Tag Archives: Independent films

Magnolia Pictures announced today that they have acquired North American distribution rights to writer-director Joe Swanberg’s DRINKING BUDDIES, starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston.
Produced by Dark Arts’ Alicia Van Couvering and Andrea Roa; Burn Later?s Paul M. Bernon and Sam Slater; and Swanberg, the film premiered this month at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. The film was executive produced by Mike Witherill, Ashley Bernon, Jessica Klapman, David Kaplan, Anish Savjani, and Wilde. Magnolia Pictures is planning a theatrical release for later this year.
DRINKING BUDDIES follows the lives of Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) who work together at a craft brewery. They have one of those friendships that feels like it could be something more. But Kate is with Chris (Ron Livingston), and Luke is with Jill (Anna Kendrick). And Jill wants to know if Luke is ready to talk about marriage. The answer to that question becomes crystal clear when Luke and Kate unexpectedly find themselves alone for a weekend.
“Joe Swanberg has been evolving steadily as a filmmaker, and with DRINKING BUDDIES, he’s delivered his best work yet?a truly funny, smart and insightful film about real adult relationships,? said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and the rest of the cast also deliver some of the best work of their careers. We’re raising an imperial pint in celebration.?
“I feel tremendously privileged to work with such a smart, energetic and exciting company,” said Swanberg. “I had an amazing time working with the Magnolia family on V/H/S and I can’t wait to be their drinking buddy again. I just know they will do great things with the film.?
The deal for the film was negotiated by Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter van Steemberg, with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers and producers.
Swanberg’s prior films include HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, ALEXANDER THE LAST, UNCLE KENT, SILVER BULLETS, and V/H/S.
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The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today announced the lineup for the seventh annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. Founded to broaden the audience for independent film through stories about sports and competition, this year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will consist of nine films, including four titles from ESPN Films’ highly anticipated “Nine for IX” series which celebrates the fortieth anniversary of Title IX with nine documentary films about women in sports directed by outstanding female filmmakers.
The 2013 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will run during the 12th edition of TFF, presented by American Express, April 17 – April 28 at locations around New York City.
The Festival revealed that the world premiere of Big Shot, directed by Kevin Connolly, will serve as the gala premiere of the program on Friday, April 19. Connolly is returning to Tribeca having debuted his feature film Gardener of Eden in 2007. In Big Shot, Connolly chronicles John Spano’s fraudulent purchase of the New York Islanders. In 1997, Spano bought the New York Islanders for a staggering $165 million. The scheme behind Spano’s acquisition of the team is revealed as Big Shot takes viewers behind the scenes of the biggest fraud in hockey history.
“The sports film offerings at this year’s Festival give sports fans and movie buffs tremendous opportunities to experience the many ways that sports intersect with our culture,” said Genna Terranova, Tribeca Film Festival Director of Programming. “We are excited that Big Shot, which chronicles one of the most infamous sagas in professional sports management history, will kick-off this year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, and to share the range of these personal stories seem through the lens of sports.”
“I’ve always thought the expression ‘passion project’ was kind of a cliché until I started working on Big Shot for ESPN,” said Kevin Connolly. “Working side by side and spending time with guys that I literally grew up idolizing has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. The whole experience, including having the film premiere in New York at the festival, has been a dream come true.”
“There are many vibrant, independent voices out there telling incredible sports stories and we’re honored to be involved with the Tribeca Film Festival where together we can shine a light on these documentaries and filmmakers,” said Connor Schell, vice president of ESPN Films. “We produce our films with the intention of capturing both the glory and the heartbreak of [...]

Prepare for the epic return of Danny Trejo as the ultimate badass in Robert Rodriguez’s highly anticipated MACHETE KILLS. Recruited by the government for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man, Machete must take down a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war and anarchy across the planet.
Get a load of Sofia Vergara as the deadly Desdemona in the latest MACHETE KILLS poster

With an all-star cast including Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Mel Gibson, and Danny Trejo as the legendary Machete, MACHETE KILLS will be in theaters everywhere September 13th.
Get a load of Sofia Vergara as the deadly Desdemona in the latest MACHETE KILLS poster
FACEBOOK/MacheteKills
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The Exclusive Canadian Broadcast of the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 23 rd at 10pm ET, will take place on Sony Movie Channel.
All of the action unfolds a day before the Academy Awards® from a beachside tent in Santa Monica, California with comedian and SNL alumni Andy Samberg hosting the 28th annual awards. The Spirit Awards celebrate artist-driven filmmaking and recognize the finest achievements of today’s independent filmmakers and is the premier awards event for the independent film community.
The Spirit Awards ceremony brings together top talent from independent film and Hollywood. 2013 nominees include Silver Linings Playbook and Moonrise Kingdom for Best Feature, Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom) and David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) for Best Director. Nominees in the acting categories include Jennifer Lawrence & Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Matthew McConaughey (Killer Joe), Helen Hunt (The Sessions) and Bruce Willis (Moonrise Kingdom). Additionally, War Witch from Canada’s Kim Nguyen has been nominated for Best International Feature. Visit www.spiritawards.com for a full list of nominations.
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Dimension Films will release DARK SKIES on February 22, 2013. The film is a supernatural thriller from Jason Blum, the groundbreaking producer of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchise, INSIDIOUS and SINISTER.
Dark Skies from the producer of Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and Sinister comes Dark Skies: a supernatural thriller that follows a young family living in the suburbs. As husband and wife Daniel and Lacey Barret witness an escalating series of disturbing events involving their family, their safe and peaceful home quickly unravels. When it becomes clear that the Barret family is being targeted by an unimaginably terrifying and deadly force, Daniel and Lacey take matters in their own hands to solve the mystery of what is after their family.
Cast includes Keri Russell,J.K. Simmons,Josh Hamilton. Producer is Jason Blum and Writer/Director:
Scott Stewart (PRIEST, LEGION)
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We are keeping our fingers crossed. So, that our frontrunner, Amy Adams, can be nominated for “Best Supporting Actress,” for her great performance in “The Master.”
A three-time Academy Award-nominated actress, Amy Adams can currently be seen starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” opposite Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The critically acclaimed film broke art house box office records in its opening weekend. Adams can also presently be seen in Robert Lorenz’s “Trouble with the Curve” opposite Clint Eastwood. Later this year she will have a cameo in director Walter Salle’s adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s seminal beat generation novel, “On The Road,” and in 2013, Adams will be seen in Zack Snyder’s “Superman” reboot for Warner Bros., “Man of Steel” where she will play “Lois Lane,” as well as the “Untitled Spike Jonze Film.”
Adams previously starred in David O. Russell’s “The Fighter,” opposite Mark
Wahlberg and Christian Bale. The role garnered Adams Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nominations, as well as her third Academy Award nomination in five years. Her previous Academy Award nominated roles include John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt,” opposite Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Phil Morrison’s “Junebug.” Adams is also noted for her performances in box office hits, including “Julie and Julia,” “Enchanted,” and “Sunshine Cleaning.” Behind the camera, Adams has teamed with Maven Pictures’ Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray to produce “Object of Beauty,” which she is also set to star in.

The 2012 Hollywood Film Awards has also announced that it will honor producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner with the “Hollywood Producers Award,” writer/director Judd Apatow with the “Hollywood Comedy Award,” actor John Hawkes with the “Hollywood Breakout Performance Award” for “The Sessions,” and Quvenzhané Wallis with the “New Hollywood Award” for “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Other honorees include cinematographer Wally Pfister and visual effects supervisors Jane Sirrs and Jeff White. In addition, director Peter Ramsey’s “Rise of the Guardians” will be honored with the “Hollywood Animation Award,” along with additional honorees to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Hollywood Film Awards Gala honors cherished stars, filmmakers and up-and-coming talent, and traditionally kicks off the film awards season with the biggest stars and top industry executives in attendance.
“We are very proud to be the first stop of the awards season. In the last nine years, a total of 85 Oscar® nominations and 32 Oscars® were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Film [...]

Aside from the 84th Annual Academy Awards™, there was no bigger week this year at The Awards Circuit than this one. Sunday began with three critics groups — Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Boston Film Critics and New York Film Critics Online — announcing their winners and runners-up for the best in Film 2012. Zero Dark Thirty continued its dominance with the critics groups, but wavering contenders like Dwight Henry and Joaquin Phoenix a hefty boost by winning “Best Supporting Actor” and “Best Actor,” respectively, from LAFCA.
As this was going on, we managed to successfully debut our first-ever LIVE Power Hour Podcast. Ann Dowd, winner of the National Board of Review’s “Best Supporting Actress” award, was an utter delight as our guest and we wish her all the best in this highly competitive awards season.
Here are some other key awards groups/critics associations that announced either their winners or nominees: Washington Film Critics, American Film Institute, San Diego Film Critics Society, Detroit Film Critics, Phoenix Film Critics, St. Louis Film Critics, Las Vegas Film Critics, and Chicago Film Critics. Out of breath yet? Me too!
And, of course, the BIG THREE: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild and Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
To read more go to www.awardscircuit.com
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By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: She is the glue that holds a crumbling relationship together, a foundation upon which two towering performers can build. And that’s why it’s so important that Amy Adams is being recognized for her work in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” … because without her, I’m not sure that the movie would work quite as well.
Adams, it was revealed, will receive the “Hollywood Supporting Actress Award” for her performance as Peggy Dodd in PTA’s “The Master.” It’s is a subtle turn free of showy theatrics. But it’s the type of performance that instantly makes those around her better because it pushes them toward difficult decisions, and it questions all that we believe we know about these headstrong figures in PTA’s drama.
Peggy, of course, is the rock of stability on which Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) leans. But it’s her distrust in Lancaster’s latest disciple, Freddie (Joaquin Phoenix), that gives “The Master” its combustibility. Every time PTA’s experiment seems to settle on a result, Adams – through Peggy – quietly changes the equation, giving the exquisite movie a new direction.
Expect Adams’ performance to connect with Academy members, who should reward her with her fourth Oscar nomination (after “The Fighter,” “Doubt” and “Junebug”).
The Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 22, 2012. The event honors cherished stars and up-and-coming talent, and traditionally kicks off the film awards season with the biggest stars and top industry executives in attendance.
“We are very appreciative to be the first stop of the awards season. In the last nine years, a total of 85 Oscar nominations and 32 Oscars were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Film Awards,” said Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Awards.
Last year’s awards show reached a total TV audience of more than 41 million media impressions, in addition to more than 300 million online and print readers’ impressions.
Read more of our exclusive Awards coverage:
Our “Silver Linings Playbook” review
Ben Affleck’s “Argo” scores
Producer Harvey Weinstein
“Lawless” director John Hillcoat
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HollywoodNews.com: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are finally engaged so of course everyone now wants to know when the two will be getting married.
However, Pitt recently broke the news that the two do not have any plans set for the big day, states TooFab. “We have no date, we actually really truly have no date,” Pitt commented.
And it sounds like they might actually be waiting to set a date: “I’m still hoping we figure out marriage equality in the states before that date.”
Do you think they will wait to wed?
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HollywoodNews.com: Five finalists, selected from 51 entries representing 29 countries, will advance in the Foreign Film category in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 39th Annual Student Academy Awards competition. Up to three winners will be selected from this group and brought to Los Angeles to join U.S.-based Student Academy Award® winners for a week of industry activities and social events. The festivities will culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 9, at 6 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
The 2012 Foreign Film finalists are (listed alphabetically by film title):
“Emily,” Benjamin Mathews, Australian Film Television and Radio School, Australia
“For Elsie,” David Winstone, University of Westminster, United Kingdom
“Of Dogs and Horses,” Thomas Stuber, Film Academy Baden-Wüerttemberg, Germany
“Skyborn,” Jamie Stone, National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
“The Swing of the Coffin Maker,” Elmar Imanov, The International Film School Cologne, Germany
Several past winners in the Foreign Film competition have gone on to earn further recognition from the Academy. At the 84th Academy Awards earlier this year, 2011 Student Academy Award winners Hallvar Witzø and Max Zähle were nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for “Tuba Atlantic” and “Raju,” respectively. The 2010 Foreign Film award winner, Tanel Toom, was a nominee at the 83rd Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category for “The Confession.” Reto Caffi, a winner in 2008, received a nomination in the Live Action Short Film category for “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” at the 81st Academy Awards. In 2005, at the 78th Academy Awards, student winner Ulrike Grote’s “Ausreisser (The Runaway)” was nominated in the Live Action Short Film category. At the 75th Academy Awards, student winner Martin Strange-Hansen of Denmark won the Oscar® in the Live Action Short Film category for “This Charming Man (Der Er En Yndig Mand).” He had won the Foreign Film award that same year (2002) with “Feeding Desire.” In 2000 Florian Gallenberger of Germany won the Honorary Foreign Film award and then the Oscar in the Live Action Short Film category with “Quiero Ser (I want to be…).” Two other previous student winners, Jan Sverak of the former Czechoslovakia, and Mike van Diem of The Netherlands, went on to direct films that won Oscars® in the Foreign Language Film category.
The 39th Annual Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 9 is free and [...]