“The Righteous Gemstones” star Tony Cavalero has joined the cast of “Lips Like Sugar,” a crime thriller set during the 1984 summer Olympics Games in Los Angeles, starring Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson.
Cavalero is best known for his breakout performance as Keefe, the lovable ex-Satanist turned fan-favorite mullet man, in Danny McBride’s cult hit HBO series. “The Righteous Gemstones” was renewed for a fourth season last July.
With “Lips Like Sugar,” Cavalero joins a buzzy ensemble which also includes Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis, Sasha Calle, Kathryn Newton and Erin Moriarty. Harrelson and Wilson star as detectives John Carr and Phil Harris, a pair of homicide cops working to solve a possible serial killer case while police and city officials demand that all murders in L.A. be labeled “missing persons” for the duration of the games.
According to the film’s official synopsis, the plot kicks up when the...
Cavalero is best known for his breakout performance as Keefe, the lovable ex-Satanist turned fan-favorite mullet man, in Danny McBride’s cult hit HBO series. “The Righteous Gemstones” was renewed for a fourth season last July.
With “Lips Like Sugar,” Cavalero joins a buzzy ensemble which also includes Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis, Sasha Calle, Kathryn Newton and Erin Moriarty. Harrelson and Wilson star as detectives John Carr and Phil Harris, a pair of homicide cops working to solve a possible serial killer case while police and city officials demand that all murders in L.A. be labeled “missing persons” for the duration of the games.
According to the film’s official synopsis, the plot kicks up when the...
- 3/26/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Cold Wallet
One of the highlights of this year’s SXSW, Cutter Hodierne’s Cold Wallet is an edgy little thriller with deeply human characters and some great performances. It follows a group of people caught up in a cryptocurrency scheme who resolve to track down the man responsible and hold him hostage until he reveals the location of the cold wallet – the resource they need to recover their losses. They’re not the sharpest tools in the box, and have no real experience of how to do this kind of thing, so naturally events don’t go to plan, making the situation more and more dangerous for all involved.
“I developed the script with John Hibey, who I work with all the time, and he's a close friend and collaborator and a totally brilliant writer,” said Cutter when we met at the start of the festival. “I got swept up in the.
One of the highlights of this year’s SXSW, Cutter Hodierne’s Cold Wallet is an edgy little thriller with deeply human characters and some great performances. It follows a group of people caught up in a cryptocurrency scheme who resolve to track down the man responsible and hold him hostage until he reveals the location of the cold wallet – the resource they need to recover their losses. They’re not the sharpest tools in the box, and have no real experience of how to do this kind of thing, so naturally events don’t go to plan, making the situation more and more dangerous for all involved.
“I developed the script with John Hibey, who I work with all the time, and he's a close friend and collaborator and a totally brilliant writer,” said Cutter when we met at the start of the festival. “I got swept up in the.
- 3/16/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
How do people manage to get into so much trouble with cryptocurrency? From the moment that Billy (Raúl Castillo) starts proselytising about it in his local bar, it’s clear that he’s way out of his depth – he actually believes that he’s getting free money, with nary a question about where it’s coming from. Whilst it’s easy to look down on people like this, however, Cutter Hodierne’s film, which is screening as part of SXSW 2024, succeeds in giving him so much human warmth that you’ll root for him regardless, and perhaps go away feeling more sympathy.
The key to it, of course, is desperation. Billy latches onto the Tulip app (he presumably hasn’t studied much history) because it’s the only means he can see whereby he might gain some control of his life. He longs to buy a house so that his...
The key to it, of course, is desperation. Billy latches onto the Tulip app (he presumably hasn’t studied much history) because it’s the only means he can see whereby he might gain some control of his life. He longs to buy a house so that his...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
How do people manage to get into so much trouble with cryptocurrency? From the moment that Billy (Raúl Castillo) starts proselytising about it in his local bar, it’s clear that he’s way out of his depth – he actually believes that he’s getting free money, with nary a question about where it’s coming from. Whilst it’s easy to look down on people like this, however, Cutter Hodierne’s film, which is screening as part of SXSW 2024, succeeds in giving him so much human warmth that you’ll root for him regardless, and perhaps go away feeling more sympathy.
The key to it, of course, is desperation. Billy latches onto the Tulip app (he presumably hasn’t studied much history) because it’s the only means he can see whereby he might gain some control of his life. He longs to buy a house so that his...
The key to it, of course, is desperation. Billy latches onto the Tulip app (he presumably hasn’t studied much history) because it’s the only means he can see whereby he might gain some control of his life. He longs to buy a house so that his...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Steven Soderbergh is turning up the heat on cryptocurrency scams in thriller “Cold Wallet.”
Soderbergh officially presents the feature, directed by Cutter Hodierne (“Fishing Without Nets”). “Cold Wallet” is set to premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival on March 8 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section; the film is among IndieWire’s must-see picks for the festival.
“This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way, which I love,” Soderbergh said in a press statement after “Cold Wallet” won the Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award.
The official synopsis reads: “After losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who screwed them over. But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.”
“’Cold Wallet’ is a pulp crime thriller — a battle cry of the common man,...
Soderbergh officially presents the feature, directed by Cutter Hodierne (“Fishing Without Nets”). “Cold Wallet” is set to premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival on March 8 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section; the film is among IndieWire’s must-see picks for the festival.
“This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way, which I love,” Soderbergh said in a press statement after “Cold Wallet” won the Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award.
The official synopsis reads: “After losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who screwed them over. But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.”
“’Cold Wallet’ is a pulp crime thriller — a battle cry of the common man,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights to thriller “Cold Wallet.”
In the film, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who cheated them But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.
The cast includes Raul Castillo (“Cassandro”), Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) and Zoe Winters (“Succession”).
The film is directed by Cutter Hodierne, who won best director at Sundance in 2014 for Vice Films’ Somali pirate thriller “Fishing Without Nets.”
Winner of Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award, “Cold Wallet” will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section. Soderbergh said of the film: “This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way,...
In the film, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who cheated them But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.
The cast includes Raul Castillo (“Cassandro”), Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) and Zoe Winters (“Succession”).
The film is directed by Cutter Hodierne, who won best director at Sundance in 2014 for Vice Films’ Somali pirate thriller “Fishing Without Nets.”
Winner of Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award, “Cold Wallet” will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section. Soderbergh said of the film: “This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Not long ago, an award-winning Polish composer who’d scored dozens of films approached Ula Śniegowska about U.S. in Progress, an industry event conceived as a bridge between the Polish and American markets that runs parallel to the American Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland.
“He approached me saying, ‘I’ve done enough in the Polish market. I need an introduction to the international market. Can you, as U.S. in Progress, help me?’” Śniegowska recalls. “It seems we are a perfect matchmaker for those types of companies to have their work exposed in the U.S.”
Celebrating its 13th edition, U.S. in Progress was launched as a showcase for emerging independent American filmmakers. Each year, the event presents a curated selection of American indie titles in the final stages of production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers. This year’s edition takes place Nov. 8 – 10.
Since its inception,...
“He approached me saying, ‘I’ve done enough in the Polish market. I need an introduction to the international market. Can you, as U.S. in Progress, help me?’” Śniegowska recalls. “It seems we are a perfect matchmaker for those types of companies to have their work exposed in the U.S.”
Celebrating its 13th edition, U.S. in Progress was launched as a showcase for emerging independent American filmmakers. Each year, the event presents a curated selection of American indie titles in the final stages of production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers. This year’s edition takes place Nov. 8 – 10.
Since its inception,...
- 10/24/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
It’ll have been a long decade between debut and sophomore film projects but Fishing Without Nets filmmaker Cutter Hodierne got back into the director’s chair with the Vanishing Angle producer Benjamin Wiessner for Cold Wallet. Deadline reports that the quartet of Raúl Castillo, Tony Cavalero, Melonie Diaz and Josh Brener all signed onto the project. Production just wrapped – so we’re thinking this is a definite Sundance contender for next January.
The project was written by John Hibey (who was also on team Fishing Without Nets) the crypto-heist thriller is inspired by real stories related to when the Ftx scandal broke.…...
The project was written by John Hibey (who was also on team Fishing Without Nets) the crypto-heist thriller is inspired by real stories related to when the Ftx scandal broke.…...
- 3/29/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Raúl Castillo, Tony Cavalero, Melonie Diaz & Josh Brener Set For Crypto-Heist Thriller ‘Cold Wallet’
Exclusive: Raúl Castillo (The Inspection), Tony Cavalero (The Righteous Gemstones), Melonie Diaz (The First Purge) and Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) are set to topline Cold Wallet — a crypto-heist thriller from director Cutter Hodierne (Fishing Without Nets), which has wrapped production.
Related Story A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star Related Story Alicia Sanz & Raúl Castillo Set For Horror-Thriller 'Open House' From 'The Djinn' Filmmakers Related Story Quiver Acquires Snoop Dogg-Produced Buddy Comedy 'Bromates' Starring Lil Rel Howery & Josh Brener – First Look
The film inspired by real stories, which was in production when news of the Ftx scandal broke, follows a rag-tag team of Redditors who lose everything in a crypto ponzi scheme and plot to kidnap the ‘financial influencer’ who screwed them over. Script was written by John Hibey — the...
Related Story A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star Related Story Alicia Sanz & Raúl Castillo Set For Horror-Thriller 'Open House' From 'The Djinn' Filmmakers Related Story Quiver Acquires Snoop Dogg-Produced Buddy Comedy 'Bromates' Starring Lil Rel Howery & Josh Brener – First Look
The film inspired by real stories, which was in production when news of the Ftx scandal broke, follows a rag-tag team of Redditors who lose everything in a crypto ponzi scheme and plot to kidnap the ‘financial influencer’ who screwed them over. Script was written by John Hibey — the...
- 3/27/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
From Vast of Night to After Yang to The Wanting Mare to (spoilers?) to Memoria, filmmakers have been able to push our imaginations for what the sci-fi genre can offer on a more limited budget to significant effect these past few years. Cutter Hodierne, who won a Best Director award at Sundance for Fishing Without Nets, is back with The Shepherd, a UFO feature shot in the Peruvian Andes starring Amiel Cayo. With an initial stretch of the production beginning in March, the team has now launched a crowdfunding campaign and the first teaser trailer.
The official logline reads, “While searching for his missing daughter, a rural herder becomes plagued by visions and increasing paranoia after an unexplainable event occurs in the highlands.”
“The Shepherd is an engaging procedural account of a supernatural event and its aftermath,” the director said. “It’ll have the depth of an intimate character study...
The official logline reads, “While searching for his missing daughter, a rural herder becomes plagued by visions and increasing paranoia after an unexplainable event occurs in the highlands.”
“The Shepherd is an engaging procedural account of a supernatural event and its aftermath,” the director said. “It’ll have the depth of an intimate character study...
- 7/26/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Writer/director Cutter Hodierne, one of Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces of 2012 and the director of the short and feature Fishing without Nets, is currently fundraising for a new film, The Shepherd, a UFO thriller to be hot in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Based on a short film currently in post, and co-written with star Amiel Cayo, The Shepherd is about a rural herder searching for his missing daughter who becomes paranoid and beset with visions following a mysterious event. From the press release: The Shepherd is a sci-fi thriller set in one of the most formidable, mystical and lush landscapes on […]
The post Funding Teaser: Cutter Hodierne’s The Shepherd first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Funding Teaser: Cutter Hodierne’s The Shepherd first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/22/2022
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Writer/director Cutter Hodierne, one of Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces of 2012 and the director of the short and feature Fishing without Nets, is currently fundraising for a new film, The Shepherd, a UFO thriller to be hot in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Based on a short film currently in post, and co-written with star Amiel Cayo, The Shepherd is about a rural herder searching for his missing daughter who becomes paranoid and beset with visions following a mysterious event. From the press release: The Shepherd is a sci-fi thriller set in one of the most formidable, mystical and lush landscapes on […]
The post Funding Teaser: Cutter Hodierne’s The Shepherd first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Funding Teaser: Cutter Hodierne’s The Shepherd first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/22/2022
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The 2019 winners in the short filmmaking section of the Sundance Film Festival were announced tonight, with Soudade Kaadan’s Aziza taking the Short Film Grand Jury Prize.
The Syrian refugee black comedy was one of 73 shorts selected from 9,443 submissions. Pic was co-written by Kaadan and May Hayek.
This year’s Short Film jurors are Sheila Vand, Young Jean Lee and Carter Smith.
Short Film awards winners in previous years include Matria by Álvaro Gago, And so we put goldfish in the pool. by Makato Nagahisa, Thunder Road by Jim Cummings, World of Tomorrow by Don Hertzfeldt, Smilf by Frankie Shaw, Of God and Dogs by Abounaddara Collective, Gregory Go Boom by Janicza Bravo, The Whistle by Grzegorz Zariczny, Whiplash by Damien Chazelle, Fishing Without Nets by Cutter Hodierne, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossomby Lucy Walker and The Arm by Brie Larson, Sarah Ramos and Jessie Ennis
Select Festival short...
The Syrian refugee black comedy was one of 73 shorts selected from 9,443 submissions. Pic was co-written by Kaadan and May Hayek.
This year’s Short Film jurors are Sheila Vand, Young Jean Lee and Carter Smith.
Short Film awards winners in previous years include Matria by Álvaro Gago, And so we put goldfish in the pool. by Makato Nagahisa, Thunder Road by Jim Cummings, World of Tomorrow by Don Hertzfeldt, Smilf by Frankie Shaw, Of God and Dogs by Abounaddara Collective, Gregory Go Boom by Janicza Bravo, The Whistle by Grzegorz Zariczny, Whiplash by Damien Chazelle, Fishing Without Nets by Cutter Hodierne, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossomby Lucy Walker and The Arm by Brie Larson, Sarah Ramos and Jessie Ennis
Select Festival short...
- 1/30/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
"Fishing Without Nets" is now available to download on iTunes in the USA. When Cutter Hodierne’s short film, "Fishing Without Nets," won the Grand Jury Prize for Short at Sundance in 2012, his treatment of the theme of piracy in Somalian waters ran somewhat contrary to the news stories and big budget films being touted by Western media at the time (and, predominantly, since) and instead told a story from an alternative perspective. Like the short, the feature length version of "Fishing Without Nets" is set in Somalia and tells the story of a humble fisherman, Abdi (played by Abdikani Muktar Manur, whose real life was inspiration for the film). From the only...
- 4/11/2016
- by Wendy Okoi-Obuli
- ShadowAndAct
Festival favorite "Manos Sucias" is a story about two estranged brothers Delio (Cristian James Advincula) & Jacobo (Jarlin Javier Martinez), one an aspiring rapper and the other a more grounded fisherman who find themselves wrapped up in narco trafficking. Set in the impoverished but culturally rich port town of Buenaventura, Colombia, director Josef Kubota Wladyka draws rich performances from first time actors and the community, while Alan Blanco’s camera paints the stark beauty of Buenaventura with stunning reality. The film will recall 2012’s "Una Noche" by Lucy Mulloy (probably not a coincidence that "Manos Sucias" Ex-Prod. Spike Lee presented that film also) and 2014’s "Fishing Without Nets" by Cutter Hodierne in that all of them as filmmakers, present gritty realities of the everyday life of people at crossroads yet personally told their stories affectionately. With use of a perfect rhythm "Manos Sucias" portrays a little seen piece of Colombia.
In July 2014, Sydney Levine of SydneysBuzz wrote of the film's genesis as the firs U.S.-Colombian coproduction of its kind and its subsequent international sales when she discovered the film at Cartagena. Read more here.
LatinoBuzz spoke to writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka, co-writer/cinematographer Alan Blanco and producers Elena Greenlee & Marcia Nunes on this collective managed to bring the film to fruition.
LatinoBuzz: Latin American cinema seems to be exploring the Afro-Latino experience more than before. Was this one of the themes you had in mind when writing the screenplay?
Josef : Buenaventura is more than 85% African descent. After spending time talking to the community, gracious enough to share their stories and experiences with us, it became clear that there is a lot of racism and violence towards the Afro-Colombians. It was important for us to touch on these larger themes by using an intimate story of two estranged brothers. The heart of the story is the relationship between Jacobo and Delio, and the choices they must make.
Márcia : I still think there aren't enough films made about the Afro-Latino experience, and minority experiences in general in the Us and abroad. It's important that we as filmmakers and audience members seek out these stories and keeping pushing for a wider frame of representation.
LatinoBuzz: How important was Spike Lee's involvement and what was the best advice he gave going into production?
Josef : Spike’s involvement was extremely important because having an iconic filmmaker like himself associated with your project opens so many doors, especially in Colombia. He read our script and revisions, and gave his insight on how to make the movie happen. Having been an advocate and mentor to the project over the years, we showed him a fine cut of the film. At that point, he felt comfortable coming on board as our presenter and as an executive producer. Spike has long been a supporter of up-and-coming filmmakers and continues to be an inspiration to us. His best piece of advice was simple… “Get it done, by any means necessary.”
LatinoBuzz: This is your first feature - did anyone say “Maybe shooting in the jungles of Buenaventura, Colombia with unknown actors is not the way to go right now?”
Alan : The script for this film was based on over 6 years of research that Joe carried out on the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Even so we heard a lot of people say that shooting in Colombia was too risky and we definitely considered shooting in other places. We even scouted Puerto Rico and discovered that as a team our top priority was to making a film that represented this story authentically.
Josef: We wanted to make the film with people who live the story every day, to the show the real faces, and the real places where this goes on. Most of the locations are unknown to the world and this is a part of the drug trade that is rarely explored in the media. We hope the film leaves audiences thinking and asking questions, particularly about the global nature of these conflicts and how this is an economy that might seem far away and exotic but actually interconnects people from all over the world. If it hadn’t been done in Buenaventura, it simply wouldn’t be the same movie.
LatinoBuzz: How much local support was there for "Manos Sucias"? How did you ensure the production didn’t look like an occupation?
Márcia : As an official Colombia-us co-production we had the support of the Colombian Ministry of Culture and Film Commission, which allowed us to tap into the local tax incentives.
Elena: Once we decided to film in Buenaventura the big question became access, not just to locations, but to people, information, resources. We were outsiders and needed to be invited into the world as guests. An “occupation” was never an option; some of the communities we worked in are places where the police and “official authorities” do not go. So access was built on relationships that Joe had begun forming over years of research, which deepened once we were on the ground in pre-production and people saw that we weren't all talk, that we were serious about making a film. In negotiating with the local communities we were upfront about the kind of subject matter we wanted to tackle, but also about wanting to offer a collaboration that was beneficial for everyone. They expressed a lot of interest in exchanging skills and we decided to offer a free filmmaking workshop, working with available resources like cellphones and small photo cameras. Through that process, we filled out our cast and crew with local people, about half of our crew and almost 100% of our actors were from Buenaventura and their support and contributions were immeasurable.
LatinoBuzz: How much happened on set in the moment rather than what was on paper?
Josef: There was a lot that happened in the moment, but it was only possible because we prepared so much. We did a lot of rehearsing and test shooting on locations during pre-production. This was a key element because it allowed us to be free on set. In Buenaventura, things can change at any moment so we always had to be ready to embrace the circumstances that were presented to us. We did do some improvising but after all the editing most of the scenes ended up close to what was scripted.
LatinoBuzz: What was either the most beautiful moment in the shoot that made you feel everything will turn out fine.
Alan: I’ll never forget shooting the campfire scene with just Jarly and Cristian (Jacobo and Delio). First off, it was the first starry night I’d ever seen in Buenaventura. It’s one of the most humid places in the world and constantly overcast; which, by the way, helped a lot with the photography. The scene is about estranged brothers rediscovering each other. The actors are amazing in the scene. For them to perform so well, in an intimate scene amidst the action and turmoil of the story, and under the stress and challenges of production was just unforgettable. I consider it a privilege to have executed that scene with the crew and actors.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the look of the film. Was there a particular film or filmmaker you used as a point of reference?
Alan: While we knew we had a lot of limitations, we always wanted to have a strong artistic point of view for the look of the film. This started back in New York with our preliminary storyboarding and continued as we did camera tests to see the technical limitations we'd face. Geared with that information, we developed a lot of strategies around lens choices and camera movement. In a way this is a road movie, the blocking and shooting of the scenes in the boat needed to be varied in order not to be monotonous.
Josef: We strived to emphasize the visual irony of the vastness of the ocean with the claustrophobia of the boat. We always wanted to have a sense of urgency and immediacy like in many of the Dardenne brothers' films we love. We used many films as references from Hitchcock’s "Lifeboat" and "The Wages of Fear," to "Lawrence of Arabia." Above all else, we knew we wanted to shoot in a way that gave the performers the space to give their best work.
What do you think this moment in their lives meant to the people of Buenaventura?
Alan : I think it’s hard to say. Many of us are still figuring that out for ourselves and I’m not sure I could be so bold as to speculate on their feelings. I can tell you that these are complex people living in a complex situation all with the same capacities for joy and sorrow as anyone else in the world. The experiences we shared while filming helped us to learn more about each other, and also helped me learn how to salsa dance badly. (Thank you, Stefania!) We formed friendships with the cast, crew, and other people in Buenaventura and believe that this film is a testament to those friendships. We hope those moments of working on this project mean as much to them as they do to us.
LatinoBuzz: You obviously immersed yourself in the local culture with the people, dialect, music etc – what sense of void did you and the crew feel once you wrapped production and left Buenaventura to begin the post production process?
Josef: There certainly was a sense of emptiness or even loss right after shooting. While no day was ever predicable, you do develop a sense of routine, of eating meals together, laughing at half-translated dirty jokes, and working all day and dancing all night. Getting back to the States, there was a lot of work to fill the void. The turnaround for the film was pretty quick and editing started almost right away. In a lot of ways, the film never stops moving even now. Now, I don’t think it’s a void. Making the film changed us and that feeling now is one of change, not emptiness.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the next story?
Alan and Joe are working on various new projects, still in early stages of development. Elena and Márcia are working on a film about a psychedelic drug researcher who gets mixed up in the dark side of the Ayahuasca tourism industry in the Amazon, which will shoot on location in the coming year. We're all still interested in exploring little seen corners of the world and bringing them to light on the big screen.
The film opens April 3rd at Cinema Village in NYC. Dig the official "Manos Sucias" website at: http://www.manossuciasmovie.com/ & screening times Here!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
In July 2014, Sydney Levine of SydneysBuzz wrote of the film's genesis as the firs U.S.-Colombian coproduction of its kind and its subsequent international sales when she discovered the film at Cartagena. Read more here.
LatinoBuzz spoke to writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka, co-writer/cinematographer Alan Blanco and producers Elena Greenlee & Marcia Nunes on this collective managed to bring the film to fruition.
LatinoBuzz: Latin American cinema seems to be exploring the Afro-Latino experience more than before. Was this one of the themes you had in mind when writing the screenplay?
Josef : Buenaventura is more than 85% African descent. After spending time talking to the community, gracious enough to share their stories and experiences with us, it became clear that there is a lot of racism and violence towards the Afro-Colombians. It was important for us to touch on these larger themes by using an intimate story of two estranged brothers. The heart of the story is the relationship between Jacobo and Delio, and the choices they must make.
Márcia : I still think there aren't enough films made about the Afro-Latino experience, and minority experiences in general in the Us and abroad. It's important that we as filmmakers and audience members seek out these stories and keeping pushing for a wider frame of representation.
LatinoBuzz: How important was Spike Lee's involvement and what was the best advice he gave going into production?
Josef : Spike’s involvement was extremely important because having an iconic filmmaker like himself associated with your project opens so many doors, especially in Colombia. He read our script and revisions, and gave his insight on how to make the movie happen. Having been an advocate and mentor to the project over the years, we showed him a fine cut of the film. At that point, he felt comfortable coming on board as our presenter and as an executive producer. Spike has long been a supporter of up-and-coming filmmakers and continues to be an inspiration to us. His best piece of advice was simple… “Get it done, by any means necessary.”
LatinoBuzz: This is your first feature - did anyone say “Maybe shooting in the jungles of Buenaventura, Colombia with unknown actors is not the way to go right now?”
Alan : The script for this film was based on over 6 years of research that Joe carried out on the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Even so we heard a lot of people say that shooting in Colombia was too risky and we definitely considered shooting in other places. We even scouted Puerto Rico and discovered that as a team our top priority was to making a film that represented this story authentically.
Josef: We wanted to make the film with people who live the story every day, to the show the real faces, and the real places where this goes on. Most of the locations are unknown to the world and this is a part of the drug trade that is rarely explored in the media. We hope the film leaves audiences thinking and asking questions, particularly about the global nature of these conflicts and how this is an economy that might seem far away and exotic but actually interconnects people from all over the world. If it hadn’t been done in Buenaventura, it simply wouldn’t be the same movie.
LatinoBuzz: How much local support was there for "Manos Sucias"? How did you ensure the production didn’t look like an occupation?
Márcia : As an official Colombia-us co-production we had the support of the Colombian Ministry of Culture and Film Commission, which allowed us to tap into the local tax incentives.
Elena: Once we decided to film in Buenaventura the big question became access, not just to locations, but to people, information, resources. We were outsiders and needed to be invited into the world as guests. An “occupation” was never an option; some of the communities we worked in are places where the police and “official authorities” do not go. So access was built on relationships that Joe had begun forming over years of research, which deepened once we were on the ground in pre-production and people saw that we weren't all talk, that we were serious about making a film. In negotiating with the local communities we were upfront about the kind of subject matter we wanted to tackle, but also about wanting to offer a collaboration that was beneficial for everyone. They expressed a lot of interest in exchanging skills and we decided to offer a free filmmaking workshop, working with available resources like cellphones and small photo cameras. Through that process, we filled out our cast and crew with local people, about half of our crew and almost 100% of our actors were from Buenaventura and their support and contributions were immeasurable.
LatinoBuzz: How much happened on set in the moment rather than what was on paper?
Josef: There was a lot that happened in the moment, but it was only possible because we prepared so much. We did a lot of rehearsing and test shooting on locations during pre-production. This was a key element because it allowed us to be free on set. In Buenaventura, things can change at any moment so we always had to be ready to embrace the circumstances that were presented to us. We did do some improvising but after all the editing most of the scenes ended up close to what was scripted.
LatinoBuzz: What was either the most beautiful moment in the shoot that made you feel everything will turn out fine.
Alan: I’ll never forget shooting the campfire scene with just Jarly and Cristian (Jacobo and Delio). First off, it was the first starry night I’d ever seen in Buenaventura. It’s one of the most humid places in the world and constantly overcast; which, by the way, helped a lot with the photography. The scene is about estranged brothers rediscovering each other. The actors are amazing in the scene. For them to perform so well, in an intimate scene amidst the action and turmoil of the story, and under the stress and challenges of production was just unforgettable. I consider it a privilege to have executed that scene with the crew and actors.
LatinoBuzz: Tell me about the look of the film. Was there a particular film or filmmaker you used as a point of reference?
Alan: While we knew we had a lot of limitations, we always wanted to have a strong artistic point of view for the look of the film. This started back in New York with our preliminary storyboarding and continued as we did camera tests to see the technical limitations we'd face. Geared with that information, we developed a lot of strategies around lens choices and camera movement. In a way this is a road movie, the blocking and shooting of the scenes in the boat needed to be varied in order not to be monotonous.
Josef: We strived to emphasize the visual irony of the vastness of the ocean with the claustrophobia of the boat. We always wanted to have a sense of urgency and immediacy like in many of the Dardenne brothers' films we love. We used many films as references from Hitchcock’s "Lifeboat" and "The Wages of Fear," to "Lawrence of Arabia." Above all else, we knew we wanted to shoot in a way that gave the performers the space to give their best work.
What do you think this moment in their lives meant to the people of Buenaventura?
Alan : I think it’s hard to say. Many of us are still figuring that out for ourselves and I’m not sure I could be so bold as to speculate on their feelings. I can tell you that these are complex people living in a complex situation all with the same capacities for joy and sorrow as anyone else in the world. The experiences we shared while filming helped us to learn more about each other, and also helped me learn how to salsa dance badly. (Thank you, Stefania!) We formed friendships with the cast, crew, and other people in Buenaventura and believe that this film is a testament to those friendships. We hope those moments of working on this project mean as much to them as they do to us.
LatinoBuzz: You obviously immersed yourself in the local culture with the people, dialect, music etc – what sense of void did you and the crew feel once you wrapped production and left Buenaventura to begin the post production process?
Josef: There certainly was a sense of emptiness or even loss right after shooting. While no day was ever predicable, you do develop a sense of routine, of eating meals together, laughing at half-translated dirty jokes, and working all day and dancing all night. Getting back to the States, there was a lot of work to fill the void. The turnaround for the film was pretty quick and editing started almost right away. In a lot of ways, the film never stops moving even now. Now, I don’t think it’s a void. Making the film changed us and that feeling now is one of change, not emptiness.
LatinoBuzz: What’s the next story?
Alan and Joe are working on various new projects, still in early stages of development. Elena and Márcia are working on a film about a psychedelic drug researcher who gets mixed up in the dark side of the Ayahuasca tourism industry in the Amazon, which will shoot on location in the coming year. We're all still interested in exploring little seen corners of the world and bringing them to light on the big screen.
The film opens April 3rd at Cinema Village in NYC. Dig the official "Manos Sucias" website at: http://www.manossuciasmovie.com/ & screening times Here!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/1/2015
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment has received the Alfred P Sloan Feature Film Prize and a $20,000 cash award as the Sundance Institute announced Science-In-Film honourees.
Jonathan Minard and Scott Rashap earned the Sundance Institute / Sloan Fellowship for Archive while Jon Noble (Tyfus), Cutter Hodierne and John Hibey (Otzi) have been awarded Sundance Institute / Sloan Commissioning Grants presented through Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program.
The Sundance Institute Science-in-Film Initiative is made possible by a grant from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation.
“Independent film can illustrate the importance and unique application of math, science and technology in our world,” said Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam. “The Sundance Institute Science-in-Film Initiative, with critical support from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, is a great way to encourage production of thoughtful work surrounding these imperative topics which make a lasting impact on audiences.”
Doron Weber, vp of programmes at the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, said: “We are...
Jonathan Minard and Scott Rashap earned the Sundance Institute / Sloan Fellowship for Archive while Jon Noble (Tyfus), Cutter Hodierne and John Hibey (Otzi) have been awarded Sundance Institute / Sloan Commissioning Grants presented through Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program.
The Sundance Institute Science-in-Film Initiative is made possible by a grant from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation.
“Independent film can illustrate the importance and unique application of math, science and technology in our world,” said Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam. “The Sundance Institute Science-in-Film Initiative, with critical support from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, is a great way to encourage production of thoughtful work surrounding these imperative topics which make a lasting impact on audiences.”
Doron Weber, vp of programmes at the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, said: “We are...
- 2/3/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Sundance Institute and The Royal Film Commission - Jordan announced the six projects selected for the 10th anniversary of the Rawi Screenwriters Lab, which took place October 28 to November 1 in Amman, Jordan. Created as a cornerstone of the Institute’s deep commitment to artists in the Middle East, the Lab has supported over seventy artists from more than a dozen countries.
The two first features produced from the inaugural 2005 Lab premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: "Pomegranates and Myrrh," written and directed by Najwa Najjar (Palestine) and "Amreeka," written and directed by Cherien Dabis (Palestine/Jordan/Us). Notable alums of the Lab also include Mohammed Al Daradji ( "Son of Babylon" ) and Sally El Hosaini ( "My Brother The Devil" ).
More recently, 2009 Rawi alumna Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia) premiered her first feature "Wadjda" at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. It was soon acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and was distributed to critical and audience acclaim from around the world. "Wadjda" is the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first ever by a Saudi female filmmaker.
The 10 th anniversary events in Amman included a panel on the craft of screenwriting led by Al Mansour, a public screening of "Zindeeq"by Lab Advisor Michel Khleifi, and a reception designed to connect local artists with filmmakers from across the region. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Stories told by independent artists, whether working in the U.S. or internationally, provide remarkable windows into other cultures, and deepen understanding. Ten years into our work in the Middle East, we look forward to continuing to give voice to artists in the region.”
Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Feature Film Program, said, “We deeply value our collaboration with the Royal Film Commission as well as the artists we have supported in the Middle East over the past 10 years. The films that have emerged from the Lab have reflected upon many of the region’s important cultural and political moments over the past decade. I am proud to see the work of these artists enriching the broader culture with unique and impactful stories."
George David, General Manager of the Royal Film Commission, said,“We are proud of what this Lab has accomplished over the past ten years. It is safe to say that Rawi, with the support of the Sundance Institute has become a recognized contributor to the development of Arab feature films. Cinematic works, which were born in Rawi, have been featured in major films festivals and released in cinema screens globally, exposing our Arab culture and heritage to the world.”
Modeled on the Institute’s renowned Us-based Screenwriters Labs, the Rawi Screenwriters Lab provides an opportunity for filmmakers from the Middle East region to develop their work under the guidance of accomplished screenwriters in an environment that encourages storytelling at its highest level. The Lab is led by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and managed by Deema Azar, in consultation with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, under the direction of Founding Director Michelle Satter and International Director Paul Federbush.
The Creative Advisors this year included Pavel Jech (This Is Not An American Movie"), Rawi Screenwriting Lab alum Najwa Najjar ("Eyes Of A Thief" , "Pomegranates And Myrrh" ), Hanna Weg ( "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" ), Jon Raymond ( "Night Moves," "Wendy and Lucy" ), and Michel Khleifi ( "Zindeeq" ).
The six artists selected for the 2014 Rawi Screenwriters Lab include:
Shake
Writer and Director: Deema Dabis (Jordan)
Free-spirited Kareemah decides to leave her home in Los Angeles to pursue her lifelong dream when she accepts an offer to tour Palestine with an international circus troop. As she struggles to manage her insecurities as a first-time performer, she is continuously shaken up by the complexities of life in Palestine.
Dabis received an Mfa in Cinema from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. From a young age she has always been in love with stories and believes fiercely that the power of creation and a new vision will not only bring healing and insight into our world but also has the potential to create alternative narratives and realities. She is working on a number of projects including her first short film The Sri Lankan , which received funding from the Jordan Film Fund.
Baghdad Perfume
Writer and Director: Roua Ahmad (Iraq)
The tale of a middle-class family and their struggles during the darkest period in Iraq between 2004 and 2006. As the occupation becomes more oppressive and water and electricity begin to run out, the family of three tries to stay together through kidnapping, illness, and the increasing danger of staying in Baghdad.
Ahmad was born on 1983 in Iraq. She received a certificate of participation from USC School of Cinematic Art and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Programming. She later got her Mfa in Directing and Editing from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. Filmmaking has been her ambition since the age of 12. After graduation she worked as an editor and screenwriter for a television production company. Her short films include The Last Hour , and have been screened and nominated for awards in 12 film festivals around the world.
Killer of the Selawa
Writer and Director: Islam Azzazi (Egypt)
Co-Writer: Charles Akl (Egypt)
In the tense atmosphere following the revolution in Egypt, a man spends the night in a remote villa on the outskirts of Alexandria, trying to obtain a permit for his father’s weapons. After news spreads of a vicious, mythical beast in the area, the man finds himself caught up in a murderous accident.
Since his Dostoyevski inspired thesis project, Al-Kharaz (Beads) , Azzazi has directed and produced numerous Documentaries and short films. His documentaries include Wujouh Al-Fayoum (Fayoum Portraits) and Dominate Your Eyes. He has also produced and directed the short film Nahar we Leil (Day & Night), 2006. Azzazi has worked at El-Warsha Theatre Company where he coached actors and photographed theatrical productions. In 2007 he established a new production company Wika with three other filmmakers.
Charles Akl works as a writer, director, editor, art critic and photographer. After graduating from the University of Alexandria’s Faculty of Fine Arts in 2006, he has worked in several domains ranging from architecture design to writing and editing for several arts publications, including Magaz. Akl has also worked as the program coordinator at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy.
Tide
Writer and Director: Hussen Ibraheem (Lebanon)
A man and woman struggle in the aftermath of their son’s death. As the tide approaches their coastal home and they make their way by car to a relative’s house in the mountains, they must confront the tension the tragedy has created between them.
Ibraheem is an independent filmmaker, born in Beirut, Lebanon. After getting his BA in Architecture, Ibraheem followed his love for animation working as a freelance storyboard artist and character designer. Ibraheem was granted a scholarship from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts where he studied directing and cinematography. His second short film produced at Rsica, Typo, is currently touring 13 film festivals in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, USA, UK, and Italy.
The Golden Cap Club
Writer and Director: Merva Faddoul (Lebanon)
A young girl comes of age as the organized world of the adults crumbles during the invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990s. Determined to win a trip to Disneyland, she collects bottle caps in an attempt to find the ‘golden cap,’ as her family tries to distract her from the sudden challenges they face.
Faddoul is an award-winning writer and director. She recieved an Mfa in Film Production from the University of Southern California and a BA in Communications from the Lebanese American University. Her short films have won grants from National Geographic and the Doha Film Institute and they have screened at dozens of festivals worldwide including the Cannes Short Film Corner, Human Rights Nights (Italy), Doha-Tribeca Film Festival, and Tricycle Cinema in London. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the International Academy of WebTV.
Snow
Writer and Director: Omaima Hamouri (Palestine)
Eight year-old Dina believes that an old family curse is behind the conflict that arises each summer between her parents, and becomes convinced that snow is the only way to solve their problems. With the help of her grandmother, she resolves to delay her parents’ divorce until the first snowfall.
Hamouri was born in 1988 in Jerusalem. She received her bachelor degree in Mass Media from Al-Quds University, followed by an Mfa in Editing and Screenwriting from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. With a never-ending passion for telling human stories through film, Omaima is now working as an independent filmmaker.
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by The Annenberg Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Rt Features, Time Warner Foundation, The Lincoln Motor Company, Red Crown Productions, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hp, Steve Bing, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Microsoft, The Rockefeller Foundation, Nhk Enterprises, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, 3311 Productions, The Ammon Foundation, Firestone / von Winterfeldt Family Fund, Ford Foundation, Philip Fung-A3 Foundation, SAGIndie, Grazka Taylor, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and The Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund.
Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
Since its founding in 1981, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (Ffp) has supported an extensive list of ground-breaking independent films. Ffp films making their premieres this year include Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), Cutter Hodierne’s Fishing Without Nets (winner of the Directing Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), and Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams (winner of the Best of Next Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival). Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station , Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox , Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda , Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild , Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene , Dee Rees’ Pariah , Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre , Andrea Arnold's Red Road , Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know , Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now , Josh Marston’s Maria Full of Grace , Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas , John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch , Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream , Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry , Walter Salles’ Central Station , Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals , Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca , Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight , and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs .
undance.org/featurefilm
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to connect audiences to their work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling as art and as a compelling and powerful way to inform, inspire and unite people. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook , Instagram,Twitter and YouTube.
The two first features produced from the inaugural 2005 Lab premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: "Pomegranates and Myrrh," written and directed by Najwa Najjar (Palestine) and "Amreeka," written and directed by Cherien Dabis (Palestine/Jordan/Us). Notable alums of the Lab also include Mohammed Al Daradji ( "Son of Babylon" ) and Sally El Hosaini ( "My Brother The Devil" ).
More recently, 2009 Rawi alumna Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia) premiered her first feature "Wadjda" at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. It was soon acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and was distributed to critical and audience acclaim from around the world. "Wadjda" is the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first ever by a Saudi female filmmaker.
The 10 th anniversary events in Amman included a panel on the craft of screenwriting led by Al Mansour, a public screening of "Zindeeq"by Lab Advisor Michel Khleifi, and a reception designed to connect local artists with filmmakers from across the region. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Stories told by independent artists, whether working in the U.S. or internationally, provide remarkable windows into other cultures, and deepen understanding. Ten years into our work in the Middle East, we look forward to continuing to give voice to artists in the region.”
Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Feature Film Program, said, “We deeply value our collaboration with the Royal Film Commission as well as the artists we have supported in the Middle East over the past 10 years. The films that have emerged from the Lab have reflected upon many of the region’s important cultural and political moments over the past decade. I am proud to see the work of these artists enriching the broader culture with unique and impactful stories."
George David, General Manager of the Royal Film Commission, said,“We are proud of what this Lab has accomplished over the past ten years. It is safe to say that Rawi, with the support of the Sundance Institute has become a recognized contributor to the development of Arab feature films. Cinematic works, which were born in Rawi, have been featured in major films festivals and released in cinema screens globally, exposing our Arab culture and heritage to the world.”
Modeled on the Institute’s renowned Us-based Screenwriters Labs, the Rawi Screenwriters Lab provides an opportunity for filmmakers from the Middle East region to develop their work under the guidance of accomplished screenwriters in an environment that encourages storytelling at its highest level. The Lab is led by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and managed by Deema Azar, in consultation with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, under the direction of Founding Director Michelle Satter and International Director Paul Federbush.
The Creative Advisors this year included Pavel Jech (This Is Not An American Movie"), Rawi Screenwriting Lab alum Najwa Najjar ("Eyes Of A Thief" , "Pomegranates And Myrrh" ), Hanna Weg ( "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" ), Jon Raymond ( "Night Moves," "Wendy and Lucy" ), and Michel Khleifi ( "Zindeeq" ).
The six artists selected for the 2014 Rawi Screenwriters Lab include:
Shake
Writer and Director: Deema Dabis (Jordan)
Free-spirited Kareemah decides to leave her home in Los Angeles to pursue her lifelong dream when she accepts an offer to tour Palestine with an international circus troop. As she struggles to manage her insecurities as a first-time performer, she is continuously shaken up by the complexities of life in Palestine.
Dabis received an Mfa in Cinema from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. From a young age she has always been in love with stories and believes fiercely that the power of creation and a new vision will not only bring healing and insight into our world but also has the potential to create alternative narratives and realities. She is working on a number of projects including her first short film The Sri Lankan , which received funding from the Jordan Film Fund.
Baghdad Perfume
Writer and Director: Roua Ahmad (Iraq)
The tale of a middle-class family and their struggles during the darkest period in Iraq between 2004 and 2006. As the occupation becomes more oppressive and water and electricity begin to run out, the family of three tries to stay together through kidnapping, illness, and the increasing danger of staying in Baghdad.
Ahmad was born on 1983 in Iraq. She received a certificate of participation from USC School of Cinematic Art and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Programming. She later got her Mfa in Directing and Editing from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. Filmmaking has been her ambition since the age of 12. After graduation she worked as an editor and screenwriter for a television production company. Her short films include The Last Hour , and have been screened and nominated for awards in 12 film festivals around the world.
Killer of the Selawa
Writer and Director: Islam Azzazi (Egypt)
Co-Writer: Charles Akl (Egypt)
In the tense atmosphere following the revolution in Egypt, a man spends the night in a remote villa on the outskirts of Alexandria, trying to obtain a permit for his father’s weapons. After news spreads of a vicious, mythical beast in the area, the man finds himself caught up in a murderous accident.
Since his Dostoyevski inspired thesis project, Al-Kharaz (Beads) , Azzazi has directed and produced numerous Documentaries and short films. His documentaries include Wujouh Al-Fayoum (Fayoum Portraits) and Dominate Your Eyes. He has also produced and directed the short film Nahar we Leil (Day & Night), 2006. Azzazi has worked at El-Warsha Theatre Company where he coached actors and photographed theatrical productions. In 2007 he established a new production company Wika with three other filmmakers.
Charles Akl works as a writer, director, editor, art critic and photographer. After graduating from the University of Alexandria’s Faculty of Fine Arts in 2006, he has worked in several domains ranging from architecture design to writing and editing for several arts publications, including Magaz. Akl has also worked as the program coordinator at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy.
Tide
Writer and Director: Hussen Ibraheem (Lebanon)
A man and woman struggle in the aftermath of their son’s death. As the tide approaches their coastal home and they make their way by car to a relative’s house in the mountains, they must confront the tension the tragedy has created between them.
Ibraheem is an independent filmmaker, born in Beirut, Lebanon. After getting his BA in Architecture, Ibraheem followed his love for animation working as a freelance storyboard artist and character designer. Ibraheem was granted a scholarship from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts where he studied directing and cinematography. His second short film produced at Rsica, Typo, is currently touring 13 film festivals in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, USA, UK, and Italy.
The Golden Cap Club
Writer and Director: Merva Faddoul (Lebanon)
A young girl comes of age as the organized world of the adults crumbles during the invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990s. Determined to win a trip to Disneyland, she collects bottle caps in an attempt to find the ‘golden cap,’ as her family tries to distract her from the sudden challenges they face.
Faddoul is an award-winning writer and director. She recieved an Mfa in Film Production from the University of Southern California and a BA in Communications from the Lebanese American University. Her short films have won grants from National Geographic and the Doha Film Institute and they have screened at dozens of festivals worldwide including the Cannes Short Film Corner, Human Rights Nights (Italy), Doha-Tribeca Film Festival, and Tricycle Cinema in London. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the International Academy of WebTV.
Snow
Writer and Director: Omaima Hamouri (Palestine)
Eight year-old Dina believes that an old family curse is behind the conflict that arises each summer between her parents, and becomes convinced that snow is the only way to solve their problems. With the help of her grandmother, she resolves to delay her parents’ divorce until the first snowfall.
Hamouri was born in 1988 in Jerusalem. She received her bachelor degree in Mass Media from Al-Quds University, followed by an Mfa in Editing and Screenwriting from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. With a never-ending passion for telling human stories through film, Omaima is now working as an independent filmmaker.
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by The Annenberg Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Rt Features, Time Warner Foundation, The Lincoln Motor Company, Red Crown Productions, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hp, Steve Bing, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Microsoft, The Rockefeller Foundation, Nhk Enterprises, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, 3311 Productions, The Ammon Foundation, Firestone / von Winterfeldt Family Fund, Ford Foundation, Philip Fung-A3 Foundation, SAGIndie, Grazka Taylor, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and The Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund.
Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
Since its founding in 1981, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (Ffp) has supported an extensive list of ground-breaking independent films. Ffp films making their premieres this year include Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), Cutter Hodierne’s Fishing Without Nets (winner of the Directing Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), and Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams (winner of the Best of Next Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival). Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station , Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox , Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda , Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild , Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene , Dee Rees’ Pariah , Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre , Andrea Arnold's Red Road , Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know , Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now , Josh Marston’s Maria Full of Grace , Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas , John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch , Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream , Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry , Walter Salles’ Central Station , Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals , Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca , Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight , and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs .
undance.org/featurefilm
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to connect audiences to their work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling as art and as a compelling and powerful way to inform, inspire and unite people. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook , Instagram,Twitter and YouTube.
- 11/10/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Editor's Note: Starting today, October 28, "Fishing Without Nets" is now available to download on iTunes. Here's our review from the Lff. When Cutter Hodierne’s short film, "Fishing Without Nets," won the Grand Jury Prize for Short at Sundance in 2012, his treatment of the theme of piracy in Somalian waters ran somewhat contrary to the news stories and big budget films being touted by Western media at the time (and, predominantly, since) and instead told a story from an alternative perspective. Like the short, the feature length version of "Fishing Without Nets" is set in Somalia and tells the story of a humble fisherman, Abdi (played by Abdikani Muktar...
- 10/29/2014
- by Wendy Okoi-Obuli
- ShadowAndAct
The Stockholm International Film Festival has unveiled the programme for its 25th edition, with more than 200 films from 60+ countries screening from Nov 5-16.
The festival opens with Mikael Marcimain’s hotly anticipated adaptation of Klas Östergren’s postwar Swedish classic Gentlemen [pictured].
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Birdman will be the centerpiece film of the festival and Jean-Marc Vallee’s Wild will close.
“We are extra proud to present a record breaking program when celebrating our 25th anniversary,” said festival director Git Scheynius.
This year’s spotlight theme is hope, and films selected in that programme include Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer, Hong Khaou’s Lilting, Shira Geffen’s Self Made and Stephen Daldry’s Trash.
Uma Thurman will be honoured with the Stockholm Achievement Award and give a public talk followed by a screening of Kill Bill 1 & 2.
Mike Leigh will also be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award and will give a talk and screen Mr. Turner.
Ai...
The festival opens with Mikael Marcimain’s hotly anticipated adaptation of Klas Östergren’s postwar Swedish classic Gentlemen [pictured].
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Birdman will be the centerpiece film of the festival and Jean-Marc Vallee’s Wild will close.
“We are extra proud to present a record breaking program when celebrating our 25th anniversary,” said festival director Git Scheynius.
This year’s spotlight theme is hope, and films selected in that programme include Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer, Hong Khaou’s Lilting, Shira Geffen’s Self Made and Stephen Daldry’s Trash.
Uma Thurman will be honoured with the Stockholm Achievement Award and give a public talk followed by a screening of Kill Bill 1 & 2.
Mike Leigh will also be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award and will give a talk and screen Mr. Turner.
Ai...
- 10/21/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The festival’s 25th edition will feature a contribution from Ai Weiwei and competition titles including Whiplash, Nightcrawler and Foxcatcher.
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Debut competition titles at cinematography festival unveiled.
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
When Cutter Hodierne’s short film, "Fishing Without Nets," won the Grand Jury Prize for Short at Sundance in 2012, his treatment of the theme of piracy in Somalian waters ran somewhat contrary to the news stories and big budget films being touted by Western media at the time (and, predominantly, since) and instead told a story from an alternative perspective. Like the short, the feature length version of "Fishing Without Nets" is set in Somalia and tells the story of a humble fisherman, Abdi (played by Abdikani Muktar Manur, whose real life was inspiration for the film). From the only clan to fish the Northern waters, waters now ravaged by pollution and depleted of...
- 10/10/2014
- by Wendy Okoi-Obuli
- ShadowAndAct
With a short film that shares a lot more DNA than simply the same title, the award-winning 2012 film essentially served as a working blueprint for what essentially would be a much larger canvas. Cutter Hodierne’s 2014 Best Directing award-winning Sundance selected title doesn’t find much empathy from its set of players in what pans out to be this highly effective drama void of morality lessons. However, underneath it all, there is a little humanity to be found in this terrifying portion of the world.
A production that lasted 77 shooting days and spread out in back to back years, we had the chance to talk about the Vice folks: the producers who ended up spearheading the project and are now self distributing the title, we discussed the origins of title, khat – the drug of choice for many Somalians, and also highlighted the choice in protagonist portrayed by Abdikani Muktar – the...
A production that lasted 77 shooting days and spread out in back to back years, we had the chance to talk about the Vice folks: the producers who ended up spearheading the project and are now self distributing the title, we discussed the origins of title, khat – the drug of choice for many Somalians, and also highlighted the choice in protagonist portrayed by Abdikani Muktar – the...
- 10/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
You’d be hard-pressed to find anything of a swashbuckling nature in what is essentially a pirate movie without the eye patches. While comparisons with other films dealing in the familiar subject matter were indeed included in the Sundancing discourse, Fishing Without Nets surveys the dire situation in Somalia via those who are pointing their Kalashnikovs and chewing the khat. Honored with the Best Directing prize, filmmaker Cutter Hodierne does apply a certain poetic veneer to this sprawling and tension filled film that innocently came about when the filmmaker thought about the motivations behind such a desperately bold act. Here’s footage from the World Premiere Post Q&A (January 17th – Library Center Theatre) with cast, Hodierne and producers Raphael Swann and Eddy Moretti.
- 10/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
You'd be excused for a slight case of déjà vu when reading the description of Cutter Hodierne's feature debut Fishing Without Nets. Somali pirates have been a hot topic lately with both Danish film A Hijacking and Paul Greengrass's Tom Hanks vehicle Captain Phillips earning critical praise in the last couple of years. Add to that the fact that Hodierne's own short version of this film (with the same title) took home the top shorts prize at Sundance 2012. But don't let the abundance of Somali pirate stories scare you away. Fishing Without Nets is a powerful film, deliberate and absolutely beautiful, with plenty still to add to the topic. Set in a starkly realistic, trash-covered Somali village, Fishing Without Nets focuses on Abdi (Abdikani...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/3/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Film audiences are, by now, more than familiar with the concept of Somali piracy, either through the reporting of international news agencies, or through a certain hit movie starring Tom Hanks that came out last year.However, one year prior, Cutter Hodierne made an independent short called Fishing Without Nets that told the story of Somali Piracy from a different, and more humanized point of view. The feature version of Hodierne's film, released in a partnership with Vice Media (the first feature film outing for the organization) made waves at Sundance, and is just beginning its theatrical run.I sat down with Cutter here in New York to discuss his first feature narrative, and shed some light on a film that tells a somewhat familiar story from a...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/3/2014
- Screen Anarchy
After acquiring the film earlier this year, after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it attracted plenty of critical acclaim, including winning the festival's prestigious Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic, Vice - the global youth media company and content creation studio - will open Cutter Hodierne's "Fishing Without Nets" this Friday, October 3, at the Cinema Village in New York, which will be followed by a nationwide expansion. It's also playing at The Cinefamily in Los Angeles. The film will be available on VOD from October 28 if it doesn't play at a theater near you. The acclaimed feature, shot in East Africa with Kenyan actors of...
- 10/1/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
In Captain Phillips we saw a bit of the story of men caught up in Somali pirate rings, and now Fishing Without Nets offers a much deeper exploration of the lives of men who take up criminal activities on the seas. Cutter Hodierne began to tell this story with a 2012 short that took the Jury Prize […]
The post ‘Fishing Without Nets’ Trailer: See the Lives of Somali Pirates appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Fishing Without Nets’ Trailer: See the Lives of Somali Pirates appeared first on /Film.
- 9/24/2014
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Cutter Hodierne’s short film Fishing Without Nets won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Now the feature version of the same name, also written and directed by Hodierne, winner of the 2014 Sundance U.S. Dramatic Directing Award, is about to bow. Shot in East Africa with Kenyan actors of Somali descent, Fishing Without Nets tells the bandits’ story from the Somali point of view. The pic opens in La on September 26, NYC a week later, followed by nationwide VOD on October 28. Check out the trailer:...
- 9/23/2014
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
Fishing Without Nets Trailer. Cutter Hodierne‘s Fishing Without Nets (2014) movie trailer stars Abdiwali Farrah, Eric Godon, Abdikhadir Hassan, Idil Ibrahim, and Reda Kateb. Fishing Without Nets‘ plot synopsis: “Based on the short of the same name, this is the story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of [...]
Continue reading: Fishing Without Nets (2014) Movie Trailer: Somali Pirate Film...
Continue reading: Fishing Without Nets (2014) Movie Trailer: Somali Pirate Film...
- 9/20/2014
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
While we've had an interesting string of films about Somali pirates, Cutter Hodierne's feature debut is the only one of these that is from the perspective of the pirates themselves.Fishing Without Nets follows a young Somali fishermen who is thrust into the intense world of high seas, high stakes piracy. When our own Ryland Aldrich reviewed the film at Sundance (where Hodierne won the jury prize for directing) he stated that the film "takes a world to which we've been recently introduced, and expands it to magnificent results... Hodierne has crafted a visceral cinematic experience. You can practically smell the burning trash fires in the village and feel the spray of the surf as the small boats crash through the overhead waves."Ahead of its theatrical...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/18/2014
- Screen Anarchy
There are ambitious-sounding debut films. There are ambitious-sounding debut films. And then there is Fishing Without Nets.
The Vice-produced movie concerns the lives of Somali pirates and was directed by the then just 26-year-old American filmmaker Cutter Hodierne in East Africa with Kenyan actors. Hodierne could have returned with just heatstroke and water-damaged cameras. Instead, he came back with a film that won him the Directing Award for U.S. Dramatic Film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Fishing Without Nets opens on Sept. 26 at The Cinefamily in Los Angeles and on Oct. 3 at the Cinema Village in New York,...
The Vice-produced movie concerns the lives of Somali pirates and was directed by the then just 26-year-old American filmmaker Cutter Hodierne in East Africa with Kenyan actors. Hodierne could have returned with just heatstroke and water-damaged cameras. Instead, he came back with a film that won him the Directing Award for U.S. Dramatic Film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Fishing Without Nets opens on Sept. 26 at The Cinefamily in Los Angeles and on Oct. 3 at the Cinema Village in New York,...
- 9/17/2014
- by Clark Collis
- EW - Inside Movies
For the second year in a row, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is giving the nonprofit Sundance Institute a grant to support emerging feature film artists. The grant supports Sundance Feature Film Program's already existing four annual Labs: the June Screenwriters Lab, the Directors Lab, the Creative Producing Lab, and the Creative Producing Summit. Sundance Institute’s Lab programs give aspiring indie filmmakers more skills and knowledge. These Fellows work with experienced mentors and each other to learn the crafts of directing and screenwriting. The Labs encourage collaboration and risk-taking, and there's no question they allow filmmakers to develop first and/or second features that often get made. Look ayt the list of recent films supported by the Ffp: Cutter Hodierne’s "Fishing Without Nets," Malik Vitthal’s "Imperial Dreams," Ryan Coogler’s "Fruitvale Station," Benh Zeitlin’s "easts of...
- 8/5/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Vice has made a deal so people can watch “Fishing Without Nets,” its award-winning movie about Somali pirates, the company said Thursday. Fox Home Entertainment will release a digital copy of the movie for purchase the same day it opens in a few theaters and via video-on-demand services. Director Cutter Hodierne won the Jury Award for Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival, where the short that inspired the feature first screened. He shot both the short and the movie in East Africa, working with Kenyan actors of Somali descent. It chronicles one Somali who takes part in a piracy mission,...
- 6/20/2014
- by Lucas Shaw
- The Wrap
Fishing Without Nets and The Internet’s Own Boy are the subject of innovative strategies that underline the changing face of distribution.
Youth-oriented content producer Vice has partnered with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg on Fishing Without Nets, the thriller that earned Cutter Hodierne best director honours at Sundance this year.
The story of a young Somali lured into the world of piracy to support his family is the first in a series of anticipated Vice Films productions and will launch day-and-date to own on Digital HD, via rental on VOD and in limited theatres.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will collaborate with Vice to market and distribute the film digitally, Alamo Drafthouse will oversee theatre engagements in select markets and Tugg will manage nationwide influencer and crowd sourced screenings including Vice-Night themed events.
Meanwhile FilmBuff and Participant Media have unveiled a multi-platform release pattern for documentary The Internet’s Own Boy on...
Youth-oriented content producer Vice has partnered with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg on Fishing Without Nets, the thriller that earned Cutter Hodierne best director honours at Sundance this year.
The story of a young Somali lured into the world of piracy to support his family is the first in a series of anticipated Vice Films productions and will launch day-and-date to own on Digital HD, via rental on VOD and in limited theatres.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will collaborate with Vice to market and distribute the film digitally, Alamo Drafthouse will oversee theatre engagements in select markets and Tugg will manage nationwide influencer and crowd sourced screenings including Vice-Night themed events.
Meanwhile FilmBuff and Participant Media have unveiled a multi-platform release pattern for documentary The Internet’s Own Boy on...
- 6/19/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Vice has partnered with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg for distribution of its Sundance award-winning feature film "Fishing Without Nets." The film will be available the same day to own on Digital HD, via rental on Video on Demand (VOD) and in limited theatrical engagement. "Fishing Without Nets," which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was directed by Sundance award-winning director Cutter Hodierne, chronicles the life of a Somali husband and father forced into piracy in order to provide for his family. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will work with Vice to market and distribute the film digitally. Alamo Drafthouse will oversee theater engagements in select markets, and Tugg, the theatrical on demand company, will manage influencer and crowd sourced screenings across the country, including "Vice-Night" themed events in select cities. Shot in East Africa with Kenyan actors of Somali descent, the...
- 6/19/2014
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Coming off the heels of the acquisitions announcement of the Vice Media being picked up by Rupert Murdoch (owner of 20th Century Fox), it looks like the fishnet also includes Cutter Hodierne’s Sundance preemed Fishing Without Nets. Variety reports that prod. co Vice has passed on the digital distribution rights to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment but are looking to keep a hands on approach for the theatrical rollout via a set-up with the Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg folks.
Gist: Based on the short of the same name, this is the story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of the pirates and focuses in on one young Somali lured into the world of piracy to support the family he loves.
Worth Noting: Hodierne was hired as U2′s on-the-road videographer for the band’s U2 360° Tour.
Do We Care?: “Tense, distressing, and against the grain, it...
Gist: Based on the short of the same name, this is the story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of the pirates and focuses in on one young Somali lured into the world of piracy to support the family he loves.
Worth Noting: Hodierne was hired as U2′s on-the-road videographer for the band’s U2 360° Tour.
Do We Care?: “Tense, distressing, and against the grain, it...
- 6/19/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
I'd actually completely forgotten about this film (although I'm sure I would've remembered it eventually, even without today's news). But I'm certainly glad that it's still very much *in play* after Vice picked it up following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it attracted plenty of critical acclaim, including winning the festival's prestigious Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic. Vice has now announced that the global youth media company and content creation studio, has teamed up with Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg to release Cutter Hodierne's "Fishing Without Nets" in theaters across the country. Vice also announced that it has entered into a distribution...
- 6/19/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Fishing Without Nets, the Somali pirates docudrama that debuted at Sundance, has been acquired for distribution in a deal between 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Vice, the global youth media company and content creation studio that produced the project. Photos Sundance: THR's Instagram Photos Vice also will work with Alamo Drafthouse and Tugg for theater engagements for the film, which is the directorial debut of Cutter Hodierne. Hodierne won the directing award at Sundance for the film. Photos Sundance 2014: Exclusive Portraits of Aaron Paul, Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley, Zoe Saldana and More in Park City "Cutter Hodierne's Fishing
read more...
read more...
- 6/19/2014
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A good four days after all hullabaloo of Thierry Frémaux’s Main Comp plus Un Certain Regard announcement takes hold the film world, it is the programming team lead by Artistic Director Charles Tesson that get to unwrap an approximate baker’s half-dozen gifts of their own. On the 21st, the selections for the 53rd edition of the Critics’ Week will be announced with the closing film to be held back for a later mention, and because our Cannes bound Ioncinema.com team comprised of Blake Williams, Nicholas Bell, and I (Eric Lavallee) are always up for the challenge in prognosticating what is easily the most futile festival guessing game of them all, we’ve gone ahead and listed eight films from first and second time feature filmmaker for the seven plus 2 or 3 special screening slots for the upcoming edition.
If we build off what Tesson et al. programmed in...
If we build off what Tesson et al. programmed in...
- 4/16/2014
- by IONCINEMA.com Contributing Writers
- IONCINEMA.com
Sunset Song
Director: Terence Davies
Writer: Terence Davies
Producers: Sol Papadopoulos, Roy Boulter
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan
The bad news is that there are needle in a haystack chances that we’ll see a Terence Davies project released this year. The good news is that the Liverpool filmmaker behind quintessential classics Distant Voices, Still Lives, The House of Mirth, and the lush The Deep Blue Sea has a total of three projects in development.
Gist: Set in the early 20th century, Chris Guthrie, a farmer’s daughter in north-eastern Scotland struggles for love amid hardship and family misfortune. After her mother, a poverty-stricken woman broken by repeated childbirths, poisons herself and her baby twins the resilient young Chris must manage the farm in her absence. When her father has a stroke and becomes bedridden, though also eager for an incestuous relationship, she is left...
Director: Terence Davies
Writer: Terence Davies
Producers: Sol Papadopoulos, Roy Boulter
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan
The bad news is that there are needle in a haystack chances that we’ll see a Terence Davies project released this year. The good news is that the Liverpool filmmaker behind quintessential classics Distant Voices, Still Lives, The House of Mirth, and the lush The Deep Blue Sea has a total of three projects in development.
Gist: Set in the early 20th century, Chris Guthrie, a farmer’s daughter in north-eastern Scotland struggles for love amid hardship and family misfortune. After her mother, a poverty-stricken woman broken by repeated childbirths, poisons herself and her baby twins the resilient young Chris must manage the farm in her absence. When her father has a stroke and becomes bedridden, though also eager for an incestuous relationship, she is left...
- 2/25/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Fishing Without Nets
Director: Cutter Hodierne
Writers: Cutter Hodierne, David Burkman, Sam Cohan, John Hibey
Producers: Think Media Studios’ Brian Glazen and Stephanie Pinola, Raphael Swann, John Hibey, and Hodierne along with Picture Farm’s Rupert Wyatt, Ben Freedman and Victor Shapiro
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim
Winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic award, if Cutter Hodierne’s directorial debut got caught in our nets it’s got a lot to do with the original short film on which this was based on. Raw, intense with poetically rendered portions, Fishing Without Nets is a fierce exploration of the situation in Somalia.
Gist: This is a story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of the pirates.
Release Date: Naturally receiving its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S Dramatic Comp,...
Director: Cutter Hodierne
Writers: Cutter Hodierne, David Burkman, Sam Cohan, John Hibey
Producers: Think Media Studios’ Brian Glazen and Stephanie Pinola, Raphael Swann, John Hibey, and Hodierne along with Picture Farm’s Rupert Wyatt, Ben Freedman and Victor Shapiro
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim
Winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic award, if Cutter Hodierne’s directorial debut got caught in our nets it’s got a lot to do with the original short film on which this was based on. Raw, intense with poetically rendered portions, Fishing Without Nets is a fierce exploration of the situation in Somalia.
Gist: This is a story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of the pirates.
Release Date: Naturally receiving its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S Dramatic Comp,...
- 2/25/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
"There's two ways to fish..." This weekend I saw my third film in the last six months about Somali pirates, one titled Last Hijack. The first film was, obviously, Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks; the second was this one, Fishing Without Nets, which just premiered at Sundance 2014 (where I caught it and loved it). Filmed entirely in East Africa, Fishing Without Nets focuses on a story from the perspective of the pirates, and how they struggle in their own society to survive. Abdikani Muktar plays Abdi and the entire cast gives powerful performances. Found via The Film Stage we have a look at the rather stunning first teaser below. Watch the first official teaser trailer for Cutter Hodierne's Fishing Without Nets, direct via Vimeo: Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, Fishing Without Nets tells the mesmerizing and sobering story of the bandits from the Somali point of view.
- 2/9/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Here's your first look at Cutter Hodierne's Sundance 2014 award-winning feature film debut (which, by the way, is based on his Sundance 2012 award-winning short film of the same name), titled Fishing Without Nets. As a recap, the short version of Fishing Without Nets centers on a naïve and desperate young Somali man who is coerced to join a band of local pirates as they embark upon a hijacking, but instead of the riches he was promised, he finds mayhem and chaos as his reward. The feature film follows the pirate narrative in Somalia, told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. The cast includes: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad,...
- 2/6/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Continued from yesterday’s countdown….
20. Tessa Louise-Salome (Mr. Leos Carax)
19. Janicza Bravo (Gregory Goes Boom)
18. Michael Rossato-Bennett (Alive Inside)
17. Andrew Droz Palermo & Tracy Droz Tragos (Rich Hill)
16. Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth)
15. Maya Forbes (Infinitely Polar Bear)
14. David Cross (Hits)
13. Justin Simien (Dear White People)
12. Kat Candler (Hellion)
11. Sydney Freeland (Drunktown’s Finest)
#10. Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray)
After working as a graphic artist and designer for the past decade, Peter Sattler makes a remarkable screenwriting and directorial debut with Camp X-Ray. Even with some dubious reservations after the announcement of Kristen Stewart being cast as a Guantanamo Bay guard, the role isn’t an ungainly fit, and Sattler has created a genuinely moving and captivating feature. Stewart’s name will attract a whole audience of people potentially unaware of the controversial subject matter, making this an excellent conversation starter. But beyond all that, Sattler gets an amazing performance from Peyman Mooadi,...
20. Tessa Louise-Salome (Mr. Leos Carax)
19. Janicza Bravo (Gregory Goes Boom)
18. Michael Rossato-Bennett (Alive Inside)
17. Andrew Droz Palermo & Tracy Droz Tragos (Rich Hill)
16. Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth)
15. Maya Forbes (Infinitely Polar Bear)
14. David Cross (Hits)
13. Justin Simien (Dear White People)
12. Kat Candler (Hellion)
11. Sydney Freeland (Drunktown’s Finest)
#10. Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray)
After working as a graphic artist and designer for the past decade, Peter Sattler makes a remarkable screenwriting and directorial debut with Camp X-Ray. Even with some dubious reservations after the announcement of Kristen Stewart being cast as a Guantanamo Bay guard, the role isn’t an ungainly fit, and Sattler has created a genuinely moving and captivating feature. Stewart’s name will attract a whole audience of people potentially unaware of the controversial subject matter, making this an excellent conversation starter. But beyond all that, Sattler gets an amazing performance from Peyman Mooadi,...
- 2/4/2014
- by IONCINEMA.com Contributing Writers
- IONCINEMA.com
Altitude Film Sales to take Benedict Cumberbatch thriller Blood Mountain, documentary Bolshoi Babylon and Sundance award-winner Fishing Without Nets to the Efm.
Altitude Film Sales is to bring three new titles to the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival next week in addition to its previously announced slate.
Fishing Without Nets, winner of this year’s Sundance Us Dramatic Directing Award, is produced by Vice and Think Media Studios.
It marks the directorial feature debut of Cutter Hodierne, whose short film of the same name won the Sundance Special Jury Prize in 2012. Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, the film tells the story of an oil tanker hijacking from the perspective of impoverished Somalis.
As announced yesterday, Altitude will also bring Blood Mountain, directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. UTA Independent Film Group helped arrange financing for the project and will represent the North American rights to the film.
The third new...
Altitude Film Sales is to bring three new titles to the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival next week in addition to its previously announced slate.
Fishing Without Nets, winner of this year’s Sundance Us Dramatic Directing Award, is produced by Vice and Think Media Studios.
It marks the directorial feature debut of Cutter Hodierne, whose short film of the same name won the Sundance Special Jury Prize in 2012. Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, the film tells the story of an oil tanker hijacking from the perspective of impoverished Somalis.
As announced yesterday, Altitude will also bring Blood Mountain, directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. UTA Independent Film Group helped arrange financing for the project and will represent the North American rights to the film.
The third new...
- 1/29/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Altitude Film Sales to take Benedict Cumberbatch thriller Blood Mountain, documentary Bolshoi Babylon and Sundance award-winner Fishing Without Nets to the Efm.
Altitude Film Sales is to bring three new titles to the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival next week in addition to its previously announced slate.
Fishing Without Nets, winner of this year’s Sundance Us Dramatic Directing Award, is produced by Vice and Think Media Studios.
It marks the directorial feature debut of Cutter Hodierne, whose short film of the same name won the Sundance Special Jury Prize in 2012. Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, the film tells the story of an oil tanker hijacking from the perspective of impoverished Somalis.
As announced yesterday, Altitude will also bring Blood Mountain, directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. UTA Independent Film Group helped arrange financing for the project and will represent the North American rights to the film.
The third new...
Altitude Film Sales is to bring three new titles to the European Film Market (Efm) at the Berlin Film Festival next week in addition to its previously announced slate.
Fishing Without Nets, winner of this year’s Sundance Us Dramatic Directing Award, is produced by Vice and Think Media Studios.
It marks the directorial feature debut of Cutter Hodierne, whose short film of the same name won the Sundance Special Jury Prize in 2012. Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, the film tells the story of an oil tanker hijacking from the perspective of impoverished Somalis.
As announced yesterday, Altitude will also bring Blood Mountain, directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. UTA Independent Film Group helped arrange financing for the project and will represent the North American rights to the film.
The third new...
- 1/29/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Earning some prestigious honors at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Damien Chazelle’s "Whiplash" brought home the Grand Jury and Audience Prizes, kicking off the show on opening night (January 16).
After accepting the Grand Jury prize, Chazelle joked, "It was impossible to finance because no one wants to make a movie about a jazz drummer, which is a total shock to me."
The director then continued, saying, "Without people seeing (the short) here at Sundance, we wouldn’t be here today."
See the complete winners list below!
U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
"Whiplash"
U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
"Rich Hill"
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
"To Kill a Man"
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
"Return to Homs"
Audience Award: U. S. Dramatic presented by Acura
"Whiplash"
Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura
"Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory"
Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic
"Difret...
After accepting the Grand Jury prize, Chazelle joked, "It was impossible to finance because no one wants to make a movie about a jazz drummer, which is a total shock to me."
The director then continued, saying, "Without people seeing (the short) here at Sundance, we wouldn’t be here today."
See the complete winners list below!
U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
"Whiplash"
U. S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
"Rich Hill"
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
"To Kill a Man"
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
"Return to Homs"
Audience Award: U. S. Dramatic presented by Acura
"Whiplash"
Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura
"Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory"
Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic
"Difret...
- 1/26/2014
- GossipCenter
Photo by Dvrosa
It was another great year at the Sundance Film Festival! There were so many fantastic movies shown, and I still have a couple more to go. I'm really happy to say that Miles Teller and J.K. Simmon's film Whiplash took home the top two prizes, winning the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. This was my number one favorite film from the festival, and it seems like everyone else at the festival loved it too, so it doesn't surprise me that it won.
Here's the full list of winners:
Sundance Institute this evening announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.sundance.org/live.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was...
It was another great year at the Sundance Film Festival! There were so many fantastic movies shown, and I still have a couple more to go. I'm really happy to say that Miles Teller and J.K. Simmon's film Whiplash took home the top two prizes, winning the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. This was my number one favorite film from the festival, and it seems like everyone else at the festival loved it too, so it doesn't surprise me that it won.
Here's the full list of winners:
Sundance Institute this evening announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.sundance.org/live.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was...
- 1/26/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash was Day 1 feel good buzz title of the fest that ultimately served as a measuring stick for the other competing 15 titles in the section and as predicted below had a good chance at doing what last year’s Fruitvale did: when both major awards of its category. Now that I’ve completed a 15 hour nap, I can watch the ceremony below – and you can spoil the suspense by simply going over the other award winners in the multiple categories below. Next week we’ll be publishing our interviews with several of the filmmakers mentioned below. Congrats to the winners and non-winners.
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute this evening announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute this evening announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, in Park City, Utah. Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.
- 1/26/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
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