IFP Announces 2016 Filmmaker Labs, AFI DOCS Reveals Slate and More — Indiewire’s Monday Rundown

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) announced today the 10 documentaries selected for the 2016 IFP Filmmaker Labs, IFP’s annual yearlong fellowship for first-time feature directors. The creative teams of the selected films are currently attending the first week’s sessions – The Time Warner Foundation Completion Labs – taking place May 11-15 in New York City. You can check out the full list of chosen docs right here.

Stay up to date on all of today’s buzziest industry news below:

– Exclusive: Friel Films has acquired the rights to Dean Demitrieski’s award-winning autobiography “Tears for My City: An Autobiography of A Detroit White Boy.” Friel’s Philip Wurtzel (“A Haunting in Cawdor”) is set to direct, with production due to begin later this year. “‘Tears’ is a gripping, unforgettable story. I was hooked from the first page,” says director Wurtzel. “Dean paints an intense and affecting portrait of a very rough childhood. If the film can pack even half the emotion the book does, we’ll really have something.” “Tears For My City,” which has been nominated for over 18 literary awards, chronicles the upbringing of a Macedonian boy whose family moves into Detroit’s most dangerous neighborhood when gang violence was at its peak in the 1970s. Dimitrieski adapted the screenplay. Friel Films will produce. Casting will begin shortly.

– The 2nd Annual Bentonville Film Festival, which champions women and diverse voices in entertainment, announced its full list of winners over the weekend. Big winners included “No Greater Love,” “It Had to Be You” and “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life.” The festival, along with the help of founding sponsor Walmart, presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and distribution partners AMC Theatres, Lifetime and Starz, remains the only festival to offer guaranteed distribution to the winning festival films for Audience, Best Family Film and Jury Awards. You can see the full list of winners here.

– The Montclair Film Festival also doled out its awards this year, with big wins going to “Cameraperson,” “Under the Shadow,” “The Fits,” “Weiner” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” The full list of winners can be found here.

– AFI has announced the slate of films for AFI DOCS 2016, running June 22–26 in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, MD. The 14th edition showcases 94 films representing 30 countries, including three world premieres, seven North American premieres, three U.S. premieres, 12 East Coast premieres and one international premiere. Highlights include “Zero Days,” “Audrie & Daisy” and “Newtown.” You can check out the full listing here.

-We’ve got an exclusive look at the LA Film Fest premiere “Don’t Hang Up,” starring Garrett Clayton and Gregg Sulkin. Of the film, Clayton told Indiewire, “The movie is very funny, mentally challenging, and you will never be bored. I’m also excited because no one has ever seen me do a role like this. My character Brady is a very aggressive, insecure extravert. He learns a huge lesson about humility in this film. How much the people in our lives mean to us and that every action no matter how trivial ALWAYS has a consequence.” Check out the photos below

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