Sundance institute

IllumiNative , The Black List and Sundance Institute today revealed the finalists for their 2022 Indigenous List , which represent the best and most promising Native creatives in the film and television industry. See the list below. The Indigenous List was launched in 2020 to provide a platform for Indigenous writers to showcase their scripts, create additional pathways and opportunities within the industry, and support the development of the next generation of screenwriters. This year’s writers will have the opportunity to meet with four Indigenous creatives who have first-look and/or overall development deals at major studios, including Bird Runningwater ( Cheyenne ); actor-director Michael Greyeyes ( Firestarter, Acting Good ); Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner/co-creator of Rutherford Falls; and Sterlin Harjo, showrunner/co-creator of Reservation Dogs . “As one of the few Indigenous producers with a first look at a studio, I’m excited to help … [Read more...] about Indigenous Screenwriters List 2022 Finalists Set

EXCLUSIVE : UK film outfit Lightbulb Film Distribution has picked up well-received Sundance sci-fi comedy Something In The Dirt , marking the company’s biggest acquisition to date. Shot during the pandemic, the intimate film is directed by and starring Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, the filmmaking duo behind Synchronic and The Endless . For their fifth feature, the pair have taken on a meta mystery. When neighbours John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realise documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. Down an ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city and each other. The deal was negotiated with Tatyana Joffe of XYZ Films. Lightbulb plan to release the film theatrically in Q4. Commented Sales and Acquisitions Director, Peter Thompson: “We are delighted to be bringing Something In The Dirt to … [Read more...] about Sundance Pic ‘Something In The Dirt’ Sells To UK Marking Lightbulb’s Biggest Acquisition To Date

It’s one of busiest opening weeks in some time for indie releases with Neon ( Pleasure ), Bleecker Street ( Montana Story ), IFC Midnight ( The Innocents ) and Roadside Attractions ( Family Camp ) in theaters — even as the imminent closure of the Landmark Pico underscores just how arthouses are struggling to win back core demos. Also out, Grasshopper Films presents Michelangelo Frammartino’s Venice Special Jury Prize-winner Il Buco ; Greenwich Entertainment documentary Mau is the first feature-length treatment on design visionary Bruce Mau; and Trafalgar Entertainment offers a remastered version of Lasse Hallstrom’s ABBA : The Movie , which follows the group’s hugely successful 1977 Australian tour. Roadside’s faith-based comedy Family Camp is the widest specialty release on over 850 screens. It’s the first feature from The Skit Guys — Tommy Woodard and Eddie James – targeting “family member from eight to eighty.” Two … [Read more...] about A Church Camp, Porn Shoots And Eerie Nordic Kids In Lively Indie Weekend – Specialty Preview

Roadside Attractions , K-LOVE Films, and Provident Films have announced that their comedy Family Camp , starring Tommy Woodard and Eddie James of comedy duo The Skit Guys , will debut in cinemas nationwide on May 13. It’s set to open against Universal’s Firestarter starring Zac Efron, IFC Films’ horror-thriller The Innocents and Greenwich Entertainment’s documentary, Mau . The film watches as two seemingly polar-opposite families are assigned to share the same cabin for a hilariously eventful week at church camp. It also stars Leigh-Allyn Baker, Gigi Orsillo, Cece Kelly, Robert Amaya and Heather Land. Brian Cates directed from the script he wrote with Rene Gutteridge. Darren Moorman, Trey Reynolds and Justin Tolley produced alongside The Skit Guys’ Chief Operations Officer, Jay Howver. “For over 20 years, we’ve dreamed about making a comedy feature film,” said James. “Our goal is to always include humor, heart, and Him (God), and we were able to … [Read more...] about ‘Family Camp’ Gets Release Date: The Skit Guys Duo Tommy Woodard & Eddie James Star In Roadside Attractions’ Faith-Based Comedy

There are boxing movies, there are jailbird dramas and there are hell-and-back memoir adaptations — A Prayer Before Dawn throws all three of these genres into a dingy cell together, forcing them to either make nice or beat each other senseless in a survival-of-the-fittest showdown. Thankfully, filmmaker Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s Bosch-like take on Billy Moore’s autobiography of life in a Thai prison allows each of these distinct narrative types to eventually bleed all over each other, sometimes literally. Moore ( Joe Cole ) was a Liverpudlian ex-pat living in Bangkok, fighting amateur Muay Thai bouts. Locked up in 2007, Moore quickly found himself dropped into a world where he barely spoke the language, didn’t know the rules and couldn’t tell which direction the next fist is coming from. So he learned to rely on the kindness of strangers — notably a transgender convict named Fame (Pornchanok Mabklang) — the mercy of a gang led by a face-tattooed kingpin (Panya Yimmumphai) and … [Read more...] about ‘A Prayer Before Dawn’ Review: Kickboxer’s Prison Memoir Is Punch to the Gut

Ahead of its Disney’s Upfront presentation Tuesday in NYC, National Geographic has announced greenlights for six new nonfiction series as part of its latest programming slate. They include Dance The World With Derek Hough , a series which takes viewers on a global cultural journey of the origins of some of the most popular dance styles; Restaurants At The End Of The World, hosted by chef and entrepreneur Kristen Kish; an untitled series with adventurer and travel blogger Jeff Jenkins; Farming Is Life, with urban gardener and influencer Indy Srinath; Extraordinary Birder, hosted by lifelong birder Christian Cooper, and Science Fair : The Series , from the directors and producers of the Emmy-winning documentary film Science Fair, featuring high school competitors of a global science fair competition. The new series, which follow on the success of Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered, Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller and Running Wild With Bear Grylls, will … [Read more...] about Nat Geo Greenlights Nonfiction Series From Derek Hough, Jeff Jenkins, Kristen Kish, ‘Science Fair’ Team & More

EXCLUSIVE : Anonymous Content and CAA have signed Nuhash Humayun , the Bangladeshi writer-director whose horror short Moshari won the Grand Jury Award at SXSW 2022, for representation. The original 22-minute horror-fantasy pic was the first film from Bangladesh to premiere in SXSW’s Midnight Shorts Program. It follows sisters Apu (Sunerah Binte Kamal) and Ayra (Nairah Onora Saif), who seek shelter inside archaic mosquito nets—the only way to survive against bloodthirsty monsters—if they can first survive each other. Moshari also this year won the Atlanta Film Festival’s prize for Best Narrative Short. In addition to SXSW, Humayun’s projects have earned support from Sundance, Film Independent and ScreenCraft. The filmmaker was a ScreenCraft 2022 Film Fund Jury Winner and the first Bangladeshi fellow accepted to the Sundance Screenwriters Intensive. Up next for Humayun as a director is the feature Moving Bangladesh—a subversive corporate drama, which is … [Read more...] about Anonymous Content & CAA Sign Nuhash Humayun, Filmmaker Behind SXSW Grand Jury Award-Winning Horror Short ‘Moshari’

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-nominated filmmakers Alex Fumero and Kareem Tabsch are partnering to form the production company Trojan Horse . The company will be based in Los Angeles and Miami. Deadline recently announced their latest project under the banner for Onyx, the limited docuseries Gigante , in collaboration with Don Francisco. Producing unscripted and scripted feature films, series, and podcasts, Trojan Horse recently co-produced the four-part docuseries Menudo: Forever Young , directed by Angel Manuel Soto and Kristofer Rios. The series is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival ahead of its June 23 release on HBO Max. Fumero executive produced the project. Trojan Horse also produced the podcast Crumbs with Sonoro for iHeartMedia. “We’re both bilingual, bicultural, first-generation Americans. Like us, there are millions more who coexist across various cultures and communities and whose stories are important, compelling, entertaining, and ready to … [Read more...] about ‘Mucho Mucho Amor’ Filmmakers Alex Fumero & Kareem Tabsch Launch Production Company Trojan Horse

EXCLUSIVE : Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Hans Canosa ’s film, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry , from international sales agent Mister Smith Entertainment. Currently in post-production, the film is slated for release in theaters this fall. The dramedy is based on Gabrielle Zevin’s bestseller of the same name, which has sold over five million copies worldwide. It tells the story of bookstore owner A.J. Fikry ( Kunal Nayyar ), who is struggling to navigate a life that is far from what he expected it to be, as he is feeling left behind by a rapidly evolving world. After his wife’s death in a tragic accident, Fikry’s store hits a financial low point, with sales at abysmal levels. Driven to drinking his sorrows away, Fikry hits rock bottom when his most prized possession, a series of Edgar Allen Poe poems, are stolen. But when a mysterious package arrives, Fikry discovers not all is lost and his chances for starting anew are greater than he ever … [Read more...] about Vertical Entertainment Acquires ‘The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry’ Film Starring Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale, Christina Hendricks & More

Little Richard , the wild singer-pianist-songwriter who was one of rock ‘n’ roll’s pioneers, has died at age 87. His death was confirmed by his son, but the cause was not initially given. Later in the morning, Little Richard’s agent Dick Alen told People that the rock icon died from bone cancer. “Little Richard passed away this morning from bone cancer in Nashville. He was living with his brother in Nashville,” Alen said in a statement. “He was battling for a good while, many years. I last spoke to him about two or three weeks ago. I knew he wasn’t well but he never really got into it, he just would say ‘I’m not well.’ He’s been suffering for many years with various aches and pains. He just wouldn’t talk about it much.” Little Richard’s catalog of hits is still performed by many bar bands to this day, and the songs were recorded by such acts as The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Kinks and the Everly Brothers, among many others. Starting with “Tutti … [Read more...] about Little Richard Dies: Rock ‘N’ Roll Pioneer And Seminal Hitmaker Was 87