From the "On The Scene" Archives:
ON THE SCENE Articles Listed By Date
London Fest Honors Winners and Hits the Road With Tour
The London Film Festival, which wrapped in the British capital this weekend, has hit the road. The event is presenting screenings in a number of U.K. cities through November 23. Over the weekend, organizers announced the festival winners before taking the show on the road. Eugene Hernandez reports. (November 13, 2003)
iPOP at the 23rd Hawaii International Film Festival
Regular contributing writer Jonny Leahan scored a nice gig and attended the 23rd Hawaii International Film Festival. Among those pictured were the festival's executive director Chuck Boller as well as festival participants Doan La, director of "Dragon Love," "The Ride" director and star Nathan Kurosawa and Sean Kaawa. The film had its world premiere at the event. Also making a blast from the past, "Hawaii Five-O" star James McArthur. (November 13, 2003)
Mission Accomplished: Hawaii International Film Festival Promotes "Cultural Understanding Through Film" for its 23rd Year
The Hawaii International Film Festival, presented by Louis Vuitton Hawaii, completed its 23rd-annual event this past Sunday, screening 167 films from a record 34 countries. Held on Oahu from October 30 - November 9, the festival has become known as an important gateway for films from both the East and the West. Providing a refreshing break from the celebrity-driven madness that often dominates other film festivals, HIFF has the distinct advantage of being held in a relaxing tropical setting that offsets much of the frenzy often associated with these types of events. Jonny Leahan reports. (November 13, 2003)
Raindance Lights a "Fuse" With Winners From 11th Fest
The 11th Raindance Film Festival wrapped this weekend, with the jury naming Pjer Zalica's "Fuse" from Bosnia-Herzegovina the best feature. "Fuse," set in the tiny village of Tesanj, is about the corruption found after the war, and what happens with the American president comes to visit the region. Raindance's audience award went to Mark Munden's "Miranda" (U.K.), starring John Simm, Christina Ricci, John Hurt, and Kyle MacLachlan. Wendy Mitchell reports on these and other winners. (November 12, 2003)
"The Triplets of Belleville" "Girl with a Pearl Earring" Highlight 12th St. Louis International Film Festival
The 12th annual St. Louis International Film Festival will open with Sylvain Chomet's "The Triplets of Belleville" on November 13th, kicking off a ten-day festival featuring 178 films from 31 countries, most of which are St. Louis premieres. The event will screen the films in 93 programs including specially focused sidebars such as the Sundance Channel American independent sidebar as well as others. Brian Brooks reports. (November 10, 2003)
NYU Showcases the Works of Student Filmmakers Worldwide
From October 25th through 31st, NYU held its 6th Tisch School of the Arts International Student Film Festival. The event successfully showed over 100 documentary, narrative, and experimental films. NYU faculty members are in charge of this event, which happens every other year. The student shorts that competed in the festival came from universities in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, China, Croatia, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey. Ali Gitlow reports. (November 06, 2003)
To Kiarostami or Not To Kiarostami: Iranian Cinema in Transition at Chicago's 14th Festival of Films From Iran
Abbas Kiarostami did not attend the 14th annual Festival of Films from Iran at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center (Oct. 4 - Nov. 2). And not a single one of Kiarostami's films played at the event. But the presence of the master of Iranian cinema was eminently felt. Kiarostami emerged as the benchmark against which all Iranian filmmakers are judged. "There has been a pressure to emulate that Kiarostami touch, which, of course, is impossible," said Mani Haghighi, the director of "Abadan," which was an unprecedented world premiere for Chicago's Festival of Films from Iran, the longest-running annual Iranian film series in the U.S. Anthony Kaufman reports in indieWIRE's biweekly world cinema report. (November 05, 2003)
Film Academy Awards $250,000 In Grants to 17 U.S. Festivals
Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has awarded grants to 17 film festivals across the country for 2004. The Academy's Festival Grants Committee will give, in total, $250,000. Two festivals will collect $30,000, five will get $20,000, one will be given $15,000, six will receive $10,000, and three will get $5,000. Since this program was established six years ago, 78 festivals have been granted funding. Ali Gitlow reports. (November 05, 2003)
Berlinale To Look Back at Hollywood In The 60's and 70's
Organizers of the 54th Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, have announced that the retrospective for the 2004 edition of the event will be: "New Hollywood 1967 - 1976. Trouble in Wonderland." The program will, in the words of a festival announcement yesterday "bring a wonderful decade of cinematic art back to the screen." Eugene Hernandez reports. (November 05, 2003)
iPOP at the 2003 Vienna International Film Festival
The Austrians, as evidenced by this year's 41st Vienna International Film Festival (or Viennale), take their films seriously, but not so seriously that they won't stay out til 4 a.m. most nights of the film festival. Nearly every night of the Viennale, industry guests, festival staffers, and Austrian film lovers could be found out til the wee hours at festival dinners, parties, or live music and DJ events. This year's Viennale attracted a number of high-profile guests, including Japanese directors in town for the ATG retrospective, American directors including Sofia Coppola, as well as many Austrian and European directors and actors. Wendy Mitchell reports. (November 04, 2003)
Viennale 2003; Impressive Films, Warm Welcomes, and Late Nights
The Viennale, or Vienna International Film Festival, is among the world's friendliest film events. The festival's astounding hospitality coupled with its depth of programming should make it a must-attend stop on the European circuit. In its 43rd year, a record 75,200 people attended the Viennale's screenings of 302 films. That's nearly the perfect size to feel like a major film event, but not so huge that you lose the personal touch or the ability to keep things well organized and on schedule. Wendy Mitchell reports on the late-night scene in Vienna and some program highlights. (November 04, 2003)
MoMA Celebrates German Cinema With Three Film Series
This year's celebration of German films, presented by the MoMA Film at the Gramercy Theatre, will encompass three different exhibitions. Kino 2003: New German Films includes 10 features recently emerging from Germany as well as a night of student shorts which will take place from November 6th through 16th. Das Neue Kino: 25 Years of New German Cinema will celebrate seminal films from renowned directors, and is happening from November 16th into January 2004. Margarethe von Trotta: A Retrospective will showcase four films by this lauded female writer-director, and will be screened from November 6th through 30th. (November 03, 2003)
Margaret Mead Doc Fest To Present 27 Films In New York
New York's American Museum of Natural History will house the 27th Annual Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival from November 6-9 with some repeat screenings on the 15th and 16th. The festival boasts a lineup of 27 films from 17 countries. The opening-night film, Tom Zubrycki's "Molly and Mobarak," is set in Australia and tells the story of an Afghan refugee unable to choose between loves for his homeland and an Australian woman. Ali Gitlow reports. (November 03, 2003)
IDFA Sets Slate for 2003 Doc Festival
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), one of the world's major documentary film festivals, will take place from November 20-30 this year with over 200 documentaries slated to be screened. Organizers unveiled the lineup for the festival at a press conference this week. Claiborne Smith reports. (October 30, 2003)
Sixteenth Virginia Film Festival Shows the Money, and the Movies
Autumn in Charlottesville, Va., is truly a site to behold and this year was no exception; the Blue Ridge Mountains painted a stunning backdrop for the 16th annual Virginia Film Festival and film lovers came out by the thousands to see good films. The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson and located in the visually stunning and surprisingly cosmopolitan city of Charlottesville, was once again host to the fest from October 23-26. This year's theme was "Money," with more than films unspooling over the four-day non-competitive event, accompanied by panels, parties, exhibits and performances. Scott Mactavish reports. (October 30, 2003)
Film Arts Fest To Highlight Bay Area Filmmakers
The 19th-annual Film Arts Festival of Independent Cinema will begin today in San Francisco and will run until November 2. The fest spotlights independent filmmakers of the Bay Area, whose works span from narrative features to documentaries to shorts. The festival will also hold several workshops. Ali Gitlow reports. (October 30, 2003)
A "Great Place," Even With Growing Pains; The Hamptons International Film Festival
"This has been really incredible," Hamptons International Film Festival executive director Denise Kassell beamed as she gave my colleague and I a lift to a Saturday night dinner hosted by New Line in support of their film "Elf" (which screened as a spotlight film during the festival). The dinner was held at Nick and Toni's, an East Hampton hot spot frequented by the charmed enclave's posh residents. "So long in the making, yet over so quickly" I responded to Kassell. The event had just awarded its prizes, among the richest in America, including the $180,000 Golden Starfish Award for best narrative to Kirk Davis for "Screen Door Jesus," ending four days of screenings, parties, panels and events, although screenings were again held on Sunday. Brian Brooks reports. (October 29, 2003)
iPOP at the 11th Hamptons International Film Festival
"The Cooler," which opened the 11th Hamptons International Film Festival set the tone for the opening night party in Montauk with an appropriately Las Vegas-themed evening with showgirls, gambling (for tokens) and an overall kitsch atmosphere. Alec Baldwin and co-star Maria Bello partied on opening night, at Guerney's Inn in Montauk, although most people stayed inside to escape the freezing rain. Filmmakers, industry and celebs were out and about all through the 4-day event packed with parties and screenings throughout the Hamptons, although most events were held near East Hampton. Director/actor Campbell Scott came out for his film "Off the Map," while actress Joan Allen made appearances at some of the festival's many parties. (October 29, 2003)
GFI Sets Plans for 12 City Global Lens U.S. Tour
The Global Film Initiative has announced that it's new program, Global Lens: New Cinema From the Developing World, will expand into a year-long event. The series will travel to 12 U.S. locations showcasing 10 films in each city after debuting at the MoMA Film at the Gramercy Theater in New York from November 13 - 30. The program will include an educational outreach component, with a contact in each city to work with local high schools. Ali Gitlow reports. (October 28, 2003)
MIX Festival Says "Resistance Is Fertile" For 17th Year
MIX, the New York Lesbian & Gay Experimental Film/Video Festival, will return for its 17th year of underground programming and risqué parties November 19-23 in New York. As the longest running queer festival in New York, MIX will include a variety of features and shorts programs, including veteran filmmaker Barbara Hammer's new doc "Resisting Paradise." Karl Beck looks at the programming highlights. (October 27, 2003)
Mountain Views and 300+ Films On Display at 22nd Vancouver Festival
A few clouds and raindrops of the otherwise sunny early-autumn weather didn't dampen the spirits of the more than 150,000 filmgoers who attended the 22nd annual Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), which ran September 25 to October 10. Vancouver, Canada's third largest city, a world-class beauty with startling mountain views peeking in between glittering skyscrapers, recently won its bid to co-host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Hopefully smart film lovers will get to this festival far sooner than that. This year's festival was a dream for filmgoers, offering 324 films. Deborah Sacharoff reports. (October 24, 2003)
iPOP at the New York Film Festival Closing Night Party for "21 Grams"
The final event for the 41st New York Film Festival was a somewhat more intimate (maybe 200 people) and less formal affair then the black-tie party at Tavern on the Green in New York's Central Park earlier this month, but it was nonetheless glittering. The party at Compass Sunday night followed the festival's final screening, Alejandro González Iñárritu's "21 Grams," starring Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, Clea Du Vall, and Melissa Leo -- who all attended the festivities along with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. As with the fest's opening night party following "Mystic River," photos were not allowed of Penn, but iPOP had more success this time around in getting shots of the other cast members from the night's film in addition to others attending the late-night party including Watts and Del Toro. Brian Brooks reports. (October 24, 2003)
Music Films and Senior Activism Among the Highlights of 2003 Mill Valley Film Festival
The warm early autumn days of the San Francisco Bay Area are inviting as the fall festival season hits October. Equally inviting is the annual Mill Valley Film Festival in Marin County, just across the Golden Gate Bridge from The City. Now in its 26th year, with founder Mark Fishkin still at the helm, the event remains a solid autumnal regional film festival. Eugene Hernandez reports. (October 23, 2003)
Consolidation and Cutbacks Hit NYC Companies: Artisan, Cowboy and mPRm
While the studio specialty divisions and other protestors have been battling the screener ban over the past few weeks, a number of New York independent film companies have been quietly facing cutbacks and consolidation. Lions Gate and Artisan are reportedly set to announce a merger this week, while Cowboy Pictures has closed its doors and P.R. film mPRm is shutting its New York office. Eugene Hernandez reports. (October 22, 2003)
Losing Cubs, Winning Cinema: Chicago Showcases a World Series of Film; Audience Gives Victories to "Pieces of April" and "My Architect"
Suspense. Comedy. Tragedy. Heartbreak. Do these qualities describe the films at the 39th Chicago International Film Festival (which ran October 2-16)? Maybe. But the emotional roller coaster was moreover felt during the Chicago Cubs' National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins. One couldn't walk a single block in the unseasonably warm autumnal days of the festival without hearing someone whispering, fretting, or clamoring about the Cubs' attempts to end their 58-year World Series shutout. Even local hero Gary Sinise showed up at the opening night premiere of festival honoree Robert Benton's misguided "The Human Stain" wearing a much-applauded Cubs cap. "I know it's a sports town," admitted Festival Founder and Artistic Director Michael Kutza during the week, "but we want to make it a film town." (October 21, 2003)
With "21 Grams," The NYFF Closes With a Bang! Bang! Bang!
If you're under the impression that the Sean-Penn-starrer "Mystic River" opened the 41st New York Film Festival with a Bang! then there's no doubt you'll argue that the closing night feature, the Sean-Penn-starrer "21 Grams" is closing the fest with a Bang! Bang! Bang! And you'd be right. Brandon Judell reports from Lincoln Center in Manhattan. (October 17, 2003)
41st Viennale To Offer 100+ Films; Event Adds Extra Day
The 2003 Viennale, or Vienna International Film Festival, will kick off this Friday when Sofia Coppola comes to town to present her sophomore smash "Lost in Translation." The festival had been slated to run October 17-29, but organizers just announced that they've added another day of programming on October 30 in response to sold-out screenings of popular films. The line-up for the 41st Viennale will include more than 100 features and documentaries, plus selections of short films. Wendy Mitchell reports on the line-up. (October 17, 2003)
6th Frame by Frame Series Kicks Off Tomorrow
The Sixth Annual Frame by Frame Documentary Film Series, offers the infrequent opportunity of viewing documentary films in a theatrical setting. More enticing is the variety and roster of docs being screened in this year's lineup. Karl Beck reports. (October 16, 2003)
Movies in Morocco, The 3rd Marrakech International Film Festival
"I'm a real bitch when it comes to my rights," says brash singer/belly dancer/hooker Sahar in the Egyptian film "Lace," whose lead actress Yousra received a tribute at the Marrakech International Film Festival. The comment is supercampy, but it could refer to the 80-film event itself: It's a proud showcase for movies from the Arab world. Howard Feinstein reports from Marrakech. (October 16, 2003)
Chicago Honors Winners Including "Crimson Gold" and "Olga's Chignon"
The 39th Chicago International Film Festival, which ran from October 2-16, has announced its winners, including Jafar Panahi's "Crimson Gold"; Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Uzak" (Distant); Jerome Bonnell's "Olga's Chignon"; and Nathaniel Kahn's "My Architect." Ali Gitlow reports on the diverse winners at this year's event. (October 15, 2003)
NY Film Fest Report: For Whom The Film Tolls: Mr. Jones, The Toll Collector, And Getting Distant
In another report from the 2003 New York Film Festival, which continues through Sunday in Manhattan, Brandon Judell catches up with festival programmer Kent Jones and also chats with Rachel Johnson, director of the short film, "The Toll Collector." Additionally, Judell weighs in with his thoughts on two festival films, Jafar Panahi's "Crimson Gold" which he likes, and Nuri Bilge Ceylon's "Distant," which he doesn't. (October 14, 2003)
Fort Lauderdale Fest Plans Eclectic Offerings at Month-Long Event
The 18th-annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, running from October 17 through November 16, will screen 133 films from 25 countries. The opening night film, which will be shown on November 7, is the French comedy "Moi Cesar, 10 ans 1/2, 1m39." Prior to this gala, the festival will host three series of films: Asian Pacific, American Indies, and Documentary. The closing night film is "Manhood," which stars Janeane Garofalo and John Ritter in his last big-screen performance. Ali Gitlow reports. (October 14, 2003)
AFI L.A. Fest Opens Big Line-Up with "Calendar Girls"
AFI Fest 2003 has announced its extensive line-up for its event taking place November 6-16 at its official home, the ArcLight in Hollywood. The program for the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival includes 134 films from 42 countries, of which 26 are world premieres, 24 are North American premieres, and 24 are U.S. premieres. (October 10, 2003)
NYFF Revels in Backlash Against the Backlash; Gus on "Elephant"; and a Wondrous "Young Adam"
The Film Society of Lincoln Center finds a backlash against the backlash, with a smooth start to the 2003 New York Film Festival. Although many directors couldn't make the trip, Gus Van Sant was in town to talk about his Cannes winner "Elephant," including the infamous same-sex kiss. And a look at the stellar performances in "Young Adam." Brandon Judell reports in his second diary installment from the New York Film Festival. (October 09, 2003)
Still For Sale: Notable World Offerings Up For Grabs at the New York Film Festival
Time is running out for eight films showing at the 41st New York Film Festival. While the movies have screened at such prestigious showcases as Cannes and Venice over the last year, their playdates in New York may be their final moments in the spotlight. From master directors (Marco Bellochio's "Good Morning, Night," Tsai Ming-liang's "Goodbye Dragon Inn," Lester James Peries' "Mansion by the Lake") to promising up-and-comers (Faouzi Bensaidi's "A Thousand Months" and Barbara Albert's "Free Radicals") to NYFF newcomers (Jacques Doillon's "Raja," Jan Jakub Koski's "Pornography," Johnnie To's "PTU"), these films lack U.S. distribution. In indieWIRE's biweekly World Cinema Report, Anthony Kaufman looks at the prospects. (October 08, 2003)
London's Raindance Fest Ready for 11th Year
The Raindance Film Festival will return to London for its 11 - November 7th. This year's festival boasts a lineup representing over 40 countries with 105 feature films and 200 shorts. The opening night film is Andrew Jareki's "Capturing the Friedmans," which garnered a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year. The closing night film is Scottish writer/director Richard Jobson's debut "16 Years of Alcohol," which tells the story of an Edinburgh teen struggling with alcoholism and violence. Ali Gitlow reports. (October 08, 2003)
iPOP at the New York Film Festival Opening Night Party at Tavern on the Green
As usual, the annual opening night party of the New York Film Festival at Tavern on the Green was a glittering affair, marking one of the N.Y. film calendar's biggest nights. The evening was definitely an uptown event with the opening night screening of Clint Eastwood's Cannes competition feature, "Mystic River," at Lincoln Center and the party at Tavern, which was all decked out with its usual outdoor lanterns, shiny ornaments, rococo-ish interior and chandeliers. iPOP had a more difficult time than usual getting pictures from the event. Security was much tighter than at most NYC film parties, and even past NYFF openers. (October 07, 2003)
Mystic Cinema: The New York Film Festival Unspools
The 41st New York Film Festival has kicked off in Manhattan. The even opened on Friday night with a gala screening and party. One attendee at Friday night's party at Tavern on the Green raved that the film "is going to be the most commercially successful and the most critical acclaimed" NYFF opener yet. Reporter Brandon Judell takes the pulse of the opening night party and reports on festival films, including "The Flower of Evil" and "Mansion by the Lake." (October 07, 2003)
"In America" Launches New Two River Fest
Monmouth and West Long Branch, N.J. is the site of the inaugural Two River Film Festival which will launch October 10th. The festival, which is partnered with Monmouth University, will open its three day event with Jim Sheridan's semi-autobiographical pic, "In America" on a family of Irish immigrants who move to New York. Brian Brooks reports. (October 06, 2003)
"Doing Something Different With DV"; RESFEST Continues Its Seventh Global Romp
After kicking off in San Francisco on September 18, the seventh-annual RESFEST digital film festival took over Hollywood's historic Egyptian Theater for five days, wrapping on September 28. This always innovative showcase of shorts and videos paired strong programming with some innovative new aspects this year. The touring festival continued on to Washington, D.C. this past weekend, and will run in NYC from October 10-12. Highlights included high-caliber shorts, live music events, studio visits, a tribute to Michel Gondry, and more. Jonny Leahan reports from L.A. (October 06, 2003)
Results Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
