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Greenwald's Topical Iraq Doc, "Uncovered," Develops Audience Online
"Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War" by Hollywood producer and director Robert Greenwald is certain to stir interest with conservative media watchers eager to pounce on an allegedly liberal entertainment industry. The controversial doc, which runs under 60 minutes, is a scathing indictment of the Bush Administration's Iraq policy. In the film, Greenwald speaks with more than 20 experts including figures from the intelligence community, scientists, weapons inspectors, and diplomats. Brian Brooks reports. (November 18, 2003)
"My Architect": Nathaniel Kahn's Search for His Famous Father
Nathaniel Kahn was 11 when his famous father, the architect Louis Kahn, died. The loss of his father, plus the fact that Nathaniel, as an illegitimate son, wasn't recognized publicly, affected him deeply. His father's death left him with many questions, which boiled down to a single, gemlike query: who was Louis Kahn? Now, almost 30 years later, the son has made a film about the father. Nathaniel Kahn's personal, first-person documentary "My Architect" (which opens at Film Forum on Wednesday and nationwide thereafter) takes measure of Louis Kahn as a person and an artist, the architect of many buildings, as well as three children. Nick Poppy talks to Nathaniel Kahn. (November 10, 2003)
Body of Work; Marina de Van Discusses "In My Skin"
French director Marina de Van's "In My Skin" (which opens Friday in New York from Wellspring) may be the first slasher film in which the victim and perpetrator are one and the same. With echoes of Georges Franju's "Eyes Without A Face" and J. G. Ballard and David Cronenberg's "Crash," she's created a uniquely disturbing work. Wandering around outside a party, Esther (de Van) falls and slices her leg on a tool. Strangely excited, she becomes fascinated by her own skin, cutting herself compulsively. Steve Erickson talks to de Van about her debut feature. (November 06, 2003)
She's Got Moxie: Liz Garbus on "Girlhood" and Lives of Incarceration
Liz Garbus, co-founder of Moxie Firecracker Films, has a lot to pop over when looking back over her career. This youthful, brunette helmer has directed 13 documentaries including the Oscar-nominated "The Farm: Angola, USA" (1998), "The Execution of Wanda Jean" (2002), and "The Nazi Officer's Wife" (2003). But what Garbus wants to talk about today is her 13th documentary feature, "Girlhood," focusing on two young girls incarcerated in the Waxter Juvenile Facility, Maryland's home for violent juvenile offenders. Brandon Judell talks to Garbus about "Girlhood," which Wellspring releases in select cities today. (October 31, 2003)
Tragedy in the Details; Christine Jeffs Talks About "Sylvia"
I had some serious reservations going into "Sylvia" -- Gwyneth Paltrow now seems like more of a celebrity than an actress, and the story of Sylvia Plath's tragic life and death comes saddled with so much baggage that I wasn't sure anyone should ever bring it to the big screen. But, to my surprise, the film turned out to be very impressive -- Gwynnie included. In addition to the performances, the direction is top-notch, which shouldn't be a surprise for anyone who saw New Zealand director Christine Jeffs' debut feature, 2002's "Rain." indieWIRE spoke to Jeffs about the film, now in release from Focus Features. (October 29, 2003)
Journalist as the Bad Guy; First-Time Director Billy Ray Talks About "Shattered Glass"
Con man Stephen Glass, a former staffer of The New Republic, fooled his editors by substantially fabricating events, sources and quotes in 27 of 41 stories he wrote for the magazine. The unraveling of his modus operandi by Adam Penenberg at the now-defunct Forbes Digital Tool and by his own TNR editor Charles Lane (now at The Washington Post), who had to deal with the consequences, is the subject of Billy Ray's "Shattered Glass" (in theaters now from Lions Gate). Starring Hank Azaria, Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chloe Sevigny, this real life expose plays as a taut, finely-acted thriller about a timely subject. Liza Bear talks to the director. (October 28, 2003)
Festival Discovery: Introducing Ryan Eslinger
When "Madness and Genius," the first film from Ryan Eslinger, has its U.S. premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival this week it will mark one of the more assured debuts from an American filmmaker in some time. The movie, which screened almost under the radar last month in the Toronto International Film Festival's Discovery section, is an accomplished freshman effort with a style and subject matter not typically seen in debut narrative American movies. Eugene Hernandez reports. (October 22, 2003)
First-Time Director Peter Hedges Talks About "Pieces of April," His "Human Comedy"
After three deals to finance "Pieces of April" suddenly went amiss, it looked like rookie director, Peter Hedges, had struck out. For years the 41-year-old writer-director, best known for his adapted screenplays, such as "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" (adapted from his own novel) and the Oscar-nominated "About A Boy," had so gradually pieced together the film's story only to watch his financing fall apart. He decided to go digital and went ahead with the production for under $300,000. The Sundance hit was later grabbed by United Artists. Hedges, who grew up in Iowa and now lives in Brooklyn, recently spoke with indieWIRE contributor Jeremy O'Kasick about two portentous struggles: being a first-time director and being a mother. (October 20, 2003)
Divas in Disguise; Richard Day Talks About His Debut Feature "Girls Will Be Girls"
With "Girls Will Be Girls," first-time director, former sitcom writer Richard Day unleashes a healthy dose of screwy, beyond-black humor. The film follows three actresses trying to find fame and love in Hollywood, but the catch is that the three actresses happen to be played by male actors. indieWIRE contributor Claiborne Smith spoke with Day about "Girls Will Be Girls" and the reason no one laughed at his movie when it played at Sundance. IFC Films releases "Girls Will Be Girls" on Friday. (October 10, 2003)
Dying Wishes and A Love Triangle; Polley, Ruffalo, and Speedman on "My Life Without Me"
The plot of Isabel Coixet's "My Life Without Me" -- a young mother decides not to tell her family she has terminal cancer -- has all the trappings of a Lifetime movie. But the execution of the film doesn't stray into that territory, thanks to Coixet's guidance and the subtle performances of the film's three stars, Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, and Scott Speedman. indieWIRE managing editor Wendy Mitchell caught up with the film's three stars during the Toronto International Film Festival. "My Life Without Me" opens today from Sony Pictures Classics. (September 26, 2003)
"Casa de los Babys": John Sayles Examines the Balance of Trade for Six American Women in Latin America
In John Sayles' "Casa de los Babys," six American women (Lili Taylor, Marcia Gay Harden, Daryl Hannah, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Susan Lynch, and Mary Steenburgen) piddle around in a Latin American country while waiting to adopt babies. As Sayles' characters linger by the phone for a call from adoption officials or as they argue with those same officials, we acutely sense the anxiety and vulnerability these women undergo in order to obtain children. indieWIRE contributor Claiborne Smith spoke with Sayles about "Casa de los Babys," which IFC Films released on Friday (September 22, 2003)
The Unpredictable Revelations of Nicolas Philibert
French docmaker Nicolas Philibert shoots with an eye toward the big screen -- an approach that has paid off for his most recent work, "To Be and To Have" (2002), opening today in New York. Back home, "To Be and To Have" has broken records for released documentaries (if you discount the quasi-doc "Microscosmos"), with more than a million spectators viewing from among the incredible 300 prints in circulation. The impish, 51-year-old grandfather explains his success simply: "Documentaries don't have to be didactic. They can have emotion and tell stories." Howard Feinstein talks to Philibert. (September 19, 2003)
Michael Winterbottom Talks About His Tragic Road Movie, "In This World"
British director Michael Winterbottom's "In This World" is an astonishingly beautiful, moving, and souped-up road movie about two displaced Afghan men who risk their lives to get from Pakistan to London. With it, the prolific director reveals an acute understanding of the differences as well as the overlap between political and economic freedom. In conversation, he makes a case for refugees to have the right to work in wealthier countries, make money, and send some of it home -- a logical alternative to vast amounts of foreign aid. Howard Feinstein talks to Winterbottom about "In This World," which opens Friday as part of the Sundance Channel Film Series. (September 18, 2003)
"Unexpected Paths"; Delphine Gleize on her Imaginative Debut, "Carnages"
"Carnages," the first feature by 29-year-old French director Delphine Gleize has garnered praise worldwide for its energy, imagination, and narrative force. Adopting an unlikely -- and, to some, creepy -- premise, "Carnages" follows the dismembered body of a bull, after its death in a corrida, into the lives of 10 characters: the gored toreador, a little girl, a taxidermist, an actress, and a scientist and his pregnant wife. Erica Abeel talked to Gleize about the film, which is now playing at New York's Angelika Film Center. (September 15, 2003)
Ulrich Seidl's "Dog Days": The Power of Rebellion
Premiering at the Venice Film Festival in 2001, Austrian director Ulrich Seidl's "Dog Days" won the grand jury prize for its unflinching portrayal of social ennui in suburban Vienna. Enervated by the merciless August heat, the denizens of this sterile habitat, straddled by shopping malls and highways, seek week-end solace in bizarre sexual rituals, or burst into fits of inexplicable rage. Liza Bear discusses the film, opening today from Leisure Time Features, with Seidl. (August 22, 2003)
The Sudden Rise and Violent Fall of a Skating Celeb; Helen Stickler on "Stoked"
"Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator," Helen Stickler's engaging new documentary, deals unflinchingly with its troubled subject: the charismatic and talented skateboarding star Mark "Gator" Rogowski, whose rise to fame led to his violent downfall. With balance and insight, the film sifts through the myths that surround his early days of tacky celebrity glory and his eventual violent loss of control. Adam Hart talks to Stickler about "Stoked," which Palm Pictures releases today. (August 22, 2003)
Epic and Personal in New York and Macedonia; Milcho Manchevski's "Dust"
"Dust," the 2001 film which Lions Gate is belatedly releasing in New York and L.A. on Friday, spends half its time in New York and half in what is now officially known as the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia -- just like its writer/director, Milcho Manchevski. But with a temporal lag. The Big Apple scenes are contemporary (replete with intact WTC towers); the Macedonian scenes are set a century ago. Howard Feinstein looks at this intriguing film's history and talks to Manchevski. (August 21, 2003)
Bob & Shari & Harvey & Joyce; "American Splendor" Goes from Small Panel to Big Screen
"American Splendor," the sweet, melancholy portrait of comic book artist Harvey Pekar and his wife Joyce Brabner, was adapted and directed by husband-and-wife directing duo Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (most known for their L.A. restaurant documentary "Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasens"). indieWIRE contributor Anthony Kaufman spoke with the filmmakers about their unique film, which combines drama, documentary, and animation. (August 14, 2003)
Dan Ireland Sees Traces of His Own Past in "Passionada"
For Dan Ireland, his third film "Passionada" (opening Friday from Samuel Goldwyn/Fireworks) wasn't exactly autobiographical -- it's about a community of Portuguese-Americans in New Bedford, Mass. But he found he had more in common with these characters than he first thought. Ireland tells indieWIRE's Wendy Mitchell about the film and his other forthcoming projects. (August 12, 2003)
Like Father, Like Son: Dana Brown Steps Into Surfing History with "Step Into Liquid"
Sincere, effortlessly humorous, and deeply humane, Dana Brown's "Step Into Liquid" is a stunningly photographed ode to surfing, a once-dismissed sport that has become a worldwide institution. But more than that, it is a celebration of family and a testament to positivity in an environment that tends to swing toward the negative. indieWIRE contributor Michael Tully sat down with Brown during the director's visit to New York, after a somehow fittingly torrential downpour, to discuss the film. Artisan releases "Step Into Liquid" on Friday. (August 07, 2003)
Industry Spotlight: Ed Pressman Talks About 30+ Years of Producing
Before Sundance, before Miramax, before Jarmusch and Spike, producer Ed Pressman was making independent films. Beginning in the late 1960s with his partnership with writer/director Paul Williams, Pressman demonstrated a mastery of the survival skills that make longevity as a producer possible: a flexible attitude to the ever-changing financial climate and the ability to cultivate unknown talent. Matthew Ross talks to Pressman for indieWIRE's industry spotlight column. (July 31, 2003)
Life on the Dole: Fernando Leon de Aranoa Talks About "Mondays in the Sun"
Fernando Leon de Aranoa's "Mondays in the Sun" has been notable in the U.S. for being Spain's Oscar selection instead of Pedro Almodovar's "Talk to Her." Yet unlike Almodovar's film, inside Spain, "Mondays in the Sun" proved a major commercial AND critical hit, an unemployment comedy that has inspired a spate of op-eds and tapas bar discourses. Hidden under a heavy beard and heavier girth, Javier Bardem stars as the proud, stubborn dockworker Santa. Ryan Mottesheard spoke to Aranoa about the film, which Lions Gate releases Friday. (July 24, 2003)
Freaks and Geeks of the Theatrical Persuasion: Todd Graff Talks About "Camp"
Todd Graff's "Camp" features a young and predominantly non-professional cast, songbook numbers ranging from "Dreamgirls" to "Follies" (along with a few original songs), choreography by Jerry Mitchell of "Hairspray," and a startling piece of manna from the heavens ("Camp" marks Stephen Sondheim's first cameo appearance in a feature film). Tommy Nguyen spoke to Graff about the misfit characters of his directorial debut, set in a summer camp for theater-loving teenagers. (July 22, 2003)
Like Pulling Teeth (Or Stealing Kidneys): Stephen Frears On "Dirty Pretty Things"
Here's a premise to snap awake the most jaded filmgoer: illegal immigrants trade their organs (as in kidneys) for money and a passport. This gruesome trade underpins the plot of "Dirty Pretty Things," Stephen Frears' noir thriller for filmgoers with high IQs. indieWIRE contributor Erica Abeel sat down with Frears, rather uncomfortably, to chat about the film, which Miramax releases today. (July 18, 2003)
Italian Matteo Garrone Adapts Murderous Tabloid Tale in "The Embalmer"
Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone, 34, got the inspiration for his new film when he first read a sensational tabloid story about the murder of a gay dwarfish taxidermist in Rome. Intrigued by the motif behind the murder, he and script writers Ugo Chiti and Massimo Gaudioso started to fill the blanks with their own imagination. The result was "The Embalmer," a well-received movie which became a hit last year in Italy. Joslyn Yang talks with the filmmaker about his new film. (July 15, 2003)
Francois Ozon on "Swimming Pool": Fantasy, Reality, Creation
In Francois Ozon's much anticipated "Swimming Pool," Sarah Morton, a Ruth Rendell-type crime writer played by Charlotte Rampling, travels to the Provencal country house of her publisher, to recharge her creative batteries. There she locks horns with his sexually avid daughter Julie, played by Ozon muse Ludivine Sagnier. The film mingles Ozon's preferred themes of sex and murder, challenging the viewer to distinguish between the "real" and the imagined world of Sarah's ongoing novel. Erica Abeel talked with Ozon about the film, which opens tomorrow. (July 01, 2003)
"Days" of the Dead: Danny Boyle Turns Apocalyptic With "28 Days Later"
It takes a bold filmmaker to make a zombie film with a straight face. For "Trainspotting" director Danny Boyle, his apocalyptic thriller "28 Days Later" actually turns out to be a smart zombie flick that doesn't try to incorporate any postmodern irony. The film is about a psychological virus that overtakes England, turning ordinary folks into blood-spewing zombies. indieWIRE managing editor Wendy Mitchell talked to Boyle about shooting on the chaotic streets of London, the effect of September 11, and the possibility of a "Trainspotting" sequel. (June 27, 2003)
A Chance, But Not Inconsequential, Encounter: Claire Denis' "Friday Night"
Very little happens in Claire Denis' "Friday Night," a small, fascinating movie (which stars Valerie Lemercier and Vincent Lindon), and almost nothing is said, but the moments have a strong and heavily symbolic emotional weight that prevent the narrative from seeming slight or inconsequential. indieWIRE contributor Matthew Ross spoke about the film with Denis at last year's New York Film Festival; Wellspring is now rolling it out theatrically. (June 16, 2003)
Facing a Global Health Crisis: Rory Kennedy and "Pandemic: Facing AIDS"
Rory Kennedy's "Pandemic: Facing AIDS" (which debuts Sunday, June 15th at 7pm on HBO) follows families and individuals affected by the disease in five of the world's AIDS hotspots: Thailand, Russia, Uganda, India, and Brazil. The experiences of these people, some living with AIDS, some dying from it, others merely devastated by it, form the emotional core of "Pandemic." Each of the five episodes is invariably heartbreaking. indieWIRE contributor Nick Poppy spoke to Kennedy about the project. (June 12, 2003)
Keeping It Real: Eric Eason and Franky G Talk About "Manito"
From Sundance to Tribeca, "Manito" has been keeping both critics and audiences enthralled. Along with "Raising Victor Vargas," this slice-of-life bodega-drama is proving there's a whole new subject area to probe in the United States, one that everyone can relate to: Latino neighborhoods. indieWIRE contributor Brandon Judell spoke to director Eric Eason and star Franky G. about this gritty drama, which Film Movement releases on Friday. (June 10, 2003)
Girl Power: New Zealand Writer/Director Niki Caro Talks About "Whale Rider"
"Whale Rider" is less an anthropological study of New Zealand's Maori people than a universal story of female empowerment. At its center is Pai (wonderful novice thespian Keisha Castle-Hughes), a Maori girl of 13 who senses that her destiny is to become the leader of her Maori tribe. indieWIRE's Ryan Mottesheard spoke to director Niki Caro about working with children, kids' films, and who should tell indigenous stories. Newmarket Films releases "Whale Rider" today. (June 06, 2003)
One Family's Elusive Truth: Andrew Jarecki's "Capturing the Friedmans"
Andrew Jarecki started making one movie, a light documentary about clowns, and ended up with something completely different: "Capturing The Friedmans," the story of a family that is destroyed by allegations of child molestation and pedophilia. indieWIRE contributor Nick Poppy talked to Jarecki about the shifting nature of the film, and of people's memory. "Capturing the Friedmans" opens today from Magnolia Pictures. (May 30, 2003)
Sticks And Songs: AJ Schnack Talks About His They Might Be Giants Doc, "Gigantic"
They Might Be Giants' dial-a-song invention, the crazy props they use on stage, and the ingenious way they've used the Internet to sell and promote their albums -- plus more band secrets -- are revealed in AJ Schnack's documentary "Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns" (in theaters now). Schnack talked to indieWIRE contributor Jason Guerrasio about spending time with the very private two Johns, how September 11 played a part in the doc's production, and how TMBG fans gave him the inspiration to make the film. (May 28, 2003)
Self-Portraiture Meets Mythology: Matthew Barney Talks About His "Cremaster Cycle"
The imagery in Matthew Barney's "Cremaster Cycle" is ravishing from the start: horned creatures; petroleum jelly caves; a Cronenberg-ian fascination with bodily orifices. The subject matter -- first and foremost, a study of gender identity in America and the myth of the American male -- is always intriguing. indieWIRE contributor Scott Foundas recently sat down with Barney to discuss sports broadcasts, self-portraiture, and the hang-ups about literal meanings. (May 15, 2003)
Racing Along in the "Blue Car" with Karen Moncrieff
In "Blue Car," teenager Meg (Agnes Bruckner) finds her chaotic life unraveling until her English teacher (David Strathairn) helps her find poetry in her soul. When he also helps her find lust elsewhere, that's when the problems arise. Delicately wrenching and unconventionally insightful, "Blue Car" carries along fine performances, astute direction, and fluid writing to a strong finale. Brandon Judell talked to director Karen Moncrieff about "Blue Car," which Miramax releases on Friday. (April 30, 2003)
Between Iraq And A Hard Place: Bahman Ghobadi's Kurdish Tale "Marooned In Iraq"
The Kurds need many things, like human rights, material support, greater international regard -- and they also need the cultural right to have their stories told. Bahman Ghobadi and a group of young Kurdish filmmakers right behind him are getting those stories told. Nick Poppy spoke to the director when he recently visited New York City. (April 29, 2003)
Mood Swing: Lukas Moodysson's "Lilya 4-Ever"
Lukas Moodysson's third film, "Lilya 4-Ever," explores the brutal poverty in Russia's housing projects and the requisite dream of escape. It's a place so desperate that even a mother would forsake her child for the promise of a new life. That's what happens to 16-year-old Lilya (played by Oksana Akinshina), who is forced to survive by any means necessary. Erin Torneo chatted with the director about his new film, teenage actors, working in Russian, and reality TV. (April 23, 2003)
Jennifer Dworkin's Labor of Love (and Diane)
Most people caught wind of "Love and Diane," Jennifer Dworkin's first feature documentary, when it was listed on the lineup for last year's New York Film Festival. "I thought it was a mistake," she told indieWIRE recently. "I didn't realize that the film had been sent to them; (the New York Film Festival) was really beyond my ambitions for this film." With this week's theatrical opening in New York, indieWIRE's Eugene Hernandez spoke to Dworkin. (April 18, 2003)
A Dude with a Vision; Jeff Dowd Talks Shop and Strategy
Legendary indie consultant and rep Jeff "The Dude" Dowd has helped with plenty of hits during his decades-long career, from "Hoosiers" to "The Blair Witch Project" to "Kissing Jessica Stein." For indieWIRE's industry spotlight column, contributor Matthew Ross spoke with Dowd about what exactly it is that he does, why so many independent films never live up to their creative and financial potential, and his big plan for rescuing good movies from obscurity. (April 14, 2003)
Asian Americans In Three Dimensions: Justin Lin Talks About "Better Luck Tomorrow"
A fine way to catch the attention of jaded cinephiles -- and the eye of distributors -- is to blow the lid off a stereotype. Justin Lin does precisely that in "Better Luck Tomorrow," a darkly comedic film about upscale, overachieving Asian-American teenagers who embark on risky extracurricular activities not designed to speed acceptance to the Iives. Erica Abeel talked with Lin about the film. (April 14, 2003)
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