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Festival Roundup:
Giant Congratulations to all the filmmakers and actors in our community with films World Premiering at Sundance!
“Welcome to the Rileys,” directed by Jake Scott, starring James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo is screening in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. The film also features Jack Moore.
Also making it’s debut in the U.S. Dramatic Competition is Mark Ruffalo’s “ Sympathy for Delicious,” starring Orlando Bloom, Juliette Lewis Laura Linney and featuring Erin Way.
We hope 2010 is as fortunate for all as it is for Jeffrey Blitz (Director) and Marc Turtletaub (Producer) with their film “Lucky,” screening in the U.S. Documentary Competition.
Kudos to Floria Sigismondi’s “The Runaways” in the Premieres category.
Marisa Tomei can be seen starring in another Premieres category film “Cyrus” directed by the Duplass Brothers also with John C. Reilly and Catherine Keener.
Robyn Kershaw produced “Bran Nue Dae,” directed by Rachel Perkins, makes it’s U.S. premiere in the Spotlight section. Up next for Robyn will be producing “Virgin Ground” written and directed by “Renee Webster.”
Go Dakota Goldhor, who is starring in Benny and Josh Safdie’s “Daddy Longlegs” also screening in the Spotlight section.
Alison Maclean has the honor of being on the 2010 World Cinema Dramatic Competition Jury. Have fun Alison!
Marianna Palka has been selected to be on the jury for the Alfred P. Sloan award at Sundance 2010. Enjoy the snow Marianna!
Screening times and details here.
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
Lab News:
Stay tuned for upcoming Winter Filmmaking 1 and 2 Labs in Los Angeles.
A Los Angeles Acting lab coming soon too!
Films in Post Production:
Justin Moore-Lewy, Peter Odiorne and Gail Gilchriest just wrapped principal photography on “The Greening of Whitney Brown,” also known as “Destination:Home.” Way to go all!
“Beginners,” Mike Mills new film, starring Ewan McGreggor and Christopher Plummer, features Kai Lennox, executive produced by Joan Scheckel, is now in Post!!
“The Untitled Gus Van Sant Project” formerly “Restless” written by Jason Lew based on his play “Of Winter and Waterbirds,.” produced by Bryce Dallas Howard, has wrapped filming in Oregon.
More congrats to Bryce Dallas Howard who finished playing a vampire in the mega series “Twilight’s” third installment “Eclipse” out later this year. Next she will star in Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter” with Matt Damon, produced by Steven Speilberg.
Films in Pre- Production:
Best wishes to Gina Kwon and Miranda July who are about to start shooting their next film.
Films in Production:
We are excited for Director, Malcolm Venville who has begun filming the Sacha Gervasi scribed “Henry’s Crime,” starring Keanu Reeves, in NYC.
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Congrats to Diane Martel and Adam Lambert on the premiere of Adam’s new video “Whaddya want from me!”
Watch it here
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Films Released:
“Friendship” is released in Germany. Herzlichen Glückwunsch Markus Goller ! (That’s Best Wishes in German.)
“Wonderful World” released to great reviews. Go Josh Goldin!
“My Queen Karo” after world premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film will have it’s U.S. Premiere in Palm Springs International Film Festival before it’s Dutch release in February. Well Done Dorothee van den Berghe!!!
Now on DVD:
After a successful festival run and theatrical release you can now rent or purchase the award winning dramedy “SUNSHINE CLEANING,” directed by Christine Jeffs, produced by Marc Turteltaub, starring Emily Blunt and Amy Adams.
Awards:
Big Congrats to Sacha Gervasi on his 30+ nominations and awards for ANVIL! Including a DGA nomination. Next up will be directing his screenplay “My Dinner with Herve.”
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
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We congratulate Niki Caro on her great honor of being asked to give public thanks to the Dalai Lama after his talk at The Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
Check back for updates and audience reactions to “The Vintner’s Luck” screening and Panel Discussion with high Buddhist Lama Za Choeje Rinpoche, that took place following the Dalai Lama Talk, at the Rialto Theatre, Auckland on 12-5-09.
Check out the blog for “The Vintner’s Luck” here. |
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The Vintner’s Luck Strikes a Balance on Saturday 5 December @ 6pm – Rialto Cinema, Newmarket, Auckland
The latest film from acclaimed New Zealand director Niki Caro (Whale Rider, North Country), The Vintner's Luck is a story about balance, questions, struggles, ambition and life. A story that has hit a chord with the Dalai Lama Visit Trust New Zealand.
This is a powerful, meditative tale of Sobran Jodeau, an ambitious young peasant winemaker and the three loves of his life – his earthy wife Celeste, the proudly intellectual baroness Aurora de Valday and Xas, a plain spoken angel who strikes up an unlikely but enduring friendship. Under his guidance Sobran must wrestle with the constant duality of life; from success to failure, love to hate, betrayal to belief – all in pursuit of the perfect vintage.
Following the public talk by his Holiness the Dalai Lama on Saturday at Vector Arena, a special event will be taking place at 6pm at the Rialto Newmarket. A screening of the film will be followed by a panel discussion: Unity and Duality, When Angel and Demon are One with with Niki Caro (Director), Joan Scheckel (Screenwriter) and Za Choeje Rinpoche, an emminent Buddhist scholar recognised by the Dalai Lama as the sixth reincarnation of one of the highest Buddhist Lamas of Eastern Tibet. The panel will be exploring themes skilfully woven through Niki Caro's adaptation of Elizabeth Knox's acclaimed book.
After seeing the initial screening of The Vintner's Luck the Dalai Lama Visit Trust New Zealand invited director Niki Caro to be a part of the public event with His Holiness and have worked with her and Za Choeje Rinpoche to create this post-screening dialogue. Za Choeje Rinpoche stated;
“I loved it very much. I think the story in the film is a great metaphor about life. It teaches some lessons on life about the hope, acceptance and balance.”
This is a provocative film that has inspired polarized responses. This is an opportunity for a deeper discussion about the themes of the film and how they are received. It is for a broad audience who would like to contribute to the conversation. It is for anybody who would like to speak truthfully from their hearts, but fear attack. |
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Toronto Film Festival: The Vintner's Luck premiered Saturday, September 14 at the Winter Garden Theatre! Did you see the film at the festival? It's a special and unique movie, and we'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, support! Share some love. Meet us on The Vintner's Luck/Facebook. Thanks for taking the time to check in!
Here's TIFF's description of the film:
"Niki Caro's audacious and visually luscious new film will both delight and surprise audiences familiar with her previous work. Delving deeper into her past themes of love and identity, she explores ideas and emotions even more visceral in nature. While the film takes place in an earlier era, the complex spiritual struggles of the central character give the story a strong contemporary allure.
The nineteenth century has barely dawned in France when we meet Sobran Jodeau (Jérémie Renier, best known for his work with Belgian filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne). Sobran is a young peasant who hungers for two things in life: to win the hand of the beautiful Celeste (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and to create wine in his own vineyard. While marriage to the fiery Celeste soon follows, his wine-making ambition is considered above his station, and the patron he serves fails to put his innate skills to use. One night, however, he encounters the angel Xas (Gaspard Ulliel), who sees Sobran's passions as evidence of his profound humanity. Xas proposes that Sobran plant some vines the angel carries, and further, that they meet each year at the same time and place.
Unsettled and yet self-interested, Sobran agrees without being able to answer his own questions about who or what Xas actually is. The vines, however, are very real, and they grow and thrive. Soon Sobran encounters the next influence in his life, the proud, educated and vulnerable Baroness Aurora de Valday (Vera Farmiga). Before long, he is as deeply entangled in Aurora's emotional complexities as he is in her vineyard, leading to both spiritual and corporeal crises for everyone.
The Vintner's Luck is much more than the story of a peasant's desire to fulfill his destiny: it wrestles with the most basic questions of life, using a vineyard in Burgundy as the best possible metaphor. Caro asks us to consider earth, love, appetite, wine, sensation, God and sex through the eyes of a man driven to experience all of these things in different ways with three other beings who assist, impede and ultimately share his lust for all that life has to offer."
Review:
Dark Horizons Toronto Review: "The Vintner’s Luck"
By Paul Fischer
Sex, lust, wine and angels are mere facets of Niki Caro’s lush and sensuous period drama "The Vintner’s Luck". Set in early 19th century France at the height of the Napoleonic Wars, the pic centres around Sobran Jodeau (Jérémie Renier). Sobran is a young peasant who hungers for two things in life: to win the hand of the beautiful Celeste (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and to create wine in his own vineyard.
While marriage to the fiery Celeste soon follows, his wine-making ambition is considered above his station, and the patron he serves fails to put his innate skills to use. One night, however, he encounters the angel Xas (Gaspard Ulliel), who sees Sobran's passions as evidence of his profound humanity. Xas proposes that Sobran plant some vines the angel carries, and further, that they meet each year at the same time and place.
Unsettled and yet self-interested, Sobran agrees without being able to answer his own questions about who or what Xas actually is. The vines, however, are very real, and they grow and thrive. Soon Sobran encounters the next influence in his life, the proud, educated and vulnerable Baroness Aurora de Valday (Vera Farmiga). Before long, he is as deeply entangled in Aurora's emotional complexities as he is in her vineyard, leading to both spiritual and physical crises for everyone.
Though a New Zealand film, this lush, erotic and passionate film is more European with its frank exploration of sexuality and eroticism, yet the film’s lyrical beauty and intelligence makes it something quite unexpected. A film about humanity and spirituality, Caro directs this film with an exquisite sense of detail. Gorgeous in all facets of visual detail, "The Vintner’s Luck" is also a fascinating romantic melodrama, and at its core, comprises a cast that is spot on.
Jérémie Renier is the perfect peasant who transforms into a self-educated winemaker. It’s a beautiful, complex and richly layered performance. The women in his life are spectacularly good, from the wonderful all grown up Castle Hughes, who embodies the earthy sexuality of her character and the luminous Vera Farmiga, who is clearly a versatile and complex actress and is magnificent, beautiful and passionate as the Baroness.
"The Vintner’s Luck" is a spellbinding, sexy and hypnotic tale, thematically dense and original in its tale of God, angels and sexuality. It’s a movie that deserves international distribution.
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FALL LABS: Los Angeles: November: Master Acting Lab. Interviewing now. Contact us for details. |
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FESTIVAL UPDATE: Niki Caro’s: The Vintner’s Luck written by Niki Caro and Joan Scheckel World Premieres at Toronto Film Festival September 2009. It shot on location in France and New Zealand and stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Vera Farmiga, Gaspard Ulliel and Jeremie Renier. Check out the trailer on the Films page!
 (on set in France, April 2008)
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LAB NEWS: LADL70 wraps in LA. Thanks to everyone for the amazing, inspirational, sweaty work! Thankyou Sheva Carr, Rachel Singer, Miles Melendez, Keith David, Michael Bentt, Adam Tomei, Sacha Gervasi, Pat Healy, Kai Lennox, Gail Gilchriest, Rachel Harrel, Charlie Mason, Justin Moore - Lewy, Peter Odiorne, Caitlin Mulvey, Don O. Knowlton, Daniela Sea, Erin Way, Sam Hennings, Sam Weitzner, Seth Gabel, Islean Kirker, Marina Zenovich, Stephen Macht and Monique Curnen. Inviting all Participants to Log - In to the forum for videos, pix and post Lab chat! See you there!
(the first table read : )
KUDOS: Marina Zenovich picked up 5 Emmy nods for her doc Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired! |
SHOOTING: Lisa Leone and Marisa Tomei on location in Ethiopia co-directing their short film “Woineset”. Based on the soon to be released book: Half the Sky. Look for more news in the New York Times Magazine and on Oprah. Film coming to PBS in 2010! |
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RELEASED: Don’t miss Sacha Gervasi’s: Anvil! The Story of Anvil, in theaters now! A great doc starring Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner, both humorous and incredibly touching.  (Sacha on drums with Anvil, Japan)
Bryce Dallas Howard’s playing Kate Connor opposite Christian Bale in Terminator Salvation!
Zooey Deschanel stars opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Marc Webb’s: (500) Days of Summer.
Alden Ehrenreich’s in Francis Ford Coppola’s new movie Tetro. Catch his debut performance!
Russell Brown’s: The Blue Tooth Virgin is slated for a September 2009 debut through Regent Releasing!
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
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PRE-PRODUCTION: Justin Moore-Lewy is in preproduction with Destination: Home, written by Gail Gilchriest and directed by Peter Odiorne!
Daniela Sea is in pre-production with: Heterophobia!
Miranda July is in pre-production with Satisfaction produced by Gina Kwon and Peter Carlton. Written, directed and starring Miranda July!
Jason Lew’s: Of Winter and Waterbirds will be helmed by Gus Van Sant!
Catherine Jarvis has begun pre-production on her film Maestro!
Sarah Lambert’s film Red Dress has begun pre-production!
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
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POST PRODUCTION: Mark Romanek’s: Never Let Me Go, written by Alex Garland, starring Keira Knightley and Sally Hawkins is in post production across the pond in London!
Mark Ruffalo’s: Sympathy for Delicious written by Chris Thornton, produced by Andrea Sperling and starring Chris Thornton, Mark Ruffalo, Orlando Bloom and Laura Linney is in post production in L.A.
Jake Scott’s: Welcome To the Rileys is in post-production having shot on location in Louisiana. The film stars Academy Award nominee Melissa Leo, Kristen Stewart, James Gandolfini and our friend Jack Moore! (Jack, Melissa and Jake on location in New Orleans!)
Richard Press’ doc on Bill Cunningham, produced by Philip Gefter, is in post production in New York.
Floria Sigismondi is wrapping The Runaways here in LA.
Markus Goller’s: Friendship, written by Oliver Ziegenbalg is wrapping up post-production in Berlin.
Jim Whitaker is finishing up his new film documenting the journeys of 9/11 survivors.
Robbie Pickering is beginning production of his film: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
Miles Roston is on location in South Africa shooting his film Orange Oceans.
Gabriel Gonsalves is currently shooting a new documentary in Cape Town, South Africa about Ubuntu and holistic/humanitarian work.
Dorothee van den Berghe’s: My Queen Karo is in post-production in the Netherlands.
John Alan Simon’s: Radio Free Albemuth starring Jonathan Scarfe and Alanis Morissette is in post-production having shot here on location in Hollywood!
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
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ACTORS WRAP UP: Vincent Piazza is starring role as Lucky Luciano in Martin Scorcese’s “Boardwalk Empire”
Kai Lennox wrapped his starring role in the new series: The Unusuals!
Seth Gabel wrapped his roles in Dirty Sexy Money and Young Americans!
Marianna Palka’s in Scotland starring in a new feature!
Erin Way is off to Kansas to star in a new film!
Colette Divine appeared on NBC's new series, Southland, as Officer Taylor.
Carly Schroeder played Kim Garnet on Law and Order SVU.
Chet Grissom visited NYC to shoot his part on the new Doug Liman’s: Fair Game.
Adam Rose completed shooting Jason Reitman’s: Up in the Air with George Clooney and Jason Bateman.
WRITERS WRAP UP: Marti Noxon is writing and consulting for the hit “Mad Men”!
Pat Healy penned several episodes this year for: In Treatment.
Gail Gilchriest's: Destination Home is in pre-production. |
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FESTIVAL ROUNDUP: Josh Goldin’s: Wonderful World starring Matthew Broderick, Philip Baker Hall, and Ally Walker debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival!
Beatriz Flores Silva’s: Polvo nuestro que estas en el cielo (Masangeles) screened in Westwood on April 25th!
Lorna Ann Johnson’s: Just Another War screened at the Montreal Human Rights Film Festival on March 15th! For further details go to: www.ffdpm.com. The film also screened at the Athens Film Festival.
Shana Feste’s: The Greatest starring Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon just received great recognition and a nomination for a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2009! Set for a February 2010 release.
Doug Pray’s: Art and Copy premiered at Sundance 2009!
Armagan Ballantyne’s: The Strength of Water written by Briar Grace Smith, made its debut at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in January!
Check out Films for more films out now or coming soon! |
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 Richard Press takes a pix of Philip Gefter's booksigning for “Photography After Frank”!  (yes that’s Dakota Goldhor on the cover! Another reason to get your hands on this intelligent and illuminating book on cutting edge photography!)
Jamie Babbit just worked with Seth Gabel and Kai Lennox!
Gaby Hoffman worked with Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter!
Erin Way shot her part on Mark Ruffalo’s: Sympathy for Delicious in March!
 (Erin and Mark on locaiton downtown L.A.)
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DVDS ON SALE: Marianna Palka’s: Good Dick starring Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter is available on DVD. Support Independent Film and order a copy today at: www.gooddickthefilm.com!
BOOKS ON SALE: Mike Mills: Graphic Films. Mike's work is BRAND NEW. Check out his book.
Philip Gefter: Photography After Frank. If you love images, it's happening HERE and NOW.
OPEN INVITATION: to all who have participated in the Labs-- contact us to let us know what you're making and share it here! |
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