GSU Film Festival to showcase student work

Georgia State's 3rd annual Film Festival will kick off at 5 p.m. April 25 at the Cinefest Film Theatre.

The three day festival will feature nearly 90 films from students enrolled in narrative, documentary, experimental and new media courses in the Department of Communication during the 2010-11 academic year.

The April 25-26 screenings will start at 5 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

"There's such a diverse population of students at GSU, in terms of ethnicity, culture and taste. The films are not only very eclectic in terms of experimental, documentary, narrative and new media, but the voices are also very unique and distinct," said Daniel Robin, an assistant professor of film and video and the festival creator.

This year's festival judges are Robin and other film faculty members Alessandra Raengo, Jennifer Barker and Jim Roberts.

Among the jury award categories are best experimental film, best documentary, best narrative and best new media.

For the first time, films of the jury selected finalists will be screened off campus at 7 p.m. April 28 the Plaza Theater, located at 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave. The event is free for GSU students with Student ID. All other attendees can purchase tickets at the door for $3.

"This event has grown over the last three years and I wanted to open up what we are doing with our film students at GSU to the Atlanta film going community," Robin said. "I also want the students to get a taste of what it's like to get their films shown off campus."

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The BronzeLens Film Festival Set to Be One of the Nation’s Most Substantive Film Festivals

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over the course of four days, November 11-14, 2010 Atlanta will host the first annual BronzeLens Film Festival at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis (Festival Headquarter), Georgia Pacific Center Auditorium and the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center on the campus of Spelman College. The festival is set to be a creative platform designed to empower, entertain and educate from various disciplines and inspire the next generation of film makers. Narrative fiction, documentary, music video and short film screenings coupled with the who’s who of the film industry make the BronzeLens Film Festival one of the nation’s most substantive film festivals.

Master Classes and Workshops will be led by top names in film, direction and production such as Roger Bobb, Executive Vice President, Tyler Perry Studios, who produced all ten of Tyler Perry’s top-grossing films and hit TV shows, Will Packer, Co-Founder and Chairman, Rainforest Films, who is a #1 box-office hit maker named by Daily Variety Magazine as one of the “Top 25 Money Makers in Hollywood,” Cliff Charles, Award winning Director of Photography (Spike Lee’s "When the Levees Broke"), and the legendary lighting designer/director Walter Glover, CEO, Productions Designs West.

BronzeLens FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

All BronzeLens Workshops and Master Classes take place at the Festival’s headquarters hotel, the magnificent Atlanta Marriott Marquis. All juried screenings are shown at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium. Locations of special Festival feature screenings will be announced.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

8:00 am Registration until 5:00 pm at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

9:00 am – 10:15 am  Workshop: Georgia Tax Incentives on My Mind
Panelists:
Noel Paynter, Esq., CPA
Kenyatta Mitchell, Kenjam, LLC
Paul Garnes, Tyler Perry Studios
Lee Thomas, Director of Film, Georgia Film, Music and Digital Gaming Office

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm  Screenings at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm  MASTER CLASS: The Magic of Lighting with the legendary Walter Glover
Featuring: Walter Glover, CEO, Productions Designs West

Workshop: Breaking Through the Clutter: Marketing for Indie Filmmaker
Panelists:
Tirrell Whittley, Principal/CEO, Liquid Soul Media
James Anderson, Senior Vice President, Public Relations Turner Animation
Nick Nelson, Principal/COO, Liquid Soul Media
Sharon Amos, Founder and CEO, Afterglow Multimedia, LLC
Chris C. Hayes, Founder, CEO, Principal Designer, Amalgamated Pixels
Caralene Robinson, Boost Mobile

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm  Opening Night Screening – TBD

10:00 pm  Opening Night Reception, Hosted by Roger Bobb, Executive Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios


Friday, November 12, 2010

8:00 am Registration until 5:00 pm at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

9:00 am – 10:20 am  Workshop: The Business of the Industry
Panelists:
Faith Kutulu, ABL Creative
Bernard H. Coleman Jr., Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, and Rice, PLLC
Linda Cannon, Rowdy Productions/Linda Cannon Productions
Kris Bagwell, EVP, EUE/Screen Gems
Sherri McGee McCovey, Coordinating Producer, The Mo'Nique Show

10:30 am – Noon  Workshop: The New Frontier: Doing Business in Brazil
Presented by:
John Christmas, Sport and Entertainment Attorney
Joe Bennett, Entertainment and Sports Consultant

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm  Screenings at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm  MASTER CLASS: The Art of Cinematography with Cliff Charles

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm  Workshop: The “It” Factor: Casting by the Experts
Panelists:
Daryl Cohen, Attorney, Actor, former pres. Nat’l Board SAG
Nevaina Rhodes, Acting Coach
Margo Gabriel, Real People Latino
Sharon Morris, Actor
David Conley, Actor, Writer, Director

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm  Special Documentary Screening Presentation:
“The Other City,” Produced by Sheila C. Johnson

In every city, there’s another city that visitors rarely see. But this other city isn’t just anywhere—it’s in Washington, D.C. The very city that is home to the capitol of the most powerful country in the world has an HIV/AIDS rate that is not only the nation’s highest, but rivals some African countries. “The Other City” introduces us to the people who live in the shadow of the Capitol but remain almost invisible to the lawmakers and lobbyists who live there. It’s about politics and ideology, corruption and bureaucracy, and an epidemic that grew out of control while few people paid any attention or cared. The film is co-produced by Susan Koch, Michelle D. Freeman, Jose Antonio Vargas, Jeff Werner and Neil Barrett. Johnson is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose accomplishments span the areas of hospitality, sports, TV/film, the arts, education and humanitarian causes.

10:30 pm until After Party at Straits with DJ Salah Ananse

Saturday, November 13, 2010

8:00 am Registration until noon at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis

8:00 am – 9:45 am  Bus tour of Movie Locations in the ATL / Limited Seating – includes breakfast!

10:00 am – 11:30 am  Workshop: Alternative Careers in Film with Roger Bobb
Presented by Roger Bobb, Executive Vice President – Tyler Perry Studios
Panelists:
Angi Bones, Producer
Derrick Deuce, Technical Director
Kim Fields, Actor, Director

10:00 am – 11:30 am  Location Scouting and Getting the Right Permits
Panelists:
Albert B Cooper, Location Scout
Sara Christmas, Location Scout
Stacii Jae Johnson, Special Events Manager, Office of the Mayor
Lynn W. Mathis, CPCU, Williams, Turner and Mathis, Inc

10:00 am – 11:30 am  Workshop: Digital Gaming in the ATL
Panelists:
Asante Bradford, Georgia Office of Economic Development
Nicole Wright – Business Development Manager, Advanced Communication and Information Technology, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
Deborah Thomas, CEO and President, Silly Monkey
Faith Kutulu, ABL Creative
Chris Rickwood, Rickwood Music

Noon – 2:00 pm Women SuperStars Luncheon: Honoring extraordinary women of color with remarkable accomplishments both in front of and behind the BronzeLens.
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Omari Hardwick, Mistress and Master of Ceremonies

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm  Screenings at the Georgia Pacific Auditorium

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm  MASTER CLASS: An Eye for Producing with Will Packer, Rainforest Films

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm  Workshop: Music for the Big Screen
Panelists:
Buster Lou Brown, Musician
Kevin “Khao” Cates, Musician
Evita Kaigler, Entertainment Attorney
Blue Frank, Studioplex Studios
Bruce Birch, Director, Music and Entertainment Business Program, Kennesaw State University

8:00 pm  Closing Night Premiere Screening:
"I Will Follow," a drama written and directed by Ava Du Vernay; starring Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Michole White, Omari Hardwick and Beverly Todd.

10:00 pm  Closing Night Party – TBA

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Cinema and Social Justice Sunday
(Free and Open to the Public)
The Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center Auditorium
Spelman College

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm  Screenings: Social Justice Shorts

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Panel: Cinema and Social Justice

Atlanta is considered home to the civil rights movement. Discussion centers on creating socially relevant films that address issues of concern.

Featuring: Rachel Watanabe-Batton

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Reception and viewing of civil rights exhibit "Equally Yoked" in the Spelman College Museum

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Screening of “Saint Augustine”

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Screening TBA
BronzeLens Youth Festival, presented by Kids With Strong Opinions Inc.

Sunday, November 14, 2010
(Free and Open to the Public)

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Auditorium, located in downtown Atlanta 1 Margaret Mitchell Square NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Featured screening: "The Soloist,” a 2009 American drama film directed by Joe Wright. Immediately following the screening there will be a panel discussion with the young actor Justin Martin III who played the part of Nathaniel Ayers as a child in the movie.

Joining Justin on the panel will be Mrs. Jennifer Ayers-Moore, the founder and chair of the Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation and sister to Nathaniel Ayers, the subject of the book and film The Soloist. Ayers-Moore is an outspoken advocate for the artistically gifted mentally ill.

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Savannah Film Festival announces 2010 panels and workshops

The 2010 Savannah Film Festival, which runs Oct. 30-Nov. 6, has announced its program of panels and workshops. A diverse group of film professionals–designers, cinematographers, writers, directors–from the industry’s top television and movie studios will participate in panel and question and answer discussions on a variety of topics about the film, television and digital media business.

Among the top professionals hosting the variety of panels are:
The dialog, sound and film editors behind ABC’s hit series, “Lost;”
Michael Lembeck, the Emmy Award-winning director of “Friends” and the feature films “The In-Laws” and “The Santa Clause 2;”
Denise Cramsey, the seven-time Emmy Award-nominated producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “Trading Spaces;”
Carson Kressley, the fashion expert on Bravo's “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and the host of 'How to Look Good Naked' and “True Beauty;”
Barry Rosenbush, the Emmy Award-winning producer of the “High School Musical” series;
Lev Spiro, the director of “Weeds,” “Ugly Betty” and “Everybody Hates Chris.”

Panels and workshops will include:
“The Next Big Hit,” how to package and sell your idea;
“The Cable Documentary,” how the cable documentary goes from idea to the screen;
“Getting The Gig,” reality television hosts discuss how to create your brand;
“Young Director’s Forum,” advice on going from student director to professional;
“Casting Director, Actor Agent,” advice for aspiring casting directors, agents and actors;
“Kodak presents STOP BY. SHOOT FILM,” a fun learning opportunity – talk to a top cinematographer; learn how to use a 16mm camera; and film and shoot your own scene – all under two hours.

Panels are $5 for the general public; $3 for students, seniors and military; and free for SCAD students, faculty and staff with a valid SCAD ID.

For more information, visit www.scad.edu/filmfest.


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SCAD Announces 2010 Savannah Film Festival Competition Films and Jurors

The Savannah College of Art and Design has announced the competition film lineup and jurors for its 13th annual Savannah Film Festival, scheduled for Oct. 30-Nov. 6 in historic downtown Savannah.

Competition Films (for a complete list of all competition films, please contact ashearer@scad.edu)

Competitions will be held in the categories of narrative features, documentary features, professional shorts, animated shorts and student entries. This year’s films in competition come from almost a dozen different countries including Cambodia, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan. Among the 35 films in competition are:

• Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Bill Plympton’s animated short, “The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger” about a cow seduced by advertising and led down the path of butchers and carnivores.
• Emmy Award-nominated MTV animator Patrick Smith’s musical short, “Masks,” a “Fantasia”-like animated interpretation of the music of rock musician Karl von Kries.
• “Dressed,” the inspirational story of fashion designer Nary Manivong, who defied the odds of a broken childhood and homelessness to follow his dream of showing his collection at New York's Fashion Week.
• “Quadrangle,” a compelling documentary about two middle-class couples, encouraged by the free-love zeitgeist of the '60s and '70s, who find a way out of their disappointing marriages by striking up an unusual four-way love affair.
• “Night Catches Us,” a feature film starring Anthony Mackie of “The Hurt Locker,” is about one man in 1976 dealing with the aftermath of the black power movement.
• “The Kid,” starring Rupert Friend of “Young Victoria,” is an adaptation of the best-selling memoir of the same name about a young man, beaten and bullied at home, who becomes caught up in the criminal underworld of London, where he was known as “The Kid.”

Competition Jurors

The jurors for this year’s Film Festival include:
• James Foley, director, “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “At Close Range,” TV’s “Twin Peaks”
• Lisa Gillian, head of production and development for Red Om Films, Julia Roberts’ production company
• Lynn Hirshfeld, Participant Media’s senior vice president of publishing, involved in production of “The Kite Runner,” “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “Good Night and Good Luck,” “An Inconvenient Truth”
• Alicia Lipinski, vice president of development at Headlong Entertainment
• Stephen Nathan, executive producer for the television series, “Bones.” Emmy nominee for writing “Tracey Takes On…” Produced “Laverne & Shirley,” “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Joan of Arcadia”
• Amy Robinson, producer, “Julie & Julia,” “After Hours.” Actress, “Mean Streets”
• Kaila York, founder of Headlong Entertainment, a literary management and film production company

For more information on the films in competition, visit www.scad.edu/filmfest. Further information about the Savannah Film Festival, including special screenings and guests, is forthcoming.

ABOUT THE SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL
Featuring the best in independent and innovative film from around the world, the Savannah Film Festival presents a full range of cinematic creativity from both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers, bringing world-renowned filmmakers, producers, actors and journalists, as well as other film enthusiasts, to SCAD and Savannah for eight days of feature films, lectures, workshops, panels and competition films from a range of genres. Highlights of the festival include intimate “coffee talks” with film professionals, Q & A panels, lectures and special screenings. Last year’s Savannah Film Festival previewed award-winning films prior to their release, including “The Hurt Locker,” “Precious,” “Up in the Air,” “The White Ribbon,” “An Education” and “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” among others. The Festival played host to Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dancy, Emmy Rossum and Patricia Clarkson. Past festival guests and honorees include John Waters, John Sayles, James Franco, James Ivory, Jeff Daniels, Alec Baldwin, Peter Bart, Roger Ebert, Terrence Malick, Sydney Pollack, the Redgrave siblings (Vanessa, Lynn and Corin), Malcolm McDowell and Milos Forman, among others. Passes to the Savannah Film Festival will be available for purchase through the SCAD box office, 216 E. Broughton St., online at www.scadboxoffice.com or by phone at 912.525.5050.

PLEASE NOTE: THESE TICKET OUTLETS ARE NOT OPEN YET. FURTHER INFORMATION ON TICKET AVAILABILITY IS FORTHCOMING.

Individual tickets to screenings and workshops will be available through the SCAD box office beginning Friday, October 1 at 10 a.m. Morning and afternoon screenings and panels will be $5 for the general public; $3 for students, seniors and military; and free for SCAD students, faculty and staff with a valid SCAD ID. The price for tickets to the evening screenings will be $10 for the general public and $5 for SCAD students, faculty and staff with a valid SCAD ID. The Savannah Film Festival schedule is subject to change.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution that offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in 43 majors. Visit scad.edu.

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Savannah Film Festival Presents Emmy Rossum With the Young Hollywood Award Nov. 2

/PRNewswire/ -- The 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, presented Emmy Rossum with the Young Hollywood Award on Nov. 2.

"I'm extremely honored to be given this award," said Rossum. "This award and the incredible student films shown here at the festival show that SCAD has an eye on the future of film, as well as an appreciation of its past. I'm delighted to be here to accept this."

Rossum's starring performance as Christine in "The Phantom of the Opera" in 2004 earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. Her acting performance in "Songcatcher" earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination in the category of Best Debut Performance. Other past film credits include the Clint Eastwood-directed drama "Mystic River," "Poseidon," "The Day After Tomorrow" with Jake Gyllenhaal, "Dragonball" and "Happy Now."

At age 7, Rossum began singing at the Metropolitan Opera, and she has since performed with such musical talents as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Dolly Parton. In 2007, Rossum recorded her first album for Geffen Records, "Inside Out." She wrote and recorded all her own songs. She is currently working on her second album.

Following the presentation, film festival attendees were treated to a late night special screening of the independent drama, "Dare," starring Rossum. "Dare" follows three teenagers through their last semester of school, who make a last-ditch effort to shake things up by taking the biggest risks of their lives before they actually have to start living as adults. "Dare" will be released theatrically by Image Entertainment Nov. 13.

The day began with a special screening of "Valentino: The Last Emperor," the acclaimed portrait of Valentino Garavani, the man behind the legendary couture label Valentino. The film focuses on the period between Valentino's 70th birthday and his final couture show. After the film, director Matt Tyrnauer joined Vogue Editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley for an in-depth look at the making of the film.

Attendees were also treated to a special screening of "The City of Your Final Destination," with an appearance by the multi-Academy Award-nominated director, James Ivory. Directed by Ivory and written by his longtime collaborator Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, "The City of Your Destination" stars Sir Anthony Hopkins and Laura Linney. It tells the story of a young American academic who attempts to persuade the reluctant heirs of a celebrated Uruguayan novelist to allow him to write an authorized biography of the writer, who has recently died.

Throughout the day there were also narrative feature competition screenings. Among those films competing was "Mercy," written and starring Scott Caan, who made a special appearance at the Festival. "Mercy" centers around a successful but cynical young writer who writes about love but does not really believe in it until he meets someone who turns his world upside down. Playing Caan's on-screen father is his real father, Academy Award-nominated actor James Caan.

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2009 Savannah Film Festival Opens October 31

/PRNewswire/ -- The 2009 annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design opened last night with the university's President Paula Wallace presenting the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award to Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster for recognition of their work in the acclaimed drama, "The Messenger." Also, on hand to share the tribute was the film's director and co-writer, Oren Moverman. Following the tribute to both actors festival goers were treated to a special screening of the film.

Looking out over the audience, Foster accepted his award from President Wallace by exclaiming, "Holy Smokes! I want to thank SCAD for inviting us...I'm deeply inspired by you and Savannah."

Harrelson also graciously accepted his award from President Wallace, who applauded him for his support of sustainable living and invited him to apply for SCAD's new degree in Design for Sustainability. Referring to his recent film, "Zombieland," filmed outside of Atlanta, he said, "When I was filming earlier this year, I was told that I've got to go to Savannah, the best city in Georgia...there just weren't enough zombies to kill."

In "The Messenger," Ben Foster stars as Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army's Casualty Notification service. Partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers, Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. The film hits select theatres on November 13th.

Harrelson's critically acclaimed portrayal of controversial magazine publisher Larry Flynt in Milos Forman's "The People vs. Larry Flynt" garnered him best actor Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Other highlights from Harrelson's film career include "No Country For Old Men," "The Thin Red Line," "Ed TV," "Wag the Dog," "Kingpin," "Natural Born Killers," "Indecent Proposal" and "White Men Can't Jump," among others. He won an Emmy in 1988 for his role in the NBC sitcom "Cheers" and was nominated four additional times during his eight-year run on the show. He later made a return to television with a recurring guest role on the hit NBC series, "Will and Grace."

Foster has starred in such films as "Alpha Dog," "3:10 to Yuma," and "X-Men 3."

On television, he starred in the HBO drama "Six Feet Under," for which he was nominated for two SAG awards. His other television work includes "Freaks and Geeks" and the Emmy-nominated HBO film "The Laramie Project." His performance in Showtime's "Bang Bang You're Dead," a meditation on school shootings, garnered him a Daytime Emmy.

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12th Annual Savannah Film Festival - October 31-November 7 - to Include Gala Screenings and Special Guests

/PRNewswire/ -- The 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, will take place from Saturday, October 31-Saturday, November 7.

Films to receive special gala screenings will include Jean-Marc Vallee's "The Young Victoria"; Oren Moverman's "The Messenger," with Moverman and stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster in attendance; Grant Heslov's "The Men Who Stare at Goats"; Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces"; Lone Sherfig's "An Education"; the United States premieres of James Ivory's "The City of Your Final Destination," with Ivory in attendance, and Nick Moran's "Telstar," with Moran and star Con O'Neill in attendance; Jodie Markell's "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond" (from a screenplay by Tennessee Williams); Cannes Palme d'Or winner Michael Haneke's "The White Ribbon"; and Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," winner of the Grand-Jury Prize at Sundance and the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Daniels and star Gabourey Sidibe will be in attendance.

Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson ("Pieces of April," "Vicki Cristina Barcelona") will receive an Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award after a screening of Woody Allen's "Whatever Works". Emmy and Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson ("Cheers," "The People vs. Larry Flynt") and Ben Foster ("3:10 to Yuma") will also receive Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Awards prior to their screening of "The Messenger." Emmy Rossum ("The Phantom of the Opera") will receive the Young Hollywood Award prior to a screening of her film "Dare," and Jeremy Renner will receive the Spotlight Award for his performance in "The Hurt Locker," which will also screen at the festival. Scott Caan ("Ocean's 11"), the writer and star of "Mercy," one of the festival's competition films, also will attend.

Past festival guests and honorees include Peter O'Toole, Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda, Sidney Lumet, Kathleen Turner, Norman Jewison, Tommy Lee Jones, John Waters, David Benioff, John Sayles, Brett Ratner, Charlie Rose, George Segal, James Franco, James Ivory, Jeff Daniels, Alec Baldwin, Peter Bart, Army Archerd, Roger Ebert, Terrence Malick, Sydney Pollack, the Redgrave siblings -- Vanessa, Lynn and Corin -- Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Malcolm McDowell and Milos Forman, among others.

In addition to the special screenings, the festival will showcase 22 professional films (features, documentaries, shorts and animation) and 12 student films in competition. The jurors for the competition are actress Patti D'Arbanville ("Rescue Me"), actress/producer Rita Gam, writer/director Ingrid Rockefeller, writer/director Michael Sucsy (Emmy-Award winning "Grey Gardens") and writer/director David Twohy ("Pitch Black").

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High to Host 24th Annual Latin American Film Festival

September 25 – October 31, 2009

The High Museum of Art will present the 24th annual Latin American Film Festival on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. The festival begins on September 25 through October 31, 2009, and features outstanding recent cinema from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. Its twelve films represent the best in comedy, drama, thriller and documentary in Latin American film today, including the award-winning films “That’s It,” “Lion’s Den” and “Ballroom.”

The 24th annual Latin American Film Festival is sponsored by LAPTV. Program enrichment is made possible by a gift from Julie and Jerry Chautin. The Festival Program Consultant is Sandro Fiorin of FiGa Films.

“The High is excited to present its 24th year of the Latin American Film Festival as we continue to offer patrons a series deep in quality and breadth,” said curator of media arts Linda Dubler. “With our festival program consultant Sandro Fiorin, we have created a program that reflects the diverse film culture of Latin America. While themes of social and political justice are key with ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Lion’s Den,’ this year’s films are fascinating in their exploration of young people who are just discovering love and finding themselves, as well as elders for whom life still holds revelations and wonders.”

The Latin American Film Festival opens Friday, September 25, with “Insignificant Things.” Andrea Martinez’s ensemble cast offers up redemption in the small things that happen in daily life. This slice-of-life story set in Mexico City is a delicate and finely observed drama exploring the themes of forgiveness, mortality and both familial and romantic love. An opening-night reception sponsored by the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta will follow the screening in the lower lobby of the Promenade II building, located at 1230 Peachtree St. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

Showing on Saturday, September 26, “Oblivion” is a humorous, biting and humanistic film by Heddy Honigmann. This film was praised by the International Film Critics Federation for its “poetical and Chaplinesque vision of the resilience of humanity.” An ode to Peru’s people who have been plundered by the powerful, the film is a song for the powerless who resist being consigned to oblivion. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

On Friday, October 2, “Intimacies of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo” is a film by Yulene Olaizola. The film centers on the relationship that she and her maid Florencia had for many years with a strange, artistic young man named Jorge Rios, who roomed in her home. Evoking the gothic atmosphere of a Tennessee Williams tale, this real-life mystery uses what Variety’s Robert Koehler called “a placid, inviting style” to present “an everyday look into the bizarre.” This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

“That’s It,” on Saturday, October 3, is the set up for 21-year-old director Matheus Souza’s fresh romantic comedy about twenty-somethings falling in and out of love. Channeling mumblecore style by using digital video, seemingly improvised dialogue, non-professional actors and pop-cultural references, Souza’s film is rooted in Generation Y. Directed with surprisingly heart-warming sincerity, “That’s It” won the Audience Award for Best Film at the 2008 Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Film Festivals. This film is in Portuguese with subtitles.

Showing on Friday, October 9, “The Good Life,” from director Andres Wood, won Spain’s Goya Award for Best Spanish Language Foreign Film in 2009. The moving drama, set in present-day Santiago, is the story of four characters whose lives cross during a search for their visions of the good life. This film is in Spanish with subtitles

On Saturday, October 10, “The Window,” from director Carlos Sorin, centers on 80-year-old Antonio, who, after a vigorous life, awaits what will probably be a final visit from his estranged son. He sees light and life, the past, the present and intimations of the future—a vision so compelling that he sneaks past his caregivers to take what might be a last walk in his fields. Through Antonio’s foray into both the corners of his own memory and the world beyond his shadowy room, Sorin evokes the elegiac and pastoral spirit of Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries.” This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

In “Lion’s Den,” showing on Friday, October 16, Pablo Traper crafts a dark meditation on familial relationships and a searing critique of Argentina’s judicial system. Shot on location in a number of Argentinean penitentiaries and featuring many non-actors in supporting roles, the film tells the story of Julia, a 25-year-old student incarcerated for committing a murder she can’t remember. Martina Gusman, playing Julia, won the International Film Critics’ FIPRESCI award for Best Actress at the Palm Spring International Film Festival; the film was also nominated for the Palm D’Or at Cannes in 2008. This film is not appropriate for children. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

Showing on Saturday, October 17, Gabriel Medina’s “The Paranoids” is a deadpan comedy centered on Luciano, a hangdog twenty-something whose life is defined by his endless anxieties. His paralyzing angst is inspiring to Manuel, a smooth-talking producer who has launched a successful Spanish television series based on his friend’s miseries. To complicate matters, Manuel’s insomniac girlfriend Sofia starts crashing at Luciano’s place, and the stage is set for a very neurotic romance. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

Showing on Friday, October 23, “Café de los Maestros,” directed by Miguel Kohan, is a valentine to the elder statesman of Argentina’s treasured musical form, the tango. Kohan unites talented musicians for a magnificent performance at the famed Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and captures the gentlemen as they rehearse and reminisce. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

On Saturday, October 24, Mariana Chenillo’s “Nora’s Will” is a poignant, understated comedy about the legacy that Nora, a longtime sufferer of depression, leaves her loved ones when, after many suicide attempts, takes enough pills to end her life right before Passover. Mariana Chenillo’s first feature, loosely based on her own family history, won audience awards at the Morelia, Miami and Cine Las Americas film festivals. This film is in Spanish and Hebrew with subtitles.
Showing on Friday, October 30, “Ballroom” is the story of love and life unfolding in one of São Paulo’s most popular ballrooms. Director Laís Bodanzky’s finely acted ensemble film introduces us to a cast of diverse characters and features a fabulous soundtrack with performances by singers Elza Soares and Marku Ribas. The film won the Audience and Best Director awards at the Brasilia Film Festival. This film is in Portuguese with subtitles.
In “Ocean,” showing on Saturday, October 31, Russian filmmaker Mikhail Kosyrev-Nesterov mixes operatic emotion, realist acting and a fearlessly inventive visual style in an ode to Cuba and its people. The action alternates between a small fishing village that is home to a protective mother and her three sons, and Havana, a metropolis where the eldest son believes any dream can come true. As its title suggests, “Ocean” explores the fluid, fierce undertow of passion and ties it to an edenic tropical landscape whose beauty is as intoxicating as a first kiss. This film is in Spanish with subtitles.

Film Series Schedule
All films are screened at 8 p.m. in the Richard H. Rich Theatre, *unless otherwise noted. The Richard H. Rich Theatre is located in the Memorial Arts Building, adjacent to the High at Peachtree and 15th Streets in midtown Atlanta. All films are in their original language with English subtitles. Most films are for mature audiences. Please contact us at highfilm@woodruffcenter.org if you have questions about whether or not a film is appropriate for children.

“Insignificant Things” / “Cosas Insignificantes”
Friday, September 25

“Oblivion” / “El Olvido”
Saturday, September 26

“Intimacies of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo” / “Intimidades de Shakespeare y Victor Hugo”
Friday, October 2

“That’s It” / “Apenas O Fim”
Saturday, October 3

“The Good Life” / “La Buena Vita”
Friday, October 9

“The Window” / “La Ventana”
Saturday, October 10

“The Lion’s Den” / “Leonera”
Friday, October 16

“The Paranoids” / “Los Paranoicos”
Saturday, October 17

“Café de los Maestros”
Friday, October 23

“Nora’s Will” / “Cinco Dias Sin Nora”
Saturday, October 24

“Ballroom” / “Chega de Saudade”
Friday, October 30

“Ocean”
Saturday, October 31

Tickets
Please note that LAFF films sell out early and advance purchasing is advised. Tickets are $7 for the public and $6 for Museum members, students and seniors. Patron-level members enter free. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.High.org, by visiting the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office or by calling 404-733-5000. Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the night of the screening. Phone and internet orders will incur a $1-per-ticket service fee.

The public may call the High’s film hotline at 404-733-4570 for up-to-the-minute information about visiting directors, receptions, changes or cancellations. The museum’s website is www.High.org
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UGA Presents Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People

A four-part series chronicling the history of one of Earth’s oldest mountain ranges and its inhabitants will be shown March 2-3 on the University of Georgia Campus. On Monday, March 2, the first half of Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in 102 Miller Learning Center. The second half is slated for Wednesday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in 171 Miller Learning Center. Filmmakers Ross Spears and Jamie Ross will be present to introduce and discuss the film. The showing is free and open to the public.

According to the film’s producers the James Agee Film Project, the Appalachian Mountains and its people provide the most revelations about the ancient history of America. In addition, more that is believed to be true about this area is false than in any other region in the country.

The film event is co-sponsored by the EcoFocus Film Festival (a production of the Odum School of Ecology), the history department, the anthropology department and the Institute of Native American Studies.

“These films are a great example of the kind of film the EcoFocus environmental film festival would like to highlight at the festival and through our year-round programming,” said EcoFocus managing director Sara Beresford. “This is a really unique opportunity to see these films on a large screen and have the filmmakers present. We’re thrilled to co-sponsor this event.”

The series is narrated by Sissy Spacek with commentary by several UGA faculty members. Ten years in the making, the film series weaves together the fields of science and humanity in telling the story of how the mountains have shaped the inhabitants and vice versa.

For more information on the series, see the official film Web site at: http://www.ageefilms.org/appalachia.html.

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Georgia State Students’ Film to Premiere at Olympics

For most, going to the Olympics as a spectator is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For three Georgia State graduate students — Phoebe Brown, Shanna Gildersleeve and Micah Stansell — and their faculty adviser, Niklas Vollmer, attending this summer’s games in Beijing will offer another unique experience: the world premiere of their documentary film.

The Coca-Cola Co. commissioned Vollmer and his students to film a segment on Doug Stoup, an environmentalist and expeditionist who has led teams to the North and South poles and was selected as a torchbearer for this year’s Olympics. Teams of students from Australia, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania and Turkey also filmed their own segments. After seeing the work from Georgia State, Coca-Cola asked Vollmer, Brown, Gildersleeve and Stansell to edit each five-minute segment into one film.

“Hopefully at some point, we’ll at least make some kind of personal contact with the other students,” Brown says. “We’ve spent a lot more time with their work. As you keep watching, you start feeling like you get a sense of what the people who made it would be like.”

The film blends the different filmmakers’ unique storytelling styles to illustrate the need for global awareness of environmental issues ranging from water pollution to melting glaciers to wildlife conservation. Each segment follows an environmentalist who was selected as an Olympic torchbearer and highlights his or her cause.

“Hopefully, it will effect some sort of change,” Stansell says.

Vollmer says it’s been rewarding to guide his students through the process of putting together the film, calling it a bridge between Georgia State and other universities.

“These three have been great at adapting to something that all of us, when we first agreed to it, had no idea what it really would turn out to be,” he says. “I wanted a sharp crew, and they’re sharp.”

The film will premiere Aug. 13 at the Coca-Cola Shuang Experience Center, a hospitality venue on the Olympic Green.

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High Museum - Film Feature August 1st- Man on Wire

Man on Wire
August 1, 8 p.m.
Rich Theatre
$7 general admission; $6 students, seniors, and Museum members. Patron level members enter free.

Films at the High is pleased to present a special preview of Man on Wire, an extraordinary film about daredevil Philippe Petit, who amazed the world when he illegally danced across a high wire strung between the World Trade Center Towers in New York in 1974.

Winner of both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Documentary at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, James Marsh's portrait of Petit, who also walked a wire across the towers of Notre Dame and the Sydney Bridge, has won unanimous praise from critics.

In Variety, Robert Koehler called the film "one of the most wildly entertaining documentaries of recent years... an adventure tale that astonishes in every respect." The film’s hypnotic, propulsive score was written by minimalist composer Michael Nyman, a frequent collaborator with British director Peter Greenaway.

(Britain, 2007, 102 minutes.) In English and French with subtitles.