Several film festivals top the list in terms of exposure and prestige, especially for indies. In North America, Toronto takes the prize. Overseas, Berlin and Venice are generally considered the cream of the crop. The Berlin Film Festival took place earlier this year.
The 66th Venice International Film Festival will be unspooling from September 2-12, just prior to the Toronto International Film Festival (which opens on September 10).
A couple of weeks ago I reported on the casting of Australian actor Xavier Samuel in the forthcoming The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.
Then last week I was happy to pass on the news that his new film The Loved Ones would be having its International Premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September. I cover that event every year and will be at the screening. Eclipse will be shooting in Vancouver at the same time but, hopefully, the filmmakers will let Xavier attend.
Several recent film festival favorites have emerged from the indie ether and are about to land in theaters.
My One and Only debuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear and won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in the Special Mention Competition. Based on a true story, Renee Zellweger stars along with Logan Lerman as young George Hamilton. Freestyle Releasing is distributing. The film will open in New York and Los Angeles on August 21 before expanding to the top 20 markets on September 4.
Several days ago I (along with a gazillion other sites) reported on the casting of the young Australian actor Xavier Samuel in the forthcoming The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. The story became a huge one, of course, although most outlets had little choice but to simply rehash the same info that everyone else was posting.
I was fortunate to have actually met Xavier Samuel and cover the premieres of two of his four previous feature films: Newcastle, at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2008, and 2:37, at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in January 2007.
The 2009 Toronto International Film Festival is just over seven weeks away. I’ve attended 37 film festivals since the start of 2006, but none as prestigious or breathtaking in scope as this one.
I saw over 75 films there from 2006-2008, and many of my Top Picks from all festivals over the past few years (of over 375 in total) came from the Toronto lineup.
The Twilight Saga’s Eclipse, third installment in the popular series of novels by Stephenie Meyer, has cast its first new star-to-be. He is Australian actor Xavier Samuel, and he’s no stranger to readers of this blog. Xavier was one of the amazing leads in last year’s coming-of-age indie Newcastle, which was one of my Top Picks from the Tribeca Film Festival and one of my Top 10 of 2008.
He was one of the young cast members who I had the pleasure to meet, interview, and photograph at the time and predicted would be a big hit if he could land a role here in the States. Now he’s done it.
Several of my recent film festival favorites have emerged from the indie ether and are about to land in theaters.
I’ve been following the progress of George Gallo’s Local Color since attending the World Premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. The film stars the legendary Armin Mueller-Stahl and Trevor Morgan.
The 2009 Toronto International Film Festival is now less than two months away. I’ve attended 37 film festivals since the start of 2006, but none as prestigious or breathtaking in scope as this one.
I saw over 75 films there from 2006-2008, and many of my Top Picks from all festivals over the past few years (of over 375 in total) came from the Toronto lineup.
I had the great pleasure of announcing on February 29, 2008 that talented young actor Michael Angarano had been cast in Jared Hess’ Gentlemen Broncos. I’ve been following its progress ever since.
Now the World Premiere of this highly anticipated indie has finally been announced. It will be the official Opening Night Film of the 5th Fantastic Fest 2009, September 24 – October 1 at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas.
A previously unannounced screening of the music documentary When You’re Strange: A Film about The Doors was one of the most pleasant suprises of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.
Writer/director Tom DiCillo was able to gain access to original footage shot from 1966-71 by Paul Ferrara, a UCLA Film School buddy of flamboyant lead singer Jim Morrison.
Attending the Special Screening of Bananas!* at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival was a freaky, surreal experience. This controversial documentary from Sweden almost didn’t get shown at all.
For the first time in my moviegoing history, I bore witness to an odd set of “rules” which needed to be complied with in order for the film to be exhibited.
West of Pluto (A L’Ouest de Pluton) hails from Canada and was one of my Top Picks of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. Being shot and set in Quebec, the film is in French with English subtitles.
Written, directed, produced, and edited by Myriam Verreault and Henry Bernadet, West of Pluto is everything I look for in great independent cinema.
One of my Top Picks of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival was A Week Alone (Una Semana Solos), a sweet gem from Argentina.
What’s fascinating about attending film festivals is how trends begin to emerge after seeing dozens of films. One recurring theme is the idea of kids being left to their own devices, either by choice or lack of adult supervision, and the inevitable ensuing spiral into mayhem.
The World Premiere of Dear Lemon Lima, was one of the highly anticipated “buzz films” I’d written about prior to the festival.
Written and directed by Suzi Yoonessi, this classic coming-of-age story is told through the diary writings of 13-year-old Vanessa (the brilliant Savanah Wiltfong).
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