MONTCLAIR FILM ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF "THE MARK URMAN AWARD FUND"

ALL PROCEEDS WILL FUND THE ANNUAL MARK URMAN AWARD FOR FICTION FILMMAKING, SUPPORTING FIRST AND SECOND TIME AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS
FUND IS LAUNCHED WITH THE SUPPORT OF DEBORAH DAVIS AND 
THE FAMILY + FRIENDS OF THE URMAN FAMILY

Montclair Film, New Jersey’s leading non-profit film organization, today announced the launch of the Mark Urman Award Fund, in honor of the late film distributor Mark Urman. The Fund has been established with Mark’s wife Deborah Davis and the family and close friends of the Urman family to fund a cash prize for the Montclair Film Festival’s Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking, offering direct financial support to the winning filmmaker of the annual Montclair Film Festival’s Future/Now Competition, a juried competition of five films made by first and second time American Independent filmmakers. 

“Montclair Film is deeply honored to be working with Mark Urman’s family, friends, and colleagues to award filmmakers with funding that will provide crucial support for their creative work,” said Montclair Film Executive Director Tom Hall. “Having known and worked with Mark since his days at ThinkFILM, I hope that this program will help filmmakers in an enduring way that honors Mark’s profound legacy in our industry.”

Montclair Film is proud to announce the creation of this Fund upon the approach of what would have been Mark’s 67th birthday on November 24th. The fund is launching with $30,000 in initial donations made in Mark’s memory and Montclair Film will spend the next several weeks fundraising to raise additional support that will ensure the Fund is active for the next ten years and beyond.

“Mark’s passion for film – old, new, and everything in-between – inspired him every day.  Our family is thrilled that Montclair Film’s Mark Urman Award will benefit a new generation of filmmakers,” said Deborah Davis.

The amount of the annual cash prize will be announced upon the completion of the initial funding cycle and prior to the close of submissions on January 17, 2020 for the 9th annual Montclair Film Festival (May 1-10, 2020). In addition to the cash prize, the filmmaker awarded the Mark Urman Award for Fiction Filmmaking will enjoy a film production package of in-kind goods and services.

The inaugural cash prize will be awarded at the annual Filmmaker Awards Reception, taking place May 9, 2020 at the Montclair Film Festival. Tax-deductible contributions to the Fund may be made directly at bit.ly/MarkUrmanAwardFund  and will be restricted to providing direct financial support to the filmmaker who wins the Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking at the annual Montclair Film Festival.

Mark was an early advocate of the Montclair Film Festival, which was founded in 2010, and an original member of the organization’s volunteer Artistic Committee of industry professionals. His encouragement and support of the festival helped to build a strong foundation that paved the way for Montclair Film’s long-term success. The Fund will support Mark’s enduring legacy as a champion of great cinema in all of its forms while providing fiscal encouragement to filmmakers to continue to produce new, ambitious films. 

"It's impossible to overstate the effect Mark Urman had on my career, and life,” said the writer and director Bill Condon.  “He decided to take on my film GODS AND MONSTERS when every other distributor had turned it down, and handled the release with all the talent, sensitivity, and sheer love of movies that he brought to countless other projects.  He was hands down the best film executive I ever worked with. Not only is he missed - it turns out he is irreplaceable."

As the home for the Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking, the Montclair Film Festival’s Future/Now Competition celebrates American, low-budget independent filmmaking by first or second time feature film directors who are creating innovative, challenging films. Past winners of the competition are MICKEY AND THE BEAR by Annabelle Attanasio (2019), WE THE ANIMALS by Jeremiah Zagar (2018), BEACH RATS by Eliza Hittman (2017), THE FITS bu Anna Rose Holmer (2016), and EDEN by Elise DuRant (2015). Four of the five past winners of this competition are women directors.

ABOUT MONTCLAIR FILM 

Montclair Film, a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization connects filmmakers from around the region and world with audiences by presenting films and year-round programs that engage, educate, and entertain through the power of visual storytelling. The ninth annual Montclair Film Festival will take place from May 1-10, 2020. Our programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism, as well as the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. We are grateful for generous support from Investors Bank; Audible; Craig Newmark Philanthropies; Hackensack Meridian Health, Mountainside Medical Center; The Bravitas Group; The Nature Conservancy; Ashenfelter, Slous, Trembulak, McDonough, Golia & Trevenen, LLP; Chubb; Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; William H. Connolly & Co.; the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, and others.

For information about Montclair Film, visit www.MontclairFilm.org.

Toyota Motor North America Presents its Second Series of South Asian Film Festivals in New York City This Fall

After the roaring success of the 5th annual Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), Toyota Motor North America presents its second film festival in the United States, the New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), gearing up to make its debut in mid-November at various venues around Chelsea in Manhattan.

"Cultural diversity is something we celebrate every day at Toyota,” said Vinay Shahani, vice president, integrated marketing operations, Toyota Motor North America. “After the success of our partnership with DFW SAFF, we look forward to continuing the celebration of storytelling at the first-ever NYC SAFF, and we hope that festival-goers are inspired by the films."

Produced by JINGO Media, a NYC and Dallas-based events and public relations company, the inaugural, three-day festival boasts world, U.S. and New York City premieres of more than 25 shorts, documentaries and feature films focused on the unique stories of the South Asian Diaspora and those of our brothers and sisters back home. JINGO Media is also the parent company of DFW SAFF, which was conceptualized and created in 2015.

"We are so proud to create yet ANOTHER platform for world-class independent cinema from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives," said Jitin Hingorani, CEO/Principal of JINGO Media, a public relations company that launched in New York City in 2010. "We're coming full circle with this festival because Manhattan is where it all began for us almost 10 years ago. We are certain that the community-at-large will embrace us and celebrate our joyous homecoming."

NYC SAFF has also partnered with The India Center Foundation (ICF), a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent, the promotion of its cultural life and the unique relationship between India and the United States. "To partner with NYC SAFF means that ICF is reaching the audience we wish to serve: contemporary, aware, woke desis and lovers of Indian and Diasporic creativity and storytelling. As a filmmaker whose film was so lovingly received at DFW SAFF, I know we are working with a staff who is dedicated and eager to give New Yorkers the film experience they deserve when it comes to screening South Asian cinema. We are looking forward to partnering on great conversations and panels around the films we see together," said Priya Giri Desai, Founding Director of ICF.

NYC SAFF's exclusive music partner is JioSaavn (founded in 2007 as Saavn), the online music streaming service and a digital distributor of Bollywood, English and other regional Indian music across the world.

“Music has always been an integral part of South Asian culture. We have all experienced a range of it in classical Indian cinema to contemporary Bollywood to regional films to completely new and independent genres. We look forward to the next generation of visual arts conceived in the South Asian Diaspora, and that's why JioSaavn is proud to partner with NYC SAFF and ICF to help create more awareness of their artists' creative work and engaging stories," said Vinodh Bhat, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer.

The inaugural NYC SAFF will take place from November 15 to 17, 2019. The opening night film, red carpet and VIP party will be held the Altman Building (135 W 18th, between 6th and 7th). The film screenings on Saturday and Sunday will be at the AMC 34th Street (between 8th and 9th). Centerpiece party will be held at Tailor Public House (505 8th Avenue), and the closing night festivities and awards ceremony take place at the brand new Rumi Event Space (229 W 28th, between 8th and 9th). The entire festival lineup and schedule will be be unveiled in mid-October at www.nycsaff.com.

DON MISCHER PRODUCTIONS AND DONE+DUSTED TO PRODUCE “71ST PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS” AIRING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, LIVE ON FOX

Don Mischer Productions and Done+Dusted will co-produce the 71st PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS®, airing LIVE coast-to-coast from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22 (8:00-11:00 PM ET live/5:00-8:00 PM PT live) on FOX.

“This marks the first Emmy Awards for FOX Entertainment as a new company, and we are taking a fresh direction by bringing together the two best, most inventive and most disruptive production companies to join forces on the show,” said Rob Wade, President of Alternative Entertainment and Specials, FOX Entertainment.  “Don Mischer Productions and Done+Dusted both brought incredible ideas to the table, and we are lucky enough to have the two teams collaborate on this television event.”

Frank Scherma, Television Academy Chairman and CEO, added, “Television is in a period of unprecedented growth and has emerged as the world’s premier entertainment choice across a multitude of spectacular platforms. As a consequence, the Emmy telecast has tremendous significance and should reflect the innovation and inventiveness that television embodies. Don Mischer Productions and Done+Dusted are the resources to help fuel that transformation.”

“We love producing the Emmys and celebrating the best television of the year,” said Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare of Don Mischer Productions. “We’ve known Done+Dusted’s Hamish Hamilton and Ian Stewart for many years and have admired their work for quite some time. So, when our friends at FOX proposed this unconventional marriage, we also thought what better way for us to have the opportunity to learn and steal all of D+D’s masterful production secrets.”

“With the total respect felt by all of us at Done+Dusted for all the great people at Don Mischer Productions, this felt like the perfect opportunity to put partisan production aside and work together to see if we can find ways to develop a new-look Emmys on new-look FOX,” said Done+Dusted President Ian Stewart.  “Not to mention it gives us a chance to learn and steal all of Don and the team’s masterful production secrets.”

Nominations for the 71st PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS will be announced the morning of Tuesday, July 16.

For more information and updates on the 71st EMMY AWARDS, go to TelevisionAcademy.com/Emmys and follow @TelevisionAcad on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr and Snapchat.  

About Don Mischer Productions

Don Mischer Productions (DMP) is an internationally acclaimed production company for television and live events. Led by Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare, DMP has consistently produced programs that share the best of the human experience, whether it be the work of our most acclaimed artists or the celebration of our greatest international events. DMP is always at the forefront of their craft, with an eye to innovate and advance the art form. 

Some of their marquee productions include the Academy Awards; Super Bowl halftime shows (Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, among others); We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial; The Emmy Awards; The Billboard Music Awards;  and the Opening Ceremonies of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games.  Other productions include Seth Rogen’s Hilarity For Charity; Rock The Troops with Dwayne Johnson; and the Breakthrough Prize.

About Done+Dusted

Done+Dusted has devised and produced broadcast content, events and experiences, in every corner of the globe. Based in LA and London, D+D has built a global reputation for producing spectacular experiences on behalf of nations, broadcasters, brands, artists, gamers, leaders and educators.  

D+D’s credits include the Emmys, the London Olympics and Paralympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the UAE National Day Celebrations, the British Fashion Awards, the BAFTA Television Awards and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Along the way, they have collaborated with many of the most successful artists on the planet in film, television, music and sport. 

On April 1, 2019, D+D turned 21 – if you need them, they have gone to the pub because they are finally old enough to drink. 

About the Television Academy

The Television Academy seeks to expand the horizons of television excellence. Through the programs, publications and events of the Academy and its Foundation, it strives to empower storytellers who shape the evolving television space. And it celebrates those who have excelled by recognizing their achievements through accolades and awards, including television's most coveted prize, the Emmy Award. For more information, please visit TelevisionAcademy.com.

About FOX Entertainment

FOX Entertainment, a unit of the newly formed FOX Corporation, is home to some of the highest-rated and most acclaimed series on television, including the season’s #1 new show, THE MASKED SINGER, and 9-1-1, EMPIRE, LAST MAN STANDING, THE ORVILLE, THE RESIDENT, THE PASSAGE, LETHAL WEAPON, GOTHAM, STAR, THE GIFTED, THE COOL KIDS, REL, PROVEN INNOCENT, THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, BEAT SHAZAM, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, GORDON RAMSAY’S 24 HOURS TO HELL AND BACK and MENTAL SAMURAI; as well as upcoming series PARADISE HOTEL, SPIN THE WHEEL and 90210. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week, as well as major sports events. Through the FOX NOW app, FOX viewers can watch full episodes of their favorite FOX shows on a variety of digital platforms, while enjoying enhanced interactive and social capabilities around those shows. Download the FOX NOW app at www.fox.com/foxnow.  To watch primetime programming live on the web, visit www.fox.com/live. “Like” FOX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXTV and follow the network on Twitter @FOXTV. For additional information about FOX, please visit www.fox.com.

JOIN INTERACTIVE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH CELEBRATING LEGENDARY FILM ICON FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA IN HIS 80TH YEAR

The Family Coppola wants to feature your stories, and through community, partnerships and content, reminds its fans in the New Year: You get one life. The biggest risk is to waste it.

Today, The Family Coppola, a global lifestyle brand that represents specialties in wine, film, food, resorts, spirits and adventure, launches an interactive campaign to celebrate creativity, courage and innovation. Inspired by its Chairman, visionary and risk-taker Francis Ford Coppola, this campaign kicks off a yearlong celebration of what he’s created throughout his life. Fans, media and brand partners of past and present will help The Family Coppola build momentum to Francis Ford Coppola’s 80th birthday in April, through unforgettable storytelling of passion and fortitude.

“An essential element of any art is risk,” said Francis Ford Coppola, entrepreneur and six-time Oscar® winning director, when asked about filmmaking. “If you don’t take a risk then how are you going to make something really beautiful that hasn’t been seen before?”

The digital campaign reflects on the risks and rewards of living life to the fullest. From January 24 through April 13, people across the country can visit CoppolaRisk.com and share stories of dreams, courage, sacrifice and risk. Simply log on and upload your brief video to be entered for a chance to win a mystery vacation at one of The Family Coppola Hideaways and experience adventure at a resort in one of five countries. Drawing upon inspiration from Francis’s film career and travels around the globe to the far-reaching corners of the world, The Family Coppola created each luxury property, embracing off the beaten path locations and making each locale an ideal destination for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings.

“The only way to grow is to take risks; get a little uncomfortable. Nothing great happens when you’re complacent,” says Jennifer Leitman, The Family Coppola Marketing EVP. “Innovation, originality and embracing change are deeply ingrained in our culture at The Family Coppola. We’re excited to hear stories of risk from our passionate fans and partners. Who knows what provocative tales they’ll tell.”

For a third year in a row, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery will partner with the Oscars® and Sundance Film Festival to raise a glass to film lovers everywhere and Francis Ford Coppola’s impact on the industry. Sundance Institute recognizes “risk is the unlikely hero that unites artist and audience,” urging the community to Risk Independenceas a theme for its 35th Annual Sundance Film Festival. As the Francis Ford Coppola Winery 2019 official wine designation coincides with the countdown to Francis’s 80thbirthday, The Family Coppola awarded one lucky winner a trip to the Sundance Film Festival through Coppola Rewards, its new program bringing together quality wine, culinary exploration and adventure.

2019 Sundance Film Festival attendees will experience The Family Coppola in a variety of experiences and thought-provoking opportunities that lean into risk. In partnership with illycafè and a host of other brands in and around the Sundance Film Festival, audiences will enjoy premium wine offerings from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery portfolio. The Director’s wines, from superior Sonoma County fruit, celebrate the uncompromising standards of quality winemaking and artistic interpretation through its innovative labels. The Director’s Cut wines, also from Sonoma County, are named for the version of a film that most reflects the director’s vision and its labels are replicas of zoetrope strips from Francis Ford Coppola’s personal collection. The twelve distinctive wines of the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection are made from grapes grown in vineyards across California, from coastal regions to inland valleys.

Join courageous people everywhere who aspire to continually move in the direction of their ambitions and learn more at CoppolaRisk.com including campaign rules and regulations. Check out The Family Coppola on YouTube and online conversations on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

About The Family Coppola

The Family Coppola encompasses all of the things Francis loves most—cinema, wine, food, resorts and adventure—and embraces quality, authenticity and pleasure as a backbone to each of these vibrant business endeavors. Anchored in Sonoma County, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, known for its superior level of quality and integrity, is, as Francis puts it, “a wine wonderland, a park of pleasure where people of all ages can enjoy all the best things in life: food, wine, music, dancing, games, swimming and performances of all types. A place to celebrate the love of life.” Coppola’s second foray into Sonoma County came in 2015 with the launch of Virginia Dare Winery,American wines since 1835, ushering in a new era of elevated quality and vineyard-specific wines. The Family Coppola are lovers not only of wine, but spirits as well. Great Women Spirits—small-batch, house-crafted, classically styled spirits—are a collection of spirits as unique and remarkable as the women they honor. The Family Coppola Hideaways are a collection of unique properties where adventure meets serenity. Drawing upon inspiration from his film career and travels around the globe to the far-reaching corners of the world, Francis created each resort, embracing off the beaten path locations and making each locale an ideal destination for exploring the natural wonders of the area while relaxing in tranquil surroundings. Additionally, The Family Coppola operates a venerable film production company, American Zoetrope; the award-winning literary and art magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story; Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco’s iconic Sentinel Building in North Beach; and Mammarella Foods, an authentic line of premium organic pastas and sauces. Earn and redeem points through Coppola Rewards membership at CoppolaRewards.com or visit www.TheFamilyCoppola.com to learn more.

BEST OF BOLLYWOOD IN NYC, w/ A STAR STUDDED IIFA AWARDS SHOW! #IIFA2017

THE IIFA AWARDS BROUGHT THE BEST OF BOLLYWOOD WITH A STAR STUDDED AWARDS SHOW!

 The IIFA Awards to broadcast on COLORS today Sunday, July 16th with the Green Carpet at 6pm followed by the Awards at 7pm

New York, July 16th 2017: The celebrated IIFA Awards took over the city of New York with a dazzling awards show bringing together the biggest names of Bollywood in celebration of Indian Cinema. Giving Indian cinema a global platform, the Awards was held at the iconic MetLife Stadium at New York, USA.

This year the IIFA Awards stage saw Bollywood’s most dynamic duo- the talented stars Karan Johar and Saif Ali Khan - host India’s most awaited awards ceremony. The pair amazed the crowd present with their quick wit and zingers as leaving them in splits with their amusing one-liners and on-stage chemistry.

The IIFA Awards, the finale of the IIFA Weekend saw a host of stellar performances and acts. The show kicked off with Alia Bhatt performing on the Awards stage for the very first time since her debut in Bollywood five years ago. The night featured spellbindingperformances by Bollywood superstars- Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, to name a few.

Bollywood’s Youth Icon, Varun Dhawan performed on the IIFA Awards stage with a stunning performance celebrating his father’s legacy in Bollywood. This year, IIFA presented the Woman of the Year Award to actress Taapsee Pannu and The Myntra Style Icon to Alia Bhatt. The award night included legendary actor Anil Kapoor and Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO - Viacom18 honoring A.R. Rahman for his illustrious career and work as they celebrated his 25 years in the industry.

The NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVO to broadcast on COLORS today, Sunday, July 16th with the Green Carpet at 6pm followed by the Awards at 7pm 

The NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVO aired LIVE exclusively on Saturday, July 15, starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT in North America and the Caribbean on cable, satellite and digital Pay Per View via in Demand, Vubiquity, DISH and DIRECTV in the USA, Bell, Rogers, SHAW, SaskTel and Telus in Canada, along with the Flipps App and web site www.IIFAAwardsppv.com in both the USA and Canada.  The suggested retail price is $39.95. The live telecast is distributed exclusively via Integrated Sports Media.

Lycamobile – Presenting Sponsor, McDonalds - Associate Sponsor, NYC (Mayors office) - Host Destination, NewYorkBannerStands & Print Early – Printing Partner, Pierre Précieuse – Gifting Partner and Arya Dance Academy – Dance Company Partner.

The NEXA IIFA Awards will broadcast on COLORS – the Broadcast Partner, with the Title Sponsor NEXA, Weekend Title Sponsor – EROS NOW, Powered by VIVO, Cause Partner- WOOSH Washing Expert,   Styled by Myntra, Official Airline Partner – AIR INDIA, Thought Leadership Partner – VEDANTA, Brand Partner – Closeup, Carnival and Ease My Trip and Franchise India, Jewelry Partner – Nakshatraworld.com, Outdoor partners – Bright Outdoor Media and JR Creations, Multiplex Partner –PVR

Adding to the excitement of the Awards night, International Indian Film Academy Awards launched its brand new line of Official IIFA Merchandise partnered with New York based Easy Partners, a boutique licensing and merchandising company. The eye-catching IIFA Merchandise featuring a diverse range of T-Shirts, Caps, Key Rings, Hooded Sweatshirts, Tote Bags, Magnet, Ticket Holders stylized with IIFA’s logo and Mugs showcasing IIFA 2017 in New York were available at the famous MetLife Stadium during the show and alsoexclusively on the IIFA website on https://www.jsrdirect.com/webstores/iifa

The IIFA Awards Winners:

·         Best Picture- Neerja

·         Best Story- Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Shakun Batra (Kapoor & Sons)

·         Best Performance in a comic role- Varun Dhawan (Dishoom)

·         Best Direction- Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury (Pink)

·         Best Actor in a leading role Female- Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab)

·         Best Actor in a leading role Male- Shahid Kapoor (Udta Punjab)

·         Best Lyricist- Amitabh Bhattacharya (Channa Mereya)

·         Best Music Director-Pritam (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil)

·         Best Negative Role- Jim Sarbh (Neerja)

·         Best Playback Singer Female- Kanika Kapoor (Udta Punjab- Da Da Dasse) and Tulsi Kumar (Airlift- Soch Na Sake)

·         Best Playback singer Male- Amit Mishra(Ae Dil Hai Mushkil- Bulleya)

·         Supporting ActorFemale- Shabana Azmi (Neerja)

·         Supporting Actor Male  Anupam Kher (M.S. Dhoni)

·         Myntra Style Icon Award-Alia Bhatt

·         Woman of the Year- Taapsee Pannu

·         Best Debut Male- Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab)

·         Best Debut Female- Disha Patani(M.S. Dhoni)

IIFA continues on its journey with strength to grow every year in the world of entertainment and building the outreach as a major event globally to bring positive results and impact. This year is set to be one of the biggest, most extravagant and amazing IIFA Weekends to date. Keep up to date with all the latest news and details on IIFA by logging on to www.iifa.com or checking out the social media handles:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IIFA/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/IIFA
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iifa/

About IIFA (International Indian Film Academy)

Conceptualized and produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and supported by the key members of the Indian film fraternity, IIFA is the most appreciated South Asian film academy and a global platform that gives the Indian film fraternity an opportunity to reach audiences in international territories. The alliances made via the platform of IIFA provide huge benefits and gain to India but an equally important objective of this prestigious brand is to create similar outcomes in its host country.  The aim is to establish a system of mutual benefit to both India as well as the host destinations by boosting tourism, economic development, trade, culture, cross-border investments and film co-productions.

Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd promotes the IIFA Weekend & Awards globally each year and travel to new, exciting and beautiful destinations, taking the film fraternity with it to unite and celebrate the best of Indian film and culture, thereby taking Indian Cinema and India to a wider audience. www.iifa.com.

ABOUT WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT PVT. LTD.

Wizcraft International Entertainment, India’s leading media and Entertainment Company is dedicated to showcasing its expertise on the world stage.  Having conceptualized some of the grandest events globally including the 50 Years of Indian Independence, the 30 Years of Mauritian Independence, the 10 years of the South African Freedom Struggle, the Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies in Delhi as well as the Handover ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, & the prestigious International

Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards & Weekend for 15 years in over 12 countries, Wizcraft has contributed towards brand building for India across the world.  It has pioneered and developed India’s biggest entertainment brand IIFA which has taken Indian Cinema and culture to the world. The growth story of the company reflects the evolution of the Indian event management & entertainment industry itself. Driven by its vision “Believe in the power of your dreams” the company is committed to quality and innovation, while setting its sights on greater peaks of achievement.

 ABOUT METLIFE STADIUM

MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Jets and New York Football Giants, is the number one stadium in the world. This 82,500 seat stadium, one of the largest in the National Football League, sets the standard for venue excellence with state-of-the-art technology, comfort and amenities. The only active venue to serve as the home stadium for two NFL teams, MetLife Stadium hosts 20 NFL games per season, more than any other Stadium.

MetLife Stadium hosts the World’s Biggest Events, on the World’s Biggest Stage. Major events hosted at the stadium include Super Bowl XLVIII, WrestleMania 29, Copa America Centenario, CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals, Paul McCartney, U2, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift

MetLife Stadium tops the industry charts annually since opening. The Stadium has ranked as the No. 1 Highest Grossing Stadium in the world for the last 5 years (2012 – 2016) by Billboard magazine. In 2011 MetLife Stadium was ranked No. 1 for safety by Security magazine’s “Security 500” in the Arenas/Stadiums/Leagues/Entertainment division.

For more information, visit:
www.metlifestadium.com
www.wizcraftworld.com

Thor Klein to tell tale of Stan Ulam, with "Adventures of a Mathematician"

Adventures of a Mathematician by Thor Klein is true story of Polish immigrant and mathematician Stan Ulam, who moved to the U.S. in the 1930s. Stan deals with the difficult losses of family and friends all while helping to create both the hydrogen bomb and the first computer. Thor Klein is one of the few talented filmmakers who are fortunate to be picked by TFI (Tribeca Film Institute), and being partially funded by TFI-Sloan partnership.

We had an opportunity to talk to Thor. Here are the excerpts:

How did you find out about TFI? And how has your experience been?

My producer Lena Vurma found out about the Sloan Foundation and their collaboration with Tribeca Film Institute. So she decided to apply for it. It was a perfect fit, since my research started in NYC two years ago, when I met Stan Ulam`s nephew Alex for the first time, who lives very close to Tribeca. We`re all really happy to have the full support from the Sloan Foundation and the Tribeca Film Institute. They treated us wonderfully and we immediately felt part of the family. 

What inspired you to make the film on this particular subject, and at this time?

For me, it started when I was 13 years old. Back then I read a book about the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. A place where the U.S. invited the greatest scientists in the world to to basically one thing: Think. I was very surprised that these guys were not at all how I imagined scientists to be. They were throwing parties, driving fast cars and wearing funny hats. They were very colourful characters. I was always into science and kept thinking about them over the years and when I got older I realized that while they were in Princeton, they had to deal with a lot of drama and tragedy in their lives. A lot of them lost their families in Europe. I kept reading and I realized that the world back then was pretty similar to the circumstances we`re facing today. There was the same financial crisis, huge refugee waves and rightwing forces in power. A few years ago I came accross Stan`s autobiography, Adventures of a Mathematician that had exactly the tone that I was interested in. It is a very humorous and anecdotal journey through 20th century science. It`s a life full of great friendships and fascinating encounters, but it also has this underlying drama. In its core it`s a story of immigrants. Essentially a European film that takes place in the US.

How has been the process of researching and working on this film? Any surprising information that you discovered during that process?

A lot. I followed Stan`s tracks and started in his hometown Lvov, which is today called Lviv and is located in the Ukraine. A very cosmopolitan place back then with a lot of different minorities and languages. Stan moved to Cambridge in Massachusetts, then to Los Alamos, Los Angeles and back to Santa Fe, which he loved most. I`m constantly surprised how young he and his friends were back then, while they were doing all this groundbreaking scientific work. Most of them were in their 20s and early 30s. There always was this youthcamp amtosphere among them. 

What's your message to other up & coming filmmakers and storytellers?

It depends very much from which angle you approach filmmaking. I come from writing. It usually takes a long time until something that I wrote really convinces me. But while writing I learned one essential thing. Don`t try to convince yourself that something is good, if your inner voice tells you it isn`t. And always follow your intution. That`s what Stan Ulam and his colleagues did as well and it lead them to fascinating mathematical achievements that made the digital world possible.

 

'THE SUITCASE' director Abi Damaris Corbin - "Just tell the story authentically, diversity naturally occurs"

Tribeca Film Festival 2017 had some wonderful short films this year. It's a clear example of how the quality of short films is better than ever, and content just keeps getting more interesting, intriguing and exciting. One of those examples was the film THE SUITCASE. The film inspired by true events, tells the story of a Boston bred baggage handler, whose ordinary life is turned upside down when he steals a suitcase that contains terrorist plans of 9/11. 

We talked to Abi Damaris Corbin, the director, writer, and co-producer of THE SUITCASE. Here are the excerpts.

Art Shrian: Congratulations on your wonderful film. It's very well produced, and well made. So, what inspired you to make a movie about 9/11, specially at this time?

Abi Corbin: I do not necessarily consider this a 9/11 story. It's people's story. I'm from Boston, and I particularly remember the news of Boston Marathon bombing. It shook me up. I remember 9/11 myself. Innocence was snatched from Americans on 9/11 and in many ways we’re a generation living in the shadow of that day. Since then America has become inundated with attacks — marathon, subway, school, club; the list is long — and when writing this I was overwhelmed by the desire to affect change. In a world where nothing I did seemed to make a difference, I idealistically wanted to matter. When I came across this story it clicked for me that change makers — real heroes — shaped the world by their integrity in tough everyday moments and actions.

AS: What was the most difficult part of making this film?

AC: We knew jumping into the project the TARMAC LOCATIONS would be our biggest challenge — and it certainly was.  It came to the wire — we were 4 weeks out and not satisfied with airport options. Committed to authentic story telling and high production value, we kept at the search and finally uncovered San Bernardino Airport. Thankfully my editors wife is an excellent cook and her banana bread accompanied by the persuasive powers of myself, the producers and the kindness of the incredible SB staff secured us the tarmac location. We then married San Bernardino’s tarmac with a warehouse and a Boston splinter unit and voila we were had our “Boston Logan Airport.”

AS: What you did there is something all new filmmakers need to learn. Congratulations to you and your producers for making it happen. How was your experience screening your film at Tribeca?

AC: The film’s not complete until you share it with an audience — so WOW — it was gratifying and fulfilling to see an audience take heart from our story. 

Ben Thompson and Sharon Badal, our Tribeca champions, positioned our premiere across from the 9/11 memorial at the Regal Cinema. When we pulled up to screen — seeing the Freedom Tower and the names of victims etched into the memorial gave me spine shivers. It was one of the distinct honors of my life to share this story in NYC.

AS: What's next after this project? Do you plan to evolve this project into something larger or moving to something else?

AC: I’m in the midst of writing a feature film called SWATTED. It’s a cousin to SUITCASE in that it’s about a down on his luck Boston guy who longs to matter – but this story is set against the backdrop of the eSports world. Getting "swatted" is a phenomena in gaming world. And this guy's life changes in a moment, when he gets swatted. It's the story of how far he's willing to go. And what happens from there.

AS: Sounds very interesting. I really look forward to it. Talk to us little bit about being a woman storyteller in the industry. Diversity & Inclusion have become big words in Hollywood. What's your experience been and what's your message to other storytellers?

AC: First and foremost, I'm born a storyteller and born a woman. So I have stories to tell, that are inherently about where I'm from, and who I am. It's not an obstacle. You just embrace, that you are going to tell the stories that I'm born to tell. And you move forward. There may not be tons of diversity behind the camera right now, but there's lot of initiatives going on to improve that. I myself have been part of some of them in several programs, and panels etc. They are striving to make sure that all voices are represented. But more so, just tell your story. That's the most important thing for me. Tell the story authentically and honestly, find the best people that are able to tell that story, and diversity naturally occurs.

AS: Very well said. I cannot agree more. Last, but not the least. What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?

AC: F. Scott Fitzgerald has this phrase in GATSBY that captures NYC — “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.”

For me NYC’s promise isn’t just seen from the bridge — it’s etched all over the city — in the imposing power of the financial district buildings, snapshots of fierce hope at the 9/11 museum, art at the Met, New Yorkers doing life on the Highline in Chelsea… I could go on about NYC haunts all day – but it’s the spirit of promise that makes me want to design my own I love NYC tee.

Least favorite... The train commute between Tribeca and Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. I lived all the Buzzfeed jokes — the pole hugger, the napper, squeezer — we’re all friends now. Also I’m fairly sure there’s a dude in Brooklyn who owes me a pair of sunglasses – if you’re reading this I want them back!

AS: Well. Someone somewhere is rocking your sunglasses, and probably thanking you right now! Thank you so much for talking to us and many congratulations and All the best. We look forward to hearing more of you. CHEERS!

More about THE SUITCASE:

https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/suitcase-2017

  • Director: Abi Damaris Corbin

  • Screenwriter: Abi Damaris Corbin

  • Cinematographer: Jon Keng

  • Editor: Chris Witt

  • Composer: Nathan Matthew David

  • Production Designer: Lauren Meyer

  • Executive Producer: Elena Bawiec, Jean de Meuron, Erik Weaver

  • Producer: Abi Damaris Corbin, Drew Diamond, Daniela Ruiz

  • Associate Producer: Chris Witt

  • Supervising Sound Editor/ Re-recording Sound Mixer: Peter Bawiec

  • Casting Director: Selina Ringel

  • Costume Designer: Christine Bald

  • Visual Effects Supervisor: Gregory Jones

  • Cast: Mojean Aria, Joseph D. Reitman, Charley Rossman

New York Indian Film Festival 2017, closes with "You Are My Sunday"

The 17th New York Indian Film Festival closed last night, with the screening of Milind Dhaimade's directorial debut, YOU ARE MY SUNDAY (Tu Hai Mera Sunday). The slate of films this year was exceptional with over 85 wonderful films, with several of them having their New York premiere.

Uploaded by MyNewYorkEye on 2017-05-02.

The quality of Indian cinema is better than ever, on par with not just American & European cinema, and this festival brought several examples of that in narrative, documentary shorts and all categories. Films like SHAB by Onir, POORNA by Rahul Bose, A DEATH IN THE GUNJ by Konkona Sen Sharma (who won the best actress award & best director award at the festival this year), TRAPPED by Vikramditya Motwani, KASAAV by Sunil Sukthankar, AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN by Khushboo and Vinay Shukla, are just some of the examples of the exceptional quality of films that are being produced by Indian diaspora.

Uploaded by MyNewYorkEye on 2017-05-06.

The festival also had various other events for filmmakers and audiences. The highlight was the 2 day workshop for "SHOOT A SHORT", by three time National Award winning Indian filmmaker Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni. The workshop primarily aimed at guiding film enthusiasts and beginners to make short films. It focused on the process of translating an idea to a complete short film. Umesh gave some very practical and valuable advice about how to plan the production, how to write and shoot your film, and how to make it into an exceptional piece of art, by putting every piece together beautifully.

Another big event was the meeting and panel discussion with David Tagioff from CAA. This was an opportunity for filmmakers and story tellers to understand the business from an agency's side. David and his associate Jason gave a deep insight into value of Indian cinema and content in the international arena. CAA has been ahead of the curve, when it comes to International programming. David and his team has been leading that effort, and his commitment and passion to great storytelling was quite inspiring to all.

The closing night film YOU ARE MY SUNDAY, is the feature directorial debut of ex ad man Milind Dhaimade, who quit at the height of his career to pursue his dream of making movies. His first feature film, definitely does not disappoint. It's a joyful tale of group of friends (Cast - Barun Sobti, Shahana Goswami, Avinash Tiwary, Rasika Duggal, Vishal Malhotra) who are just looking for a place to play football every Sunday, in Mumbai. But there personal lives, there own journeys, and their own fights become a metaphor of how urban lives have become so convoluted for simplicity of life. People are not able to enjoy simple things in life, due to the hustle & bustle of there career, wishes, goals, or lack of those.

"You Are My Sunday/Tu Hai Mera Sunday", panel (Director - Milind Dhaimade, cast Shahana Goswami, Rasika Duggal, Producer - Vishal Malhotra), talk at New York Indian Film Festival (#NYIFF2017)

The film is beautifully shot between Mumbai and Goa. The entire cast is wonderful, and does a great job. It's breakout performance by Barun and Shahana Goswami. Shahana breaks the mould she has been cast in, and gives a joyful performance as Kavi, a MBA working in marketing, trying to care for her father, and figure out her life. Without being overtly feminist or preachy, the film does a good job of portraying some honest stories. The screening was followed by a panel discussion with Milind, Shahana and Rasika.

The night and the festival, ended with a fun after-party at Gramercy Theater. Delicious Indian food, live music by Punjabi band - Rhythm Tolee, beer by BIRA (they do make good white beer) and wine by Mirza Ghalib.  

The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premieres of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about the Indian subcontinent in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres. Seven days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, award ceremony, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain & educate North Americans about the real India, and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City. Please visit: www.iaac.us/NYIFF2017/index.htm

Montclair Film Festival 2017, closes with BAND AID, by Zoe Lister-Jones

The 6th Montclair Film Festival that ran from April 28th to May 7th, had its closing night celebrations. The closing night film was Zoe Lister-Jones's directorial debut BAND AID. A house-full screening at the iconic Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, and a live discussion with Zoe herself, was followed by A filmmakers party at MFF's new & beautiful headquarters at Cinema505. the party was joined by several filmmakers and film lovers from New Jersey, New York and nationwide, enjoying delicious food by Events by Joni and drinks by New Jersey Beer Co. The Filmmaker Party was the perfect ending to ten days of great cinema, conversations, and community!

Closing night film BAND AID came to MFF on the heels of Sundance, where the film had its world premiere. It well deservedly got great response there, and got picked by IFC & Sony Pictures Worldwide for theatrical release on June 2, 2017.

The film is a beautiful tale of a couple (played by Zoe and Adam Pally) who love and hate each other. Maybe more fighting than loving. But that hate and fighting inspires them to write hate songs. And they love that. They end up forming a band, with their weird sexaholic neighbor and drummer, Dave (played wonderfully by Fred Armisen). The film is very musical and very funny, thanks to the wonderful cast and good writing. The film also gets quite emotional and the right moments, making it a good mix of drama and comedy.

The film does tend to be very feminist, for some people's taste, but it does not really get offensive. For many people, its close to truth (Ben dealing with his pain through video games!). Zoe mentioned that it was entire women crew that made the film. And the diversity/inclusion in her casting is quite evident. Zoe does a great job of making an impactful first film.

The screening was followed by a discussion with Zoe. You can watch it here

Zoe Lister-Jones at Montclair Film Festival 2017. Her directorial debut BAND AID, was the closing night film.

The best 6 short films at Tribeca Film Festival 2017

Those days are gone when short films were just a showcase for for up & coming filmmakers, or just a pitch to do something. Short films and short content has become a medium for all kind of storytellers to tell wonderful stories in narrative, animation and even docs. Film festivals happen to be one of those few venues where you get to see lot of good short films. And Tribeca Film Festival in particular does a great job of curating wonderful short films.

Here are our picks for short films from Tribeca Film Festival 2017

  • Big City - Vijay, a lonely taxi driver who recently moved to Melbourne, picks up Chris, a stray drunk who befriends him, and over the course of the night, Chris experiences some of Vijay's troubles and Vijay learns to see the city in a new light.
    Director: Jordan Bond, Lachlan Ryan
    The film tells a very simple but beautiful story, of how a random interaction between 2 people in one night, can tell tale of racism, friendship, loneliness and more. 
  • Joy Joy Nails - Sarah manages Joy Joy Nails with a cheerful iron fist – but she gets her manicured claws out when Chinese Mia, a manicurist trainee, looks to be stealing the boss's son's affections, soon discovering that under the varnish, everyone's a victim.
    Director: Joey Ally
    A nail salon, filled with immigrant workers who speak Korean & Chinese. You may think that it could be tale of racism or something. But it's just a tale of discrimination & molestation with in the community. And how a woman (or two), deals with it.
  • The Suitcase - The ordinary life of a Boston bred baggage handler is turned upside down when he steals a suitcase that contains terrorist plans. Inspired by true events on 9/11.
    Director: Abi Damaris Corbin
    Now here's film well produced and well made. Director Abi D Corbin's directorial debut tells a true untold story from the horrific day of 9/11. A thief, a culprit, a hero? She doesn't make those judgment for you, but tells you a wonderful story, beautifully told.
  • Viola Franca - It's Sicily in 1965, and Franca is forced to marry her rapist to avoid becoming a pariah in her traditionalist community, but she rebels against the established custom and sets a precedent that alters the course of Italian history, paving the way for women's rights.
    Director: Marta Savina
    The film is beautifully shot in Italy, and looks wonderful. And the painful story onto screen is told by the wonderful actors, beautifully as well. This courageous true story, does move you.
  • The World In Your Window - Squeezed into a tiny caravan, eight-year-old Jesse and his grief-stricken father are in limbo, existing more than living – until an accidental friendship with a V8-driving transsexual unlocks the means for Jesse to liberate his father and himself.
    Director: Zoe McIntosh
    A film with not much dialogue, but lot of beautiful story telling. The film speaks about family, love,  grief, friendship and also normalizes LGBT in that process. 
  • Curpigeon - A heartwarming story about the power of community support during a time of grief, this action-oriented CG-animated short film centers around a group of park pigeons and their old men pals who come together to help one of their own get through a great loss.
    Director: Dmitry Milkin
    Last, but not the least. This wonderful animated film by the very talented director Dmitry Milkin, tells a lovely story of friendship between people, and between people and animals/birds, or pigeons to be more specific. The film does make you tear up a lil towards the end, and has a strong message of love & togetherness. 

 

New York Indian Film Festival 2017 opens with "LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA" #NYIFF2017

The 17th New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) opened up today at Village East Cinema, in Manhattan, New York City. The opening night was attended by several Indian celebrities: Rahul Bose (actor, writer, director with a film POORNA at the festival); Alankrita Shrivastava (director of LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA); Aahna Kumra (actress from LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA); Salman Rushdie (author & filmmaker); Tanushree Dutta (Miss India Universe & Bollywood Actress); and many others.

The opening night film LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA had its New York premiere at the festival. The film is a wonderful story of 4 women at different ages and stages of their lives, who are just trying to live a free life, in a very conservative male dominant society. Buaji (wonderfully played by Ratna Pathak) is a complex owner shielding several of her renters from a new builder trying to force-relocate them. She reads adult story books, and fantasizes about young hot men. In that complex lives 3 other girls: Shirin (Konkona Sen Sharma), Leela (Aahana Kumra), Rehana (Plabita Borthakur). Shirin is an enterprising mom of 3, whose husband doesn't really care to stays her in any way. Leela is a budding beautician, who wants to start a business of honeymoon photography with her boyfriend. But she is being forced in to an arranged marriage. Rehana just wants to be able to dress up, sing and have fun in college. But she also likes to shoplift. 

All the characters have their flaws. And they all have their goals. It's not just there flaws that get in their way, but it's also the society, the norms and other people's sexist expectations that block their way. The film deals with multiple generations, and issues that are specific to them. Which probably helps the film connect with a wider audience through different characters. It does portal a fair picture of sexism that still exists in many parts of India, and probably can be reflected in many parts of this world. 

Even though ealing with a heavy subject like that, the film is still able to keep comedy in its spirit. You may call it a real "dramedy", where drama takes over at several instances, but comedy keep things funny, light, but still on the point. The film is beautifully written with wonderful dialogue as well. It may seem too bold or vulgar to certain audience, but the story and the wonderful actors carry that dialogue and every scene really well. The film is cast really well, and all the actors do justice to their roles. It's a very well made film, and the director Alankrita deserves applause, along with her editor, cinematographer and rest of the team.

17th Annual NEW YORK INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL April 30-May 7, 2017

Starting tomorrow, there are several wonderful films that will be screening at the festival. More details can be found at the link below, along with purchase of the ticket as well. The closing night on May 7th would also be followed by an after-party with Indian music & Indian food. All the tickets can be purchased before they are sold out. So do it ASAP.
http://www.iaac.us/nyiff2017/
Schedule
http://www.iaac.us/nyiff2017/schedule.htm
Tickets
http://www.iaac.us/nyiff2017/tickets.htm

NYIFF is the oldest, most prestigious Indian film festival in the United States, screening premieres of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about the countries in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan) in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres. Eight days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, an award ceremony, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain & educate North Americans about the realities of the lives and people in the Indian Sub-Continent,  and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City. NYIFF is the flagship event of the Indo-American Arts Council.

Alex Da Kid + IBM Watson, Fran Leibowitz and 12 year old Mikaila Ulmer amongst TDIA 2017 winners #Tribeca2017

Tribeca Film Festival brings many wonderful films and storytellers to NYC every year. But its also brings annual celebration of some amazing disruptors aka disruptive innovators with Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards (TDIA). TDIA is a collaboration with Harvard Business School Professor Clayton M. Christensen and helmed by Tribeca co-founder Craig Hatkoff. Christensen’s original Disruptive Innovation Theory was immortalized in the Innovator’s Dilemma, now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Disruptive innovation explains how simpler, cheaper technologies, products, and services can decimate industry leaders almost overnight, for the betterment of society. TDIA showcases applications of disruptive innovation which has spread far beyond the original technological and industrial realms into the fields of healthcare, education, international development, politics and advocacy, media, and the arts and entertainment.

This year, TDIA celebrated an exciting roster of visionaries, rebels, and game changers who are upending their industries, altering the human experience through their novel approaches to social justice and activism, and affecting the future of intelligence, both human and artificial. Here ae the honorees:

Evolution of Intelligence

In an era where artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous driving and 3D printing portend unprecedented social, political and economic change, this year’s awards highlight the evolving relationship between man and machine.

Watson (accepted by David Kenny)

Watson, IBM’s cloud-based cognitive computing system, helps people apply artificial intelligence (AI) to not only creative pursuits but also to making discoveries across industries including healthcare, finance, retail, engineering, and others. Watson empowers people with the tools to augment their imagination and expand their expertise to improve decision-making. As this innovation continues to expand across industries, IBM expects Watson will reach 1 billion consumers by the end of 2017.

Alex Da Kid & IBM WATSON receive Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards 2017 at Tribeca Film Festival.

Accepting on behalf of Watson is David Kenny, Senior Vice President, IBM Watson and Cloud Platform, who spearheads development of the Watson technology platform, as well as optimizes IBM’s public cloud for data and cognitive workloads. David was most recently General Manager, IBM Watson, and previously served as Chairman and CEO of The Weather Company and managing partner of VivaKi.

 Alex Da Kid + IBM

Producing records has always been collaborative to Grammy Award-winning music producer and two-time Billboard Top 40 under 40 Alex Da Kid. Since creating KIDinaKORNER back in 2011, Alex has signed Skylar Grey, Imagine Dragons, Jamie N Commons, and X Ambassadors, as well as produce singles for Dr. Dre, Eminem, Nikki Minaj, B.o.B, Diddy, T.I., U2, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco and more. 

 In 2016, Alex Da Kid made musical history by collaborating with IBM Watson to create an original song. Watson’s ability to turn millions of unstructured data points into emotional insights helped Alex create a new kind of music that for the first time ever, listened to the audience.

Bryan Johnson

In 2016, Bryan started Kernel to build advanced neural interfaces to treat disease and dysfunction, and extend cognition. In 2014, he invested $100M to start OS Fund to support scientists who aim to benefit humanity by rewriting the operating systems of life. In 2007, Bryan founded Braintree, a payments provider, which was acquired in 2013 by PayPal for $800M. He is an outdoor-adventure enthusiast, pilot, and author of a children's book, Code 7.

GIPHY

GIPHY receives Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards 2017 at Tribeca Film Festival.

GIPHY is GIFs. The first and largest GIF search engine, GIPHY is where thousands of artists, brands, and pop culture moments make today’s expression, entertainment, and info a little more moving. GIPHY serves more than 1BN GIFs per day, seen by more than 100M daily active users who watch more than 2M hours of GIFs every day.

Compassionate Capitalism

This year’s honorees utilize their entrepreneurial spirit to make effective and lasting change affecting global poverty, access to art, health and wellness, the betterment of American culture and saving the world’s decreasing bee population.

 Tory Burch

Tory Burch is CEO and Designer of Tory Burch LLC, an American lifestyle brand. Since launching the company in 2004, she has grown the brand into a global business with more than 200 stores. In 2015, she introduced Tory Sport, a performance activewear collection.

Tory has been recognized with numerous awards and serves on several boards, including the Tory Burch Foundation, which she launched in 2009 to empower women entrepreneurs.

Mikaila Ulmer

At age four, Mikaila Ulmer, learned that bees were an important part of our ecosystem and that they were dying. Armed with her great grandmother’s special recipe of lemonade Mikaila launched her business, Me & the Bees Lemonade, from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009. As one of Shark Tank’s most popular contestants, Mikaila landed a deal with Daymond John. Her lemonade empire has grown exponentially, and she has become one of country’s youngest entrepreneurs

Mick Ebeling

Mick Ebeling is an instigator of innovation. His company, Not Impossible, which will be premiering a special new project at the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards, develops defiant solutions for the world’s overlooked and underserved communities. For example, when Mick read about Daniel, a Sudanese boy whose arms were lost during a bombing of his village, Mick was inspired to help. Mick and his team of makers and inventors figured out how to 3D print a working prosthetic arm. They travelled illegally to the Nuba Mountains to print an arm for Daniel, who was able to feed himself for the first time in two years, and taught villagers how to use 3D printers to make prosthetic arms for the large number of amputees there. Mick has been named one of WIRED Magazine's "Make Tech Human" thought leaders, one of Ad Age's Top 50 Most Creative People and a Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year.

Roger McGuinn

Over the last six decades, the list of Roger McGuinn’s musical innovations, in both the analogue and digital realms, is nothing short of breath-taking. McGuinn has embraced innovation and preservation with continuity as well as change.  As the front man for the Byrds,  McGuinn is credited with combining folk music with rock and roll in such hits as “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Eight Miles High,” and “Turn Turn Turn.” He added compression to his Rickenbacker 12 string that resulted a whole new sound—the jingle jangle— that inspired Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty.  McGuinn was an early adopter in the music industry’s transition from analogue to digital. He embraced the internet as a distribution channel a decade before Radiohead’s pay-what-you-want download of “In Rainbow.” He is the keeper of the flame for folk music through his 20 year project-- the Folk Den, recording one folk song per month and offering it as a free download. He continues performing in theaters as a solo artist.

Jessamyn Stanley

Jessamyn Stanley, is the author of Every Body Yoga, as well as an internationally recognized yoga teacher, award-winning Instagram star (@mynameisjessamyn), and body-positive advocate. She has been profiled by a wide range of media, including Good Morning America, TIME, New York, Glamour,Shape, People, Essence, Lenny Letter, and many others. When she’s not on the road teaching, she lives in Durham, North Carolina. Visit her online at: jessamynstanley.com, Twitter: @JessNotJazz, Facebook:/mynameisjessamyn. 

Social Justice, Activism, and the Arts

Honorees practicing social justice and activism are finding creative ways to affect culture in America via race relations, homelessness, women’s right, prison reform, and our global world issues affecting poverty and the environment.

Jonathan Haidt

Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and professor at NYU-Stern School of Business. Haidt is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis (2006), and The Righteous Mind (2012). As part of his research on morality and politics, Haidt has written about the dangers of political homogeneity and the suppression of dissent. To combat such homogeneity in American universities, Haidt co-founded (with Nicholas Rosenkranz and others) Heterodox Academy, a collaboration of 600 professors who advocate for viewpoint diversity.

Daryl Davis

Over the last 30 years, celebrated black musician Daryl Davis has employed a novel and controversial approach to improving race relations:  he has established enduring relationships with members of the KKK. Having experienced prejudice while growing up Davis wanted to answer one burning question—“how can you hate me when you don’t even know me?”  Over 30 of his “friends” have decommissioned themselves from the KKK as they have come to know Davis. His tool of choice is conversation. "When two enemies are talking, they are not fighting.  They may be shouting and pounding their fists on the table, but at least they are talking.  It’s when the talking ceases, that the ground becomes fertile for violence.”

Will Boyajian

Will Boyajian is an actor and musician from Albany, NY. Will is the founder of Hopeful Cases, based on his change collecting guitar case, a New York based charity. He created the organization after graduating from Ithaca College in 2012. The charity’s main focus is giving to New York City’s homeless population. Since moving to New York City Will has been performing in a number of Off-Broadway/Regional musicals. Will’s mission is to have New Yorkers change the way they think about giving. If you annualize what Will has been collecting and donating, equals $150,000 per year. Who am I to judge? Take more if you need it. Without being a billionaire, he is doing quite a bit of great work.

Chris Fabian

Christopher Fabian is a technologist and innovator who co-leads UNICEF’s Innovation Unit. Fabian works on finding solutions to big problems that face humanity, particularly children. Since 2007 he has held the title of Senior Advisor on Innovation to the Executive Director at UNICEF and Co-founder and Co-lead of the UNICEF Innovation Unit. He is best known for his work on tools for children and communities in low-infrastructure environments.

Paula Kahumbu

Dr. Paula Kahumbu is a Kenyan expert on elephants with a PhD from Princeton University. She is the CEO of Kenyan Conservation NGO WildlifeDirect and founded Hands Off Our Elephants, a Campaign that lead major legal reforms in tackling wildlife crime resulting in a drop in poaching of 80% over three years. She also Co-authored the bestselling children’s book Owen and Mzee and produces two wildlife television series, NTV Wild and NTV Wild Talk.

 Fran Lebowitz

Fran Lebowitz, called the "funniest woman in America" by the Washington Post, is a national treasure known for her wit, humor, irreverence, social commentary and her own category on "Jeopardy." From the innovative lists in her 1978 bestseller "Metropolitan Life," to her Martin Scorsese-directed documentary "Public Speaking," to her current commentary on the lecture circuit, in Vanity Fair, on TV and on the web, Fran Lebowitz's observations have always been ahead of the times.

 Alexa Meade

Alexa Meade applies paint directly to models and the surrounding scene, creating the illusion that real-life people and places are inside the world of a 2D painting. Her artwork has been exhibited at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, The Saatchi Gallery, the Grand Palais, and the United Nations building. She has collaborated with theoretical physicists, movement artist Lil Buck, and magician David Blaine. Her TED Talk “Your Body is my Canvas,” has millions of views.

Vivian D. Nixon

Vivian D. Nixon is Executive Director of College & Community Fellowship (CCF), a nonprofit committed to removing individual and structural barriers to higher education for women with criminal record histories and their families. An alumna of CCF’s program, Nixon advocates nationally for criminal justice reform. Nixon is a Columbia University Community Scholar and a recipient of the John Jay Medal for Justice, the Ascend Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, and the Soros Justice Fellowship.

 Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner Odede

Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner Odede are New York Times best-selling authors, internationally recognized social entrepreneurs, and the founders of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), an organization that works to build vibrant, gender equitable services for all. Kennedy grew up in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa. He started SHOFCO in 2004 with a 20 cent soccer ball, and was able to turn it into one of the world’s most influential community organizers. Together, Jessica & Kennedy built SHOFCO to what it is today - a grassroots organization that has served and empowered hundreds and thousands of people in the slums of Kenya.

 Jeremy Travis

Jeremy Travis is president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York. Prior to his appointment, he served as a Senior Fellow in the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, where he launched a national research program focused on prisoner reentry into society. From 1994-2000, Travis directed the National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. EDIT

 Jose Vargas

Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker, and media entrepreneur whose work centers on the changing American identity. After revealing himself to be an illegal immigrant, he found Define American, a non-profit media and culture organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship in America, and the founder of #EmergingUS, a media start-up that lives at the intersection of race, immigration, and identity in a multicultural America.

Tribeca 2017 announces Film Festival Awards Winners ~ Keep the Change, Son of Sofia, and Bobbi Jene Take Home Top Awards in! #Tribeca2017

16TH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES JURIED AWARDS

Keep the Change, Son of Sofia, and Bobbi Jene Take Home Top Awards in

U.S. and International Narrative and Documentary Competitions

TREEHUGGER: WAWONA Wins Storyscapes Award;

Petra Volpe, Writer/Director for The Divine Order Wins 5th Annual Nora Ephron Prize

Top Winners in all Five Feature Categories Presented to Women-Directed Films

FESTIVAL AWARDS $145,000 IN CASH PRIZES

The 16th Tribeca Film Festival announced the winners of its competition categories at the awards ceremony tonight at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Top awards went to Keep the Change for Best U.S. Narrative, Son of Sofia for Best International Narrative, and Bobbi Jene for Best Documentary. The Festival, presented by AT&T, runs through April 30, 2017.

First - Michael Rappaport, NYC based actor did an amazing job of hosting the awards.

Awards were distributed in the following feature film competition categories: U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize, honoring a woman writer or director.  Awards were also given in the short film categories: Narrative, Documentary, Student Visionary and Animation. 

For the fifth year, Tribeca awarded innovation in storytelling through its Storyscapes Award for immersive storytelling, which went to TREEHUGGER: WAWONA.

“It is more important than ever to celebrate artists both in front of and behind the camera who have the unique ability to share different viewpoints to inspire, challenge and entertain us,” said Jane Rosenthal, Executive Chair and Co-Founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “The winning creators from across the Festival program shared stories that did exactly that, and we are honored to recognize them tonight.  And how wonderful is it that the top awards in all five feature film categories were directed by women.”

This year’s Festival included 97 feature length films, 57 short films, and 30 immersive storytelling projects from 41 countries. 

The Festival’s competition categories continue to incorporate storytelling in all its forms with two awards that were given out earlier in the week, the Tribeca X Award, a juried section recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment, and the first Tribeca Snapchat Short Award, a new official category.

Screenings of the award–winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival: Sunday, April 30, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available atwww.tribecafilm.com/festival

The winners of the Audience Awards, powered by AT&T, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival via the Festival app, will be announced on April 29.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including AT&T, CHANEL, CNN Films, Netflix, and Nutella, the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by contemporary artists: Urs Fischer, Walton Ford, John Giorno, Ella Kruglyanskaya, Jorge Pardo, R.H. Quaytman, Sterling Ruby, Aurel Schmidt, Ryan Sullivan, as well as longtime supporter Stephen Hannock.

The winners, awards, and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:

U.S. NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2017 U.S. Narrative Competition were Josh Lucas, Melanie Lynskey, Denis O’Hare, Alex Orlovsky, and Stephanie Zacharek. 

Uploaded by MyNewYorkEye on 2017-04-28.

  • The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Keep the Change, written and directed by Rachel Israel. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by AT&T, and the art award “Untitled” by Ella Kruglyanskaya. The award was given by Jane Rosenthal joined by Fiona Carter, AT&T Chief Brand Officer, and Josh Lucas, Denis O’Hare, Alex Orlovsky, and Stephanie Zacharek on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “For her heartwarming, hilarious and consistently surprising reinvention of the New York romantic comedy, which opens a door to a world of vibrant characters not commonly seen on film, the U.S. Narrative Jury gives the Founders Award to Rachel Israel for Keep the Change.”

  • Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Alessandro Nivola in One Percent More Humid. The award was given by Josh Lucas.

Jury Comment: “For his raw, complex and deeply human portrayal of middle-aged teacher and writer who tries to rekindle his creativity by plunging into an ill-advised affair with a student, the award for Best Actor goes to Alessandro Nivola, in Liz W. Garcia’s One Percent More Humid.”

Uploaded by MyNewYorkEye on 2017-04-28.

  • Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Nadia Alexander in Blame. The award was given by Denis O’Hare.

Jury Comment: “For her powerful, multilayered and risky portrayal of a troubled teenager in Quinn Shepard’s accomplished directorial debut Blame, the award for Best Actress goes to Nadia Alexander.”

  • Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Chris Teague for Love After Love. The award was given by Alex Orlovsky

Jury Comment: “For creating a visual style that beautifully mirrors the fraught and messy landscape of grief, the cinematography award goes to Love After Love, shot by Chris Teague.”

  • Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Abundant Acreage Available written by Angus MacLachlan. Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Stephanie Zacharek.

Jury Comment: “For its portrayal, both universal and intimate, of two families who meet, clash and ultimately discover what it means to call a place home, the best screenplay award goes toAbundant Acreage, written and directed by Angus MacLachlan.” 

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2017 International Narrative Competition were Willem Dafoe, Peter Fonda, Tavi Gevinson, Alessandro Nivola, and Ruth Wilson. 

  • The Best International Narrative Feature – Son of Sofia (O Gios tis Sofias) written and directed by Elina Psykou (Greece, Bulgaria, France). Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Study for La Brea” by Walton Ford. The award was given by Alessandro Nivola and Willem Dafoe, on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “When we were watching these movies we were looking for something we hadn’t seen before. We unanimously agree that one film challenged us to see in a new way, and we were seduced by the surprising humanity of its difficult characters. The direction was assured, and its tone unique, and we look forward to seeing Elina Psykou's next work. The BestInternational Narrative Feature Award goes to Son of Sofia.”

  • Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film – Guillermo Pfening in Nobody’s Watching (Nadie Nos Mira) (Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, USA, Spain). The award was given byAlessandro Nivola and Willem Dafoe, on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “For a performance of extraordinary vulnerability and commitment that anchored the film, the Best Actor Award goes to Guillermo Pfening for Nobody’s Watching.”

  • Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Marie Leuenberger in The Divine Order (Die göttliche Ordnung) (Switzerland). The award was given by Alessandro Nivola and Willem Dafoe, on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “For a performance that is patient, intelligent and graceful, that captured the liberation of a young woman the Best Actress Award goes to Marie Leuenberger for The Divine Order.”

  • Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Mart Taniel for November (Estonia, Netherlands, Poland). The award was given by Alessandro Nivola and Willem Dafoe, on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “We were particularly impressed by the high level of the cinematography of the films we’ve just seen which had very different styles and demands. One film was particularlyaudacious and showed supreme command of its visual language. The Best Cinematography Award goes to Mart Taniel for November.”

  • Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – Ice Mother (Bába z ledu) written by Bohdan Sláma (Slovakia, France). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Alessandro Nivola and Willem Dafoe, on behalf of the jury.

Jury Comment: “A screenplay can create a world. With warmth and humor, this movie leads us into a specific and eccentric world driven by an unlikely love story. The Best Screenplay Awardgoes to Bohdan Sláma for Ice Mother.”

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2017 Documentary Competition were R.J. Cutler, Alma Har’el, Barbara Kopple, Anne Thompson, and David Wilson.

  • Best Documentary Feature – Bobbi Jene, directed by Elvira Lind (USA, Denmark, Israel). Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “THE REAPER” by Sterling Ruby. The award was given by Barbara Kopple.

Jury Comments: “In a diverse field of worthy films, one work captivated our jury with its exquisite blend of emotional depth and rigorous craft. Fulfilling the promise of classic cinema verite, where camera serves as both observer and provocation, this film connected two artists, filmmaker and subject, pushing nonfiction intimacy to bold new places. Our winner documents the deeply personal process of a brilliant woman finding her voice - paired with a director whose own artistic vision dances elegantly with that of her subject. We the jury give the Best Documentary Feature to Elvira Lind’s Bobbi Jene.”

  • Best Documentary Cinematography – Cinematography by Elvira Lind for Bobbi Jene (USA, Denmark, Israel). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by David Wilson.

Jury Comments: “For the film’s extraordinary relationship to an artist who is willing to go bare not only in performance but in stunningly intimate scenes that are poetic, honest and moving, seemingly without barriers between camera and subject, we give Best Cinematography to Elvira Lind for Bobbi Jene.”

  • Best Documentary Editing – Editing by Adam Nielson for Bobbi Jene (USA, Denmark, Israel). Winner receives $2,500.  The award was given by David Wilson.

Jury Comments: “For a film whose precise economy of construction creates space for the rich sensual palette of a committed artist going through a life change, and whose internal rhythms mirror the art it portrays, we give Best Editing to Adam Nielson for Bobbi Jene.” 

    • Special Jury Mention – True Conviction. “For its compelling storytelling and for introducing us to three heroic characters who transform the injustice they suffered into active change, we give a Special Jury Mention for Best Documentary Feature to Jamie Meltzer’s True Conviction.” 

BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

The jurors for the 2017 Best New Narrative Director Competition were Bryan Buckley, Clea Duvall, and Michael Pitt. 

  • Best New Narrative Director – Rachel Israel, director of Keep the Change (U.S.). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by Netflix, and the art award “Veridical” by Jorge Pardo. The award was given by Clea Duvall and Michael Pitt. 

Jury Comments: “For this award, we were looking for a filmmaker with a fearless, authentic voice.  Our decision was unanimous.  This filmmaker created a world full of vibrant characters often under-represented in cinema.  It is a unique, yet universal love story told in a way we’ve never seen.  We anxiously await to see what this filmmaker does next.  We are so thrilled to present the award for Best New Narrative Director to Rachel Israel for Keep the Change.”

BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

The jurors for the 2017 Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award were Amy Berg, Alice Eve, Marilyn Ness, Zachary Quinto, and Shaul Schwarz.

SUITABLE GIRL directors Sarita Khurana & Smriti Mundra awarded Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award by Zachary Quinto at Tribeca 2017

  • Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award – Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra for A Suitable Girl (U.S./India). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by CNN Films, and the art award “GOD IS MANMADE” by John Giorno. The award was presented by Shaul Schwarz, Amy Berg, and Zachary Quinto on behalf of the jury, along with Alexandra Hannibal from CNN Films. 

Jury Comments: “For the top prize we chose a film that helped us to rethink the dynamics of love through a moving portrayal of a cultural tradition.  With incredible access, heartfelt scenes and it's strong verite style, The Albert Maysles Prize for first documentary feature goes to A Suitable Girl.”

    • Special Jury Mention – Hondros. “In considering a wide range of subjects in our category we were moved by two different kinds of love stories. The film we decided to honor with a special mention delves into the fractured worlds of chaos and violence and the interconnectedness of humanity. A childhood friend carries on his legacy to show the enduring power of love. The special mention goes to Hondros.”

THE NORA EPHRON PRIZE
The 2017 Nora Ephron Prize, presented by CHANEL, jurors were Dianna Agron, Joy Bryant, Diane Lane, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Christina Ricci.  

  • The Nora Ephron Prize: Petra Volpe, writer/director of The Divine Order (Switzerland). Winner receives $25,000, sponsored by CHANEL, and the art award “Fashion Voodoo 3” by Aurel Schmidt. The award was given by Diane Lane on behalf of her jurors Joy Bryant, Dianna Agron, Christina Ricci, Zoe Lister-Jones.

Jury Comments: “For its intrepid and compassionate storytelling, beautiful cinematography (DP-ed by a woman), complex characterization of the female experience, seamless navigation of both drama and comedy, and true embodiment of the personal being political, we award the Nora Ephron Prize to Petra Volpe for her film The Divine Order.”

  • Special Jury Mention: Keep the Change

SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The 2017 Best Narrative Short and Best Animated Short jurors were Udi Aloni, Brennan Brown, Gilbert Gottfried, Amy Heckerling, Sheila Nevins, Mark O’Brien, and Jesse Plemons.

  • Best Narrative Short – Retouch, directed by Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella, and the art award: “Study: Flooded Oxbow for Ophelia (MM#3800)” byStephen Hannock. The award was given by Udi Aloni, Brennan Brown, and Amy Heckerling on behalf of the jury, along with Eric Berger representing Nutella.

Jury Comments: “For its message of choice, liberty, and renewal where the lines of morality and honesty are blurred, leaving the audiences own projection of the events open for discussion and introspection. We appreciated the unification of the aesthetic and the ethical.  The winner of the Best Narrative Short goes to Retouch.”

  • Best Animated Short – Odd is an Egg (Odd er et egg) directed by Kristin Ulseth (Norway). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella. The award was given by Udi Aloni, Brennan Brown, and Amy Heckerling on behalf of the jury, along with Eric Berger representing Nutella. 

Jury Comments: “We found the story of this animated short sweet and moving. We were also very impressed with beautiful visuals, which were artistic, cool and haunting. The filmmaker shows great promise. Best Animated Short goes to Kristin Ulseth for her film, Odd is an Egg.”

The 2017 Best Documentary Short and Student Visionary Award jurors were Priyanka Chopra, Olivia Thirlby, Ryan Eggold, Brendan Fraser, and Ileen Gallagher.

  • Best Documentary Short – The Good Fight directed by Ben Holman (U.S., UK, Brail). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella, and the art award “Untitled” by Ryan Sullivan. The award was given by Ileen Gallagher and Ryan Eggold along with Eric Berger representing Nutella.

Jury Comments: “An unflinching portrait of finding hope in a world of danger; a journey of perseverance in the face of tragedy; an uplifting and visually compelling story of redemption. The winner of the Best Documentary Short is The Good Fight.”

    • Special Jury Mention – Resurface: “Shedding light on the struggle for normalcy, hope, and recovery that US Veterans face every day, this is the story of reviving the human spirit through connecting with something deeply powerful and larger than the self: the Natural World.”
  • Student Visionary Award – Fry Day directed by Laura Moss (U.S.). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella. The award was given by the Jury along with Eric Berger representing Nutella.

Jury Comments: “For its success in balancing an immersive coming of age experience with relevant social commentary in a historically specific context; compelling performances and expert filmmaking, the student visionary award goes to Fry Day.”

    • Special Jury Mention – Dive: “Visceral, deeply moving meditative and exquisitely constructed / A nuanced examination of love and moving on after grief. Dive receives a Special Jury Mention.”

STORYSCAPES AWARD

The 2017 Storyscapes Award, presented by AT&T, which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology, jurors were Lily Baldwin, Charlotte Cook, Julia Kaganskiy, Michael Premo, and Sarah Wolozin.

  • Storyscapes Award: TREEHUGGER: WAWONA created by Barnaby Steel (Co-Founder, Creative Director), Ersin Han Ersin (artist, Creative Director) and Robin McNicholas (Co-founder, Creative Director) of Marshmallow Laser Feast . Winner receives $10,000, presented by AT&T. The award was given by Lily Baldwin, Charlotte Cook, Julia Kaganskiy, Michael Premo, and Sarah Wolozin, along with Ryan Luckey, AVP, Corporate Sponsorships, AT&T.

Jury Comments: “The project we chose exemplifies the highest standards of artistry and inventiveness. It explores the potential for new visual forms and investigates unique modes of storytelling that allow us to tap into aspects the world and our lived experience that are intuitively known but seldom articulated. Through its use of poetic abstraction, embodiment, and the viewer’s own imagination and interpretation, we are able to unlock new ways of understanding and experiencing the world around us. We’ve selected this piece because we hope it will inspire others to start creating in ways that take risks and use the limitations of technology to revamp story and experience. The Storyscapes Award goes to TREEHUGGER: WAWONA.”

The Festival’s competition categories continue to incorporate storytelling in all its forms with two awards that were given out earlier in the week. The Tribeca X Award is a juried section recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment and Tribeca also presented the first Tribeca Snapchat Short Award, a new official category 

Previously Announced:

TRIBECA X AWARD

The 2017 Tribeca X Award, presented by The Atlantic, jurors were Joanna Coles, Jae Goodman, Jenna Lyons, Eli Pariser, Tim & Eric,and a proprietary A.I. solution developed by Celtra,

  • Tribeca X Award: Chris Fonseca: Keep It Moving by 72andSunny for Smirnoff Ice.  Directed by Zachary Heinzerling 

TRIBECA SNAPCHAT SHORTS

The 2017 Tribeca Snapchat Short award jurors were Jason Biggs, Andy Cohen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Dillon Francis, and Eva Longoria.

●     Tribeca Snapchat Short award: Magic Show directed by Annie Hubbard.

For more information on all of the films in the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, please visit tribecafilm.com/festival. 

About the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival is a cultural event for the new age of storytelling that brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences. It celebrates the power of storytelling in a variety of forms – from film to TV, VR to online work, and music to gaming. As a platform for creative expression, independent filmmaking, and immersive entertainment, Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.

The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. With strong roots in independent film, the annual event has evolved into a destination for creativity, reimagines the cinematic experience, and explores how art can unite communities.

#Tribeca2017: CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILMMAKERS, AWARD-WINNING ACTORS, AND CULTURAL LEADERS MAKE UP 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL JURIES 

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILMMAKERS, AWARD-WINNING ACTORS, AND CULTURAL LEADERS MAKE UP 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL JURIES 

Jurors include Priyanka Chopra, R.J. Cutler, Willem Dafoe, Peter Fonda,

Diane Lane, Barbara Kopple, Tavi Gevinson, Josh Lucas, Alessandro Nivola, Sheila Nevins, Michael Pitt, Zachary Quinto, Christina Ricci, Ruth Wilson, and more

New York, NY  [April 12, 2017] –The Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced its jurors for the 16th edition, comprised of a group of critically acclaimed filmmakers, award-winning actors working across film, television, and stage, accomplished producers, and cultural leaders. Divided among the competitive Festival categories, the jury reflects the diversity of Tribeca’s program, which showcases storytelling in all forms, including film, television, virtual reality, and music. The winning films, filmmakers, actors, and storytellers in each category will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards ceremony at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 27 beginning at 5:30 pm and hosted by Michael Rapaport. The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 19 –30.

 

The nine Tribeca juries for the film and immersive storytelling categories will award cash and prizes. Ten of the winners will also receive a work of original art by a renowned contemporary artist as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards program, sponsored by CHANEL. 

 

“This year’s jury reflects the diverse artistry represented in our Festival program, which has evolved over the past 15 years to showcase the breadth of storytelling across all mediums,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival, and Executive Chair, Tribeca Enterprises. “Selecting winners in each category is no easy task, and we look forward to the thoughtful perspective and spirited debate our jurors will bring to the job.”

 

In addition to the main competition juries, the Festival also announced the all-female jury for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize, which was founded four years ago to honor a woman filmmaker whose work embodies the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron. Tribeca previously announced five jurors for the second annual Tribeca X Award, which celebrates branded storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment. 

 

Following is a list of all 2017 Festival jurors and their respective categories.

 

Feature Film Competition Categories


The jurors for the 2017 US Narrative Competition section are:

·         Josh Lucas: Actor Josh Lucas is best known for his roles in the films A Beautiful Mind, Sweet Home Alabama, Poseidon, and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, as well as on stage in “The Glass Menagerie” and “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell.” He can currently be seen in Netflix’s The Most Hated Woman In America. Lucas is based in NYC.

  • Melanie Lynskey: New Zealand born Melanie Lynskey's first role came in 1994 with her award winning performance in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures opposite Kate Winslet. Since then, she has amassed a number of credits both in features and television. Her credits include Steven Soderbergh's The Informant, Tom McCarthy's Win Win, Billy Ray's Shattered Glass, Sam Mendes' Away We Go, and Jason Reitman's Up in the Air.
  • Denis O’Hare: Denis O’Hare is a Tony Award winning and Emmy-nominated actor. Screen credits include Charlie Wilson’s War, Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, and American Horror Story.
  • Alex Orlovsky: Alex Orlovsky has been working as a producer for 15 years. In that time, he has produced The Discovery, The Wolfpack, I Origins, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, and Half Nelson, among others. Orlovsky’s films have been nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, and Gotham Awards, and have played in a number of major film festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, and Venice.
  • Stephanie Zacharek: Stephanie Zacharek is the film critic for Time magazine. She was previously chief film critic for the Village Voice and Salon.com, and was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

 

The jurors for the 2017 International Narrative Competition section are:

·         Willem Dafoe: Two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe is one of today’s most highly accomplished and versatile American film actors. He has performed in over 100 films in Hollywood and abroad.

·         Peter Fonda: Peter Fonda is an award-winning actor who co-wrote, produced, and starred in the iconic film Easy Rider. Since his legendary role, he has continued to deliver impressive performances seen in films such as Ulee's Gold, The Tempest, 3:10 to Yuma, and Ghost Rider.

·         Tavi Gevinson: Tavi Gevinson is an actress, writer, and the editor-in-chief of “Rookie”, a website for teenage girls which she founded in 2011. She can soon be seen opposite Michael Cera and Abbi Jacobson in the upcoming film Person To Person, which follows a variety of New York characters as they navigate personal relationships and unexpected problems over the course of one day.

·         Alessandro Nivola: Alessandro Nivola is a Tony Award nominated film and stage actor and television producer. Film credits include American Hustle, Junebug, Coco Before Chanel, A Most Violent Year, and Selma.

·         Ruth Wilson: Two-time Olivier Award-winner, Golden Globe winner and Tony Award nominated actress Ruth Wilson has paved her way in theatre, television and film. Best known for her portrayal of the character Alison in The Affair and of Alice in Luther, and for her work on the London stage, Wilson has become one of Britain’s most lauded young actresses.

 

The jurors for the 2017 World Documentary Competition section are:

  • R.J. Cutler: R.J. Cutler is an award-winning director and producer. His work includes the feature film If I Stay, the documentaries Listen to Me Marlon, The World According to Dick Cheney,The September Issue, A Perfect Candidate, and The War Room, and the television series Nashville, American High, Freshman Diaries, Black/White, and 30 Days.
  • Alma Har’el: Alma Har’el’s award winning, visionary work plunges deep into the heart of imagination and produces genre-redefining and fearless work that artistically blurs the line between documentary and fiction. In 2016, Har'el founded Free The Bid, an initiative designed to fight gender bias in the advertisement industry.
  • Barbara Kopple: Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker. She has produced and directed over 35 films, and counting.
  • Anne Thompson: Anne Thompson is Editor at Large at Indiewire, founder of Thompson on Hollywood, author of “The $11 Billion Year” and cohost of the weekly Screen Talk podcast.
  • David Wilson: David Wilson is a filmmaker and co-founder of the True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri.

 

The jurors for the 2017 Best New Narrative Director Competition are:

·         Bryan Buckley: Bryan Buckley is the director of the films Asad, The Bronze, and upcoming release, Dabka. He is known for his extensive commercial work, directing more than 50 Super Bowl spots.

·         Clea Duvall: Clea DuVall is an actress and filmmaker. She currently stars in the Emmy award winning HBO series Veep, and recurs in AMC’s Better Call Saul. She starred in many award winning films including Argo, Passengers, Zodiac, Girl, Interrupted, and the cult favorites But I’m A Cheerleader and The Faculty.

·         Michael Pitt: Michael Pitt is an American actor, writer, director, producer, and musician. Credits include Boardwalk Empire, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Dreamers, I Origins, Funny Games, and Last Days. His most recent role was Kuze in Ghost in the Shell. In 2015, Michael Pitt made his directorial debut with The Driver.

 

 

The jurors for the 2017 Albert Maysles Award (Best New Documentary Director Award) are:

·         Amy Berg: Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Emmy-award winning and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker whose company, Disarming Films, writes and produces docuseries for television and long-form documentaries focusing on social justice.

·         Alice Eve: Alice Eve is an acclaimed British actress known for her roles in Star Trek into Darkness and Before We Go opposite Chris Evans. She can soon be seen in upcoming feature Please Stand By opposite Dakota Fanning and Toni Collette and Replicas opposite Keanu Reeves.

·         Marilyn Ness: Marilyn Ness is a two-time Emmy®, DuPont, and Peabody Award-winning documentary producer and director best known for her work producing Cameraperson, Trapped, E-Team, and 1971 (Tribeca Film Festival 2014).

·         Zachary Quinto: Zachary Quinto is a film, stage and television actor as well as a producer. His credits include Star Trek, Snowden, The Glass Menagerie, Heroes and two seasons of American Horror Story. In 2008, he began his production company Before the Door Pictures, which has gone on to produce such films as Margin Call, All Is Lost, Banshee Chapter, Breakup At a Wedding, A Most Violent Year, and the upcoming film Aardvark.

·         Shaul Schwarz: Shaul Schwarz is a conflict photojournalist turned filmmaker. He's the director of the feature documentaries Narco Cultura (2013) and Trophy (2017).

 

Short Film Competition Categories

 

The jurors for the 2017 Narrative Short Film Competition are:

·         Udi Aloni: Udi Aloni is a filmmaker and writer whose works frequently explore the interrelationships between art, theory, and activism. His most recent film, Junction 48, won the Best International Narrative Feature award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Berlinale, among other awards.

·         Brennan Brown: Brennan Brown can be currently seen as Robert Childan on the hit Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, as Dr. Sam Abrams on Chicago Med, and Edward Biben onMozart in the Jungle. A graduate of Yale School of Drama, his many film credits include I Love You Phillip Morris, Focus, and State of Play.

·         Gilbert Gottfried: As a famed comic’s comic, Gilbert Gottfried puts aside political correctness for his live performance and fires an onslaught of jokes that know no boundaries. Credits include: a cast member on SNL, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Cosby Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, and Aladdin, as the voice of the wise cracking parrot Iago.

·         Amy Heckerling: Amy Heckerling came from the Bronx and wrote Clueless.

·         Sheila Nevins: Sheila Nevins is President, HBO Documentary Films. She has been responsible for overseeing the development and production of more than 1,000 documentaries for HBO, HBO2, and Cinemax. As an executive producer or producer, she has received 32 Primetime Emmy® Awards, 7 News and Documentary Emmys®, and 42 George Foster Peabody Awards. During her tenure, HBO’s critically-acclaimed documentaries have gone on to win 26 Academy Awards®.

·         Mark O’Brien: Mark O’Brien is an award-winning actor and filmmaker, best known for his roles in the Academy-Award nominated film Arrival and the AMC series Halt & Catch Fire. He can next be seen in the upcoming Sony/Amazon series The Last Tycoon, and a number of feature films including Kin, State Like Sleep, and Parallel.

·         Jesse Plemons: Jesse Plemons is an actor. Credits include: Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, Fargo, Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, The Master, and Other People. He will next appear in American Made, Hostiles, Black Mirror, and The Discovery.

 

The jurors for the 2017 Documentary and Student Visionary Competitions are:

·         Priyanka Chopra: Priyanka Chopra is a multifaceted personality and one of the most recognized and applauded talents in the world. With more than 50 film credits, Priyanka currently stars in ABC's hit show Quantico and can be seen in the upcoming Baywatch movie, premiering on May 26th.

·         Olivia Thirlby: A native New Yorker, Olivia Thirlby is best known for her work in features such as Juno, United 93, The Wackness, 2012 Tribeca film Being Flynn, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Between Us, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and the Amazon/David E. Kelly series Goliath.

·         Ryan Eggold: Ryan Eggold is an actor, writer, director, producer, and composer. He currently stars as the male lead in NBC’s The Blacklist: Redemption, the spinoff from the thriller drama, The Blacklist in which he also stars. Ryan has starred in various acclaimed film, TV, and theatre projects, and is also an accomplished musician, singer, and playwright.

·         Brendan Fraser: Brendan Fraser is an award-winning actor. Credits include the Mummy franchise, The Quiet American, and Crash. He recently starred in the third season of Showtime’s award-winning TV show, The Affair.

·         Ileen Gallagher: Ileen Gallagher produces memorable experiences and destinations, in projects ranging from new museums, corporate attractions, and citywide film/media celebrations to exhibitions, special events, the organization of archives, and beyond.

 

Storyscapes

 

The jurors for the 2017 Storyscapes Competition are:

·         Lily Baldwin: Lily Baldwin is an NYC/LA-based filmmaker and dancer, whose directing work has appeared at SXSW, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the V&A Museum London, Art Basel Miami, ShortsHD, Filmmaker Magazine, NOWNESS, Fandor, and BitTorrent.

·         Charlotte Cook: Charlotte Cook is a Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Field of Vision, and a programmer at CPH:DOX.

·         Julia Kaganskiy: Julia Kaganskiy is the founding Director of NEW INC, the New Museum’s incubator for art, design and technology.

·         Michael Premo: Michael Premo is an artist, journalist, and filmmaker.

·         Sarah Wolozin: Sarah Wolozin is director of the MIT Open Documentary Lab.

 

Nora Ephron Prize

 

The jurors for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize are:

·         Dianna Agron: Dianna Agron was last seen in Luc Besson’s The Family opposite Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer. She will next be seen Sony Pictures Classics Novitiate which recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Agron is previously known for her roles on Glee and the feature film I Am Number Four.

·         Joy Bryant: Award-winning actress Joy Bryant is best known as the star of NBC’s Parenthood. A former model, Bryant most recently portrayed civil rights activist Eleanor Holmes Norton in the Amazon series Good Girls Revolt and has a memorable cameo in the final season of HBO's Girls.

·         Diane Lane: Diane Lane has been hailed as Best Actress by the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics, and received Academy Award®, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominations for her career work-to-date. Her next film, Paris Can Wait, directed by Eleanor Coppola will be released on May 12.

·         Zoe Lister-Jones: Zoe Lister-Jones is an actor, writer, producer and director, currently starring on CBS’ Life in Pieces and in the indie comedy Band Aid, in which she also makes her directorial debut.

·         Christina Ricci: Christina Ricci can currently be seen in the Amazon original series Z: The Beginning of Everything, in which she plays Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.

 

Visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival for more information about the 2017 Festival programs and the full line-up. 

 

Passes and tickets for the 2017 Festival

Single ticket are on sale and cost $21.00 for evening and weekend screenings, $12.00 for weekday matinee screenings, $40.00 for Tribeca Talks panels and special screenings, $30.00 for Tribeca TV, and $40.00 for Tribeca Immersive. Tickets can be purchased:

·         Online at tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets

·         Telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378), 

·         Ticket outlets located at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd Street), or at the Oculus Westfield World Trade Center (185 Greenwich Street, located at Concierge Desk) 

·         The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App, available on iTunes and Google Play

·         Tickets to special events at Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre are available at Ticketmaster via tribecafilm.com

 

Also available for purchase now is The Hudson Pass, an all access pass to screenings and talks taking place at BMCC, Regal, Cinepolis Chelsea, and SVA as well as full access to all events at the Festival Hub at Spring Studios, which includes VR and immersive projects, special screenings with music performances, and access to the lounges.

 

The 2017 Festival will offer ticket discounts on general screenings and Tribeca Talks panels for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Discounted tickets are available at Ticket Outlet locations only.

 

Stills are available at www.image.net. If you are not an image.net media user yet, please register using referral code 2604. If you have any issues or your need is time sensitive, please contactblin@TribecaFilmFestival.org 

 

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Twitter: @Tribeca

Instagram: @tribeca

Facebook:  facebook.com/Tribeca

Snapchat: TribecaFilmFest

Hashtag: #Tribeca2017

 

About the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival is a cultural event for the new age of storytelling that brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences. It celebrates the power of storytelling in a variety of forms – from film to TV, VR to online work, and music to gaming. As a platform for creative expression, independent filmmaking, and immersive entertainment, Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.

 

The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. With strong roots in independent film, the annual event has evolved into a destination for creativity, reimagines the cinematic experience, and explores how art can unite communities.

 

About the 2017 Partners

As Presenting Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, AT&T is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking through access and innovation, while expanding opportunities to diverse creators around the globe.  As one of the largest communications and entertainment companies, AT&T helps millions connect to their passions – no matter where they are.

 

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce its 2017 Signature Partners: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bai Beverages, Bloomberg Philanthropies', Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), CHANEL, EFFEN® Vodka, ESPN, IWC Schaffhausen, The Lincoln Motor Company, National CineMedia, Nespresso, New York Magazine, Nexxus Salon Hair Care, Nutella, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Spring Studios New York, and United Airlines.

#SRFF2017: Socially Relevant Film Festival 2017, closes with an elegant Award Ceremony in NYC

SR Socially Relevant (TM) Film Festival New York 2017 announces the Winners at the CLOSING AWARD CEREMONY - March 19

SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York wrapped its fourth edition with a SOLD OUT house of the closing film Split by Deborah Kampmeier at Cinepolis Chelsea on March 18, and the Closing Awards Ceremony took place on Sunday, March 19, at 7:30 pm, at the Tenri Cultural Institute in the Village, in the presence of the filmmakers, jury members, partners and sponsors of the festival, the SR Socially Relevant Film Festival's dedicated team, and volunteers.

Founder Artistic Director Nora Armani welcomed the guests, filmmakers, International jury members, partners and sponsors of the festival, and reminded those present that the festival started four years ago to commemorate the brutal hate crime that took the lives of her beloved cousin Vanya Exerjian and Uncle Jack Exerjian. The Festival focuses on all social issues, and socially relevant film content, offering a platform to filmmakers who resist the sweeping waves of commercial cinema. 

Armani specially thanked the festival sponsors and partners who were onboard since the inception of our festival, and those who joined in later. The grantors, who believed the festival’s mission, and endorsed it such as the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, The Left Tilt Fund, and the Dutch Culture USA/ and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands in New York. She also thanked the institutional organizations such as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office for Film and TV Development and New York Mayor De Blasio’s Office for Media and Entertainment. She then read the congratulatory letter from Governor Cuomo.  

Armani also thanked the hospitality partners, Serpouhi Vartivarian of Santatori, Areni Market, Eat off Beat and Courtney Sproule, La Colombe Coffee, Tequila Chito’s, Hemant Mathur of Sahib Indian Restaurant and LGT (Le Grand Triage), Eric Rydin, for catering and adding that important hospitality touch to the festival’s happy hours.

What is a film festival without great films and filmmakers? Armani acknowledged the wonderfully talented filmmakers who were present, and those who unfortunately could not make it because of canceled flights earlier in the week. “This festival is YOUR festival and it is created to become the platform for you to showcase your wonderful work and share it with the audiences who are keen on hearing these human interest stories,” said Armani, inviting filmmakers to stay in touch with the festival ‘family’. “The competition out there is tough and we thank you for braving the waves of commercialism and making Socially Relevant ™ Films.” She said. 

Ms Armani then thanked the dedicated festival team who worked for the long haul working tirelessly and with full dedication on a volunteer basis. She thanked the jury members, four of whom were present Afia Nathaniel (filmmaker Dukhtar), Carmen Labaki who came all the way from Lebanon, Claus Mueller and Brigitte Gauthier from France. 

The award trophies were the Gotham Bowl is designed and donated by Michael Aram, New York-based world-known metal designer, the beautiful scarf with the Festival Logo specially created by Anet Abnous, and the special label wines celebrating the festival’s annual editions, made and donated by City Winery.

Below are the winners and various award- categories. 

The Best Script Award:
Three out of the five finalist scripts were declared winners: 

The American Dream, The Record, and Almast…The Best Documentary Short Award went to:

Africa Yoga Project directed Andrea Wing (Canada/Kenya) 

*

*

The Best Actress in a Feature Film Award went to:
Jingke LIANG, as the mother

and

The Best Actor in a Feature Film Award went to:
Jun FENG, as the son
in Destiny directed by: Wei Zhang (China)

Both awards are accepted on behalf of the production by Jacqueline Si Shi

*

The Best Actress in a Short Film Award went to:
Nina Mazodier

in Veil of Silence directed by Julie Gourdin

*
The Best Actor in a Short Film Award goes to:
Sope Dirisu

in The Dead Sea directed by Stuart Gatt
*

The Women Film Critics Circle Award
is offered annually at SR Film Fest by the WFCC and was presented by Robin Milling on behalf of the WFCC to

2 Girls directed by Jeo Baby (India)

*

In addition to the Jury awards in the feature and shortdocumentary and narrative film categories, and scripts, 

SRFF presents a number of recognition awards:

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Varoujan Storytelling Award
was presented for the first time this year in honor of the founder’s father who recently passed away, and it went to:
Crows of the Desert by Marta Houske (USA)
accompanied by a $300 dollars cash value across all categories, in memory of a great storyteller V.A.S. Ekserdjian

*

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Brave Documentary Award:
The Toxic Circle directed by Wilfried Koomen

*

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Pushing the Boundaries Award:
Roll Call: A Dance Story directed by Anthony DiFranco (USA)

*

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Making a Difference Award:
Straight From the Pen directed by Paul Sutton (USA)

*

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Best Ensemble Film Award:
Split directed by Deborah Kampmeier

*

The SR Socially Relevant ™ Film Festival's Certificate of successful completion
of the Smartphone filmmaking workshop by Ching Juhl was presented to:
Brigitte Gauthier

*

The Best Narrative Short Award went to:
The Veil of Silence directed by Julie Gourdain (France)
*

 

The Best Documentary Short Award went to:
Africa Yoga Project directed Andrea Wing (Canada/Kenya)
*

Filmmaker Arthur Kanegis was invited to the podium to read Martin Sheen’s message to the festival and also show his Word Passport.

The world seems to have lost its way – filled with fear, exclusion and building walls. The amazing story of World Citizen #1 Garry Davis may be just the roadmap needed to find our way -- to a better future!  See the short film about his life “My Country Is the World” at the wonderful SR Socially Relevant Film Festival in NY – then watch for the forthcoming feature documentary as well.  - Martin Sheen

*

A replica of the Peace and Justice Award presented two years ago at the 2nd edition of the festival in 2015 but broken in transit, was presented to
Guy Davidi for High Hopes his short film that the festival screened in 2015.

*

The Vanya Exerjian: Empowering Women and Girls Award

in memory of Founding Artistic Director Nora Armani's cousin and uncle,
victims of a hate crime, that triggered the founding of the festival was
presented by Monica Mahendra Singh together with Ms. Armani and it went to:
  Last Night in Edinburgh  directed by Bita Shafipour (U.K.)
 

* * *

The Grand Prize for Best Documentary Feature Award went to:
The Chocolate Case directed by Benthe Forrer (Netherlands)
The award was accepted on behalf of the filmmakers, by Vera Kuipers, of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands

*
 

The Grand Prize for Best Narrative Feature Award went to:
Prophecy  directed by Zuri Rinpoche (Netherlands/Bhutan)
The award was presented by narrative feature category jury member Afia Nathaniel (filmmaker of Dukhtar) and was accepted by
Loday Chophel the lead actor in Prophecy who was present from Bhutan on behalf of the director. 

 * * *

SR Socially Relevant (TM) Film Festival New York would like to thank the attendees and look forward to the fifth edition of the festival March 2018. Submissions for the fifth edition open mid-May on Filmfreeway.com and Withoutabox.com

#Oscars 2017: worst blunder, but best host!

Academy Awards 2017 aka The Oscars were last night, and was it something! The show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel was spectacular. But the biggest talk of the night is the blunder about wrong film getting announced for best picture. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunnaway announced La La Land as the winner, by mistake, instead of Moonlight. Here's a video:

There was confusion all around as Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced the wrong best picture winner at the 2017 Oscars- saying 'La La Land' had won when Moonlight was the actual winner.

As much as this sucks, we have to say that it was handled very well. Kudos to Warren, Jimmy and the La La Land team as well. It sucks for Team Moonlight, that they didn't get there moment, but at least they walk away with the award. But it sucks for the team La La Land the most, I guess. Since they were the ones who got embarrassed, and walk away without an award. But stuff happens, we need to get over it. Both La La Land and Moonlight are wonderful films in their own right and worthy of the oscar (hence the nominations). But only one can walk away with the award. This night, it was Moonlight. Congratulations to Barry Jenkins and the entire team.

The other well deserved award was best Supporting Actor to Mahershala Ali, for his amazing performance in MOONLIGHT. And so was Best Actress to Viola Davis for FENCES, great job. Although the best actor award for both male & female may have surprised some people, I think both Casey Affleck, who's still severely underrated, and Emma Stone had proved themselves worthy by their amazing performances on there individual films. Kenneth Loggerman very well deservedly won the best original screenplay award for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. And Damien Chazelle's win as best director for LA LA LAND, was perfect. He did create a beautiful film after all!

The competition for Documentary was really hard this year, and I'm lil surprised that Ava Duvernay's 13th or I'M NOT YOUR NEGRO, didn't win.  No award for LION either, which I expected to be strong candidate for Best adapted screenplay. There were few other shockers, but all in all, it was a good night.

But the best part of the night was Jimmy Kimmel. His hosting was just wonderful. He was funny, he was political, he was cool, and he was awesome. Even with the biggest blunder, he did his best to handle. The bit with tourists was pretty cool. And of course with Jimmy, you can expect food, although his mom didn't make it this time. It was candies and bagels etc etc. His hosting was a pleasure for the stars, the room audience and us the TV audience too. It was just great, and hopefully we see him again & again!

Jimmy's opening monologue from the 2017 #Oscars. SUBSCRIBE to get the latest #KIMMEL: http://bit.ly/JKLSubscribe Watch the latest Halloween Candy Prank: http://bit.ly/KimmelHalloweenCandy Watch Mean Tweets: http://bit.ly/JKLMeanTweets8 Connect with Jimmy Kimmel Live Online: Visit the Jimmy Kimmel Live WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/JKLWebsite Like Jimmy Kimmel Live on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/JKLFacebook Follow Jimmy Kimmel Live on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/JKLTwitter Follow Jimmy Kimmel Live on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/JKLInstagram About Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jimmy Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of Emmy-winning "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC's late-night talk show.

Here are all the winners and nominees:

BEST PICTURE

Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
WINNER: Moonlight

ACTRESS

Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
WINNER: Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

ACTOR

WINNER: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

WINNER: Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

SUPPORTING ACTOR

WINNER: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

DIRECTOR

WINNER: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
WINNER: Moonlight

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
WINNER: Manchester by the Sea
20th Century Women

ORIGINAL SONG

Audition (The Fools Who Dream) from La La Land
Can't Stop the Feeling! from Trolls
WINNER: City of Stars from La La Land
The Empty Chair from Jim: The James Foley Story
How Far I'll Go from Moana

ORIGINAL SCORE

Jackie
WINNER: La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Arrival
WINNER: La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

Ennemis Intérieurs
La Femme et le TGV
Silent Nights
WINNER: Sing
Timecode

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Extremis
4.1 Miles
Joe's Violin
Watani: My Homeland
WINNER: The White Helmets    

FILM EDITING

Arrival
WINNER: Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight    

VISUAL EFFECTS

Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
WINNER: The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story    

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
WINNER: La La Land
Passengers

ANIMATED FEATURE

Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
WINNER: Zootopia    

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
WINNER: Piper    

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Land of Mine, Denmark
A Man Called Ove, Sweden
WINNER: The Salesman, Iran
Tanna, Australia
Toni Erdmann, Germany        

SOUND MIXING

Arrival
WINNER: Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi        

SOUND EDITING

WINNER: Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully    

DOCUMENTARY

Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
WINNER: O.J.: Made in America
13th        

COSTUME DESIGN

Allied
WINNER: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

TV One Stars Shine at 48th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

TV ONE NETWORK STARS SHINE AT THE ‘48TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS’ 

STARS FROM TV ONE’S “MEDIA,” "HIT A LICK," "NEWS ONE NOW" & "JUSTICE BY ANY MEANS" ATTEND ANNUAL SPECIAL HOSTED BY ANTHONY ANDERSON

Watch an Encore Presentation of the 48TH NAACP Image Awards Thursday, February 16 at 4PM & 12AM EST
(All Photo Credit: TV One)

TV One’s stars of television and film shined brightly at the 48TH NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Anthony Anderson, which aired on the network. Among this year’s award honorees, TV One’s morning news host, Roland Martin, received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Host in a News, Talk, Reality, or Variety Program.

An encore presentation of the show will air on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. EST and 12 a.m. EST. The show will air in syndication February 19th-March 5th. Check your local listings for show times.

The evening began with the live pre-show from the red carpet, hosted by Nischelle Turner and Terrence Jenkins with special correspondents Tai Beauchamp and Chris Spencer.  The casts of TV One’s upcoming original films, “MEDIA” (Brian White, Penny Johnson Jerald, Pooch Hall, Chrystee Pharris, Blue Kimble, Denise Boutte, Stelio Savante, Finesse Mitchell and Jillian Reeves) and “Hit A Lick” (Tasha Smith, Lil Mama and Lance Gross) were in attendance. Additionally, “Justice By Any Means” host Malik Yoba made an appearance, and David and Tamela Mann walked the carpet to announce their new TV One show, “The Manns.”

The two-hour live special did not disappoint as the best of Black Hollywood turned out to celebrate. Immediately following, guests joined TV One, in partnership with Ford Motor Company and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), at an exclusive after party held at the W Hotel in Hollywood. Radio One Founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes welcomed the crowd, followed by a special performance by R&B vocalistFaith Evans.

TV One’s upcoming original film, "MEDIA" premieres on TV One Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET. “MEDIA" is directed by Craig Ross, Jr. and executive produced by Radio One Founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes, Susan Banks, Kevin Arkadie, and Sheila Ducksworth.

Below are all of the winners for the 48TH Annual NAACP Image Awards:

Television Categories

Outstanding Comedy Series

“`black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson - “`black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Tracee Ellis Ross - “`black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series

“Queen Sugar” (OWN:  Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown  - “This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

Taraji P. Henson - “Empire” (FOX)

Motion Picture Categories

Outstanding Motion Picture

“Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington - “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Taraji P. Henson - “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)

Entertainer of the Year

Dwayne Johnson

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ABOUT TV ONE:

Launched in January 2004, TV One serves more than 60 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, Hollywood Divas and The NAACP Image Awards.  In addition, TV One is the cable home of blockbuster drama Empire, and NewsOne Now, the only live daily news program dedicated to black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners. 

Hank Chen embodies INCLUSION! #Sundance

Hank Chen is a very talented actor and comedian who can be seen next in Jacza Bravo’s directorial debut, Lemon, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2017. The film has a talented cast that includes Michael Cera, Nia Long, Megan Mullally, and Shiri Appleby. Hank can also be seen in the web series “Strangers" and “The Chances," both also premiering at the Sundance Film Festival 2017.

We had a chance to talk to him at Sundance. Here it is:

What did you enjoy most about this project? Why should audience watch it?

- The film I'm lucky enough to be in, Lemon, is a labor of love that took the producers, Janicza Bravo, the director, and her husband, Brett Gelman, the star of the film over 5 years to get made. Because of that, I was on a set where everyone cared so much and it showed in the environment, and the work. The audience should definitely watch it if they've ever felt weird or like an underdog. When you watch the ordeal Brett's character goes through, trust me when I say you won't feel so alone anymore. Oh, and if you're Jewish. There are some moments where I felt like only someone truly Jewish could understand and appreciate, and all I could do was smile and clap along.

What's your most favorite memory of Sundance?

- I attended the SAG Indie actors brunch and literally in the course of half an hour, met a ton of my acting heroes and simultaneously reconnected with 10 people I had worked with or known back in New York and Los Angeles. None of whom I knew would be attending Sundance, and some I'm back in touch with now. I have a few coffees and lunches lined up that I'm really looking forward to. Moments like that are terrific because it makes you realize just how small and inter-connected the artistic community is.

Hank Chen at Sundance 2017 with film Lemon. He loves Gambit, but not sure if he wants to play it LOL. Wonderful actor & wonderful guy!

What do you think about state of inclusion in Hollywood? 

- I think Hollywood has done an okay job. There's always more and never enough, so you can't lose sight. But it's important to acknowledge and commend people when change is being made in the right direction - even if it's incremental. Because, hey, at least it's still forward movement.

What's your experience and what do you think we all can do to improve the situation?

- Like every actor, my experience is going to be unique because no two careers are alike. But what I can say is that as a member of two minority groups, there are advantages and disadvantages. For instance, it might be easier for me to get through a door to get seen because my line isn't as long as, say, the young blonde ingenue line. But on the other hand, that door I'm walking through... the roles available to me are limited in their size and influence. I've played waiters more times that I can count and not interested in doing that anymore.

What do you like about being a storyteller and artist? What's your message to other aspiring storytellers?

- If I'm doing my job correctly, I love getting to reflect the human condition. When a performer moves you, it's because the audience sees in them something they see in themselves - whether you're willing to admit it to yourself or not. For me, art helped me come out, and ultimately influence my identity as a gay man. Was I terrified to watch shows with queer themes like, Six Feet Under? Absolutely. But I also felt that show speak to me and understand me in a way no one in my current world was able to, so I couldn't look away.

- My message to other storytellers is to tell a story that is uniquely yours and don’t try to be anyone else. Sundance is all about films with strong single visions and new perspectives. Don't water it down for a mass audience. Make it your voice, and make it heard.

What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?

Favorite: that there's variety in New York - it doesn't seem like everyone is in show business. New York is the pinnacle of finance, art, fashion, media, food, museums, you name it. You run into (literally and figuratively) a lot more people doing different things in New York and that keeps things, life, and your circle of friends interesting.
Least favorite: the weather. Only 4 good months out of the year. Two in the spring, and two in the fall.

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Hank will be seen in season 2 of "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders,”  later this March, and the feature film directorial debut of Hallie Meyers-Shyer's Home Again, produced by Nancy Meyers, starring Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, and Candice Bergen and is set for a wide holiday release fall of 2017. Hank is known for Amazon’s “Transparent," TV Land's “Lopez,” and CBS's "NCIS: Los Angeles." Other television roles include Netflix’s "Grace and Frankie,” ABC Family’s “Baby Daddy,” and CBS’s “Blue Bloods." One of Hank’s favorite roles to date is working alongside Robin Williams in his final theatrical release, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn. 

Ben Milken, director of "Lake Alice" #Sundance

Ben Milliken directs the film Lake Alice, which will premiere at Sundance in January 2017. The English-born actor starred in the independent feature film, “Newcastle,” which made its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. Ben’s other roles include “Melrose Place” (CW) and “Gigantic” (Teen Nick), “CSI- Miami” (CBS) and was the male lead in the TV movie, Deadly Sibling Rivalry (Lifetime). He also played the lead male role in Blue Crush 2 (Universal Pictures). Ben’s passion for storytelling and filmmaking led him into the role of producer as he went on to produce the single take romantic comedy Somebody Marry Me. Ben then made his directorial debut with the thriller Lake Alice in early 2015. In 2016, Ben returned to the silver screen landing a role in the feature film Emerald Run.

We had a chance to catch up with him at Sundance 2017. here are the excerpts:

  • What's your most favorite memory of Sundance? 
    The buzz of the place. there is so much excitement and anticipation that fills the air. 
  • What did you enjoy most about this project? Why should audience watch it? 
    All the actors were such a joy to work with. It felt like a collaborative journey we were all on together. 
  • What do you like about being a storyteller and artist? What's your message to other aspiring storytellers? 
    To be able to bring ideas to life, for an audience to see. I would say, don't focus on money or fame, it's always about the work. 
  • What was your experience of being behind the camera? What was most painful and most satisfying aspect? 
    It was a very rewarding experience to be able to take something from an idea to a finished product. To be able to bring a story to life visually. The most painful part of this project was the extreme cold we faced while shooting. -30 degrees.
  • What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC? 
    Favorite thing - the city is alive, there is always something to do, somewhere to go, something new to see. My least favorite - winter. too cold.