiction to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today." The festival took place on June 1 - 5 on the North Shore of Long Island. [Courtesy John Meehan, caption by Alena Chinault]

The 2011 Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival kicked off this past week at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California. Pictured above from left to right at the opening night celebration: Guilherme Trementócio, director and founder of HBRFEST Talize Sayegh, and model/actress Camila Alves. [Photo credit: Anna Aguilar]

Lake Bell hosted an intimate launch party for the 16th annual Gen Art Film Festival at the 7 For All Mankind store in SoHo last night. Bell (center) herself has a short film, "Worst Enemy," that will premiere at the festival. Gen Art co-presidents Jeffrey Abramson (left) and Elizabeth Shaffer (right) joined Bell, as did actress Yolanda Ross ("Yelling to the Sky"). The festival runs from June 8-14th and opens at the Ziegfeld Theater with Jonathan Sobol's "A Beginner's Guide to Endings." Photo credit: J. Kempin/WireImage.

"Michael" director Markus Schleinzer spoke to indieWIRE at the offices of Le Public Systeme in Cannes on Monday. The controversial competition entry, which focuses on the life of a pedophile, was met with a mixed reception last week.

Film Independent held an outdoor screening of "Pretty in Pink" last night to celebrate the announcement of the Los Angeles Film Festival 2011 lineup. The event was held at the Nokia Plaza. Pictured from left to right: Rebecca Yeldham, Howard Deutch, Jon Cryer and Harry Dean Stanton. [Photo credit: Alexandra Wyman/WireImage, courtesy of Film Independent]

Following its Grand Jury Prize win at SXSW, Robbie Pickering's "Natural Selection" kicked off the 13th Annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois. The film's star Rachael Harris (left) joined Ebert, his wife Chaz Ebert and Pickering (right) at the event. The festival wraps on May 1st. [Photo courtesy of Ebertfest]

Oliver Stone, recipient of the Founder's Directing Award, onstage with film critic David D'Arcy during his tribute at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 27, 2011. [Photo credit: Tommy Lau, courtesy of San Francisco Film Society]

Rachel Rosen, Director of Programming at the San Francisco Film Society, onstage with Ewan McGregor and Mike Mills, star and director of Opening Night film "Beginners" at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 21, 2011. [Photo credit: Tommy Lau, courtesy of San Francisco Film Society]

"This Narrow Place" star Jonathan Stanley with writer/director Sooney Kadouh at the 2011 Florida Film Festival Filmmaker Welcome Party held at Club 23 and sponsored by Full Sail University. The event wrapped April 17. [Photo Credit: Mike Kilayko]

Kris Kristofferson hit up Nashville to receive the 2011 Nashville Film Festival Career Achievement Award and attend the Southeast Premiere of the Samuel Goldwyn film "Bloodworth." Emmylou Harris presented him with the award. [Photo credit: Pierre Vreyen/NaFF]

Florida Film Festival programming director Matthew Curtis hung out out with filmmaker Billy Corben at the Enzian Theater in Orlando last night during a screening of Corben's documentary, "Square Grouper." (Next week, Corben will premiere an even newer documentary, "Limelight," at the Tribeca Film Festival.) The two spoke affectionately of Corben's longtime history with the festival, as his first feature, "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent," played there ten years ago.

The 2011 L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival wrapped up on Sunday after four laugh filled days of screenings, parties and industry panels. Pictured above at the Closing Night Red Carpet Awards Gala is Commie Award winner Wendi McLendon-Covey ("Reno 911!") and Carlos Alazraqui. [Photo credit: Amy Graves/WireImage]

The Sarasota Film Festival kicked off last week with "Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times." Pictured above on the Opening Night red carpet from left to right: Brian Stelter, David Carr, Director Andrew Rossi, Josh Braun (Submarine) and Diane Weyerman (Partipant Films). The festival continues through April 17. [Photo credit: Ellie Campbell]

Actress Susan Sarandon dropped down in Sonoma, California over the weekend to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival. The event wrapped on Sunday. [Photo credit: Megan Clouse]

After world premiering in Miami, "(818)" headed to Cleveland. Pictured here are the film's producer Lisa Schahet, star Beth Broderick and director Robert Lee King. [Photo Credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Community was in the air in the Tower City Center as hundreds of residents gathered to watch the festival's directors award the fest's jury and audience winners. [Photo Credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

"Being Elmo" director Constance Marks on the red carpet for the kickoff to this year's Dallas International Film Festival. Her documentary served as the festival's opening night film. [Photo by Daniel Loria]

"The Interrupters" director Steve James (left) and Miami International Film Festival doc programmer Thom Powers celebrated at the closing night party of the festival. James's film won the best documentary prize at the fest earlier that night. Other major winners at the festival included Zhang Meng 's "The Piano in a Factory" (Gang de qin) in the world cinema category and Julio Hernández Cordón's "Marimbas From Hell" (Las marimbas del infierno) in the Ibero-American competition, while Morgan Spurlock's "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" won the Miami Beach Visitor & Convention Authority Innovation in Industry Award. indieWIRE will have a full report from the fest tomorrow. Photo by Peter Knegt

"Incendies" director Denis Villeneuve joined Miami International Film Festival (and fellow Canadian) Executive Director Jaie Laplante as his film closed down the 28th edition of the Miami International Film Festival last night at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. Photo by Peter Knegt.

Stunning Colombian actress Angie Cepeda, star of the Spanish romantic comedy "With or Without Love" (Una hora mas en Canarias), caught up with indieWIRE at the Royal Palms Hotel in South Beach today. "Without Love" is premiering at the Miami International Film Festival tonight. Photo by Peter Knegt.

Al Morrow (producer), Ameena Matthews (subject, "The Interrupters") and Dennis W. Ho (director, "Subway Preacher") ponder their decision during "Gimme Truth," a live documentary gameshow that's become an annual tradition at True/False. [Photo credit: Parker Michels-Boyce/PMB Photography]

The Amazonas Film Festival kicked off its seventh year last night at the Amazon Theatre in Manaus, Brazil with a screening of Lucy Walker's documentary "Waste Land." From left, State Secretary of Culture and Festival Director Roberio Braga, "Winter's Bone" actress Dale Dickey (attending for a screening of the Sundance award-winning film later in the festival) and festival programmer Alfredo Calvino. The festival continues through November 11.

The first edition of DOC NYC, New York's Documentary Festival, got off to a celebratory start on Wednesday, November 3, will a screening of Werner Herzog's 3D documentary "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," and an after party at the New York University's Rosenthal Pavillion overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Herzog made an appearance at the party, as did DOC NYC Artistic Director Thom Powers (left), and "Grey Gardens" documentary filmmaking vet Albert Maysles (right). [Photo by Nigel M. Smith/indieWIRE]

Sheffield Doc/Fest Board of Directors Chair Steve Hewlett (left) with the fest's Director Heather Croall, Programmer Hussain Currimbhoy, and Joan Rivers at the premiere of Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg's doc "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work." Energetic as ever after over nine months of promoting the film, Rivers treated the audience to behind-the-scenes tidbits from the production of the doc. The film will get a British TV release on Channel 4 this Tuesday. [Photo Credit: Fiona Oliver Photography]

Director Danny Boyle attends the reception for the 54th BFI London Film Festival Awards at LSO St Lukes last night, where Stephen Daldry was on hand to give Boyle the annual BFI Fellowship Award. Boyle's "127 Hours" closed the festival prior to the ceremony, which handed out awards in four categories. Photo care of Samir Hussein/Getty Images.

Julianne Moore and her husband, director Bart Freundlich dropped down in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, to attend the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Moore was in the Middle East to take part in the festival's 'Conversation With...' series, and spoke candidly about her career and life as a mother, with her husband watching on from the back of the Festival Tent. When asked if she ever gets tired of being tagged as a 'fearless actress,' she said, "I'm afraid of skiing, I'm afraid of diving. There are physical things that I'm really afraid of. Acting is not one of the things I'm afraid of. Acting is something I truly enjoy. And I always say that acting is really about feelings. Feelings aren't that scary. People aren't really that scary." [Photo by Nigel M. Smith/indieWIRE]

"I sat in on the film this evening," Mike Leigh (second from right) said after his "Another Year" screened at the London Film Festival last night. "I've seen it quite a few times with audiences, and this was a great response. I loved it. And you laughed at places where I hadn't heard anyone laugh before!" The event also brought the London Film Festival to places it had never been before. "Another Year" - and the Q&A that followed it (which featured Leigh and cast members Ruth Sheen (left), Lesley Manville and Jim Broadbent) was simulcast on theaters all across the UK. Twenty-five regional cinemas across the country and 9 other London venues (beyond its point of origin in Leicester Square) got a chance to partake, simultaneously viewing the first public screening of the film in its native UK. Check out video from the live Q&A here. [Photo courtesy of the London Film Festival]

On the same night in opened theatrically in the U.S., Tony Goldwyn's "Conviction" made its across-the-pond debut at the 54th BFI London Film Festival. Stars Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell and Minnie Driver attend the premiere at London's Vue West End. Photo care of Samir Hussein/Getty Images.

"Let Me In" stars Kodi Smit-McPhee (left) Chloe Moretz attend the European premiere of the film at the 54th BFI London Film Festival last night. The acclaimed remake of Swedish vampire film "Let The Right One In" - already out Stateside - is being released theatrically in the UK next month. Photo courtesy of Samir Hussein/BFI London Film Festival.

"Never Let Me Go" actors Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan attended the afterparty for the film's European Premiere as the opening night film of the BFI London Film Festival. The party was held at the city's gorgeous Saatchi Gallery, helping kick off 17 days of films and events as the festival celebrates its 54th edition. Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images.

"ODDSAC" director Danny Perez and "Aardvark" director Kitao Sakurai enjoying the final day of the Reykjavik International Film Festival, where both their films screened. Photo by Peter Knegt.

"Earth Keepers" director Sylvie Van Brabant (center) celebrates the film's win for the Reykjavik International Film Festival's Environmental Award with her cinematographer (and daughter) Katherine Giguere, and producer Peter Wintonick last night at the festival's closing party. Photo by Peter Knegt.

American filmmakers Mike Ott (left) and Amir Bar-Lev pictured outside the Hotel Plaza in Reykjavik, Iceland this weekend. Both are in town for the Reykjavik International Film Festival, with Ott having the International Premiere of indie drama "Littlerock" (which won the festival's audience award) and Bar-Lev screening his acclaimed doc "The Tillman Story."

Actor/filmmaker Adrian Grenier, Woodstock Film Festival head Meira Blaustein, with Good Listener band members Clark Stiles and Nathan Kyhber at the opening of the 11th Woodstock Film Festival. Grenier produced "Don't Quit Your Daydream," directed by Clark Stiles. [Image courtesy of the Woodstock Film Festival]

"This place is absolutely magical," Jim Jarmusch (left) said earlier today when he was given an award from the Reykjavik International Film Festival - at the president of Iceland's house no less. President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (right) gathered a hundred or so guests of the film festival to his home - including Jarmusch, Toronto International Film Festival co-director (and Reykjavik jury head) Cameron Bailey, documentary producer Peter Wintonick, and numerous filmmakers from the fest from "Aardvark"'s Kitao Sakurai to "Littlerock"'s Mike Ott. Everyone seem intensely impressed by the country and the festival's hospitality in putting on the event, where guests were allowed to freely roam through any room in the house. Jarmusch himself noted it was suggestive of how unique and inviting Iceland is as a country, and seemed genuinely touched for the event to be in his honor. Photo by Janet Huynh.

Locarno Film Festival Artistic Director Olivier Pere (left), and Locarno programmer and film critic Mark Peranson take in the opening night festivities at the launch of the 63rd Locarno Film Festival on August 4th. [Photo by Eric Kohn]

Singer Lily Chapin (daughter of Tom Chapin and niece of Harry Chapin), who used to work for two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple (this year's filmmaker in residence), with Sarah Adina Smith (director of "The Sirens," which stars the Chapin Sisters), and Woods Hole Film Festival founder and executive director Judy Laster (right) outside Quick's Hole Restaurant in Woods Hole where the Chapin Sisters gave a free live concert at the festival. The 19th Woods Hole Film Festival opened July 31st and continues through August 7th. [Image courtesy of Woods Hole Film Festival]

Director Quentin Lee and star Karin Anna Cheung party hard at the party for their film "The People I've Slept With," which closed the New York Asian-American International Film Festival last week. The film follows Cheung's nymphomaniac character, Angela, as she tries to figure out who is the father of her unborn child. The film will be self-distributed by Lee beginning in New York next month, with a small multi-city cities to follow. [Photo credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

The Stony Brook Film Festival opened with two dramas from The Netherlands directed by Ben Sombogaart, "The Storm," a U.S. Premiere, and "Bride Flight," an East Coast Premiere, on Thursday night, July 22. "The Storm," screened in the 1110-seat Main Stage Theatre at Staller Center for the Arts in Long Island, New York. Pictured here are: Sylvia Hoeks, who played Julia in "The Storm," Alain De Levita, producer, (Nijenhuis & de Levita Film & TV B.V.), and Alan Inkles, director of the 15th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival. The Stony Brook Film Festival continues through July 31st. [Image courtesy of the festival.]

Queer filmmaker/film historian Jenni Olson chats with Outfest Program Director Kim Yutani after Olson presented a newly acquired film print of the 1958 version of "Mädchen in Uniform" as part of Outfest's Legacy Project. [Photo Credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Outfest programmer Bryan Stamp relaxes by the pool with "Open" director Jake Yuzna at the Outfest Filmmaker Pool Party. [Photo Credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Here at Outfest with her latest film, the docu-thriller "The Owls" (Owls standing for "older, wiser, lesbians"), Cheryl Dunye (left) brought her family to the screening, including Alexandra Juhasz (center), who served as a producer on the film. Introducing the film, Outfest Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer (right) recounted a story when Dunye brought her short films to Schaffer's college campus when not a single lesbian film was set to be shown in the school's lesbian and gay film fest. [photo credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Directors Jacob Chase ("Four-Faced Liar"), Nina Reyes Rosenberg ("Organism"), and Kareem Mortimer ("Children of God") get ready to screen their films for an L.A. audience. [Photo credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Profiled by our own Kim Adelman as one to see at the Palm Springs Shorts fest and Outfest, "Curious Thing" is part of a trilogy of films that explore facets of gay life. Each film takes audio from interviews with gay men and plays an edited version of those interviews over a fictional story played out by actors. Pictured (l-r) are actor Matthew Wilkas, producer/writer Jason Mills, and director Alain Hain. [Photo Credit: Bryce J. Renninger/indieWIRE]

Jude Law receives the President's Trophy at the Karlovy International Film Festival, which concluded this past weekend. Photo courtesy of the festival.

"Glee" co-star Chris Colfer (left) and prolific TV director Paris Barclay ("In Treatment," "Glee;" right) with Outfest's 2010 Achievement Award honoree Jane Lynch. Lynch is best known now for her work as Sue Sylvester on "Glee," but before she was notorious as a regular in Christopher Guest's cult classics and recent films in the Apatow line like "40 Year Old Virgin" and "Role Models." Barclay and Colfer delighted the audience with a send-up that often took unexpected turns. All three were high off of their Emmy nominations earlier that morning. [Photo courtesy of Outfest]

Executive Producer Danny Glover and director Henry Corra meet before celebrating the World Premiere of "The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan" at Silverdocs Saturday. The film twists and turns through various first hand accounts of the soldier who defected while serving in Vietnam. [Image courtesy of Ben Keller/Silverdocs]

As part of the festival's Guggenheim Symposium, Silverdocs screened standout clips from several of Frederick Wiseman's oeuvre. Afterwards, in a conversation with Davis Guggenheim, the son of the symposium's namesake, Wiseman admitted that he's never been asked to make a film, except for one, a fiction film about a boxer in Philadelphia. Noting the filmmaker's skill at documenting beautiful and instructive moments in American life, Guggenheim said that were he given the choice to put every issue of the New York Times or Wiseman's film in a time capsule, he would choose the latter. Here, Guggenheim (left) pictured with Wiseman. [Photo courtesy of Silverdocs/Ben Keller]

SNL's Andy Samberg (2nd from left) exchanges amorous glances with "The Hangover"'s Zach Galifianakis (2nd from right) at the All-Star Comedy Roundtable at the 15th Nantucket Film Festival. Also pictured (l-r): NBC's Brian Williams, Executive Director Colin Stanfield, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, and Artistic Director Mystelle Brabbée. Photo by: Lawrence Akiya / Belugamedia

Honorees Barry Levinson (“Diner,” “Tootsie”) and Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth," "Waiting for Superman") arrive at the Screenwriting Tribute at the 15th anniversary of the Nantucket Film Festival. Photo by: Lawrence Akiya/Belugamedia

At a Saturday afternoon outdoor lunch in Provincetown, overlooking the water on a bright and sunny day, "I Am Love" director Luca Guadagnino (second from left) chats with producer Christine Vachon (right) and writer B Ruby Rich (second from right).

Kodak's Anne Hubbell (left) with fiance and filmmaker Josh Marston ("Maria Full of Grace") chatting with Required Viewing's Steven Raphael at the Provincetown fest's Schoolhouse gallery party. Marston's new feature film, an untitled project that was recently shot in Albania, was recently profiled in indieWIRE.

Provincetown International Film Festival fixture Henny Garfunkel (left), an acclaimed photographer, snaps a shot of Jeffrey Friedman (middle) and Rob Epstein (right) at the fest's Schoolhouse art gallery party on Friday night. The filmmakers, who opened PIFF with their latest, "Howl," were also honored for their career of work at the festival this year.

Jeff Blitz, director of "Spellbound" and "Rocket Science" was at the Provincetown International Film Festival with a new doc, "Lucky." Next up for the filmmaker, he said this weekend, is a documentary about DC Comics that he executive produced. He said that the inside look at the company will debut next month at Comic Con in San Diego, CA.

Director Kevin Smith with director (and good friend) Malcolm Ingram in Provincetown over the weekend. Ingram's doc, "Bear Nation," profiles "bear" culture and its special place in the world. Smith, an honorary bear, was also honored by the Provincetown International Film Festival for filmmaking. "Clerks" is 16. How did that happen?

Sundance has Robert Redford, Tribeca has Robert De Niro, the Hamptons has Alec Baldwin and Provincetown has John Waters. The director summers in the charming Cape Cod town and stopped by a press lunch hosted by the festival Saturday afternoon. He was also on hand to greet actress Tilda Swinton who was in town to promote her latest film, "I Am Love."The film is described as "a tragic love story set at the turn of the millennium in Milan. The film follows the fall of the haute bourgeoisie due to the forces of passion and unconditional love." "We sat around thinking the story up over crates of wine," Swinton said while introducing the film. Swinton was also honored with PIFF's Achievement in Acting award.

Balcony Releasing's Greg Kendall has a chat with doc filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker ("Monterey Pop"). Guests at Land's End in Provincetown mixed casually with the celebs and filmmakers.

Sex, venereal disease, teen pregnancy, American culture and sex education is the spotlight of director James Houston’s world premiere feature aptly titled, “Let’s Talk About Sex.” The film reveals America’s contradictory relationship with sex. Pictured before the world premiere of their film is Houston and producer, Neal Weisman.

Provincetown International Film Festival organizers converged outside a venue in town this weekend. The festival is raising money to purchase the local Whaler's Wharf Cinema so that it can bring year-round programs to town, located on the tip of Cape Cod. Left to right: Artistic Director Connie White, Senior Programmer Lisa Viola, Executive Director Gabrielle Hanna and Director of Programming, Andrew Peterson.

The Provincetown International Film Festival hosted a brunch for filmmakers and press on a stunning Saturday afternoon. Taking in the beautiful views were director Nick Pistorino (right) and Greg Walsh (left) from "Catching On: The Day the World Turned Gay" and "Gayby" director Jonathan Lisecki.

BAMcinématek Program Director Florence Almozini with Olivier Assayas at BAMcinemaFEST Monday for a screening of David Fincher’s "Zodiac: The Director’s Cut," one of Assayas's favorites. The "Carlos" director participated in a discussion with critic Kent Jones. Assayas also presented a screening of Maurice Pialat’s "We Won’t Grow Old Together" at BAMcinemaFEST the following evening. [Image courtesy of BAMcinemaFEST/GODLIS]

Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffreey Friedman outside the theater before they introduce their film, "Howl," which opened the Provincetown International Film Festival currently underway. The film, which will be released by Oscilloscope Laboratories in September, centers on the obscenity trial Allen Ginsberg (James Franco) faced after the publication of his poem, "Howl." The filmmaking pair said the idea came to them after being contacted by Ginsberg's former secretary.

The cast and crew of "Tiny Furniture" come home for the film's New York premiere at BAMcinemaFEST. Laurie Simmons and Grace Dunham (the director's mother and sister who star in the film), director Lena Dunham, producer Kyle Martin and actress Jemima Kirke. [Image courtesy of BAMcinemaFEST/GODLIS]

Edward Norton with Seattle International Film Festival Artistic Director Carl Spence. Norton received a tribute from the festival, which continues through June 13th. "“I think people who don’t act don’t totally understand the degree to which you kind of are just a conduit for something else that actually already exists out there. It finds its way through you and into this thing, and then you move on. The thing I like about watching [films] and hearing people’s reactions is that you begin to realize that you left it way, way behind, but it’s living out there, forming its own relationship with other people, which is the whole point of it all,” Norton told the audience in Seattle. Read indieWIRE's dispatch from the festival for the lowdown on the sizable event's 2010 offerings. [Photo courtesy of SIFF]

Filmed for just 9,000 Euros, Marco De Luca's "Penso Che Un Sogno Cosi" was among the heavy Italian flavor at the 1st Annual Aruba International Film Festival. The film - which premiered last night in Aruba to a warm response - follows a young woman, her boyfriend, their two friends, and her problematic mother over one particularly dramatic weekend. De Luca (left) had initially tried to more systematically make the film, but there "was just so much bureaucracy" that he opted to do it his own way. "I just woke one day and said 'I'm gonna make it,'" De Luca said in Aruba today. "And I was lucky enough to meet people crazy enough to do it with me." Among them were actors Paolo Stella (right) and Marina Rocco (center). "We decided everything together," Stella said of the experience making "Penso." "And there were so many problems - we ran out of money, we lost our location. But we faced them together." Shot over two weeks in August (during which time most of Italy was on vacation for a national holiday - which allowed for cheap or free equipment), Rocco joked that "it was karmic because we gave up our vacation to make this film. But now it feels like we're on vacation promoting it in Aruba!" [Photo by Peter Knegt]

The Florida Film Festival kicked off last weekend at its HQ, the Enzian in Maitland, Florida. A theater, restaurant and bar set in a magical oasis amid suburban strip malls, Enzian’s grounds are rife with live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, fountains and lawns and is an idyllic place to while away some time between screenings or have a meal. Opening weekend centered around a celebration of Film, Food & Wine entitled “Flavors of the South: Grits, Grace and Gravy.” Along with some food-themed films, including Dilip Mehta’s “Cooking With Stella” and Shelley Rogers’ “What’s ‘Organic’ About Organic?” the festival brings the food noise, including opening night party “No Grits, No Glory,” Saturday night’s Tennessee Williams’ Southern Gothic “Family” Reunion and a Sunday’s brunch: Dial B For Bacon. Opening night’s fête featured local restaurants and chefs including Enzian’s own Josh Oakley and was pretty much a shrine of swine, even including house-made bacon chocolate. Saturday night’s fest pulled out the stops with four James beard Award-winning chefs (the food world’s equivalent of the Oscar®) and two-time Beard award winners for their book The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook, Matt and Ted Lee. Pictured above, standing L to R: Enzian executive chef Josh Oakley, chef Robert Stehling (Hominy Grill- Charleston, SC), chef Martha Foose (“Screen Doors & Sweet Tea”), Matt & Ted Lee. Reclining, L to R: Chef John Currence (City Grocery- Oxford, MS) and chef & author Michel Nischan (Dressing Room-Westport, CT). [Photo and caption by Mark Rabinowitz]

The Enzian theater’s Eden bar is the perfect place to unwind before, during and after a day of screenings with a covered bar area and an extensive patio area. The menu includes dozens of beers and wines, a full bar an a universally excellent menu, making it the natural gathering place for attendees, including those above. Left to right are FFF documentary competition entry “How to Fold a Flag” co-director Michael Tucker (“The Prisoner or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair,” “Gunner Palace”, all directed with his partner Petra Epperlein), Enzian programming director Matthew Curtis and sub-genre consulting founder Brian Newman who is serving on this year’s FFF shorts jury. Something to note: The Florida Film Festival is an official Academy Awards qualifying festival for dramatic shorts. The grand jury prize-winner of the dramatic short award is eligible to submit their film for Oscar® consideration. [Photo and caption by Mark Rabinowitz]

Director Anocha Suwichakornpong ("Mundane History"), Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio ("Alamar") and Paz Fábrega ("Agua fria de mar") took the VPRO Tiger Awards at the International Film Festival Rotterdam Friday evening in The Netherlands. Each will take home a prize of €15,000 as well as the glory. Go to indiewire.com for the full winners lowdown. [Photo provided by IFFR]

The French Film Office hosted a brunch for French-speaking films over the weekend at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, but of course, many others came along for the late morning meal on a typically bright sunny day. Among the crowd were Mathieu Fournet, Executive Director of Film and Television Department for the Consulate General of France, Palms Springs International Film Festival Director Darryl Macdonald and "Kimjongilia" writer/producer james Egan of Wild at Heart Films.

Directors Norman Jewison and Jason Reitman in their finest at the Palm Springs International Film Festival honors last week. Honorees included Anna Kendrick (Rising Star Award for “Up in the Air”), Helen Mirren (Career Achievement Award presented by Morgan Freeman), Jason Reitman (Director of the Year, presented by Norman Jewison), Jeff Bridges (Desert Palm Achievement Award – Actor, presented by Michelle Pfeiffer), Jeremy Renner (Breakthrough Actor Performance Award presented by Shohreh Aghdashloo), Mariah Carey (Breakthrough Actress Performance Award presented by “Precious” director Lee Daniels), Marion Cotillard (Desert Palm Achievement Award – Actress presented by Nine director Rob Marshall), Morgan Freeman (Career Achievement Award – Actor presented by Clint Eastwood), Quentin Tarantino (Sonny Bono Visionary Award presented by Diablo Cody) and T Bone Burnett (Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing presented by Sean Penn). [Image from WireImage, courtesy of the Palm Springs International Film Festival].

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan arrived at the Madinat Arena in Dubai last night for the Cultural Bridge panel at Dubai's 6th International Film Festival. "We can and will use film as a knife to break bread," she said on stage, before introducing the panelists. indieWIRE sat down with Noor for an interview just prior to the event, and will have a full report tomorrow.

Party guests have fun with a woman who's dress doubled as a drink table after last night's gala screening of Julia Bacha's "Budrus" at the Dubai International Film Festival.

Workers at the 6th Dubai International Film Festival rolled out the red carpet at the Madinat Arena today in anticipation of its star-studded opening night film, Rob Marshall's "Nine." Despite Dubai's recent financial woes, this edition of the festival certainly doesn't seem to be cutting back. Post-screening, the festival is planning a massive party (complete with a fireworks display) overlooking the Persian Gulf. indieWIRE will be reporting from the festival through next week.

Don Krim (President of Kino International), Gabriella Shalev (Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations), Paul Schrader, Elliott Gould, and Israel Film Festival founder/director Meir Fenigstein. The 24th Israel Film Festival Opened at the SVA Theatre in NYC on Saturday night. The opening night presentation, "A Matter Of Size," described as "a touching, light-hearted new comedy," - nominated for 14 Ophir Awards - was directed by Erez Tadmor and Sharon Maymon. The 24th Israel Film Festival continues with panels, parties and 28 Israeli features, documentaries, and award-winning student shorts, ranging from cinéma vérité and comedies through Sunday, December 13. For more information, visit the festival's website.

IDFA founder Ally Derks (center) hanging out with a group of her friends last week in Amsterdam at a party hosted by local distributors. Right to left: producer Joel Heller ("Winnebago Man"), producer Jess Search ("The Yes Men Fix the World"), Ally Derks, former Newfest head Basil Tsiokos, Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund director Ryan Harrington, Cleveland International Film Festival Artistic Director Bill Guentzler and Debra Zimmerman.

Writer/director Ruba Nadda and star Patricia Clarkson (along with fellow star Alexander Siddig - not pictured) introduced the Middle Eastern premiere of their film, "Cairo Time" Friday night at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival in the Qatari capital's beautiful Museum of Islamic Art. Some of the films screening here have a strict age limit of 18, including this one. In this one, Clarkson plays a wife who is suppose to meet her husband who is delayed working in a Gaza refugee camp, and, overwhelmed by the sprawling city, she befriends her husband's former colleague. And while seasoned audiences elsewhere might have found their mild flirtation saccharine, there was some nervous laughter and lively commentary during some of the "steamy" scenes by several audience members. But we didn't notice any walkouts and there was polite applause.

"Amelia" director Mira Nair and Martin Scorsese in Doha, Qatar on a very warm but breezy Thursday afternoon during a welcome lunch for filmmakers, press and invited guests for the first Doha Tribeca Film Festival, which opens tonight with Nair's latest. "Like Amelia, I too come from a small town and grew up hoping to impact the world, but for me through cinema," said the Indian-born director who went on to call for more diverse stories. "If we don't make our own stories, nobody else will."

Over 4,000 Londoners showed up at Trafalgar Square last night for the London Film Festival's special outdoor screening "London Moves Me," a celebration of London's transport through over 20 films from the BFI National Archive and London's Screen Archives. With live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand, Londoners braved some somewhat chilly weather to cheer through films that toured London's transport - trains, buses and bicycles, skateboard, airship and canoe - from 1896 to 2009.

Director Scott D. Rosenbaum and actor Jason Ritter hit the red carpet and one of those ubiquitous Step and Repeat backdrops Tuesday night in New York for the opening of the CMJ Film Festival, which is concurrent with its older bigger sister event, the CMJ Music Festival. Their film, "The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll" opened the festival, which continues through October 24. Their film centers on a rock star retreats to his hometown after his sophomore album flops. For more information on the festival, click here. [Photo courtesy of PeterLauPhotography.com]

British journalist Lynn Barber, who's memoir formed the basis for Lone Schefig's "An Education," attended the London Film Festival premiere of the homegrown film last night. The film's cast - including Carey Mulligan, Emma Thompson and Dominic Cooper - showed up for the festive event, which concluded with a packed reception at the Sanderson Hotel. "An Education" opens in the UK at the end of the month. [Photo courtesy of the festival].

Turkish director Asli Ozge joined her fellow London Film Festival filmmakers at a "filmmakers tea" in London's West End this week. Her film, "Men on the Bridge" is making its UK premiere at the festival after well-received screenings in Locarno, Sarajevo and Toronto.

"We shot this film here in England, and Keats in one England's greatest poets," Jane Campion said before the gala screening of her "Bright Star" at the Times-BFI 53rd London Film Festival. Making its UK debut, Campion (right) was introduced film festival artistic director Sandra Hebron (left). The film continues to screen throughout the festival, which runs until October 29th. [Photo courtesy of the festival.]

"Wah Do Dem" directors Ben Chace (left) and Sam Fleischner pictured at the London Film Festival's "filmmaker tea" yesterday. Their film - which won the Los Angeles Film Festival's top prize this past June - is making its European debut at the festival. [Photo by Peter Knegt/indieWIRE]

"Tales From The Golden Age" co-director Cristian Mungiu attended a filmmakers tea yesterday at the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival. The Palme d'Or winner Mingiu (for "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days") directed the film with fellow Romanians Hanno Höfer, Razvan Marculescu, Constantin Popescu and Ioana Uricaru. Its having its UK premiere at the fest. [Photo by Peter Knegt/indieWIRE]

"A Single Man" director Tom Ford and his striking cast of British actors - Nicholas Hoult (left), Colin Firth and Matthew Goode - in London last night for the UK premiere of the film at the Times BFI London International Film Festival. Photo courtesy of the festival.

Actor Viggo Mortensen and writer Joe Penhall headed to London for the UK premiere of John Hillcoat's "The Road" at the 53rd London Film Festival. Pictured at the Mayfair Hotel earlier today before the film's gala screening, Mortensen was later spotted in the alleyway behind the cinema "The Road" screened at signing happily signing dozens of autographs. [Photo courtesy of the festival.]

"Fantastic Mr. Fox" director Wes Anderson and author Roald Dahl's widow, Felicity Dahl, attend the premiere of the film last night in London. The well-received stop motion animated film opened the Times BFI London Film Festival, which continues over the next two weeks. Photo courtesy of the festival.

Oren Moverman's "The Messenger" opened the 10th Woodstock Film Festival Thursday evening, bringing out its stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster among others to the bohemian Catskills town in Upstate New York. Also joining the actors were Moverman, as well as Steve Buscemi and Samantha Morton. The romantic drama revolves around an American soldier who struggles with a personal dilemma when he becomes involved with the widow of a fallen officer. Highlights of this weekend's Woodstock Film Festival include Jonathan Demme's "Neil Young Show," Rebecca Miller's "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee," Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air." The fest concludes Sunday. [Image provided by the Woodstock Film Festival]

Ben Foster, Alessandro Camon, Meira Blaustein, Oren Moverman and Ted Hope attend the Woodstock Film Festival's Launch Party in New York City. Celebrating its first full decade, the festival will host nearly 100 films, panels, and events, all set to place September 30-October 4 in the arts colony of Woodstock, New York, and neighboring towns of Rhinebeck, Kingston and Rosendale. Check out the festival's full lineup here.

Actors Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfriend join director Atom Egoyan at Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall to celebrate the world premiere of their collaboration, "Chloe." Photo courtesy of WireImage.

"Whip It!" director Drew Barrymore and star Ellen Page celebrate the film's premiere at an after-party at Toronto's Tattoo Rock Parlor. The film - Barrymore's directorial debut - was met with a warm response at the festival, and is being released by Fox Searchlight this October. Photo courtesy of WireImage.

Danny Boyle and Tilda Swinton participated in the fourth day of the Toronto International Film Festival's Talent Lab. Boyle served as a "governor" at the lab, interacting with and teaching the 25 workshop participants from around the world. Swinton - in Toronto promoting her film "I Am Love" - stopped in as a guest speaker. [Image courtesy of WireImage.]

Actor Michael Sheen (center) joins the New York Times VP Lou Fabrizio, as well as Times staff Barbara Jackson, Roberta Nordman and Entertainment Editor Lorne Manley at a Cocktail Party at C5 Restaurant earlier this week in Toronto.

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" director Terry Gilliam was joined by his daughter Amy Gilliam at a dinner in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood this weekend. Gilliam's latest film - featuring Heath Ledger's final performance - is having its North American premiere at the festival this Friday, September 18th. [Photo by Brian Brooks].

"An Education" screenwriter Nick Hornby (center) celebrates with the film's producers Amanda Posey (left) and Finola Dwyer (right) at a dinner thrown by Sony Pictures Classics in Toronto his weekend. [Photo by Brian Brooks]

After last year's war-themed (complete with tanks from the Canadian military) opening night party for "Passchendaele," it was unknown whether the Toronto Film Festival would try to paint a theme around a film like Jon Amiel's "Creation" - which takes on the story of Charles Darwin. Would there be folks dressed up as monkeys? In the end, it turned out the fest went with creation over evolution- and even made it sexy - by sprinkling the party at Toronto's Liberty Grand with variety of hard body-painted Adam and Eves (pictured). Photo by Alex Knegt.

"An Education" director Lone Scherfig with actress Carey Mulligan and Sony Classics co-president Tom Bernard earlier this week at the Telluride Film Festival.

"Taking Woodstock" producer James Schamus (right), Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and Meira Blaustein, co-founder and executive director of the Woodstock Film Festival take a bow at the weekend sneak preview of Lee's "Taking Woodstock" in.... well, Woodstock, of course! The film, which screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May, opens in limited release August 28 via Focus Features, which premiered the film in the U.S. last month. The 10th edition of the Woodstock Film Festival takes place September 30 - October 4. [Photo by Dion Qgust.]

"Trucker" director James Mottern and star Michelle Monaghan with Woods Hole Film Festival executive director Judy Laster following the screening of "Trucker" during the fest, which wrapped Saturday. "Trucker" won the festival's jury prize for best narrative feature. [Image courtesy of the festival]

On Saturday night, the 14th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival hosted the World Premiere of "Tickling Leo," written and directed by Jeremy Davidson. Pictured is Mary Stuart Masterson, producer of "Tickling Leo" with director Davidson, who also happens to be her husband, as well as Stony Brook Film Festival director and founder Alan Inkles at the Stony Brook Film Festival. The World Premiere of "Tickling Leo" was sold out at Stony Brook's 1000-seat venue at Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook University. Photo credit: Nick A. Koridis, Stony Brook Film Festival.

Scarlett Johansson was all decked out in her Prada for the opening night of the 13th Los Angeles International Shorts Film Festival Thursday night. Johansson attended the event with the world premiere of her directorial debut "These Vagabond Shoes" starring Kevin Bacon. For more LA Shorts Fest info, visit their website. The festival continues through July 31st. [Photo credit: Olycom]

This weekend Antonio Banderas accepted the President's Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. "I made a TV series here about the life of the young Mussolini," Banderas said upon accepting the award. "I was here for seven months, and I even visited Karlovy Vary. I fell in love with the local people and the culture." (Photo courtesy of the festival).

"I'm a big fan of Woody Allen's, especially the early comedies," "Cold Souls" director Sophie Barthies (pictured with her personal and professional partner, "Souls" cinematographer Andrij Parekh) said in Karlovy Vary. "I can watch them over and over. The night before having that inspiring dream I watched 'Sleeper,' and I make lots of references to it in the film. I'm curious what Woody Allen would think of my film, but he hasn't seen it yet because it doesn’t come out in the States until August." "Souls" is the lone American entry in Karlovy Vary's competition.

The 27th annual Outfest kicked off Thursday night in downtown Los Angeles with a gala screening of "La Mission." At the afterparty, writer/director Peter Bratt embraced Outfest's Exec Director (and mom-to-be) Kirsten Schaffer and Director of Programming Kim Yutani. Peter and his brother Benjamin (who stars in the film) addressed the audience before the screening, saying how proud they are to have the film open this year's festival. The film premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival and played here to a packed house at LA's landmark Orpheum Theater. The evening started with an indoor/outdoor reception and presentation of Outfest's 13th annual Achievement Award to filmmaker Don Roos. Lisa Kudrow and Christina Ricci (who starred in Roos's "The Opposite of Sex") introduced the openly gay filmmaker who gave a funny, inspiring and crowd-pleasing speech, sure to help generate interest in his "Conversation with Paris Barclay" later at the festival. The fest continues thru July 19th. [Photo and caption by Bryan Stamp]

At the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Scott Sanders, director of blaxploitation parody "Black Dynamite," shared his thoughts at one of the festival's master classes (where he shared the stage with "Sin Nombre"'s Cary Joji Fukunaga.) "It came out of the black movement of the 1970s," said about blaxploitation. "I was too young to see such hard films, but thanks to that I've got enough distance... Anything was possible for the genre. There's even one called 'Boss N****r.' Can you imagine seriously coming out with an American movie called that? Impossible! The style allowed me to use jokes that would not have worked elsewhere." Photo courtesy of the festival.

"I experienced absolutely everything that happens in the movie myself," Cary Joji Fukunaga said about his experiences shooting "Sin Nombre" at a master class at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (where he shared the stage with "Black Dynamite"'s Scott Sanders). "I heard lots of stories from people on the train. I saw shootouts and terrified people jumping with my own eyes." Photo courtesy of the festival.

For those of you wondering why Michael Jackson's sonic architect, Quincy Jones (pictured, right), was not part of the Staples Center memorial service yesterday... Wonder no longer. Strangely enough, he was in Karlovy Vary, supporting Czech model Helena Houdova (center), and her Sunflower foundation. Jones received the Sunflower award for philanthropy at the event. The award, shaped like a door-handle, was created by the controversial Czech artist David Cerny (who became famous early this year for his Entropa art installation mocking EU countries). Also pictured: Marek Eben; Image courtesy of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

More Coachella than Cannes, dozens of festival-goers wait outside the screening rooms of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's headquarters in the Thermal Hotel. While technically they are waiting to get into a film, the patrons - most of them teenage or twentysomething backpackers from the Czech Republic and surrounding countries - can often be seen using the downtime to sleep, eat, drink beer, smoke cigarettes, shave, or make out.

Great Dane Paprika Steen headed to Karlovy Vary this past weekend to celebrate the world premiere of "Applause," directed by first-timer Martin Pieter Zandvliet. Screening in competition, the film found a warm reception at the festival, with Steen's powerhouse performance as an aging, alcoholic actress gaining particular notice. "We have a special acting style in Denmark," Steen said at the film's press conference. "It looks like improvisation but it isn't... We work more intuitively than technically." [Photo courtesy of the film festival.]

Some of the cast and crew from "Sex Drugs Guns" celebrate the world premiere at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival this past weekend. The film took home the prize for Best Feature. From left to right: Assistant Director Robert Wood, Executive Producer Jonny Leahan, Cinematographer Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Lead Actor Ricardo Gil, and Director/Writer Adrian Selkowitz. Photo by Anela Bence.

"Humpday" director Lynn Shelton with Edinburgh International Film Festival artistic director Hannah McGill after the UK Premiere of her film "Humpday." Image courtesy of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

"Turn It Loose" director Alastair Siddons in Edinburgh last week, just prior to the well-received world premiere of his doc "Turn It Loose." The film follows 16 of the world's best b-boys battle one on one in a disused power station in the heart of Soweto, South Africa, to determine who will be the next world champion. After the film's premiere, a breakdancing workshop was held amidst Edinburgh's historic Grassmarket, where some of the doc's subjects taught aspiring b-boys some moves.

Legendary B-movie master Roger Corman spoke in Edinburgh at a packed 90 minute panel Wednesday. That night, we was spotted with the star of Tali Shalom Ezer's "Surrogate," Amir Wolf, who gushed that he was a "huge Corman fan." The Edinburgh International Film Festival concludes this weekend.

Actor Christian Bale and his wife Sandra Sibi Blazic take a walk up the red carpet at the premiere of Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies,” which screened as the Centerpiece gala at the Los Angeles Film Festival here in Westwood on Tuesday night. Bale offers a great portrait of FBI agent Melvin Purvis as he pursues the notorious John Dillinger (played by Jonny Depp.) Bale contrasts remarkably with Depp's own very detailed performance.

Katie Jarvis just had a pretty unique 18th birthday. The "Fish Tank" actress spent the morning of her big day at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, where she was graced with both a birthday cake and an award delivered to her by Sir Sean Connery.

"Sin Nombre" director Cary Fukunaga outside the reception for R.J. Cutler's "The September Room" at the Edinburgh International Film Festival last night. Fukunaga is in Edinburgh celebrating the European premiere of "Nombre."

"The September Issue" director R.J. Cutler enjoys some bubbly with London Film Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron outside the reception for his Anna Wintour doc's European premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The jury for Edinburgh International Film Festival's Michael Powell Award gathered this morning in the penthouse of the Point Conference Centre. With a view of the famed Edinburgh Castle in the background, EIFF Artistic Director Hannah McGill (far left) joined jurors Claudia Puig, Frank Langella, Joe Wright, Sacha Horler, and Janet Street-Porter. Next weekend the five of them will decide the winner of the award, which gives a 20,000 pound prize to the festival's Best British Film. Previous winners include "Somers Town," "Control" and "My Summer of Love."

Andrea Arnold's Cannes favorite "Fish Tank" came home today, having its UK premiere as part of the 2009 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Pictured at Edinburgh's Festival Square today is - from left - actresses Kierston Wearing and Katie Jarvis, director Andrea Arnold, and actor Harry Treadway.

The rain stopped and the sun came out in time for a lunch Saturday afternoon at a picturesque restaurant overlooking the sea in Provincetown, Mass. for festival guests. Hanging out chatting with local press and fellow filmmakers were "Peter and Vandy" director Jay DiPietro along with stars Jess Weixler ("Teeth") and Jason Ritter ("Happy Endings"). The film, which had its East Coast debut at PIFF, closed the festival Sunday night. Later that day, Weixler and Ritter joined a group of about 30 people who went over to John Waters place for an impromptu party - loads of fun!

Strand Releasing were among this year's honorees at the 11th Provincetown International Film Festival. The indie distributor turns 20 this year, and they're getting some well deserved praise. The company's co-presidents Marcus Hu and Jon Garrens hung out during a brief period of sun atop a hill near the charming resort town on the tip of Cape Cod along with longtime friend, John Waters who has a residence in town.

Gael Garcia Bernal, Carlos Cuarón and Diego Luna clapped for Scottish drummers that serenaded their arrival at the UK premiere of their film "Rudo y Cursi" in Edinburgh last night. Playing as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, "Rudo" screened to an enthusiastic crowd of Edinburgers before Bernal, Cuarón and Luna celebrated the event at the Apex Hotel in Edinburgh's historic Grassmarket. Guests included "Rudo" producer Alfonso Cuarón, EIFF jury member Alan Cumming, and "Outrage" director Kirby Dick (whose film also had its UK premiere last night). Photo by Michael Gorman/indieWIRE.

SilverDocs opens! (Left to right): Willie McGee, LeBron James, “Little” Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Kristopher Belman, Sian Cotton and Coach Dru Joyce arrive at AFI-Discovery Channel June 15 in Silver Spring, Maryland for the Opening Night gala, "More Than a Game" by Belman. The film focuses on five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio who are the subjects of the coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player’s father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the "Fab Five’s" improbable seven-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. [Image courtesy of SilverDocs.]

Jody Hill (right) and Ben Steinbauer at the opening night party for CineVegas following the screening of "St. John of Las Vegas." Jody Hill is the director of "Observe and Report," and is attending the festival as a member of the Royal Flush jury. Steinbauer is the director of "Winnebago Man," which is showing in Pioneer Documentaries.

Seattle International Film Festival director Carl Spence and "Humpday" director and Seattle-native Lynn Shelton celebrate the film's hometown premiere on Friday night at DAR Hall. Photo by Eric Kohn.

The Newport International Film Festival is underway through this weekend, opening with Armando Iannucci's "In the Loop." screenings take place through Sunday, including the crew from the film, "45365." Left to right: Kyle Rouse, Bill Ross and Turner Ross. [Photo provided by the festival.]

"Rough Aunties" director Kim Longinotto and producer Paul Taylor catch a screening of their film at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto this week. The film - which follows a remarkable group of women in Durban, South Africa - had its Canadian premiere at the festival. (Photo credit: Sami Siva).

Yesterday in Toronto, Sheila Nevins accepted Hot Docs' Doc Mogul Award at a luncheon at the Sutton Place Hotel’s Stop 33 Rooftop Ballroom. The luncheon was hosted by the BBC’s Nick Fraser, last year’s Doc Mogul recipient. Check out indieWIRE's latest dispatch from Hot Docs here. (photo credit: Christian Pena)

"Burma VJ" director Andres Høgsbro Østergaard, who won a big award last night enjoys his film's film festival journal Tuesday night at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, where "Burma" was screening as part of Hot Docs. Check out indieWIRE's latest dispatch from Hot Docs here. (photo credit: Sami Siva)

Jennifer Baichwal (second from left) joined Hot Docs Executive Director Chris MacDonald (far left) on stage at the Winter Garden Theater in Toronto Thursday night for a presentation of her doc "Act of God." "God" marks the first opening night film of the Hot Docs International Canadian Documentary Festival directed by a Canadian. Joining them on stage was "God" producer Nick de Pencier (right of Baichwal) and two of the subjects of the film, which explores the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning. It does so by telling seven stories from around the world that raise and respond to these questions, while keeping the sky and what comes out of it as a central visual metaphor and thread. "God" was recently picked up by Zeitgeist for U.S. release. Hot Docs continues through this week, and indieWIRE will be on the scene. (photo credit: Sami Siva).

"Tricks of a Woman" star Elika Portnoy, Boston fest director Chloe McFeters, Carlos Leon, and Scott Elrod on the red carpet at the North American premiere of the film at the Boston International Film Festival Wednesday night. Image courtesy of the festival.

Crowds lined up around the block at the DGA theatre in Los Angeles on Monday for the opening night of COL COA (City of Lights, City of Angels), which offers a weeklong celebration of the newest in French cinema. Zabou Breitman, the director of "Someone I Loved" (Je l'aimais) was on hand for the world premiere, with filmmaker Michael Mann introducing the film to a packed house. "Loved" is about a man who consoles his daughter-in-law after her husband leaves her by reflecting on another woman he once fell in love with. The film will be released in France May 5 and stars Daniel Auteuil and Marie-Jose Croze. Photo and caption by Jeff Israel.

Amy Poehler and Fred Armison chat at one of Apple & indieWIRE's 2008 Tribeca Film Festival Filmmaker Talks. The list of speakers at this years event, which runs at the Apple Store, Soho from April 22 to May 3, is available here. The events give you a behind-the-scenes look at the latest projects from leading filmmakers and actors. All events are free and seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

Producer/director Jessica Wolfson ("Trust Us, This is All Made Up," Night People"), Alex Karpovsky (dir. "Trust Us, This is All Made Up") and filmmaker/journo Aaron Hillis ("Fish Kill Flea," Greencine Daily) make the scene at the SFF's Late Night Lounge at local restaurant Esca. Karpovsky's excellent doc about long-form improv artists TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi screened to praise at the fest and the SFF hosted a performance of Jagodowski and Pasquesi at Sarasota's Historic Asolo Theater on Tuesday, March 31st. As for Hillis, he and iPOP managed to co-host a rather rousing and raucous after party at an "area hotel" on the fest's closing night. Sorry. No cameras allowed! Photo and caption by Mark Rabinowitz.

Jon Voight and Bill Paxton at the Sarasota Film Festival's annual Luncheon Under the Banyans at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens where Paxton accepted the Regal Entertainment Group’s Career Achievement Award. Throughout the week, festival guests waxed rhapsodic about the SFF's hospitality and programming with Voight and Paxton particularly effusive about how wonderful it was to be able to see and support the work of independent filmmakers. Paxton even went to far as to show up at the SFF's unofficial karaoke night at local spot the Cabana Inn, the night before. While the actor didn't perform, he did mingle with fest attendees, staff and locals, posing for pictures and chatting for over an hour and a half. At the festival's closing night wrap party, Voight was spotted outside the confines of the VIP room, doing the same. It would be hard to find two actors/filmmakers more gracious and complimentary to the festival and attendant filmmakers than these two. [Photo and caption by Mark Rabinowitz]

Sigrid Tiedtke, President & CEO of Florida Film Festival, producer and host Enzian Theater poses with Master Chef Melissa Kelly (left) of Orlando's Primo restaurant at the opening night of the 18th annual event. This year's festival kicked off with a Food & Wine Weekend, two things near and dear to iPOP's heart! The opening night film was Stephen Belber's "Management," starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson and was a great starter choice. A sweet, romantic film with Aniston and Zahn well matched and Harrelson doing what has become his usual whacked out portrayal as a yogurt magnate. Who knew yogurt was so funny? Aniston has become a very solid comedic actress and the film is a great mix of heart and funny bone. [Photo and caption by Mark Rabinowitz]

Renowned film director Theo Angelopoulos (right) introduces Greek filmmaker Fotos Lamprinos, who is being honored at the 11th Annual Thessaloniki Documentary Festival with a retrospective of Lamprinos' work which spans from 1964 to 2008. [Photo and caption by Cameron Yates]

"We Live in Public" director Ondi Timoner with the subject of her doc Josh Harris at an afternoon cocktail party in Columbia, MO over the weekend for the True/False Film Festival (T/F for short). Her film, which won the doc competition at the Sundance Film Festival in January, spotlights Harris' early understanding of the web and a quest for onscreen fame.

Director AJ Schnack (right) previewed about 25 minutes of the latest project he's spearheading, "Convention," over the weekend at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, MO. The doc, which was filmed by a group of directors, takes a look at the ins and outs of the Democratic Convention which took place last summer in Denver, CO. The ambitious film is an ode to some of the earlier work of the Maysles brothers and Pennebaker, capturing a large swath of the tremendous undertaking of the convention in the city. Following the screening, Schnack, along with producer Britta Erickson (executive director of the Denver Film Festival), producer and editor Nate Truesdell (left) along with T/F co-head and filmmaker David Wilson (not pictured) answered questions and solicited comments from a large audience about the film, which is still in post-production.

"Food, Inc." director Robert Kenner signed a few True/False Film Festival posters as he headed out of town over the weekend at the "lovely" Regency Hotel in the center of town in Columbia, MO (great location to a cool town). His doc, which received a standing ovation at the monstrous Missouri Theater in town, takes a look at how corporate consolidation has changed farming - and with humor... Participant produced the film, and it will be released this year via Magnolia Pictures. Next up is AFI Dallas.

"War Against the Weak" director Justin Strawhand and producer Peter Demas hang for a beer at the Ragtag Theater in Columbia, MO during last weekend's True/False Film Festival. Based on Edwin Black's book of the same name, the doc spotlights the eugenics movement when in the 1900s scientist Charles Davenport developed his theories on selective breeding.

"I love you, you were the only woman on stage getting an award who wasn't an actress," said Women Make Movies' Debra Zimmerman (right) to director Megan Mylan whose "Smile Pinki" took the Oscar for best doc short last Sunday. Both are in Columbia, MO for this weekend's True/False Film Festival which continues through Sunday.

Kristin Scott Thomas and Ralph Fiennes at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival arriving for the fest's Cinema Vanguard Award. Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage, courtesy of SBIFF

"Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle is among the throng of directors and writers speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, currently underway. Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage, courtesy of SBIFF

Among iW's favorite docs at this year's International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which ended last week was Kim Longinotto's "Rough Aunties" (disclosure though: we were only there five days so obviously we didn't see everything). The film is a heartwarming account of a Durban, South Africa organization and its loving & courageous workers who fight child abuse and - pretty much all social ills. Their motto is to "never stop crying for the children." Longinotto was previously in IDFA with "Sisters-in-Law" and returned to the continent for her latest doc. Pictured left to right following the second screening of their film in Amsterdam: Mildred Ngcobo, Kim Longinotto (director), Jackie Branfield Thuli Sibiya, Eureka Oliver, Sdudla Maphumulo, Paul Taylor (producer), Debra Zimmerman (Women Make Movies), Ollie Huddlestone (editor of the film).

Indiepix's Ryan Harrington (left), True/False Film Festival co-founder David Wilson (aka T/) and Britdocs' Jess Search hosted the annual "Red Light Dinner" in Amsterdam's beautiful Red Light District (yes, that red light district) at a fab Indonesian restaurant (the kindly Dutch did rule what is now Indonesia you know...) The annual event has become a quiet favorite at during the festival where filmmakers are invited by the two doc festivals and film online group to have good food and enjoy the company of fellow filmmakers. Wilson kicked off the evening at a meeting place with red glowsticks just to get everyone in the mood - so to speak... Also joining in on the fun was "Burma VJ" producer Helle Ulsteen. The film, which chronicles the organization Democratic Voice of Burma's efforts expose the brutal rule of the Southeast Asian country's military dictatorship, received terrific word of mouth, and a prize at this year's IDFA.

Sitting at the table after feasting on delicious Indonesian food, "Forgetting Dad" co-director Rick Minnich and Dave Colvin (along with Brit Doc's Jess Search's arm holding up a "Dad" postcard) in Amsterdam at the annual Red Light (hosted by True/False, Brit Doc and Indiepix) dinner in the city's famed Red Light District. Minnich's doc, co-directed by Matthew Sweetwood, tells the story of his father who completely lost his memory in a car accident and became a complete stranger to his wife and children.

"Pressure Cooker" directors Mark Becker (middle) and Jennifer Grausman with "Kassim the Dream" writer/director Kief Davidson in Amsterdam for the Brit Doc, Tru/False, Indiepix dinner last week. "Pressure" takes a look at high school students competing for scholarships to culinary college, while "Kassim" of Ugandan-born boxer Kassim Ouma.

At last week's Virginia Film Festival, "Lake City" star Troy Garrity (center) with his mom in the film Sissy Spacek (left) and real-life mom Jane Fonda (right). The film, opening next week, was shot locally in Virginia where Spacek lives.

Here in Iceland at the Reykjavik International Film Festival on Sunday, festival attendees gathered at a very relaxed reception at the President's House to honor filmmaker Costa-Garvas ("Missing") with a Lifetime Achievement Award, where he received the award from President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. Pictured with the President are festival jury members Baltasar Kormakur (director of "101 Reykjavik") and actress Arsinee Khanjian ("The Sweet Hereafter").

After securely getting the screening underway at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, Outfest's Stephen Macias (board co-president), interim executive director Kisten Schaffer, director of programming Kim Yutani, and the other co-president of Outfest's board, Angela Courtin. Inside a full house watched the festival's opening night film, "Breakfast with Scot" by Laurie Lynd. Before unspooling though, Schaffer called '08 "The Summer of Love," which some have dubbed this season after the legalization of gay marriage in California.

The crowd from "Ready? OK!" were joined outside the Orpheum in downtown LA milling around before their red carpet walk ahead of the Outfest opening night screening of "Breakfast with Scot." Hanging out are: "Ready" director James Vasquez, actress Carrie Preston, actor Michael Emerson, "Grey's Anatomy" star TR Knight and his main squeeze, Mark Cornelsen. The mega flashes down the carpet began moments after this. "Ready? Go!" is screening in the fest's U.S. dramatic features.

Israeli director Yair Hochner (middle) is in LA for his film, "Antarctica," which a film to the film described to us as "Israel's first queer sex drama..." Hanging outside the theater Wednesday night before going in for the start of 26th Outfest, taking place July 9 - 21, here! Films' Jonathan Aubrey (who was there choreographing everything outside for the opening night film "Breakfast with Scot" which here! recently acquired) and "Antarctica" actor, Yiftach "Iffy" Mizrahi (right). The screening was followed by a party outside with food stations and a big circular bar. And the gays scarffed down all the food.

Director Donna Deitch and Jane Lynch

More from Provincetown '08 | Actor Gael Garcia Bernal's directorial debut "Defecit" screened at the Provincetown film fest where he was also feted with an acting award. Bernal was also seen walking around the town with his girlfriend and showed up at many events including a busy party at a local art gallery last weekend, seen here chatting with the festival's director of programming, Andrew Peterson.

More from Provincetown '08 | Directors John Waters and Gregg Araki were joined by fellow filmmaker Guy Shamel at an afternoon event hosted by the festival at a local hotel. Waters is apparently something of a local in the town that seems to be a favorite of fellow artists.

Nude beaches, sun, lobster rolls, massages by the street, afternoon cocktails, gays, straights, families and "Mary and Tina" all mingle in Provincetown. What a town! And if you happened to be poolside at the resort town's Brass Key Hotel Sunday afternoon (if you didn't ditch off to the beach of course) then also hanging out was director Quentin Tarantino who received a bit of a surprise when the town declared it "Quentin Tarantino Day." Later he received the Provincetown International Film Festival's "Filmmaker on the Edge Award." Director Amy Redford joined Tarantino Sunday afternoon at a reception at the hotel. Her film, "The Guitar" had its East Coast premiere at the fest.

Director Alan Ball joined in on the fun for the East Coast premiere of "Towelhead," which was the Friday night spotlight at the Provincetown International Film Festival. Producer Ted Hope, actress Summer Bishil and Ball headed over to one of the festival's nightly parties -- this one at one of the town's numerous galleries... All Americans should be required to visit Provincetown. It's the way we should evolve hopefully in 100 years.

The guys from "Humboldt County," Darren Drodsky and Danny Jacobs joined some other counter-culture on the East Coast in free lovin' Provincetown (we just mean that in general, not incriminating anyone here). Their film, which played in the 10th annual Provincetown International Film Festival, centers on a disillusioned medical student who is stranded for a summer in the Northern California region with a remote community of pot farmers...

Britney Spears huddled in a sea of bodyguards while performers breathed fire to the astonishment of a drunken audience wading in the pool, but the real spectacle at the CineVegas Film Festival's ten year anniversary party at Palms Place on Saturday was the emergence of newly minted South by Southwest Film Festival director Janet Pierson. We jest, but only slightly: Pierson arrived in CineVegas to make her first festival appearance since landing the new gig, and wasted no time finding the man in whose footsteps she now walks: Matt Dentler, now in New York working for Cinetic Media. In the photo above, the two found time to relax amid the ubiquitous chaos.

Legendary Hollwood actor Norman Lloyd took a moment to pose for iPOP at the 2008 Sarasota Film Festival's Night of a Thousand Stars party this past Friday. Lloyd appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film "Saboteur" and continued working with the auteur director as a producer and director on TV's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" as well as playing Dr. Auschlander in TV's critically acclaimed series, "St. Elsewhere." Lloyd's life as a legendary Hollywood actor is examined in Matthew Sussman's documentary, "Who Is Norman Lloyd?", which screened at the festival. From left to right: Rosann Argenti (Sarasota Film Festival President Ian Black's wife), Norman Lloyd, Vanessa Wanger (Ted Hope's girlfriend), and Producer Ted Hope, whose career was honored at Sarasota.

Actress Daryl Hannah posed with her Bahamas International Film Festival award acknowledging Career Achievement with Sir Sean Connery who presented her with the plaque. The picture was actually taken backstage prior to the formal event in the Atlantis Theatre before a large crowd. Hannah joked during the photos, "so I guess I can look surprised when I see this later...?"

Bahamas Fest organizers hosted a small soiree backstage at the Atlantis Theatre for Darryl Hannah and a group of festival sponsors prior to the actress's formal ceremony accepting BIFF's career achievement award. Hannah mixed casually amongst the crowd sipping champagne and chatted up former Sundance and Miami fests head Nicole Guillemet.

The Atlantis Hotel in Paradise Island forms the nucleus of the annual Bahamas International Film Festival, including the opening night film, "Battle in Seattle." The film's director, Stuart Townsend (left) acknowledged some irony of having the film -- which uses the real-life riots of the WTO meeting in Seattle to tell a fictional story -- screen in a large resort, but said he wasn't against capitalism or corporations outright. During the post-screening Q&A he said he hoped corporations would acknowledge some obligation to the welfare of humanity. Joining Townsend is BIFF executive director and founder Leslie Vanderpool and actor Martin Henderson. BIFF continues through December 13.

It's 80 (25 C) degrees in December, so why not have a panel on film distribution, marketing and festivals outside by the water? Besides, happy hour starts right afterward... (L to R) IFC Films' Ryan Werner, former Sundance and Miami Fest chief Nicole Guillemet, moderator Bruno Chatelin from filmfestivals.com, director Adrian Belic ("Beyond the Call") and Coach 14's Pape Boye spend a casual mid afternoon talking biz with a dozen filmmakers at the Bahamas International Film Festival. Despite the casual atmosphere, issues were covered. Guillemet acknowledged that the 3000 or so festivals in the world have become a "de facto distribution system," and hoped that the current obsession with festivals to pursue premieres will come to an end. "For film festival heads, we have egos, and we want world premieres... But unless it's Sundance, it's a little ridiculous..."

Is a documentary about the war in Iraq inherently political? Richard Robbins (left), director of the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam opening night film "Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience," noted Friday that he hoped to craft a film focused more on the humanity of American soldiers fighting in Iraq, rather than the divisive issues surrounding the conflict. The film merges letters and other writing from soldiers (voiced by notable actors) with animation and illustrations to tell the stories of the troops' experiences in Iraq. But how could a film about Iraq leave out an exploration of the deeper issues or the soldier's opinions, probed Q & A moderator Debbie Zimmerman of U.S. based Women Make Movies, at IDFA's first nightly Talkshow discussion. "That's a different film," defended producer Tom Yellin (right), adding, "That's not the film that we set out to make." Talking about, "the politics of the war avoids having to talk about the human implications," Robbins explained, noting that the movie, which is on the short list for the documentary Oscar, has been embraced by both supporters and opponents of the Iraq war. And concluding, Robbins -- his voice hoarse -- explained that he maintains strong opinions about the war (even though he declined to share them) and added that he still views his movie as, "an incredibly political film." [Eugene Hernandez]

Pals hanging out on a beanbag at IDFA's new venue for it's evening Talkshow are International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam fest director Ally Derks and Joris Ivens competition jury chair Diane Weyermann, EVP of doc production at Participant Productions. The two took in the casual chat session that included an introduction of jury members, a "critical moment" session with members of the press (including good ole' indieWIRE) and the introduction of filmmakers on Friday night.

Starz Denver Film Festival's Britta Erickson (left) looked dashing as she welcomed actress Keri Russell (also dashing) to the festival's closing night gala after walking the red carpet before a crowded screening of "August Rush," directed by Kristen Sheridan. Erickson was recently named the festival's director of festivals following the retirement of the festival's founder and artisitic director Ron Henderson.

Starz Denver Film Festival founder and overall maverick Ron Henderson (pictured here with wife Judy) walked his final red carpet here as the event's head this year. The 30th edition of DFF marked what he described as a good time to pass the mantle to a 'new generation' of festival leaders. In honor of his years at the festival, the event celebrated his bow by giving him its John Cassavetes Award this year. But pals of the affable Henderson will no doubt see him around in the coming years at the festival.

Filmmakers Nina Davenport ("Operation Filmmaker") and Doug Pray ("Surfwise") hung out with doc jurors AJ Schnack (left) who won the prize in '06 for his film, "Kurt Cobain: About a Son" and True/False Film Festival co-head, David Wilson (right). The four chilled out in the filmmaker lounge near the Denver Film Festival's main venue where filmmakers and other guests could enjoy spicy bloody marys (and other drinks) plus snacks and riveting conversation. Note to skeptics: both "Surfwise" and "Operation Filmmaker" were not in this year's doc competition, so all was on the up-and-up here. [Disclosure: iW's Brian Brooks served in this year's DFF doc jury.]

This year's three members of the Denver Film Festival's Kieslowski jury (they pick the best pic amongst the competition films) hung out waiting for instructions where to go next after walking the red carpet at the beginning of the closing night gala Saturday night in downtown Denver. GreenCine's David D'Arcy (left), Screen International's Mike Goodridge and Newsweek's David Ansen chose Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" for the big prize. "Under the Same Moon" by Patricia Riggen won the narrative audience prize.

Director Jason Reitman took off to the mile high city for a screening of his film "Juno" at the Starz Denver Film Festival. The film, a follow-up to "Thank You for Smoking," centers on a 16 year-old who is pregnant by her clueless best friend and screened as DFF's "Big Night" event.

Actress Julie Christie ("Away From Her" by Sarah Polley) was this year's recipient of the Aspen Film Festival's "Independent by Nature Award" (pictured here with the fest's executive director Laura Thielen). According to a fest release, Christie said her decisions on whether to accept a role is purely based on who is directing. In other Aspen kudos, this year's Audience Award went to Julie Taymor's "Across the Universe," while "Living with Big Cats" by Beverly and Dereck Joubert shared the Aspen Audience Favorite Documentary with Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine's "War/Dance." The audience prizes at AFF's other venue in neighboring Carbondale went to "War/Dance" and "Hula Girls." 7,000 people attended 30 screenings in Aspen and Carbondale from September 25 - 30, according to the festival. [Brian Brooks]

Actor Jeremy Irons is in Sarajevo as head of this year's competition jury and took some time out to spend it with his local fans (though many seemed British) next to the festival's main venue, the National Theater in the old town area of the Bosnia & Herzegovina capital Tuesday afternoon. During his chat, Irons recalled some of his likes and dislikes from past roles and said that he generally enjoys doing roles that lie "outside the perimeters of what I know..." He went on to say that he uses his own life experiences for his roles and hopes that with time comes wisdom. He also said he's not against doing the "indie root." "I would work for nothing if it's something good."

Sarajevo's Panorama programmer, Howard Feinstein (second from right) hosted a dinner for filmmakers and other guests at a sumptuous restaurant in the hills above Sarajevo complete with live music and some great Bosnian fare (it was deelish). Joining in on the fun were "Zoo" producer Alexis Ferris, "The Devil Came on Horseback" co-director Annie Sundberg, and Sarajevo Film Festival director Mirsad Purivatra. One particularly cool moment was when the main course was served and the mosques from the surrounding hills began announcing their calls for prayer in unison...

Chinese director Ying Liang (right) with producer/screenwriter Peng Shang at a dinner hosted by the festival in the hills overlooking the city Sunday night. Ying's film, "The Other Half" explores the continuing second-class status of women in Chinese society. The film screened in SFF's Panorama section. The film is part of the large contingent of Chinese titles in this year's fest.

Oscar-nominated "Iraq in Fragments" director James Longley (left)--in town with his short, "Sari's Mother"--joined "The Prisoner or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair" co-directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (and their daughter) following a screening of "Blair" at the Sarajevo Film Festival Saturday afternoon--the first full day of the fest. Attending the doc, about a person wrongly imprisoned for months in Abu Ghraib prison accused of trying to assassinate Tony Blair, was quite an experience in a town that has recently known war personally. One audience member commented that when the press was present during the war in Sarajevo in the '90s, she was told as a teen to make pop culture references so the people watching would relate to them as humans and not just as "some distant people in crisis." For his part, Tucker said screening "Blair" in New York or L.A. was a "challenge because the people [there] have never experienced war."

Sarajevo Film Festival Panorama section head programmer Howard Feinstein (and frequent indieWIRE contributor) with "Suely in the Sky" director Karim Ainouz at the opening evening cocktail party Friday night near the historic old town of the city in the grounds of a villa once used by former Yugoslavian dictator Marshall Tito when he was in town. Ainouz's Brazilian film, about a wayward woman who returns to her small town after living in Sao Paulo and takes on menial jobs before giving prostitution a round only to give that trade and men in general up... The screening took place in a packed outdoor screening in the courtyard of a fire station with surprisingly great acoustics. The atmosphere prior to the screening was very festive with music as well as people drinking beer and dancing in their apartment balconies overlooking the courtyard waiting for the film to begin. Following the screening, Ainouz commented, "In Brazil, it is often that the men leave and it's the women who are left behind. So I wanted to try and imagine how it is when the women leave... For me, it was also giving empowerment to women."

Even the food at the Locarno International Film Festival is part of the act. We couldn't decide between the impetuous, derivitive Tarantino ciabatta sandwich, or the more seasoned Coppola.

[From the iPOP Archive.] At the Toronto International Film Festival in September '06, is the late actor Ulrich Muhe (left), star of "The Lives of Others" with the film's director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (center) and Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard. Muhe, an acclaimed German actor who played a Stasi agent in the movie, died earlier this week of stomach cancer at the age of 54, five months after the film won the Oscar for best foreign language film. The Associated Press reported that Muhe died in Walbeck, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, quoting a town mayor. "Germany mourns an outstanding artist and a great personality," wrote German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a condolence letter to Muhe's widow, according to Spiegel Online. In the Guardian Unlimited, Shane Danielsen noted that Muhe is well known in his home country for "The Last Witness" (Der Letzte Zeuge), "a TV show screened on ZDF about a pathologist that's widely regarded as Germany's best crime series. For nine seasons, as the fastidious, melancholy Dr Robert Kolmaar, he displayed the same qualities of watchfulness and intelligence he bought to his role in 'The Lives of Others' - arguably the finest screen performance of 2006..."

Long Island, New York's Stony Brook Film Festival screened writer/director Michael Schroeder's "Man in the Chair" over the weekend (East Coast premiere). Stopping for a pose were: Alan Inkles, Stony Brook Film Festival Director; actor Christopher Plummer, Schroeder and actor M. Emmet Walsh. The 12th annual festival will close with Picturehouse's "Rocket Science."

As the 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival winds down, the competition handicapping has begun in earnest, with three films leading the pack. "Conversations With My Gardener" by Jean Becker (right), leapt out of the gate quickly, garnering a long standing ovation at the conclusion of its first public screening and generating heavy buzz around the festival. Becker's film, a touching story about two childhood friends who meet again in middle age when one works as the other's gardener and the performances of the two leads, Daniel Auteuil and Jean-Pierre Darroussin (center, next to the film's producer Louis Becker) are note perfect. That was early days, however and Baltasar Kormakur's crime thriller "Jar City" and Bard Breien's Norwegian black comedy "The Art of Negative Thinking" quickly gained positive word. While I saw and loved the Becker film (more in my festival wrap-up) the latter two seem to have the edge for the best film prize in an informal survey of attendees taken over the past few days. Oddly, according to one filmmaker I spoke with, competition jury president Peter Bart has been freely expressing his opinions on several films. Tsk, tsk, Peter! [Mark Rabinowitz]

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival might just be the best kept secret on the festival calendar, at least as far as the U.S. industry is concerned. Dozens of countries are represented, not only by films, but by acquisitions execs, film councils and agencies, sales agents and producers. All of these organizations have afternoon receptions and evening parties, so it's quite possible to eat and drink your way through the fest, gratis. More importantly, this is a showing of the importance accorded Karlovy Vary by groups from around the world and it would serve more US festivals and buyers to give the KVIFF a look see. Additionally. festivals from around the world send programmers here, but only a handful of these are U.S.-based. Denver's Ron Henderson is here, and Sundance's John Cooper and John Nein made the trip as did Film Society of Lincoln Center's Marian Masone and a few others, but many more fests could benefit from the exposure to the films and filmmakers here. Pictured at a party celebrating the South Korean competition film "Pruning the Grapevine" by Min Boung-Hun are Pusan International Film Festival executive director Kim Dong-Ho and KVIFF artistic director PhDr. Eva Zaoralova, widely considered the grande dame of the international film festival circuit. [Mark Rabinowitz]

One of the hottest late night haunts at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is Becher's Bar in the basement of the Grandhotel Pupp. Friends suggested that I request the pass that grants admission to this holiest of holy places on the KVIFF party circuit, but alas, I was informed that only Variety staff and sponsors were given said privilege. While, that's not strictly true it is indeed an exclusive joint and it's not a huge space. On Sunday, I ended up being escorted down to the Bar by a fest VIP and must admit, it rocks! I had a great time and some of the best conversations I've had at the fest before or since, including interesting explorations of the potential for blogs to help get the word out about small films and the viability of "day and date" as a distribution model. While the booze isn't free, there's a food spread that definitely hits the spot once 3 a.m. rolls around and a dance floor that had the likes of Baltasar Kormakur and festival president Jii Bartoka shaking their tail feathers until the wee hours and Magdalena Kaminska, promotions manager of Federico Films, posing fetchingly for me on one of the clubs banquettes. [Mark Rabinowitz]

In town to screen his 1971 road trip masterpiece "Two-Lane Blacktop," director Monte Hellman gave one of the best intros I've ever seen. He started off with a little joke: "Most filmmakers usually do not have the time to think about what the film is about; when people ask me I usually say about an hour and three quarters..." Many yuks ensued! To the delight of film fans everywhere, Hellman also announced an upcoming two-disc DVD from the Criterion Collection, for which he's been shooting new documentary material, including an interview with Kris Kristofferson about how his song, Me and Bobby McGee, and how its themes of freedom have become so closely associated with the film. Hellman also discussed the fact that because of the nature of the film, he was able to shoot it in sequence, but only gave the script to the actors page by page. Star James Taylor was not exactly enamored by that approach and "about halfway through the film [he] became upset about this and said he would mutiny and would not act any more unless I gave him the script," recounted Hellman, continuing "I gave him the script and he never read it. To this day he still has not seen the film." [Mark Rabinowitz]

The 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) kicked off on Friday with a day of screenings and a gala "black tie" party at the swanky Grandhotel Pupp, a five-star joint in this Czech spa town. Opening night film was Tom DiCillo's paparazzi dramedy, "Delirious," an award winner at last Fall's San Sebastian International Film Festival that stars Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman and Gina Gershon. None of the film's stars made the Czech trek, but director DiCillo was on hand, as were hundreds of other guests, including Greencine's David D'Arcy (left) and filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur (right, with whom I had an interesting conversation about Eli Roth's "Hostel 2" and other films of its ilk). For the record, Baltasar and I have little use for the genre, while David upholds their value to the filmic firmament. Kormakur is here with his latest film, "Jar City," one of my can't miss films of the festival. Buzz around the party was generally favorable for the DiCillo pic and it opens Stateside in August. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival continues through Saturday, July 7th. [Mark Rabinowitz]

San Francisco author Armistead Maupin took to the stage at the ornate Castro Theatre to host an onstage interview with his friend Robin Williams, who received the San Francisco International Film Festival's Peter J. Owens Award for acting. Maupin joked that handling Williams, who famously goes off on his comedic trances, was like "hearding cats." When not leaving the jammed theater in stitches of laughter, Williams praised San Francisco for giving him inspiration... "and I can walk the streets here and be a normal person" he said.

SFIFF 50: George Lucas took to the stage at the St. Francis Hotel to accept his one-time only Irving M. Levin Award from the San Francisco Film Society (named after the San Francisco International Film Festival's founder) at a splashy party, which also honored Robin Williams, Spike Lee and writer Peter Morgan. "I am out of the mainstream and I can do things that aren't too smart," said Lucas to laughs.

Director Spike Lee may have seemed a bit out of energy Wednesday night in San Francisco where he received the San Francisco Film Society's annual Directing Award, but we can empathize. iW happened to be on the same early morning flight from New York, which was delayed by over four hours because a bird had gotten caught in the engine of the plane, so there was quite a delay due to equipment change. But anyway, once in SF, it was right to the city's ornate Castro Theater where Lee was honored and participated in an onstage with Boston Globe critic Wesley Morris. After screen highlights of Lee's roster of features, Morris interviewed the director followed by some lively questions from the audience. "When you do something you love, it's not really work," Lee said of his job. He moved onto subjects ranging from Hurricane Katrina (excerpts of "When the Levees Broke" screened after the Q&A) as well as the current debate of using derogatory terms in hip hop ("constant use of this language doesn't elevate us"). But he returned to pleading for the Gulf Coast. "Please don't leave this theater thinking everything is OK in New Orleans. Things are still bad there and people feel abandoned by their government."

The "Beautiful Ohio" team of beautiful folks posed for a group shot before entering the Sarasota Film Festival's Filmmakers Tribute Dinner, where Chad Lowe and Michelle Trachtenberg were among those honored that night. From left to right, Director Chad Lowe, Producer Mark Burton, actress Michelle Trachtenberg, and actor David Call.

Legendary director Norman Jewison and Lynne St. David as they head in for the 2007 Sarasota Film Festival's Filmmakers' Tribute Dinner, where Jewison was honored with the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Filmmaking.

"Off The Grid: Life On The Mesa" filmmaker Randy Stulberg (left) shares a cute moment with Stan, one of the subjects of the documentary that she and her brother Jeremy directed, while "Orphans" director Ry Russo-Young rounds out the shot.

Sarasota Film Festival director of programming Tom Hall with his fiancee, Jessica Smith at the Night of a Thousand Stars party on Friday.

At the 2007 Sarasota Film Festival, "Quiet City" filmmaker Aaron Katz, "Hannah Takes The Stairs" actress Greta Gerwig and "Hannah" director Joe Swanberg strike a mischievous pose. Swansberg was sporting some cool makeup provided at the Independent Visions party on Thursday night at the Minxx Nightclub.

Docurama's Liz Ogilvie poses for an iPOP shot with "Helvetica" director Gary Hustwit at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

Chatting at a table during the A&E IndieFilms party during the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival are "Without the King" director and producer Michael Skolnik, with producer Paola Mendoza. The film, which had its world premiere at the festival, is a Red Envelope Entertainment production.

Filmmaker DA Pennebaker (left), at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival with "Bob Dylan: 65 Revisited," featuring unseen footage shot on a 1965 tour with Bob Dylan, during the making of "Don't Look Back," and "Control Room" director Jehane Noujaim.

Hanging out at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival are "Moving Midway" director Godfrey Cheshire (right) with the film's producer Jay Spain.

Performing on the opening night of the Dubai International Film Festival earlier this week is Mos Def, who reportedly celebrated his birthday during a party in the desert here later in the week.

Hanging out at an industry boat cruise luncheon at the Dubai International Film Festival are Violeta Bava from the Buenos Aires Festival International de Cine Independiente and Ivy Ho from the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum and the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Hanging out at an industry boat cruise luncheon at the Dubai International Film Festival are Violeta Bava from the Buenos Aires Festival International de Cine Independiente and Ivy Ho from the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum and the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

At the Dubai International Film Festival, prior to their festival industry discussion, are producer Dora Bouchoucha and Screen International's Colin Brown. The two discussed, among other topics, the state of Arab cinema today. Read more about their discussion in an indieWIRE dispatch from the festival. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

Filmmaker Bassam Al-Thawadi, director of "A Bahraini Tale," poses for a quick photo after his first screening at the Dubai International Film Festival in the United Arab Emirates. A powerful drama, the film explores a family story set during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967

Sir Sean Connery at the Bahamas International Film Festival, where he presented the Career Achievement Award to actor and director Nicolas Cage. Connery joked that working with Cage was one of his better experiences in the eleven years he's been acting. On a serious note, he added that "Nic" is a professional and brings a lot to the table.

Director Matt Bissonnette and Producer Corey Marr after the screening of their film, "Who Loves The Sun," which is in the Narrative Competition at the Bahamas International Film Festival. The film, starring Adam Scott, Lukas Haas, and Molly Parker, is a beautifully shot, intimate film about how a relationship between two previous best friends is torn apart when one of them sleeps with the other's wife.

(Left to Right) Filmmaker Matt Winn, who is in the Narrative Competition at the Bahamas International Film Festival with his film, "January 2nd," with fellow filmmaker Joe Angio, who is in the Documentary Competition with "How To Eat Watermelon In White Company" and Producer, Entertainment Attorney and BIFF Advisory Board member Steven Beer. While some of us gathered for drinks at trendy Nobu tourists and film festival attendees gambled at the casino in the background.

Actor and Director Nicolas Cage accepts a Career Achievement Award at the 3rd Annual Bahamas International Film Festival to a packed house at the Atlantis Theater this past Friday. Cage was given the award by fellow actor Sir Sean Connery, who at a moderated discussion afterwards, started off the Q&A with the audience by asking Cage jokingly, "If you are a method actor but you are not that smart, how do you play a very intelligent person?"

Filmmaker Miguel Antonio Drayton mingles at the Bahamas International Film Festival happy hour on Saturday at Club Waterloo. Drayton is in the Carribean Spotlight section of BIFF with his film "From Barbados With Love," which follows a hunter stalking a monkey that is terrorizing Barbados.

International Emerging Talent Film Festival chief Max Ryerson along with filmmaker Jennifer Perrot and Fortissimo Films' Courtney Noble were among the two-dozen or so filmmakers, industry etc. in Amsterdam attending the True/False, SXSW and BritDocs dinner during IDFA on Monday night. The IETFF will launch its inaugural event in the Prinicpality of Monaco next May prior to the Festival de Cannes, and should be a rip-roaring good time.

"The Trials of Darryl Hunt" co-director Annie Sundberg (co-directed by Ricki Stern) traveled to IDFA with her new project, "The Devil Came on Horseback," which is part of the event's FORUM, a co-financing project. Sundberg, pictured with SXSW Film Festival producer Matt Dentler, joined the gang at the True/False, SXSW, BritDocs dinner near Amsterdam's Red Light District for some truly scrumptious Indonesian food (Just a little history lesson: The Netherlands was once what is now Indonesia's colonial ruler). "Darryl" was recently put on the Oscar shortlist for documentary and is a Spirit Award nominee.

Director Paul Taylor (left) and producer Teddy Leifer attended the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) for the world premiere of their project, "We Are Together" (Thina simunye), which was one of the favorites of IDFA audiences and industry alike. The film captures the lives of children in Africa who are orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic, but have banned together to form a choir that has become a source of hope and endurance.

Director/brother team Marc Francis (left) and Nick Francis attending the dinner hosted by the True/False Film Festival, SXSW and BritDocs Monday night in Amsterdam. Their film, "Black Gold," which screened in IDFA's Reflecting Images: Panorama section, takes a look at the human face of the worldwide coffee industry turning the lens on the places where it is grown.

"Iraq in Fragments" director James Longley (left) joined journalist Karen Cirillo (Dox Magazine) and "51 Birch Street" director Doug Block (who is serving on one of this year's jury) at the EDN party in Amsterdam as part of IDFA. Longley's "Sari's Mother" is playing in the festival and has been talked up by festival attendees. While making the short in Iraq, Longley was threatened and had to curtail the film.

Celebrated doc filmmaker Alan Berliner gave a talk on his Top 10 films currently screening at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which included a heavy round of films from the very early days of cinema. His latest insomnia-themed film "Wide Awake" is also screening as part of a festival retrospective. Berliner spoke at Debaile, IDFA's popular headquarters.

IDFA head Ally Derks and managing director Cees van 't Hullenaar stopped in for a quick pick while circulating at the EDN party Sunday night in Amsterdam. The party was quite a "festive" one, and many a European stood on chairs to give sloshed toasts. A good one indeed...

Sometimes you just got to take matters into your own hands... At the European Documentary Network (EDN) party in Amsterdam, the bartenders (actually, we assume that some existed at one point) either just joined the party or perhaps went on strike or something, but none were to be found. So "Kurt Cobain: About a Son" director AJ Schnack and SilverDocs programmer Skye Sitney went on the noble search for a wine bottle opener behind the bar, and came to the rescue of many thirsty party goers...

Doc filmmaker Peter Wintonick ("Cinema Verite: Defining the Moment") shares a light moment with the head of the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), Ally Derks at the conclusion of the fest's first night time "Talk Show," which Wintonick hosts. The format is rather informal, and includes a hodge-podge of interviews with filmmakers, and this year--three minute quick rants and raves from film critics and other journalists talking about whatever they feel compelled to do. iW's Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks did the first of these, highlighting favs on the recently released Oscar documentary short list and also pointing out a couple of films that didn't appear on the list.

The First Appearance Jury made, pictured here, made their introductions along with IDFA's other juries on the first night of the nightly "talk show" hosted by doc filmmaker Peter Wintonick ("The Street: A Film with the Homeless"). The nightly event is held in the festival's very smoky headquarters, and attracts a large number of festival audiences who join the informal chat and sipping (or guzzling) wine and beer. Pictured here is juror Doug Block (with microphone), whose "51 Birch Street" is playing at the festival. Also on the First Appearance Jury this year are filmmaker Astrid Bussink ("The Anglemakers"), Thessaloniki Documentary Festival founder and Reykjavik International Film Festival programmer, Dimitri Eipides, the European Documentary Network's Cecilia Lidin and Russian journalist, Andrei Plakhov.

The High Falls Film Festival's Susan B. Anthony "Failure Is Impossible" Award recipients Famke Janssen (who was also on hand for the screening of "The Treatment") and Shirley Knight (in for her film "Open Window") are flanked by festival executive director Cindy Sobieraj, artistic director Catherine Wyler (daughter of legendary director William), and festival director/programmer Ruth Cowing. Janssen spoke of the honor of being recognized with an award named after a woman who gave so much strength and drive for woman's equality in the world.

Producer Anastasia King brought her "American Blackout" (directed by Ian Inaba) subject, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and McKinney's chief of staff Adrienne Cole up to the High Falls Film Festival, which ended last weekend. The film won the audience award for best documentary which prompted artistic director Catherine Wyler to note, “The audience's choice of this film about says a lot about the state and strong political feelings going in our country right now. It is very exciting to watch.”

Actor Ian Somerhalder, actor/producer David Strathairn and writer/director Aaron J. Wiederspahn celebrate the US premiere of "The Sensation of Sight" at the 29th Starz Denver Film Festival's Late Night Lounge. See the bottle in David's hand? VERY important in the Miler High City. SDFF is currently underway.

Istvan Szabo at the European Film Promotion party Monday evening at the Pusan International Film Festival, the Hungarian filmmaker is the head of the New Currents jury this year.

Producer Trish Lake and writer/director Liselle Mei are participating in the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP), which brings together filmmakers and financiers etc. (modeled on No Borders or CineMart) with their project "Red Earth." Ben Stambler also hung out at a party, attending the festival doing the acquisitions thing for Magnolia Pictures. He's next off to the Tokyo Film Festival in a few days... Lucky guy!

Hanging out en masse in Pusan at a party for "In Between Days," which is screening at the festival, the crew and friends of festival film "Big River" stake out a nice booth at U2 bar, which sports some great graffiti. Left to right: director Atsushi Funahashi, Leonardo Nam (actor, "Room 10"), Julian Chang Zolkin (producer), filmmaker Quentin Lee ("Ethan Mao"), Doris Ng (programmer of Cine Asia), LA Asian Pacific Film Festival programmers Abe Ferrer and Taro Goto, and filmmaker Kevin Lee.

Filmmaker Mora Stephens is in Pusan with her latest project, "38th Parallel," which is taking part in the festival's Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP). Her previous film, "The Conventioneers" will open soon in the United States and screened at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. Joining Stephens at a party in Pusan is Tribeca programmer David Kwok, who is dutifully wearing a "guest" sticker frequently required of party guests here.

Korean Film Council (KOFIC) chair An Cheong Sook (left) and Pusan International Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho making the rounds Friday night at various fest parties. An is quite ubiquitous on the festival circuit worldwide promoting Korean film. Kim took center stage later in the weekend for the opening of the inaugural Asian Film Market.

"A Bittersweet Life" director Kim Ji-woon and actor Lee Byung-hun at a party over the weekend at the Pusan International Film Festival. Fans often mobbed the pair for pictures.

Korean director Kim Daeseung's "Traces of Love" opened the 11th Pusan International Film Festival Thursday night with a huge crowd of 5,000 packing the outdoor venue at a Pusan yacht club. The film's star, Yu Ji-tae, pictured here getting interviewed, was the object of many teenage girl screams both at the screening and at the after-party held seaside at the Paradise Hotel along Pusan's (also called Busan for some reason) resort waterfront.

Korean film production company LJ were among the list of parties taking place in Pusan over the weekend, showcasing their latest. LJ chose local bar U2 for its celebration of "My Friend & His Wife," playing in Pusan International Film Festival's Korean Cinema Today section, for its party. Pictured left to right are producer Lee Seung-jae, actor Park Hee-soon, director Shin Dong-il, actress Hong So-hee and actor Jang Hyun-sung. After the regular clientele were allowed in later that evening, it became quite apparent it was a popular gathering place for Pusan's expat population to let their hair down.

With white gloves on and following a bevy of speeches and well-wishes, Pusan International Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho, Market director Park Kwang-su and Pusan Mayor Hur Nam-sik (roughly in the middle) are joined by several Korean actors and film industry officials for the cutting of the ribbon Sunday morning, marking the official start of the first Asian Film Market. As with most official events here, there was a big crush of media taking in every moment. The Asian Film Market continues though October 18 alongside the PIFF.

Aleksandr Sokurov ("Russian Ark") and Hronn Marinosdottir at Icelandic Film Centre dinner during the Reykjavik International Film Festival.

Dagur Kari ("Noi Albinoi") and Louise Hojgaard Johansen at Bessastadir, during the Reykjavik International Film Festival.

"Family Reunion" director Isold Uggadottir (left) and lead actress Adalbjorg Arnadottir hang out at the Icelandic presidential compound where Canadian director Atom Egoyan was honored during the Reykjavik International Film Festival last week. Their short recently played at the IFP Market and the Palm Springs Short Film Fest.

"Puccini for Beginners" director Maria Maggenti and star Elizabeth Reaser give a smile at the opening night after-party in downtown Los Angeles for Outfest last Thursday. Prior to the screening, Outfest honored director Kenneth Anger ("Scorpio Rising") and announced an extension of the festival's program for film preservation for gay titles, which it organizes with the UCLA film and television archive.

Producer Jon Marcus ("Party Monster") with friend Josh Barry (right) at the opening night of Outfest: the Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in downtown LA last Thursday night. Following the opening night screening of "Puccini for Beginners" at the Orpheum Theater, the fest through a bash in a large outdoor space near the cinema serving up food from local restaurants and hosting a silent auction to raise funds for the event.

More from LAFF '06: A trio of "Little Miss Sunshine" leads taking a few shots for the cameras following the LAFF closing night screening of their film, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The fest had its closing night party at the Wadsworth Theatre near Brentwood outside and had some great Greek delights.

More from LAFF '06: "Ira & Abby" producer Brad Zions (left) and co-writer and film star Jennifer Westfeldt (right) with festival head of programming Rachel Rosen and John Hamm. The film won the Audience Award for best narrative feature.

More from LAFF '06: "The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell: The History Of New America, Part 1." Actor Paul Whitty, associate producer Scott Addison Clay, and co-director Jonny Gillett taking in the scene at the closing night of the Los Angeles Film Festival.

NY Times Crossword editor Will Shortz hosting a crossword challenge in the Cinema Lounge after the screening of Patrick Creadon's "Wordplay" at SilverDocs. Shortz is a subject in the popular film, which opened recently in New York and will debut in Los Angeles this coming weekend.

Herold Noel, subject of Dan Lohaus' "When I Came Home" and Chris "Kazi" Rolle, subject of "Word. Life: The Hip Hop Project" (Scott Rosenberg and Matt Ruskin) between screenings at SilverDocs.

Roger Ebert bookended by the two divas (Marni Nixon and Pauline Malefane) who brought their own special panache to the Pulitzer Prize winning critic's 8th annual Overlooked Film Festival, where its host received the University of Illinois' Alumni Achievement Award. Nixon (left) was the singing voice of Audrey Hepburn in the fest's opener, the Jim Katz/Robert Harris restored 70mm print of George Cukor's "My Fair Lady." Malefane, stars in the 2005 Berlinale Golden Bear winner, "U-Carmen."

No slappin' happening at the entrance of this building. "American Blackout" director Ian Inaba and U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney take some questions from the press while supporters chant in the background ahead of a screening of the film in Sarasota. There was suppose to be a planned protest in front of the office of Sarasota Congresswoman Katherine Harris (Harris, who served as Florida's Secretary of State in 2000, ratified Florida's vote for George W. Bush) along with a pro-Harris counterprotest, but that didn't quite pan out. Still, Sarasota Film Festival honoree Robert Altman took it upon himself to take a jab at Harris later that night from the stage at the closing ceremonies.

"Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, OR" director Peter Richardson and Wellspring's Marie Therese Guirgis on stage at the closing gala in Sarasota. Richardson's film won the jury prize for best documentary at the festival, which includes $5,000. Guirgis served on the docs jury this year at the Sarasota Film Festival.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog (middle) at an afternoon cocktail in his honor at the Sarasota Film Festival last week along with the fest's executive director Jody Kielbasa (right). Herzog received Sarasota's World Cinema Master Award and a film retrospective at the fest. Joining Herzog and Kielbasa under a ray of bright Florida sunshine is "Huldufolk" (Folk) director Nisha Inalsingh, whose film about the legend of elves living in Iceland's expanisve back country, screened in the documentary competition.

Braving the warm Florida evening, Sarasota Film Festival director of programming Tom Hall (left) joins the cocktail party with coat and tie along with "Sweetland" director Ali Selim prior to the closing night gala at the Logboat Key Club and Resort. The evening saw a host of famous people (and those who look famous) at the event, which was also a fundraiser for the fest.

Bringing in some star wattage at the Sarasota Film Festival's gala tribute dinner Saturday night in Sarasota, FL, Robert Altman, Robert Towne and producer Paula Wagner meet up on the red carpet for a chit chat. The ceremony continued inside with tributes going to the three along with William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman who also attended. Altman thanked the audience for their support, and also launced into a bit of an attack against Congresswoman Katherine Harris (she represents Sarasota in the House of Representatives), who as Sec'y of State of Florida in 2000, ratified the Florida vote for George W. Bush.

Actors William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman were among the honrees Saturday evening in Sarasota for the Filmmakers Tribute dinner. Huffman and Macy received festival accolades, and chatted casually with invited guests who paid $300 per person to attend the fundraising gala.

Hanging out together at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Friday night in Durham, NC are filmmaker Stanley Nelson, who screened a sneak preview of his new film "Jonestown" and filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris, here with his film "Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela."

At the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival this weekend in Durham, NC, Branford Marsalis performs. The show came during a special program, dubbed "For New Orleans," that included a screening of St. Clair Bourne 1989 film, "New Orleans Brass" about brass bands in the city, followed by a discussion between the filmmaker and Branford and Ellis Marsalis III. After the chat, Branford Marsalis played a short set.

"American Blackout" director Ian Inaba (left) shares a pose with arts patron George Gund (and CIFF founding trustee) at the awards ceremony for the Cleveland International Film Festival. The film won the Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition Award. The prize, created in memory of George Gund's late son, honors films with social conscience and activism.

"Camp Out" co-director Larry Grimaldi shares a cocktail and a chat with Cleveland International Film Festival staffer Diana Greenberg at a festival party last weekend. "Camp Out" was definitely a fest favorite and one film we hope to see at future fests. iW thanks Greenberg for taking such good care of us. She was also voted top woman about town by a local paper. You Go Girl!

Director Andrew Shapter (left) and producer Joel Rasmussen at Tower City Cinemas following the Q&A for their film "Before the Music Dies," which screened at the 30th Cleveland International Film Festival. Their film is an indictment against the major recording industry labels and its practice of rewarding image over talent. The film also encourages artists to seek out independent distribution (hmm, sounds familiar)...

Filmmaker Lisa Gossels (left) who produced, directed and edited the Emmy Award-winning "The Children of Chabannes" and executive producer Mari-Lynn Evans, whose work includes many television and video programs such as "Living Well: A Guide to Healthy Aging," "Changes" and "The Appalachians" were a great jury team. indieWIRE's Brian Brooks also served on the doc jury at the 30th Cleveland International Film Festival. "Iraq in Fragments" won best doc, while "A Lion in the House" won a special jury mention. We decided that we'd like to become a professional doc jury team (OK, not really).

At True False, "Sisters In Law" subjects Vera Ngassa prosecutor an Beatrice Ntuba, judge who work together in support of young abused women in Cameroon.

At the filmmaker's dinner at the True/False Film Festival, Sundance '06 alums Nick Francis ("Black Gold") and Ian Inaba ("American Blackout") pose for a photo.

Mark Lewis introduces a screening of his "Show Cattle" doc at a special True/False Film Festival screening held at the old Columbia Livestock Auction site.

On board the bus to the "Reel Gone Round-Up," at True/False, Dandelion Junk Queens perform.

Hanging out as they sample snacks and drinks at the "Reality Bites" reception prior to the opening night film at the True/False Film Festival, are Docurama/New Video's Liz Ogilvie, a/k/a Tommy Chong director Josh Gilbert and "Been Rich All My Life director Heather Lyn MacDonald.

Pictured at the "Reality Bites" reception, featuring food from local Columbia, MO restaurants prior to the opening night film, are director of the event's closing night film "Homemade Hillbilly Jam," Rick Minnich (right), with the film's rep, Sarah Jo Marks.

Prior to each screening at the True/False Film Festival, a host of musicians entertain documentary lovers as they settle into their seats. Prior to the opening night screening, Curtis Eller plucked his banjo and stomped his feet, while images from local newspaper photographers were displayed behind him.

At the opening night of the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri last night, Ward Serrill, director of "The Heart of the Game," introduces a rousing screening of his documentary about women's basketball at a Seattle high school. The film was a major hit with the 1,200 people who saw it at the Missouri Theater, winning a standing ovation from the full house at the end of the showing. Serrill beaming with pride on stage quipped that "this is the smallest town, the biggest theater and the most raucous audience" he has screened for.

Katie Purnell from BritDoc with Yogi Graham from Current TV, at the "Red Light Dinner" Sunday night in Amsterdam's Red Light District. Graham is in town for the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) as an acquisitions exec for the network, founded by the rightful president of the United States, Al Gore. The dinner was co-hosted by Purnell's BritDoc and the True/False Film Festival.

A group of filmmakers and such took part in a dinner hosted by BritDoc and the True/False Film Festival (with a little indieWIRE input too) at an Indonesian restaurant near Amsterdam's famed Red Light District. Most of the negotitations this evening, however, centered around making contacts and having wine (plenty of it) and some great Indonesian fare (although vegetarians beware: the faux chicken turned out to be the full-on cluck cluck cluck!) Enjoying a little quality time here is BritDoc co-founder Jess Search and Norwegian produer Lars B. Loge from Filmmer Film.

"The Real Dirt on Farmer John" director Taggart Siegel chats with Paul Sturtz from the True/False Film Festival at the Red Light Dinner.

At the "Red Light Dinner" hosted by the True/False Film Festival & BritDoc (with support from indieWIRE), IDFA Silver Wolf jurors Cyril Neyrat (left) from Cahiers du cinema (and the FID Marseilles), "Georgi and the Butterflies" director Andrey Paounov, and Elena Fortes from Ambulante in Mexico, pose for an iPOP shot.

"The Real Dirt on Farmer John" is one of our favorites screening at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The film, which premiered last winter at Slamdance, is terrific! ADM be damned -- farming is art! The film's subject, John Peterson (right) told us that one of his favorite screenings was at a corn field near downtown Los Angeles. Angelenos may recall this particular patch of corn was the subject of a recent porn "scandal" that made the local news -- although that was after the screening of "Real Dirt." John is pictured here with the film's director Taggart Siegel after the screening of their film at the City Theatres. We love Farmer John's boa too.

One particularly favorite IDFA doc (although it's played along the fest circuit as well) was Marshall Curry's "Street Fight," which chronicles the most recent and nasty mayoral race in Newark, New Jersey. It was quite rivetting. IDFA even held a panel with a group of Dutch mayors to discuss the film (apparently, mayors are not elected in The Netherlands). We would've loved to have attended it, but it was all in Dutch. Pictured with him is Irene Lusztig of "The Samantha Smith Project," which is also playing in the festival (we haven't seen it yet).

Newly installed Hot Docs programming director Sean Farnel is in Amsterdam for IDFA, attending one of the fest's ubiquitous afternoon events along with Sheffield International Film Festival programmer, Sirkka Moeller. As an aside, smoking indoors is definitely allowed in Amsterdam.

IDFA has a terrific happy hour with only 1 euro wine and beer, and the folks from Silverdocs and the Tribeca fests (and us) were at De Balie, the festival's headquarters, to partake in some afternoon inspiration. Pictured from left to right are Tribeca Film Festival programmer Nancy Schafer, b>Amy Dotson from Silverdocs, director Liz Mermin, who attended IDFA last year with her doc "The Beauty Academy of Kabul," and is here this year to participate in the Forum, and new Silverdocs programmer, Sky Sitney.

On opening night at IDFA this year, Beatrice Ntuba and Verga Ngassa (left to right) with Mary Milton and the film's co-director Kim Longinotto on the opening night of IDFA this year. For more on the film, check out indieWIRE's Dispatch from the IDFA.

IDFA festival director Ally Derks (right) with Women Make Movies' executive director Debbie Zimmerman (center) and Diane Weyermann, EVP of doc production at Participant Productions, hanging out together at the American Hotel during Friday's evening Talk of the Day.

Reykjavik International Film Festival director Hronn Marinosdottir (right) has propelled her festival into a first-class operation (along with the whole staff) in its two years, and she works with a host of high profile fellow Icelandics including programming committee member Dagur Kari Petursson ("Noi Albinoi") pictured here at a dinner hosted by the city of Reykjavik. Sumptuous organized dinners occurred almost nightly (at least at the beginning when we were there) followed by fun nights on the town.

While there were a dirth of Americans at the 2nd Reykjavik International Film Festival, the Canadians came en force thanks in part to Film Circuit head Cam Haynes (left) who helped represent the Great White North's films at the event. Pictured here with Cam is Velcrow Ripper, director of documentary "ScaredSacred," currently screening in several Canadian cities and is slated for a theatrical run starting January in the United States. (The Canadian crew were great fun to hang out with too).

Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami was honored by Icelandic president Olafur Ragnar Grimsson at his official residence outside Reykjavik known as Bessastadir. After some initial hesitation, Kiarostami thanked the president and the people of Iceland. "I will always remember Reykjavik," he told the crowd in English. Prior to the ceremony inside the residence, people were milling about sipping champagne and talking. Grimsson at one point approached the podium signaling the start of the ceremony, but people kept on with their socializing, prompting the president to clap his hands three times, thus instantly hushing the room.

Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami was honored by Icelandic president Olafur Ragnar Grimsson at his official residence outside Reykjavik known as Bessastadir. After some initial hesitation, Kiarostami thanked the president and the people of Iceland. "I will always remember Reykjavik," he told the crowd in English. Prior to the ceremony inside the residence, people were milling about sipping champagne and talking. Grimsson at one point approached the podium signaling the start of the ceremony, but people kept on with their socializing, prompting the president to clap his hands three times, thus instantly hushing the room.

Nevermind the grim faces, Polish born director Pawel Pawlikowski ("My Summer of Love") who headed this year's Reykjavik International Film Festival jury and programmer Dimitri Eipides had a terrific time at the gallery showing of Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's photo series, "The Roads" outside of the Icelandic capital. Guests served themselves up some tasty wine and cheese (yes, it's possible to get all the goods in Iceland) and checked out the exhibit. Kiarostami also made a short inspired by the photos which depict rural roads in Iran, which had its European premiere at the festival.

"Garcon Stupide" director Lionel Baier and Reykjavik International Film Festival guest coordinator Hanna Bjork Valsdottir outside Iceland's president's official residence Bessastadir braving the wind and cold following a ceremony honoring Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. Iceland separated from the Danish crown in June, 1944.

"Backstage" director Emmanuelle Bercot (right) did press at the French Lunch, hosted by Unifrance at popular Toronto eatery Prego on steamy hot Monday afternoon, with the film's star Emmanuelle Seigner. Their Contemporary World Cinema feature exposes the "dark side of celebrity worship through the mind of a teenager enthralled by larger-than-life images of fame and worship," according to the Toronto catalog. The film is Bercot's directorial debut.

Finally, a politician we can be proud of! San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom on stage at the DGA after a screening of "Pursuit of Equality", with the filmmakers Mike Shaw and Geoff Callan. The film documents the period leading up to and during period last year when Newsom authorized the city to grant same-sex marriage licenses. To say the least, Newsom. Who stayed after the screening to mix with the crowd chatting, and taking photos with fans, was treated like a rock star. Also pictured here are some of the many people who received marriage licenses during that short time. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE.

Filmmaker and fest juror Allan Brocka ("Eating Out") poses on the red carpet at the outdoor "Happy Endings" party hosted by Miss Sixty/Energie. Checking out the shot on the camera display after it was taken, he chuckled, "I looks like I have to pee..." Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE.

Director Abe Sylvia with radio host Cary Harrison ("Harrison on the Edge") and actor Clay Adkins ("Feltch Sanders"). Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE.

The pre-premiere party at filmmaker Todd Holland's home. "Hard Pill" writer/director/producer John Baumgartner here with new fan, director/writer Bill Condon, who expressed his appreciation of the film after seeing it. Photo by Todd Holland.

Producer Andrea Sperling with filmmaker Jamie Babbitt ("But I'm A Cheerleader"). Babbit's new film, "The Quiet" is set to screen next month at the Toronto International Film Festival. Posing for iPOP on Outfest opening night, Jamie planted a wet one on Andrea's lips, before the two headed home to their baby. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE.

The ladies from "Red Doors," winners of two awards at Outfest, kick off the festival at the VIP opening night party, from left to right: Georgia Lee, Jane Chen, and Mia Riverton. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE.