Jeff Friday Media , the company that organizes the American Black Film Festival , has struck a first-look deal with WarnerMedia . The two-year exclusive arrangement will give networks including HBO, HBO Max, TBS, TNT, TruTV and CNN access to unscripted content ranging from documentaries, docuseries, and specials to reality TV and awards shows. It will also give the WarnerMedia networks a first look at all documentary films submitted to the annual American Black Film Festival. It comes after Jeff Friday Media signed a similar deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment in October 2020 that gives the studio first consideration for narrative feature films submitted to the festival. HBO is a founding sponsor of the American Black Film Festival, which is now under the Jeff Friday Media banner and celebrates its 25th anniversary in November. The festival has helped launch the careers of Ryan Coogler, Issa Rae, Steven Caple, Jr., and Reinaldo Marcus Green. The Turner …
ABFF Creators Launch Inaugural Social Justice Now Film Festival, Michael B. Jordan And Opal Tometi To Serve As Co-Ambassadors
As the world perspective shifts and a reckoning continues to pulsate through the country when it comes to the social and economic issues facing Black and Brown communities, American Black Film Festival creators Jeff and Nicole Friday are launching the very first Social Justice Now Film Festival through their non-profit The Film Life Foundation . The event is set to take place October 21-25 with actor and producer Michael B. Jordan and Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Opal Tometi serving as co-ambassadors. The Social Justice Now Film Festival is the first of its kind and will feature virtual screenings, community conversations and impact events that confront issues facing disenfranchised communities. Jordan’s Outlier Society is set as a partner for the event alongside Endeavor Content and One Community. Sony Pictures is the event’s Founding Sponsor. The Social Justice Now Film Festival’s mantra is: “watch, reflect, and take action” — and that timeliness and urgency …
Michel Franco’s Venice Pic ‘Sundown’ Lands U.S. Deal At Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street has acquired North American rights to Sundown , the latest film from Mexican writer-director Michel Franco that world premiered this fall at the Venice Film Festival . A 2022 theatrical release in the U.S. is in the works for the tense family drama. Tim Roth reunites with Franco (he starred in Franco’s 2015 pic Chronic ) to star in Sundown with Charlotte Gainsbourg, Iazua Larios and Henry Goodman. Roth and Gainsbourg play Neil and Alice, the core of a wealthy British family on vacation in Acapulco with younger members Colin (Samuel Bottomley) and Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan) until a distant emergency cuts their trip short. When one relative disrupts the family’s tight-knit order, simmering tensions rise to the fore revealing long-gestating rifts. Franco, Cristina Velasco L. and Eréndira Núñez Larios are producers in the Teorema production, a co-production with Film I Väst, CommonGround Pictures and Luxbox. Roth and Lorenzo Vigas are …
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Netflix, Tribeca Studios & Gold House Launch Future Gold Film Fellowship Aimed At Elevating Filmmakers From AAPI Communities
Netflix , Tribeca Studios and Gold House have teamed up to launch the Future Gold Film Fellowship , a program designed to elevate experienced directors from the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The three directors selected for the program by Tribeca Studios and a panel of industry leaders— including Aneesh Chaganty, Jon M. Chu, Destin Daniel Cretton, Christopher Kahunahana, Daniel Dae Kim, Alice Wu, Janet Yang, and Nina Yang Bongiovi—will receive a grant to complete production on a scripted short film. They will also receive full production support from Tribeca Studios, training and mentorship from executives at Netflix and Tribeca, and exposure to established talent within the network of Gold House, the nonprofit collective dedicated to unifying the Asian and Pacific Islander communities, in order to enable societal equity and more authentic multicultural representation on screen. “At Netflix, we’re thrilled to be teaming up with Gold House and Tribeca …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Names Clare Stewart As Interim CEO & Asif Kapadia As Guest Curator
Leading UK documentary event Sheffield Doc/Fest has named former London and Sydney film festival director Clare Stewart as interim CEO. Stewart will steer the fest through its 2022 edition, which will run June 23-28. In addition, Oscar-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia has been named guest curator for next year, the first time the fest has employed someone in this role. Kapadia will personally select some sections of the screenings program and work with the team on events, talks and other initiatives. The Sheffield festival has faced a rocky ride over the past year. Previous director Cintia Gil stepped down in August , citing “artistic differences” with the board. Later that month, a group of programmers from the fest published an open letter complaining to the org that they were unceremoniously released from their contracts after this year’s edition, with the fest apologizing in response. “Clare’s track-record inspiring and delivering change in the international …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Apologizes To Programmers Who Were Let Go With No Notice & Told To Reapply For Jobs – Update
UPDATE, 08/31: UK festival Sheffield Doc/Fest has apologized to a group of programmers who published an open letter complaining to the org that they were unceremoniously released from their contracts after this year’s edition. “We apologize to the signatories for not communicating better. We very much appreciate their contribution to the festival. Their fixed-term contracts ended in June 2021, after this year’s festival but we welcome their candidacy for future programming roles,” a statement from the fest’s board read. “We agree with the signatories of the letter, What is a film festival even for? that it is an important question to be asking. And it’s also important to ask, how does an artistic programme balance its subjects and perspectives, while simultaneously championing its filmmakers, growing its audiences and engaging its partners?” The statement added. “These are questions we are currently addressing as we consolidate DocFest following recent leadership changes. We …
Elizabeth Hurley To Star In Caribbean Rom-Com; Big Names On Board For Bafta Breakthrough Talent Jury – Global Briefs
Elizabeth Hurley To Star In Caribbean Rom-Com Elizabeth Hurley is to play the lead in The Caribbean Christmas , the rom-com shot in St Kitts and Nevis from MSR Media producer Philippe Martinez. Pic started filming this week. Cast on the film, which is the latest to be shot this year in the Caribbean island under its multi-film deal with MSR, includes Bridgerton ’s Caroline Quentin, Nathalie Cox ( Kingdom Of Heaven ), Edoardo Costa ( Live Free or Die Hard ) and Incitement ’s Hadar Cats. The film follows the story of an abandoned British bride, who spends December in the Caribbean with her bridesmaids as love blossoms. Hurley described the offer to film in the Caribbean after a difficult 18 months as “irresistible.” Martinez will direct and write alongside Cox. Bafta Talent Unveils US-UK Jury Handmaids’ Tale creator Bruce Miller, documentary maker Afua Hirsch and Netflix UK Features Director Fiona Lamptey are to feature in the U.S./UK jury for this …
‘Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Bankruptcy Of Detroit’ Wins $200K Library Of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Documentary Prize
EXCLUSIVE: Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Bankruptcy Of Detroit , directed by Sam Katz and James McGovern , swept the 2021 Library of Congress Lavine/ Ken Burns Prize for Film, a three-year-old documentary award that carries a finishing grant of $200,000. The winning entry explores the decline of the American manufacturing city culminating in the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history in 2013 and its aftermath. Directors of runner-up Free Chol Soo Lee, Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, will receive $50,000 for their story of a Korean immigrant wrongly convicted of a Chinatown gang murder in San Francisco in 1973. Four finalists will be awarded $25,000 apiece. Filmmakers from Ken Burns’ production company Florentine Films and staff from the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center — the Library’s moving image and recorded sound preservation facility – selected the six entries from a flurry of initial submissions of late-stage American history documentaries. …
Jai Bhim: 5 Reason Why We Can’t Wait To Watch The Suriya Starrer!
Every festival brings with it hope and happiness, and Diwali- the festival of lights, is all about new beginnings and celebrations. This Diwali, Prime Video presents to its viewers, Suriya Starrer Jai Bhim - a film that epitomizes the true essence of the festive spirit, wrapping a beautiful and inspirational message of hope and triumph of truth. From the recently released trailer, it is revealed that the upcoming courtroom drama is based on true events, where Suriya essays the role of Advocate Chandru, who takes it upon himself to unearth the truth and fight all odds to bring justice for the helpless. With such a powerful and inspirational storyline, Jai Bhim already feels like a film that can't be missed. But that's not all, here are 5 more reasons the courtroom drama makes for a must-watch! Suriya in a new avatar From a cop to a boxer to an ambitious entrepreneur, Suriya has aced every role he has stepped into. Every time Suriya comes on screen, he makes …
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Here Is How Abhishek Bachchan Surprised Aishwarya Rai Bachchan On Karwa Chauth
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are one of the most loved couples of B-town and why not? The way they root for each other in public is often lauded by netizens. The duo has been setting couple goals ever since they tied the knot back in 2007 and their bond is now stronger than ever. Yesterday, when the entire nation celebrated Karwa Chauth, Aishwarya also observed fast for Abhishek and prayed for his long life. However, owing to his hectic schedule, he couldn't be in Mumbai with his dear wife on the festival. But as they say, loves knows no boundaries! Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Spotted At Paris Fashion Week In Breathtaking Avatar Abhishek who's well-known for being a doting husband, managed to surprise his actress-wife, as well as family, on the festival and spent some quality time with them. Speaking about the same, Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog, "A day with the family for Karva Chauth .. the day the wives pray for the longevity and good …