Tribeca All Access Announces 27 Projects for ’09
The Tribeca Film Festival has announced the selected projects for Tribeca All Access (TAA). TAA is “designed to help foster and nurture relationships between film industry executives and filmmakers from traditionally underrepresented communities.” In its sixth year, the program will present 27 new projects during the six-day event taking place April 20-25 during this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, held from April 22-May 3.
TAA will provide the participating directors and screenwriters “with access to workshops and the opportunity to present their upcoming works in one-on-one meetings with more than 100 potential investors, development executives, producers and agents.” There are 24 U.S.-based filmmakers involved in 27 projects, which were selected from a pool of more than 475 submissions, and six projects through international associations.
The program will provide a total of $55,000 awarded in juried cash prizes to selected TAA winners through the TAA Creative Promise Award and the L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth “Vision” Award. Three filmmakers and one screenwriter will be awarded the Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award, which comes with a prize of $11,000 for narrative, documentary and emerging narrative and $7,000 for screenwriting. L’Oreal will once again present “The L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth Vision Award” in the amount of $15,000 to a promising female filmmaker participating in the Tribeca All Access program. Announcements regarding the winners will be made at the 2009 TFI Award Celebration on April 24th at City Winery in New York City.
This year’s TAA jury includes Viola Davis, Sanaa Lathan, Anne Carey, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Luis Guzman, Darnell Martin, Lance Reddick, Amy Robinson, Ellen Kuras, Fenton Bailey, and Lola Ogunnaike.
Since its founding, Tribeca All Access has supported the careers of more than 155 filmmakers from traditionally under-represented communities within the film industry and facilitated 2,432 one-on-one meetings for them with key industry personnel. From 2004 – 2008, a total of 158 projects have participated in TAA.
“Arts and culture is a reflection of our society and it is no secret that there are too many demographics that are underrepresented in our industry,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Institute, said in a statement. “I am proud that TAA is helping to bring these voices and visions to the forefront – ultimately enhancing all of our film experiences.”
The 2009 Tribeca All Access Lineup:
(with descriptions provided by the festival)
Documentary Filmmakers
Gina Abatemarco (Director) The Kivalina Project
When your island is being swallowed by the sea, climate change is not about “going green”, but about survival- for the people of Kivalina, Alaska, time is running out. Other Listed Crew: Anne Takahashi (Producer), Anna Wendt (Producer)
Jason DaSilva (Director, Producer) When I Walk
A young filmmaker living with multiple sclerosis turns the camera on himself, inspired by the desire to reconcile filmmaking with the difficulties of living with the condition. Other Listed Crew: Leigh DaSilva (Producer)
Xochitl Dorsey (Director, Producer) Shot in Mexico
Brad Will, an independent video journalist, goes to Oaxaca, Mexico to document a rising conflict; caught between protestors and the local police he tragically captures his own final moments. Other Listed Crew: Alex Rivera (Exec. Producer), Monica Campbell (Producer), Kahlil Hudson (DP)
Mark French (Director, DP) Wham! Bam! Islam!
One man’s quest to bring new perspective to the rising population of today’s Muslim youth results in a whole new set of unexpected comic book superheroes. Other Listed Crew: Isaac Solotaroff (Director, Producer, Editor)
Stephen Maing (Director, Producer, DP) High Tech, Low Life
Truth and potential fame motivates a young Chinese vegetable seller to become China’s first citizen reporter covering the country’s controversial and censored news stories via his blog, digital camera, and blackberry. Other Listed Crew: Anne Marie Stein (Consulting Producer), Meng Xie (Field Producer), Jian Yi (Consulting Producer), Kirsten Johnson (Consulting Producer)
Shirli Michalevicz (Director) Borderline
A group of forgotten Palestinian and Israeli mentally ill patients live side by side within an asylum surrounded by a society that lives in a state of conflicting “madness.” Other Listed Crew: Claudia Levin (Producer), Tova Ascher (Editor)
George Reyes (Co-Director, Producer) La Muneca Fea (The Ugly Doll)
A group of elderly sex workers in Mexico City seek peace and find community behind the walls of Casa Xochiquetzal, a refuge established by one of their former colleagues. Other Listed Crew: Claudia Lopez (Co-Director, Assoc. Producer), Nekisa Cooper (Producer)
Michele Stephenson and Joe Brewster (Directors, Producers) An American Promise
Two sets of parents embark on a 12 year quest to find what is the price we pay to provide the “best” education for our children in our cities.
Marco Williams (Director, Producer) Resolution 07-609: The Rule of Law
A community is torn apart when legislation to curtail immigration deems certain members unwanted, asking the greater questions of who belongs and who has that right to decide. Other Listed Crew: Whitney Dow (Executive Producer)
Narrative Filmmakers
Ana Lily Amirpour (Director, Screenwriter) The Stones
In modern day Tehran, class, tradition, and love all violently collide as a young working class girl embarks on a forbidden love with a wealthy young man with fatal consequences. Other Listed Crew: Gordy Hoffman (Producer), Sina Sayyah (Producer)
Miguel Aviles (Director, Screenwriter) Somnium
When one man’s subconscious becomes jealous of his conscious, he must confront his darkest fears, through his dreams, in order to salvage his life and get his true love back. Other Listed Crew: Michael Jasionowski (Producer, Editor)
Benny Boom (Director, Screenwriter) The Unforgiving Minute
Devastated by his best friend’s betrayal, a young street hustler is forced to choose between revenge and redemption, while tracing the chain of events that led to the ill-fated moment. Other Listed Crew: Jonathan N. Brown (Screenwriter), Philip Lee Hayes, Jr. (Producer), Compton J. Chester (Producer), Gerald Rawles (Producer)
Andrew Bui (Director, Screenwriter) Bronxopolis
A geeky Vietnamese teenager turns his crush on his sassy Dominican neighbor into a comic book character that is far from the lives they grow into in the Bronx.
Gene Cajayon and Van Partible (Directors, Producers, Screenwriter – Van P.) Saturday Morning Christmas An enterprising nine-year-old boy discovers the true meaning of Christmas while hunting for his favorite Saturday morning superhero action figure and avoiding the town bully. Other Listed Crew: Hisham Abed (DP)
Kat Candler (Director, Screenwriter) The Spider in the Bathtub
When a newly divorced mom and her two oddball children find a tarantula in their bathtub, an all-night adventure involving their goofy neighbors and oven mitts proves family conquers all. Other Listed Crew: Chris Mass (Screenwriter), Scott Colquitt (Producer)
Robert Davenport and Travis Wright (Screenwriters, Producer – Travis W.) Harlem Hellfighters
While fighting for his country as part of Harlem’s all black 369th U.S. Infantry, a railroad porter from New York City rediscovers courage and dignity to confront racial injustices. Other Listed Crew: Yves Simoneau (Director)
Giancarlo Esposito(Director, Producer) Diamond District
An off-duty FBI agent manning his father’s hotdog stand interferes in what he thinks is an undercover operation and gets caught up in a conspiracy to destroy a diamond cartel. Other Listed Crew: Alan Brooks (Screenwriter)
Jinho Ferreira aka “Piper” (Screenwriter) Walter’s Boys
A clandestine training operation run by an ex-CIA agent recruits urban teens, but faces treacherous consequences from the trainee’s intent on breaking free with the help of a former mentor.
Tanya Hamilton (Screenwriter) Ghost Days
In a chance happening miles away, a Rwandan refugee comes face to face with her family’s killer in Washington D.C. and ponders revenge after a fail attempt on her life. Other Listed Crew: Phil Bertelsen (Director, Producer)
Hugo Perez (Director, Screenwriter) Immaculate Conception
When her popstar husband Pablito dies during a plastic surgery operation, Maria is left with a decision that may finally bring her happiness but requires a little divine intervention. Other Listed Crew: Katharyn B. Marquez (Producer), Nick Spicer (Producer), Francisco Bello (Editor)
Jennifer Phang (Director, Screenwriter) Look For Water
A couple wakes up one morning finding they have literally lost sight of each other, igniting them on a path to rediscover each other and others lost along the way. Other Listed Crew: Dominc Mah (Screenwriter), Robert Chang (Executive Producer)
International Selections
Australia
Pauline Chan (Director, Screenwriter, Producer) Mei Mei
When Mei Mei, orphaned in an earthquake, sets out to meet the Good Samaritan who provided financial support, she finds him in the most unexpected of places – emotionally, and physically. Other Listed Crew: Martin Edmond (Screenwriter), Penny Carl (Producer), Lesley Stevens (Producer)
Samantha Saunders(Director, Screenwriter) Binawee
A young Aboriginal girl enters domestic service in a white household. The lines between master and servant dissipate and a new form of respect takes place.
Canada
Sudz Sutherland and Jennifer Holness (Co-Director, Co-Screenwriter, Executive Producer) Home Again Three deportees are sent back to Jamaica only to be ostracized by their fellow islanders, forcing them to reconsider who they truly are and where they belong.. Other Listed Crew: Arthur Cooper (DP)
K’naan Warsame (Screenwriter) The River of Blood
Somali-born K’naan strives to become a voice for his nation through his music, while trying to reconcile conflicting influences of his culture that pull him in different directions. Other Listed Crew: Anthony Leo (Screenwriter, Producer), Andrew Rosen (Producer), Jason Xenopoulos (Director), Martin F. Katz (Executive Producer)
United Kingdom
David Alexander (Director, Screenwriter) Together
Morality and judgment come to a clashing and brutal ending when three English teens decide to play with one girl’s life. Other Listed Crew: Barrington Paul Robinson (Producer), Neus Olle (DP)
Lab Ky Mo (Director, Screenwriter) Goldfishing A son searches for himself and his father amongst the streets of Bangkok – a twilight world of massage parlours, tuk tuks and sex tourists.
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