Stars: Danny Cutler, Alex Lucchesi, Alex Southern, Kate Marie Davies, David White, James Wiles, Vanina Marini, Ettore Nicoletti, Alexandra Antonioli | Written by Brini Amerigo, Andrea Cavaletto, Marco Palese | Directed by Brini Amerigo
A medical scientist and his family are having dinner together in their isolated villa in the hills. But just as they’re getting comfortable, the family is assaulted by three violent, masked thugs who donʼt want money or goods, they just want to humiliate and annihilate their prey both mentally and physically. The men are playing a deadly game of cat and mouse, which will lead to the certain death of the hostages. However this group of thieves have the tables turned on them… Hidden in the basement they find the remains of secret viral lab experiments gone savagely wrong. Now they must escape before they are infected with a new strain of virus that turns its victims into mutated psychopaths.
A medical scientist and his family are having dinner together in their isolated villa in the hills. But just as they’re getting comfortable, the family is assaulted by three violent, masked thugs who donʼt want money or goods, they just want to humiliate and annihilate their prey both mentally and physically. The men are playing a deadly game of cat and mouse, which will lead to the certain death of the hostages. However this group of thieves have the tables turned on them… Hidden in the basement they find the remains of secret viral lab experiments gone savagely wrong. Now they must escape before they are infected with a new strain of virus that turns its victims into mutated psychopaths.
- 9/14/2018
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Deadspin Good Job, Espn | The Slot Hillary Clinton’s What Happened Is Whatever You Want It to Be | Splinter Democrats, Attack! | The Root White Man Who Yelled ‘Shut Up, Slave!’ at Black Man During Altercation at Chicago Starbucks Now Faces Hate Crime Charges |
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- 9/13/2017
- by Kinja! on Kinja Roundup, shared by Baraka Kaseko to The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
Hollywood, Calif. – Remember when children were abducted by aliens, killed by falling space stations and befriended by talking feces? Ah, the good old days. Now you can relive every supernatural, extraordinary and downright insane adventure of Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny when “South Park” Seasons 1-11 arrive for the first time ever on Blu-ray.
Each of the first 11 seasons will be released individually in two-disc sets so you can revel in Chef’s Salty Chocolate Balls, Cartman’s Silly Hate Crime and every one of Kenny’s deaths in sparkling high definition. As an added bonus, the Season 1 Blu-ray set will include uncensored episode commentary by series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which was not available on the previously released DVD. For your holiday gift-giving pleasure, the first five seasons will be released individually on November 21, 2017 and Seasons 6-11 will debut on December 19.
Celebrating its 20th year on air...
Each of the first 11 seasons will be released individually in two-disc sets so you can revel in Chef’s Salty Chocolate Balls, Cartman’s Silly Hate Crime and every one of Kenny’s deaths in sparkling high definition. As an added bonus, the Season 1 Blu-ray set will include uncensored episode commentary by series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which was not available on the previously released DVD. For your holiday gift-giving pleasure, the first five seasons will be released individually on November 21, 2017 and Seasons 6-11 will debut on December 19.
Celebrating its 20th year on air...
- 9/8/2017
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Gravitas Ventures is set to release the horror-thriller Aaron’S Blood in theaters, on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand. Directed and write by Tommy Stovall (Sedona, Hate Crime), Aaron’S Blood stars James Martinez (Netflix’s “House of Cards,” Netflix’s “One Day at a Time,” Run All Night), Trevor Stovall (Sedona, Hate Crime), Farah White (The Ladies of the House, Miss Congeniality), and Michael Chieffo (AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” Argo). Gravitas Ventures will release Aaron’S Blood on June 2, 2017 in theaters, and on June 6, 2017 on Blu-ray for an Srp of $19.99, on DVD for an Srp of $16.99, same day as On Demand.
Now you can own the Aaron’S Blood Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has a copy to give away (we also have a DVD of Aaron’S Blood for second place). All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite...
Now you can own the Aaron’S Blood Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has a copy to give away (we also have a DVD of Aaron’S Blood for second place). All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite...
- 6/2/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Wonder Woman is the latest blockbuster to fall foul of the censors. From Borat to Sex and the City 2, here are some of the more peculiar film bans
The “glory” days of the British censor – when grey-faced men would take a pair of scissors to every 1980s horror flick, from Maniac to The Evil Dead, while the tabloids screamed “video nasty” in the background – are thankfully gone. These days it takes something truly horrific – a Human Centipede 2 or a Hate Crime – to ruffle the feathers of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Not to worry, for the grand tradition of banning movies remains firmly extant in other corners of the world. This week Lebanon refused to grant the comic book-action flick Wonder Woman a theatrical release on the grounds that its star is from Israel, at a time when the two countries are at war. While the merits...
The “glory” days of the British censor – when grey-faced men would take a pair of scissors to every 1980s horror flick, from Maniac to The Evil Dead, while the tabloids screamed “video nasty” in the background – are thankfully gone. These days it takes something truly horrific – a Human Centipede 2 or a Hate Crime – to ruffle the feathers of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Not to worry, for the grand tradition of banning movies remains firmly extant in other corners of the world. This week Lebanon refused to grant the comic book-action flick Wonder Woman a theatrical release on the grounds that its star is from Israel, at a time when the two countries are at war. While the merits...
- 6/2/2017
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
The stars and executive producers of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” always prided themselves on the fact that their cocky, clueless characters never learned anything or evolved. But that changed this season, when Mac (show creator Rob McElhenney) finally accepted that he’s gay. Mac’s closeted status has been one of the show’s longest running jokes. But in the middle of the current, twelfth season, which concludes tonight, Mac came out of the closet in order to claim a winning lottery ticket. (It’s all explained in the dizzyingly absurd episode called “Hero or Hate Crime.”) Also...
- 3/9/2017
- by Tim Molloy
- The Wrap
CBS has given a pilot order to an untitled drama from “House” executive producer Paul Attanasio, TheWrap has learned. The hour-long drama follows the multi-generational members of a Mexican-American family with deep roots in San Diego that intertwine personally and professionally due to their powerful careers in law enforcement. Attanasio will serve as writer and executive producer on the pilot, which hails from CBS Television Studios. Rodrigo Garcia will direct and executive produce. Leonard Goldberg and David Barrett also serve as executive producers. Also Read: CBS Orders Hate Crime Investigation Drama Pilot With Katie Couric Producing Among the other pilots ordered at the network this.
- 1/31/2017
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Nine episodes were provided prior to broadcast.
Still wondering how exactly Donald Trump was voted 45th president of the United States? Look no further than It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The five characters that constitute the ‘Gang’ could all reasonably be considered a cross-section of citizens who backed Trump, casting five key votes that determined the fate of America in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Mac (Rob McElhenney), the self-appointed leader of the group, would have triumphed his Christian fundamentalist sympathies; Charlie (Charlie Day), the unhinged ‘wildcard,’ is exactly the kind of vulnerable patriot to be swept up by his ‘make America great again’ rhetoric; Dennis (Glenn Howerton), the gang’s creepy arch-manipulator, would find in the president-elect a kindred spirit with regards to his attitudes towards women; his twin sister Dee (Kaitlin Olson), whose prejudices and snobbery make it hard to believe she wouldn’t have been...
Still wondering how exactly Donald Trump was voted 45th president of the United States? Look no further than It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The five characters that constitute the ‘Gang’ could all reasonably be considered a cross-section of citizens who backed Trump, casting five key votes that determined the fate of America in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.
Mac (Rob McElhenney), the self-appointed leader of the group, would have triumphed his Christian fundamentalist sympathies; Charlie (Charlie Day), the unhinged ‘wildcard,’ is exactly the kind of vulnerable patriot to be swept up by his ‘make America great again’ rhetoric; Dennis (Glenn Howerton), the gang’s creepy arch-manipulator, would find in the president-elect a kindred spirit with regards to his attitudes towards women; his twin sister Dee (Kaitlin Olson), whose prejudices and snobbery make it hard to believe she wouldn’t have been...
- 1/6/2017
- by Stephen Puddicombe
- We Got This Covered
Don’t call it a comeback.
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” hasn’t seen a consistent dip in quality for longer than we can remember, but every season, it feels as though the TV world takes Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) a little bit for granted. Perhaps because it comes out at the beginning of the year, seven months before the Emmy nominations hit and a good 11 months prior to the “best of the year” lists. Or maybe it’s just because it’s been on so long that people want to believe they know what’s coming. That they “get it.”
Yet the gang is as eager to disprove the notion as they are proud to embrace the purity of their characters’ perturbed nature. Like the goofy baby brother eager to join the big kids table, “Sunny...
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” hasn’t seen a consistent dip in quality for longer than we can remember, but every season, it feels as though the TV world takes Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny DeVito) a little bit for granted. Perhaps because it comes out at the beginning of the year, seven months before the Emmy nominations hit and a good 11 months prior to the “best of the year” lists. Or maybe it’s just because it’s been on so long that people want to believe they know what’s coming. That they “get it.”
Yet the gang is as eager to disprove the notion as they are proud to embrace the purity of their characters’ perturbed nature. Like the goofy baby brother eager to join the big kids table, “Sunny...
- 1/5/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
A punchline for more than 100 years, the Chicago Cubs’ historic World Series drought has made its way into a number of iconic small screen moments. Frankly, we’re all hoping the jokes come to a definitive end in 2016 (Go Cubs Go!), and just in case that happens, we’ve compiled a list of the most memorable pop culture references and predictions from the last century. Enjoy the jokes while you can — hopefully, just a few more days.
Read More: God Bless The Chicago Cubs, But Watching The World Series Is Pure Hell
“The Simpsons”
If you’re on the air for nearly three decades and feature as many pop culture references as “The Simpsons,” the Cubs are bound to come up a few times. And they have, both as a four-word joke and a more elaborate unveiling of the only way the Cubs could actually win. Yet the most pertinent...
Read More: God Bless The Chicago Cubs, But Watching The World Series Is Pure Hell
“The Simpsons”
If you’re on the air for nearly three decades and feature as many pop culture references as “The Simpsons,” the Cubs are bound to come up a few times. And they have, both as a four-word joke and a more elaborate unveiling of the only way the Cubs could actually win. Yet the most pertinent...
- 10/28/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
A Muslim woman’s shirt was set on fire in New York City over the weekend in what police believe could have been a hate crime. Muslim Women Set On Fire The woman, 35, was wearing traditional Muslim garments including a hijab while in Manhattan outside of a Valentino store on Fifth Avenue Saturday when the […]
The post Muslim Woman Shirt Set On Fire In NYC, Possible Hate Crime appeared first on uInterview.
The post Muslim Woman Shirt Set On Fire In NYC, Possible Hate Crime appeared first on uInterview.
- 9/14/2016
- by Chelsea Regan
- Uinterview
“Dude, you just created what could potentially be the biggest channel on YouTube.” That was the pronouncement from an emphatic Lilly “Superwoman” Singh to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a video announcing the launch of Johnson’s new YouTube Channel, Seven Bucks Digital Studios, in collaboration with the digital entertainment company Studio 71.
Read More: ‘Ballers’ Season 2 Premiere: Dwayne Johnson’s Return Rocks, But Doesn’t Ball Super Hard
Seven Bucks Digital Studios will be the newest division of Seven Bucks Productions, the production company behind Paramount’s “Baywatch,” New Line Cinema’s “Shazam,” and Dreamworks’ “Alpha Squad Seven,” all starring Johnson. The company was co-founded by Johnson and Dany Garcia. Studio 71 is a multi-channel network representing over 1,000 channels, which has partnered with RocketJump on “Video Game High School” and the comedian Colleen Balinger (“Miranda Sings!”).
Johnson already has a robust online presence, (with 100 million followers across social media platforms), and...
Read More: ‘Ballers’ Season 2 Premiere: Dwayne Johnson’s Return Rocks, But Doesn’t Ball Super Hard
Seven Bucks Digital Studios will be the newest division of Seven Bucks Productions, the production company behind Paramount’s “Baywatch,” New Line Cinema’s “Shazam,” and Dreamworks’ “Alpha Squad Seven,” all starring Johnson. The company was co-founded by Johnson and Dany Garcia. Studio 71 is a multi-channel network representing over 1,000 channels, which has partnered with RocketJump on “Video Game High School” and the comedian Colleen Balinger (“Miranda Sings!”).
Johnson already has a robust online presence, (with 100 million followers across social media platforms), and...
- 7/18/2016
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
For over 30 years Sundance Institute has been an iconic organization providing opportunities and resources to independent filmmakers and those that want to support them. Their two flagship programs are the renowned Screenwriters Lab and the Directors Lab, which allow up-and-coming artists to interact and receive mentorship from successful and acclaimed members of the film industry. To say that being part of one these programs is a once in a lifetime opportunity is an understatement. The proof is in the undeniable quality of the projects that are shaped during the labs and that eventually become part of the cinematic conversation.
While fostering talent is what Sundance Institute does best, they are one of the institutions that most diligently reinforces their commitment to provide opportunities for new voices that represent an eclectic array of backgrounds and experiences. In order to cast their net of support even wider, the institute offers numerous exciting programs beyond those that are already well-known in the filmmaking community. As part of Sundance Institute's Diversity Initiative, the Screenwriters Intensive is an invaluable resource that focuses on stories outside of the homogenous fare.
The program is a 1 1/2 day workshop for writers whose work has been encountered by the institute as part of their outreach for the Labs and which they find especially promising. The writers of 10 projects take part in a program whose elements include a hands-on writing workshop led by creative advisor Joan Tewkesbury (“Nashville”), a screening of a recent Sundance film followed by a candid conversation with the filmmaker, a reception with Sundance staff and the extended Sundance community, and one-on-one meetings with two creative advisors to get feedback on their script. With the Intensive, the Sundance Institute aims to present participants with creative tools that they can take back to their own work, provide a space for dialogue and information sharing about the creative process of making a film (and all of the joys and challenges therein), and foster community among storytellers and an ongoing connection with Sundance.
The screening this year was Andrew Ahn's "Spa Night," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and has now been picked up for U.S distribution by Strand Releasing. Centered on the conflicted son of a Korean immigrant couple in Los Angeles, Ahn's subtle yet poignant narrative deals with issues of identity both sexual and cultural. For the second day of the workshop, the fellows had one-on-one meetings with celebrated figures in independent cinema: Miranda July, Jennifer Salt, Deena Goldstone, Patricia Cardoso, Pete Sollett, Dana Stevens, Tanya Hamilton, Ligiah Villalobos, Scott Neustadter, and Kyle Patrick Alvarez
The Screenwriters Intensive fellows come from uniquely different backgrounds, and their projects bring original stories that are sure to showcase new and inventive perspectives on the world. Get to know them and their stories as they are on their way to giving us a great batch of new independent films.
The application for the 2017 January Screenwriters Lab is currently open with a deadline of May 3. Applicants for the Screenwriters Lab are also considered for the Screenwriters Intensive, Sundance Institute Asian American Fellowship, and the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program Latino Fellowship, as eligibility allows. To learn more about the Sundance Institute's programs visit Here.
Khalik Allah
Project: "Kareem"
Khalik Allah is a self taught filmmaker and photographer. His work has been described as visceral, hauntingly beautiful, penetrative and profoundly personal. Photography and filmmaking are two overlapping circles that form a venn diagram in Allah’s mind; the area where they overlap is the space he inhabits as an artist. Allah’s cinematic vignettes document hardscrabble life at the corner of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Harlem (New York City), most recently in his award-winning documentary Field Niggas, which screened at festivals worldwide.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
My project is in an incredibly early stage. I'm basically taking the last four years of my life as a photographer on 125th and Lex and adapting it into a fiction narrative.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The most important thing was the mutual inspiration we gave each other. The lab advisors helped us dig deeper into ourselves. Their faith in us was tremendous. I took away a new lease on my future.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
I met with Miranda July on day two of the lab. Wow she was incredible. She read my entire script and gave me many productive notes. I was impressed that she gave me so much time. Plenty of useful information I can implement.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I must keep writing.
Zia Anger
Project: "Despues De"
Zia Anger is a filmmaker and music video director. Her most recent short, "My Last Film," premiered at the 53rd New York Film Festival. In 2015, her short "I Remember Nothing" had its world premiere at New Directors/New Films and its international premiere at Festival del film Locarno. Other screenings include: AFI Fest, Denver Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Basilica Soundscape, Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, and Vienna Independent Shorts. She has made music videos for various independent artists, including Angel Olsen, Julianna Barwick, and Jenny Hval, the latter of whom she also tours with, projecting live video and participating as a performer. Her music videos have been featured in various online publications including: Pitchfork, the Guardian, and NPR. In 2015, Anger was included in Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film" issue. She was a 2015 fellow in film/video from the New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2008, she was the recipient of the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant for her short film "Lover Boy." She holds a BA/Bs from Ithaca College and a Mfa from The School of the Arts Institute of Chicago.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Despues De" is about a missing white woman, a mother and daughter who try to find her, and the days leading up to her disappearance on a sorority vacation. It dissects the very particular mythological figures created by our tabloid crazed culture, white women's obsessions with themselves and each other, and the people and places who are alienated in their wake. I would say the project is creatively at the point where it's similar to someone in their late twenties, when you think "wow I know a lot, but fuck there is so much more and I'm open to that," as opposed to "I just turned 21 and I literally know it all." Artistically it calls for a certain amount of precision where high and low brow filmmaking techniques kind of collapse on to each other and end up smooching.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
Joan seems to have figured out a really simple way to help even the most stubborn of (non) writers reenter their work at a time when it might seem impossible. What's cool is that once you do it it's really easy to do again. I'm thinking that having this point of access will be crucial to the continued creative development of the piece, beyond writing and moving in to those difficult creative moments onset, in the editing room, all those places you normally forget everything you've already figured out.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
Immediately it's exciting to sit the the same room with someone who speaks the same alien language as you but who has had the experience deal with people who don't. I think it was Bergman or someone who talked about how inadequate a script can be, considering it's just this middle step. I find myself so disillusioned with this middle step and constantly questioning what exactly it's supposed to function as. It's a good exercise to talk through what is important and what should be more developed and also where you can cut the fat.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Probably keep learning.
Chris Benson
Project: "Death of Innocence"
Christopher Benson, a journalist and lawyer, is an associate professor of Journalism and African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has worked as a city hall reporter in Chicago for Wbmx-fm, as Washington Editor for Ebony magazine, and as a speechwriter for Washington, D.C. politicians, including former Congressman Harold Washington and Eeoc Chair Clarence Thomas. He also has written for Chicago, Savoy, Jet, and The Crisis magazines, and has contributed to the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times. Most recently, he has written commentary on justice, race and media for the Chicago Reporter and the Huffington Post. His Chicago Reporter series on the wrongful murder conviction of Anthony Dansberry contributed to Dansberry’s release from prison (after serving 23 years) and earned Benson a Peter Lisagor Award for exemplary journalism. Benson also was a co-writer and associate producer of the Wttw Channel 11 documentary "Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender," and was named on two of the documentary’s three regional Emmy Awards, as well as another Lisagor Award. Benson is co-author with Mamie Till-Mobley of "Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America," the account of the 1955 lynching of Mrs. Till-Mobley’s son, Emmett Till, and the winner of the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition. The feature adaptation of the book will be executive produced by Chaz Ebert and Shatterglass Films
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
Our project is titled "Death of Innocence" and it is the screen adaptation of a book I co-authored with the late Mamie Till-Mobley about the life and tragic death of her son, Emmett Till. Through this project that focuses on the brutal 1955 lynching of a 14 year-old kid, we want to help people make connections between the violent enforcement of racial segregation and the shooting deaths of young African American males by people who still are getting away with it in our contemporary moment. We also want to show how one person—in this case, Mamie Till-Mobley—can make a difference in the struggle for social and legal justice in America. This clearly is a challenge we still face and we need to learn lessons from some of the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. That is what we are trying to show with this picture.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
One of the many things I have taken away from the first day of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab is that I have to take ownership of the characters who populate this story—even this story based on true events and real people. As a professional journalist, I have spent years trying to keep a distance from the issues I write about and the people who humanize those stories, who breathe life into them. Despite cynical public opinion, journalists do go after the truth. In screenwriting, we are going after the essential truth. What is the meaning of everything that appears on the screen? So, even in stories based on real events, we are not simply cataloguing a series of facts in a sequence of scenes. We are supposed to find the story that rises from all those facts. The essential truth. The true meaning. That will affect my screenwriting for some time beyond the successful completion of this project.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
I have to say that the coordinators of the Sundance Lab experience clearly put a lot of care and thought into developing a perfect match of advisors and fellows. The second day discussions with my advisors was phenomenal. As with the Sundance organizers, they had read the script very carefully and approached my sessions with a devotion to maintaining the integrity of the story, and helping fulfill the purpose we had set out to accomplish. It was amazing to listen to the comments that reflected a deep appreciation of the characters, the story and even the potential impact of this piece. I was especially struck by the connection my advisors felt with the main character, Mamie Till-Mobley, and the advice I was given to develop her and her motivation to a level that will result in quite a powerful rendering. I can't wait to get started on the notes.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
My plan is to work with the notes I was given to consider ways to perfect the script. My advisors have indicated an interest in staying in touch on this, so that ongoing conversation will be great. The first step I am taking after the Sundance Lab is to engage in discussions with the other producers on our project to ensure that we all on the same page. Next will be to coordinate with the collaborators on the script to talk about the ideas that have emerged from the lab experience. Finally, I will begin to interpret it all on the page, and I am eager to see where the story takes me.
Shakti Bhagchandani
Project: "Purdah"
Shakti Bhagchandani is a screenwriter/director born and raised in the United Arab Emirates. She grew up in Dubai, in a melting pot of religion and culture, and cultivated her writing abilities with the help of her mother. She travelled to London to pursue a BA in English Literature at King's College London and while there she was awarded the prestigious Jelf Medal for her contributions to art and charity. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she interned at the Vineyard Theatre in New York, the Gate Theatre and National Theatre Studio in London, and the Antenna Theatre in San Francisco. She directed a number of student and semi professional plays, including "Fanny & Faggot" by Jack Thorne and "Pornography" by Simon Stephens. After graduation she moved to New York to pursue an Mfa in Screenwriting & Directing at Columbia University. She is currently in her thesis years, specializing in Screenwriting under advisor Trey Ellis. While at Columbia, she has worked on a number of shorts, and as a writer her last short "Khargosh" screened at Palm Springs International ShortFest and won the Satyajit Ray Award at the London Indian Film Festival. Her first feature screenplay, "Bidoun", was shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriter's Lab 2015, and her current feature project "Purdah" has been selected for the Sundance Screenwriter's Intensive Lab in La. She recently wrapped production on her short "LostFound" that she wrote and directed, and is currently in preproduction for her next short "Tunisian Jasmine" which is set in the UAE.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular. .
'Purdah' is a coming of age drama that follows a 16-year-old British Pakistani girl as she grapples with her burgeoning womanhood and her precarious sexuality in a world built on segregation and coercion. The project is currently in development.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The first day of the lab included one of the most invigorating writing workshops I've ever been a part of. Joan is a miracle worker! She guided us through a haze of snowploughs, dream sequences and inner monologues, and by the end of it I had somehow come up with about 20 new scene ideas. Characters I had neglected before were suddenly infused with new life and the possibilities for the story feels limitless. Andrew's film and the discussion afterwards was intensely inspiring and the perfect way to round off the day - he helped us believe that the future of our projects is entirely real and attainable.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?.
Patricia and Dana are wonderful! It was amazing to sit across from these incredible, passionate women - they were nurturing, encouraging and boundlessly generous with their advice. They talked about their own trajectories and experiences. They motivated me to dig deeper, to fine tune every detail, and to have faith in myself and the project. They came at my script from completely different angles, offering story notes, a ton of production thoughts, and advice on how to move forward with not only the script, but also my career.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Revise, revise, revise. And then revise again. The lab helped me see how much potential this story has and how much work it still needs. There is so much left to unearth and I'm excited to get started.
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Project: "Monsters and Men"
New York native Reinaldo Marcus Green is a writer, director, and producer. He is currently a thesis student at Nyu Tisch Graduate Film School and writing his first feature narrative, "Monsters and Men." Most recently, he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film (2015). His latest short film "Stop," which he wrote, produced, and directed, premiered as an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015. His previous short film, "Stone Cars," shot on a micro-budget in South Africa, had its international premiere as an official Cinéfondation selection at the Festival de Cannes 2014.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
At its core, "Monsters and Men" is a story about perspective.
The film consists of three interlocking stories, each told through the point-of-view of three protagonists -- Manny, a street hustler, Stacey, a female police officer, and Zyric, a high school athlete.
When Manny captures an illegal act of police violence on his cellphone, he unwittingly sets off a series of events that will alter the course of each of their lives...
"Monsters and Men's" three chapters connect narratively and thematically, painting a portrait of modern-day Brooklyn -- a community caught in the crosswinds of crime, police corruption, and social instability.
We’re in the final stage of development, planning to shoot this summer 2016 in Brooklyn, New York. We hope to cast the net wide and far in order to provide opportunities for new undiscovered talent, and new exciting voices. The ideal cast would be a mix of professional and non-professional actors. New York is full of immense diverse talent we can’t wait to work with.
As a filmmaker, my goal is to tell powerful, urgently-needed and authentic stories. I see a unique opportunity to challenge the status quo of independent cinema, to craft entertaining stories with heart and meaning - films which possess social relevance, emotional complexity and thematic resonance.
Ultimately, its my hope to create a highly-compelling narrative feature, entertaining to watch, but one which will add to the social conversation about law enforcement, violence, and justice in America. We want to share that experience with audiences in other places in the world, by giving rise to growing communities who are often marginalized and whose stories are rarely seen in film.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
First and foremost, I felt very lucky to be a part of such an amazingly talented group of filmmakers, with a broad range of diverse projects, across all genres. It was fascinating to see where my script fits in the larger spectrum, and what I realized is that each and every story at the lab was an outlier. Each writer had a singular voice, a unique take on genre, character, story, and structure.
The Lesson: “Come in from the side.”
During Day One at the lab, I felt I threw out any preconceived notions I had about my own script. It allowed me to digress and deconstruct without internally combusting. Joan Tewkesbury, a true master at her craft, went right to the core of who we were as human beings, ultimately going right into the core of who and what our scripts were all about, and what they have the potential to become. I think fear is something that holds most people back, the same fear that the world was once flat and we would sail off the edge. Joan refocused my center of gravity and provided me with tools to “access” that inner child, be playful and to keep digging.
Character is at the core of who we are and what makes us human. The digger we deep, the more we reveal about ourselves. I believe in that if I continue the excavation process, with delicate precision, and a gentle curiosity, it will serve me well in all my writing. I can’t be afraid to find out who I am underneath the surface, although sometime we bury things for a reason — because we don’t want to go there — there’s pain hidden in various forms. In writing, there’s a seemingly impenetrable darkness and then there’s light.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The opportunity to sit down with Peter Sollett and Tanya Hamilton was truly a special treat for me. Not only did are they both masters of their craft and highly-regarded writers and directors within their own right, I had been a big fan of their work before meeting them. Peter’s short film "Five Feet High and Rising," which he later turned into a feature, "Raising Victor Vargas" are two works that I admire deeply, and they have been a source for inspiration since the genius of the project.
Both Peter and Tanya are so sharp and so astute, it makes for brilliant analysis and conversation.
They have a slightly different approach to story, but essentially meet somewhere in the middle; Character. With both advisors, we really stepped back from the script — taking a birds eye view of what the film really means to me and how and what the best way to achieve telling it would be moving forward. We talked a lot about character, world, and theme.
Tanya and Peter both offered many ideas for “problem solving” — helping me hone in on areas in the script that could be refined and strengthened. It’s evident in their own work how much they care about the craft — both offering truly thoughtful insight and perspective into how each scene could advance the story. We discussed ways to deepen characters and how to build a compelling and complex world without compromising my voice, or the story I want to tell.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I think the simplest answer is to just keep writing. There’s still a ton of information to digest from the lab but the key is to not get bogged down in semantics, to move beyond the fear and paralysis that we create for ourselves. It’s time to problem solve, lock myself in a room and just write. More coffee please.
Jessie Kahnweiler
Project: "Meet My Rapist"
Jessie Kahnweiler has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, TMZ, People, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Magazine, Mashable, Buzzfeed, Elle, The Daily Beast, Jezebel, Indiewire, La Weekly, The Huffington Post, and The Independent. At the University of Redlands, Kahnweiler quickly began ditching class in order to make documentaries. For her thesis film, Little America, she hitchhiked across the country to explore the world of America’s truck drivers. After getting dumped, she wrote and co-directed the comedic short "Baby Love," co-starring alongside "Anchorman’s" David Koechner. Kahnweiler was selected for the 6 Points Artist Fellowship which inspired her comedic web series entitled "Dude, Where’s my Chutzpah?" Her short "Meet my Rapist," a dark comedy about running into her rapist at the Farmers’ Market, inspired her live show "The Rape Girl." Kahnweiler confronted her own white privilege in her viral hit "Jessie Gets Arrested." Her latest project, for which she serves as writer, director, and stars, is "The Skinny," a dark comedic series based on her 10 year relationship with bulimia. It premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and is produced by Refinery29 and Jill Soloway’s Wifey.tv Kahnweiler lives in La with her plants.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.
Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular. My project is called "Meet My Rapist" and it is loosely based on a short film I made of the same name a few years ago. After the short had it's 15 minutes online I was moving on to other projects but I felt this gnawing at my gut. I tried to ignore it, popped some advil, and went to yoga but that gnawing just wouldn't stop. That annoying painful gnawing was the beginnings of this script. I've been working on the script on and off for about a year. I'm at the stage where I need to take out most of the flippant jokes and get to the real meat of the matter - the heart, the pain. I need to live and cry this story out. Because the project is so personal it is easy for me to get lost in it. Sometimes I forget where I end and my characters begin. So being at the Sundance lab is great timing. I feel totes blessed.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
That I can't hide behind my jokes. After writing in a feeling state all day our amazing teaching Joan looked at me and was like "Your movie is a song and you gotta hit the bass notes." I was like Mic Drop. I love the challenge of making something that is a comedy based in the tragedy of human reality. That is my north star for this movie. I'm not sure if I will get there but that's where I'll be heading.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
It was incredible to take a deep dive into the script with women who so deeply understand screenwriting from the inside out. The feedback was never like "do it My way" it was more about ripping open the guts of the script and getting to that deeper level. Okay this happens but Why? Screenwriting can be so daunting like "I need write the perfect thing so I can get an agent so I can get hired etc. " and the process can be so lonely and daunting . But in both my sessions we just talked about human behavior and what makes people tick and it reminded me that filmmaking is magic and I'm really lucky to be here. Also a woman, it was inspiring to meet with other women who are living my dream. Who are feeling for a living. In both my sessions I laughed, cried, and go to ask as many questions I wanted it. It was basically my ideal Tinder date.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I'm going to keep working on drafts of the script, keep sharing it with people I trust, keep begging Sundance to let me come over and eat bagels, keep pitching it to anyone who will listen, keep crying, keep feeling, keep making my movie.
Allison Lee
Project: "Jawbone"
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Los Angeles, Allison Lee studied English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. She received her Mfa in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Upon graduation, she worked in development and production at DreamWorks and NBCUniversal. Lee has received grants from the Media Action Network and the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences. She was also named a Project Involve fellow, and her short The Grizzly was produced by Film Independent. In 2015, she was one of five screenwriters who received a residency through the inaugural Hedgebrook Screenwriters Lab, where she was mentored by Jenny Bicks and Jane Anderson.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Jawbone" is about a Korean woman who undergoes drastic plastic surgery as a means to achieve what she and her peers view as success. After she gives birth to a daughter who looks nothing like her, her life begins to unravel and she’s forced to confront her past.
I am currently grappling with rewrites while meeting with potential producers and crew.
I see "Jawbone" as a hybrid of Korean cinema and American independent film. Korean movies relish the tension in tightly wound familial and social relationships. I think my personal connection to this fabric helps me discern and explore where the similarities and differences to American culture begin and end. I also think the best American independent films underscore the universality of specific personal stories, and I aspire to follow in this tradition.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
I felt transformed by the sessions with Joan Tewkesbury. She pushed us to bare our souls and delve into our histories to deliver stories that were truthful and specific. My biggest fear about "Jawbone" is that a few extreme events in the plot would read as absurdist melodrama. Relating these events back to some of my own crises helped me re-center the emotional truth of my characters and their journeys.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
It was crucial to work with filmmakers who knew the Sundance aesthetic and had weathered the challenges before us. I knew the script needed improvement but had a hazy vision of what it required. Tanya Hamilton’s notes were both encouraging and precise about galvanizing and concretizing the protagonist’s journey. Patricia Cardoso, with her directorial and producerial expertise, reminded me that my artistic flights of fancy should still be grounded in reality and be economical and pragmatic. The breadth of their approaches made me feel like I was getting the best of all worlds.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I am hustling on a rewrite ready to be seen by producers and representatives. Ultimately, I want to direct "Jawbone," and I am also working on a short film version.
Eliza Lee
Project: "A Beautiful Lie"
Educated in Canada and the Czech Republic, Eliza Lee began in Asia as a Dp trainee before returning to her first passion: screenwriting. She takes great pride in world building for her complex women characters. Lee’s feature, Maybe Tomorrow, about rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, is being produced by Michelle Sy ("Finding Neverland") and Sophia Chang (former artist manager for Wu Tang Clan), with Academy Award nominee Steph Green ("Run & Jump") attached to direct. Lee’s screenplay, "A Beautiful Lie," about crime novelist Patricia Highsmith, was honored at the 2015 Athena Film Festival, and was also selected for the 2015 Outfest Screenwriting Lab. In addition, she was a Cape 2015 Film & Television Fellow and was mentored by various executives from Sony, Paramount, and Fox, among others. Lee has several features and television projects in development. She is the 2016 Sundance Institute Asian American Fellow.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
When Strangers on the Train was published in 1950 and with the anticipation for it to be turned into a film by Alfred Hitchcock, Patricia Highsmith was catapulted into the literary spotlight. Here she thought was her opportunity to break free of the crime genre and finally write her Great American novel. Except, it was at the height of McCarthy’s witch hunt, and her Great American novel would become the iconic lesbian tale, The Price of Salt. In the book, Patricia defiantly gave her lesbian main characters a happy ending together, but faced with the real threat of being blacklisted, she is forced to publish it under a pseudonym. This decision would send her down a path of alcoholism, promiscuity and loneliness as she realized she would not have the happy ending she wrote.
With this story, I knew it had to come from the seminal moment in her life. And for me, it is when she braved writing The Price of Salt at a time where being who you are and believing in what you do can land you in jail, exile or financial ruin. She had to deny her nature, and coupled with a growing rage it would breed the infamous “monster” that would come to define her in her later years.
While her male peers have enjoyed forgiving, pedestal descriptors like "troubled", "complex" or the genius "l'enfant terrible", Highsmith was shown no such generosity.
On top of that, I am struck how often pictures of her old age are published displaying her alcohol and anger ravaged face. We made that. Juxtapose those with photos of Highsmith at 21, so full of hope, vitality and ready for all the wonders of love, and it is clear - she was born this way. "A Beautiful Lie" is about a woman’s quest for love when it was a crime.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
Specifically, I learned I hide behind fiction or through my characters and not have to admit the narrative comes from a personal place. Through an incredibly safe and nurturing environment on the first day, Joan Tewksbury led us through a series of spontaneous and revelatory writing exercises that at first seemed random, but without time to allow the self-censor to kick in, the writing showcased how many more complex layers we can apply to our characters through our uninhibited sharing of our personal experiences. As a result, because the stories come from us, they are inherently going to be personal. It was like sleight of hand for the imagination.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The advisors were there to help us tell the story we want to tell. And the one-on-one sessions were focused solely on the writing, and was intended to be a dialogue. It was humbling to learn the tremendous amount of time they took to burrow deep into our scripts. I was thoroughly empowered by what these writers offered me, and excited that I could challenge such seasoned pros with my perspective and approach to telling a story. Ligiah Villalobos dared me to linger longer in emotional scenes and to take my pursuit for emotional truths for my character even further. While Scott Neustadter and I discussed much about memories as structure, he also pushed me to defy a note i have received that my character is “unlikable” and to allow her to have even more anti-hero moments. i concluded my last day at the Intensive with their voices unifying in the same sentiment: they have a good feeling the film will be made.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Through the Sundance Intensive, I have a clear idea of what is my next step, and that is to apply another layer of shading to my portrait of Patricia Highsmith. I’m anxious to keep the momentum going, and then take it out to talent. I’m going to realize this film.
Jimmy Mosqueda
Project: "Valedictorian"
Jimmy Mosqueda is a lifelong California resident, the son of two Mexican migrant workers, and a graduate of Stanford University. From an early age he showed a fondness for writing, starting his first journal at the age of five, which developed into a passion for writing short stories, poetry and eventually screenplays. While attending Stanford on a full scholarship, Mosqueda saw how social class and race influenced the experiences of his fellow students, which made him realize just how much the American educational system is intimately tied to those pillars. The intersection of race, class, and education remains an ongoing theme in his works. Today, Mosqueda lives in Los Angeles and writes full-time. His screenplays have placed in numerous contests, including as a finalist in the Austin Film Festival, Script Pipeline and TrackingB competitions, and as a semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowship. He’s represented by Angelina Chen and Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment, and is actively developing projects for film and television.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Valedictorian" is dark teen comedy in the vein of "Election" and "Heathers." It’s about an ambitious teenage girl who do anything to be crowned valedictorian of her high school, including a little bit of murder. So, you know, just like real high school! I started writing this project about three years ago. It was inspired by my own school experiences, where everyone on the Honors track was super competitive and had their sights set on the Ivy League. Readers respond positively to the comedy and the heightened world of the script, which is great, but one thing I felt got buried underneath the multitude of drafts is the emotional core of the main character. So during the Intensive my main goal was to rediscover who she was and, building out from that, the reason why I wanted to tell this story in the first place.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The most important thing I learned from the workshop with Joan Tewkesbury is that creative development is not about brainstorming characters or story points. All of us have unique, personal experiences and emotions that can form the building blocks of a story. You really have to look inward and tap that raw data, or else run the risk of your story ringing hollow. A lot of artists understand this intuitively, I believe, but Joan’s workshop laid it out in such clear and simple terms. For my next draft of "Valedictorian," I’m going to use these techniques as a stress test, but in all honesty I want to go back and revisit every project I ever worked on using this approach now.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
My advisors were the bee’s knees, if I can be so blunt. My first session was with Scott Neustadter, who along with his writing partner has written a lot of films with teen lead characters. He very clearly understood what the script was, and gave very specific, actionable notes on how to improve what’s already there. I love how he was able to cut through and really get at the core issues of script, which were mostly the same issues I had going in. Scott is killing the screenwriting game right now. His insights were invaluable.
My second session was with Kyle Patrick Alvarez. We spent a lot of time talking about the main character, her motivation, her relationships, and how she “earns” the big moments/twists in the script. We also spent some time talking bigger picture about the industry and how to build a career in Hollywood, which was very much appreciated. Additionally, it was great getting the perspective of another Latino in the industry.
Both men were truly gracious with their time. I left both sessions feeling inspired!
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
After stepping off Cloud 9, it’s back to the computer and working on a new draft of "Valedictorian." In addition, I will also be tackling a new draft of the pilot version. It’s the same world and characters, but with a different engine that is geared towards episodic narrative. Many of the notes I got from Scott and Kyle apply to the pilot version as well, so it’s like getting two for the price of one!
Finally, I just want to thank everyone involved with putting together the Intensive: Ilyse McKimmie, Michelle Satter, Anne Lai, Shira Rockowitz and everyone at the Sundance Institute who made this possible. I am forever grateful for the experience.
Lotfy Nathan
Project: Untitled Bouazizi Project
Lotfy Nathan’s first film, the documentary "12 O’Clock Boys," played over 50 film festivals worldwide, including SXSW, Sundance Next Fest, Lincoln Center, Viennale, Hot Docs, London, and Copenhagen in 2013. It was ranked 7 in the BFI list of top 20 documentaries of 2013, and garnered Nathan an HBO Emerging Artist award. "12 O’Clock Boys" was subsequently picked up by Oscilloscope for a North American release in theaters, acquired by Showtime for television, and was optioned for a fiction remake by Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. Nathan is a 2015 grantee of the Creative Capital Foundation, a resident filmmaker at the Cinereach Foundation, and a previous awardee of the Garrett Scott development grant, the Peter Reed Foundation, the Grainger Marburg travel grant, and an Ifp fellowship.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
The film is about Mohamed Bouazizi, the young Tunisian fruit vendor whose act of self-immolation sparked the Arab spring. It’s a love story, apolitical (as the subject of our protagonist was); about a young man’s steady undoing, and his final bittersweet act of defiance. The film will be shot on location, with cast selected locally besides the principles, and filmed with an immersive approach.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
We were encouraged to draw from very specific personal experiences, prompted by Joan It was incredible to learn these tools, which enable you to tap into vast resources from your own life that you can then apply to the writing- and so vividly. I think the writing exercises with Joan actually stirred a very unusual dream for me that night.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The advisors were very motivating. I left with pages of notes on my writing, tangible pieces of smart advice that will help inform the next draft.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Before getting back to work on the script I plan to do some other writing on the characters.
While fostering talent is what Sundance Institute does best, they are one of the institutions that most diligently reinforces their commitment to provide opportunities for new voices that represent an eclectic array of backgrounds and experiences. In order to cast their net of support even wider, the institute offers numerous exciting programs beyond those that are already well-known in the filmmaking community. As part of Sundance Institute's Diversity Initiative, the Screenwriters Intensive is an invaluable resource that focuses on stories outside of the homogenous fare.
The program is a 1 1/2 day workshop for writers whose work has been encountered by the institute as part of their outreach for the Labs and which they find especially promising. The writers of 10 projects take part in a program whose elements include a hands-on writing workshop led by creative advisor Joan Tewkesbury (“Nashville”), a screening of a recent Sundance film followed by a candid conversation with the filmmaker, a reception with Sundance staff and the extended Sundance community, and one-on-one meetings with two creative advisors to get feedback on their script. With the Intensive, the Sundance Institute aims to present participants with creative tools that they can take back to their own work, provide a space for dialogue and information sharing about the creative process of making a film (and all of the joys and challenges therein), and foster community among storytellers and an ongoing connection with Sundance.
The screening this year was Andrew Ahn's "Spa Night," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and has now been picked up for U.S distribution by Strand Releasing. Centered on the conflicted son of a Korean immigrant couple in Los Angeles, Ahn's subtle yet poignant narrative deals with issues of identity both sexual and cultural. For the second day of the workshop, the fellows had one-on-one meetings with celebrated figures in independent cinema: Miranda July, Jennifer Salt, Deena Goldstone, Patricia Cardoso, Pete Sollett, Dana Stevens, Tanya Hamilton, Ligiah Villalobos, Scott Neustadter, and Kyle Patrick Alvarez
The Screenwriters Intensive fellows come from uniquely different backgrounds, and their projects bring original stories that are sure to showcase new and inventive perspectives on the world. Get to know them and their stories as they are on their way to giving us a great batch of new independent films.
The application for the 2017 January Screenwriters Lab is currently open with a deadline of May 3. Applicants for the Screenwriters Lab are also considered for the Screenwriters Intensive, Sundance Institute Asian American Fellowship, and the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program Latino Fellowship, as eligibility allows. To learn more about the Sundance Institute's programs visit Here.
Khalik Allah
Project: "Kareem"
Khalik Allah is a self taught filmmaker and photographer. His work has been described as visceral, hauntingly beautiful, penetrative and profoundly personal. Photography and filmmaking are two overlapping circles that form a venn diagram in Allah’s mind; the area where they overlap is the space he inhabits as an artist. Allah’s cinematic vignettes document hardscrabble life at the corner of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Harlem (New York City), most recently in his award-winning documentary Field Niggas, which screened at festivals worldwide.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
My project is in an incredibly early stage. I'm basically taking the last four years of my life as a photographer on 125th and Lex and adapting it into a fiction narrative.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The most important thing was the mutual inspiration we gave each other. The lab advisors helped us dig deeper into ourselves. Their faith in us was tremendous. I took away a new lease on my future.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
I met with Miranda July on day two of the lab. Wow she was incredible. She read my entire script and gave me many productive notes. I was impressed that she gave me so much time. Plenty of useful information I can implement.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I must keep writing.
Zia Anger
Project: "Despues De"
Zia Anger is a filmmaker and music video director. Her most recent short, "My Last Film," premiered at the 53rd New York Film Festival. In 2015, her short "I Remember Nothing" had its world premiere at New Directors/New Films and its international premiere at Festival del film Locarno. Other screenings include: AFI Fest, Denver Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Basilica Soundscape, Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, and Vienna Independent Shorts. She has made music videos for various independent artists, including Angel Olsen, Julianna Barwick, and Jenny Hval, the latter of whom she also tours with, projecting live video and participating as a performer. Her music videos have been featured in various online publications including: Pitchfork, the Guardian, and NPR. In 2015, Anger was included in Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film" issue. She was a 2015 fellow in film/video from the New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2008, she was the recipient of the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant for her short film "Lover Boy." She holds a BA/Bs from Ithaca College and a Mfa from The School of the Arts Institute of Chicago.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Despues De" is about a missing white woman, a mother and daughter who try to find her, and the days leading up to her disappearance on a sorority vacation. It dissects the very particular mythological figures created by our tabloid crazed culture, white women's obsessions with themselves and each other, and the people and places who are alienated in their wake. I would say the project is creatively at the point where it's similar to someone in their late twenties, when you think "wow I know a lot, but fuck there is so much more and I'm open to that," as opposed to "I just turned 21 and I literally know it all." Artistically it calls for a certain amount of precision where high and low brow filmmaking techniques kind of collapse on to each other and end up smooching.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
Joan seems to have figured out a really simple way to help even the most stubborn of (non) writers reenter their work at a time when it might seem impossible. What's cool is that once you do it it's really easy to do again. I'm thinking that having this point of access will be crucial to the continued creative development of the piece, beyond writing and moving in to those difficult creative moments onset, in the editing room, all those places you normally forget everything you've already figured out.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
Immediately it's exciting to sit the the same room with someone who speaks the same alien language as you but who has had the experience deal with people who don't. I think it was Bergman or someone who talked about how inadequate a script can be, considering it's just this middle step. I find myself so disillusioned with this middle step and constantly questioning what exactly it's supposed to function as. It's a good exercise to talk through what is important and what should be more developed and also where you can cut the fat.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Probably keep learning.
Chris Benson
Project: "Death of Innocence"
Christopher Benson, a journalist and lawyer, is an associate professor of Journalism and African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has worked as a city hall reporter in Chicago for Wbmx-fm, as Washington Editor for Ebony magazine, and as a speechwriter for Washington, D.C. politicians, including former Congressman Harold Washington and Eeoc Chair Clarence Thomas. He also has written for Chicago, Savoy, Jet, and The Crisis magazines, and has contributed to the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times. Most recently, he has written commentary on justice, race and media for the Chicago Reporter and the Huffington Post. His Chicago Reporter series on the wrongful murder conviction of Anthony Dansberry contributed to Dansberry’s release from prison (after serving 23 years) and earned Benson a Peter Lisagor Award for exemplary journalism. Benson also was a co-writer and associate producer of the Wttw Channel 11 documentary "Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender," and was named on two of the documentary’s three regional Emmy Awards, as well as another Lisagor Award. Benson is co-author with Mamie Till-Mobley of "Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America," the account of the 1955 lynching of Mrs. Till-Mobley’s son, Emmett Till, and the winner of the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition. The feature adaptation of the book will be executive produced by Chaz Ebert and Shatterglass Films
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
Our project is titled "Death of Innocence" and it is the screen adaptation of a book I co-authored with the late Mamie Till-Mobley about the life and tragic death of her son, Emmett Till. Through this project that focuses on the brutal 1955 lynching of a 14 year-old kid, we want to help people make connections between the violent enforcement of racial segregation and the shooting deaths of young African American males by people who still are getting away with it in our contemporary moment. We also want to show how one person—in this case, Mamie Till-Mobley—can make a difference in the struggle for social and legal justice in America. This clearly is a challenge we still face and we need to learn lessons from some of the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. That is what we are trying to show with this picture.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
One of the many things I have taken away from the first day of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab is that I have to take ownership of the characters who populate this story—even this story based on true events and real people. As a professional journalist, I have spent years trying to keep a distance from the issues I write about and the people who humanize those stories, who breathe life into them. Despite cynical public opinion, journalists do go after the truth. In screenwriting, we are going after the essential truth. What is the meaning of everything that appears on the screen? So, even in stories based on real events, we are not simply cataloguing a series of facts in a sequence of scenes. We are supposed to find the story that rises from all those facts. The essential truth. The true meaning. That will affect my screenwriting for some time beyond the successful completion of this project.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
I have to say that the coordinators of the Sundance Lab experience clearly put a lot of care and thought into developing a perfect match of advisors and fellows. The second day discussions with my advisors was phenomenal. As with the Sundance organizers, they had read the script very carefully and approached my sessions with a devotion to maintaining the integrity of the story, and helping fulfill the purpose we had set out to accomplish. It was amazing to listen to the comments that reflected a deep appreciation of the characters, the story and even the potential impact of this piece. I was especially struck by the connection my advisors felt with the main character, Mamie Till-Mobley, and the advice I was given to develop her and her motivation to a level that will result in quite a powerful rendering. I can't wait to get started on the notes.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
My plan is to work with the notes I was given to consider ways to perfect the script. My advisors have indicated an interest in staying in touch on this, so that ongoing conversation will be great. The first step I am taking after the Sundance Lab is to engage in discussions with the other producers on our project to ensure that we all on the same page. Next will be to coordinate with the collaborators on the script to talk about the ideas that have emerged from the lab experience. Finally, I will begin to interpret it all on the page, and I am eager to see where the story takes me.
Shakti Bhagchandani
Project: "Purdah"
Shakti Bhagchandani is a screenwriter/director born and raised in the United Arab Emirates. She grew up in Dubai, in a melting pot of religion and culture, and cultivated her writing abilities with the help of her mother. She travelled to London to pursue a BA in English Literature at King's College London and while there she was awarded the prestigious Jelf Medal for her contributions to art and charity. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she interned at the Vineyard Theatre in New York, the Gate Theatre and National Theatre Studio in London, and the Antenna Theatre in San Francisco. She directed a number of student and semi professional plays, including "Fanny & Faggot" by Jack Thorne and "Pornography" by Simon Stephens. After graduation she moved to New York to pursue an Mfa in Screenwriting & Directing at Columbia University. She is currently in her thesis years, specializing in Screenwriting under advisor Trey Ellis. While at Columbia, she has worked on a number of shorts, and as a writer her last short "Khargosh" screened at Palm Springs International ShortFest and won the Satyajit Ray Award at the London Indian Film Festival. Her first feature screenplay, "Bidoun", was shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriter's Lab 2015, and her current feature project "Purdah" has been selected for the Sundance Screenwriter's Intensive Lab in La. She recently wrapped production on her short "LostFound" that she wrote and directed, and is currently in preproduction for her next short "Tunisian Jasmine" which is set in the UAE.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular. .
'Purdah' is a coming of age drama that follows a 16-year-old British Pakistani girl as she grapples with her burgeoning womanhood and her precarious sexuality in a world built on segregation and coercion. The project is currently in development.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The first day of the lab included one of the most invigorating writing workshops I've ever been a part of. Joan is a miracle worker! She guided us through a haze of snowploughs, dream sequences and inner monologues, and by the end of it I had somehow come up with about 20 new scene ideas. Characters I had neglected before were suddenly infused with new life and the possibilities for the story feels limitless. Andrew's film and the discussion afterwards was intensely inspiring and the perfect way to round off the day - he helped us believe that the future of our projects is entirely real and attainable.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?.
Patricia and Dana are wonderful! It was amazing to sit across from these incredible, passionate women - they were nurturing, encouraging and boundlessly generous with their advice. They talked about their own trajectories and experiences. They motivated me to dig deeper, to fine tune every detail, and to have faith in myself and the project. They came at my script from completely different angles, offering story notes, a ton of production thoughts, and advice on how to move forward with not only the script, but also my career.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Revise, revise, revise. And then revise again. The lab helped me see how much potential this story has and how much work it still needs. There is so much left to unearth and I'm excited to get started.
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Project: "Monsters and Men"
New York native Reinaldo Marcus Green is a writer, director, and producer. He is currently a thesis student at Nyu Tisch Graduate Film School and writing his first feature narrative, "Monsters and Men." Most recently, he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film (2015). His latest short film "Stop," which he wrote, produced, and directed, premiered as an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015. His previous short film, "Stone Cars," shot on a micro-budget in South Africa, had its international premiere as an official Cinéfondation selection at the Festival de Cannes 2014.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
At its core, "Monsters and Men" is a story about perspective.
The film consists of three interlocking stories, each told through the point-of-view of three protagonists -- Manny, a street hustler, Stacey, a female police officer, and Zyric, a high school athlete.
When Manny captures an illegal act of police violence on his cellphone, he unwittingly sets off a series of events that will alter the course of each of their lives...
"Monsters and Men's" three chapters connect narratively and thematically, painting a portrait of modern-day Brooklyn -- a community caught in the crosswinds of crime, police corruption, and social instability.
We’re in the final stage of development, planning to shoot this summer 2016 in Brooklyn, New York. We hope to cast the net wide and far in order to provide opportunities for new undiscovered talent, and new exciting voices. The ideal cast would be a mix of professional and non-professional actors. New York is full of immense diverse talent we can’t wait to work with.
As a filmmaker, my goal is to tell powerful, urgently-needed and authentic stories. I see a unique opportunity to challenge the status quo of independent cinema, to craft entertaining stories with heart and meaning - films which possess social relevance, emotional complexity and thematic resonance.
Ultimately, its my hope to create a highly-compelling narrative feature, entertaining to watch, but one which will add to the social conversation about law enforcement, violence, and justice in America. We want to share that experience with audiences in other places in the world, by giving rise to growing communities who are often marginalized and whose stories are rarely seen in film.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
First and foremost, I felt very lucky to be a part of such an amazingly talented group of filmmakers, with a broad range of diverse projects, across all genres. It was fascinating to see where my script fits in the larger spectrum, and what I realized is that each and every story at the lab was an outlier. Each writer had a singular voice, a unique take on genre, character, story, and structure.
The Lesson: “Come in from the side.”
During Day One at the lab, I felt I threw out any preconceived notions I had about my own script. It allowed me to digress and deconstruct without internally combusting. Joan Tewkesbury, a true master at her craft, went right to the core of who we were as human beings, ultimately going right into the core of who and what our scripts were all about, and what they have the potential to become. I think fear is something that holds most people back, the same fear that the world was once flat and we would sail off the edge. Joan refocused my center of gravity and provided me with tools to “access” that inner child, be playful and to keep digging.
Character is at the core of who we are and what makes us human. The digger we deep, the more we reveal about ourselves. I believe in that if I continue the excavation process, with delicate precision, and a gentle curiosity, it will serve me well in all my writing. I can’t be afraid to find out who I am underneath the surface, although sometime we bury things for a reason — because we don’t want to go there — there’s pain hidden in various forms. In writing, there’s a seemingly impenetrable darkness and then there’s light.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The opportunity to sit down with Peter Sollett and Tanya Hamilton was truly a special treat for me. Not only did are they both masters of their craft and highly-regarded writers and directors within their own right, I had been a big fan of their work before meeting them. Peter’s short film "Five Feet High and Rising," which he later turned into a feature, "Raising Victor Vargas" are two works that I admire deeply, and they have been a source for inspiration since the genius of the project.
Both Peter and Tanya are so sharp and so astute, it makes for brilliant analysis and conversation.
They have a slightly different approach to story, but essentially meet somewhere in the middle; Character. With both advisors, we really stepped back from the script — taking a birds eye view of what the film really means to me and how and what the best way to achieve telling it would be moving forward. We talked a lot about character, world, and theme.
Tanya and Peter both offered many ideas for “problem solving” — helping me hone in on areas in the script that could be refined and strengthened. It’s evident in their own work how much they care about the craft — both offering truly thoughtful insight and perspective into how each scene could advance the story. We discussed ways to deepen characters and how to build a compelling and complex world without compromising my voice, or the story I want to tell.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I think the simplest answer is to just keep writing. There’s still a ton of information to digest from the lab but the key is to not get bogged down in semantics, to move beyond the fear and paralysis that we create for ourselves. It’s time to problem solve, lock myself in a room and just write. More coffee please.
Jessie Kahnweiler
Project: "Meet My Rapist"
Jessie Kahnweiler has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, TMZ, People, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Magazine, Mashable, Buzzfeed, Elle, The Daily Beast, Jezebel, Indiewire, La Weekly, The Huffington Post, and The Independent. At the University of Redlands, Kahnweiler quickly began ditching class in order to make documentaries. For her thesis film, Little America, she hitchhiked across the country to explore the world of America’s truck drivers. After getting dumped, she wrote and co-directed the comedic short "Baby Love," co-starring alongside "Anchorman’s" David Koechner. Kahnweiler was selected for the 6 Points Artist Fellowship which inspired her comedic web series entitled "Dude, Where’s my Chutzpah?" Her short "Meet my Rapist," a dark comedy about running into her rapist at the Farmers’ Market, inspired her live show "The Rape Girl." Kahnweiler confronted her own white privilege in her viral hit "Jessie Gets Arrested." Her latest project, for which she serves as writer, director, and stars, is "The Skinny," a dark comedic series based on her 10 year relationship with bulimia. It premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and is produced by Refinery29 and Jill Soloway’s Wifey.tv Kahnweiler lives in La with her plants.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.
Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular. My project is called "Meet My Rapist" and it is loosely based on a short film I made of the same name a few years ago. After the short had it's 15 minutes online I was moving on to other projects but I felt this gnawing at my gut. I tried to ignore it, popped some advil, and went to yoga but that gnawing just wouldn't stop. That annoying painful gnawing was the beginnings of this script. I've been working on the script on and off for about a year. I'm at the stage where I need to take out most of the flippant jokes and get to the real meat of the matter - the heart, the pain. I need to live and cry this story out. Because the project is so personal it is easy for me to get lost in it. Sometimes I forget where I end and my characters begin. So being at the Sundance lab is great timing. I feel totes blessed.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
That I can't hide behind my jokes. After writing in a feeling state all day our amazing teaching Joan looked at me and was like "Your movie is a song and you gotta hit the bass notes." I was like Mic Drop. I love the challenge of making something that is a comedy based in the tragedy of human reality. That is my north star for this movie. I'm not sure if I will get there but that's where I'll be heading.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
It was incredible to take a deep dive into the script with women who so deeply understand screenwriting from the inside out. The feedback was never like "do it My way" it was more about ripping open the guts of the script and getting to that deeper level. Okay this happens but Why? Screenwriting can be so daunting like "I need write the perfect thing so I can get an agent so I can get hired etc. " and the process can be so lonely and daunting . But in both my sessions we just talked about human behavior and what makes people tick and it reminded me that filmmaking is magic and I'm really lucky to be here. Also a woman, it was inspiring to meet with other women who are living my dream. Who are feeling for a living. In both my sessions I laughed, cried, and go to ask as many questions I wanted it. It was basically my ideal Tinder date.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I'm going to keep working on drafts of the script, keep sharing it with people I trust, keep begging Sundance to let me come over and eat bagels, keep pitching it to anyone who will listen, keep crying, keep feeling, keep making my movie.
Allison Lee
Project: "Jawbone"
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Los Angeles, Allison Lee studied English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. She received her Mfa in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Upon graduation, she worked in development and production at DreamWorks and NBCUniversal. Lee has received grants from the Media Action Network and the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences. She was also named a Project Involve fellow, and her short The Grizzly was produced by Film Independent. In 2015, she was one of five screenwriters who received a residency through the inaugural Hedgebrook Screenwriters Lab, where she was mentored by Jenny Bicks and Jane Anderson.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Jawbone" is about a Korean woman who undergoes drastic plastic surgery as a means to achieve what she and her peers view as success. After she gives birth to a daughter who looks nothing like her, her life begins to unravel and she’s forced to confront her past.
I am currently grappling with rewrites while meeting with potential producers and crew.
I see "Jawbone" as a hybrid of Korean cinema and American independent film. Korean movies relish the tension in tightly wound familial and social relationships. I think my personal connection to this fabric helps me discern and explore where the similarities and differences to American culture begin and end. I also think the best American independent films underscore the universality of specific personal stories, and I aspire to follow in this tradition.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
I felt transformed by the sessions with Joan Tewkesbury. She pushed us to bare our souls and delve into our histories to deliver stories that were truthful and specific. My biggest fear about "Jawbone" is that a few extreme events in the plot would read as absurdist melodrama. Relating these events back to some of my own crises helped me re-center the emotional truth of my characters and their journeys.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
It was crucial to work with filmmakers who knew the Sundance aesthetic and had weathered the challenges before us. I knew the script needed improvement but had a hazy vision of what it required. Tanya Hamilton’s notes were both encouraging and precise about galvanizing and concretizing the protagonist’s journey. Patricia Cardoso, with her directorial and producerial expertise, reminded me that my artistic flights of fancy should still be grounded in reality and be economical and pragmatic. The breadth of their approaches made me feel like I was getting the best of all worlds.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
I am hustling on a rewrite ready to be seen by producers and representatives. Ultimately, I want to direct "Jawbone," and I am also working on a short film version.
Eliza Lee
Project: "A Beautiful Lie"
Educated in Canada and the Czech Republic, Eliza Lee began in Asia as a Dp trainee before returning to her first passion: screenwriting. She takes great pride in world building for her complex women characters. Lee’s feature, Maybe Tomorrow, about rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, is being produced by Michelle Sy ("Finding Neverland") and Sophia Chang (former artist manager for Wu Tang Clan), with Academy Award nominee Steph Green ("Run & Jump") attached to direct. Lee’s screenplay, "A Beautiful Lie," about crime novelist Patricia Highsmith, was honored at the 2015 Athena Film Festival, and was also selected for the 2015 Outfest Screenwriting Lab. In addition, she was a Cape 2015 Film & Television Fellow and was mentored by various executives from Sony, Paramount, and Fox, among others. Lee has several features and television projects in development. She is the 2016 Sundance Institute Asian American Fellow.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
When Strangers on the Train was published in 1950 and with the anticipation for it to be turned into a film by Alfred Hitchcock, Patricia Highsmith was catapulted into the literary spotlight. Here she thought was her opportunity to break free of the crime genre and finally write her Great American novel. Except, it was at the height of McCarthy’s witch hunt, and her Great American novel would become the iconic lesbian tale, The Price of Salt. In the book, Patricia defiantly gave her lesbian main characters a happy ending together, but faced with the real threat of being blacklisted, she is forced to publish it under a pseudonym. This decision would send her down a path of alcoholism, promiscuity and loneliness as she realized she would not have the happy ending she wrote.
With this story, I knew it had to come from the seminal moment in her life. And for me, it is when she braved writing The Price of Salt at a time where being who you are and believing in what you do can land you in jail, exile or financial ruin. She had to deny her nature, and coupled with a growing rage it would breed the infamous “monster” that would come to define her in her later years.
While her male peers have enjoyed forgiving, pedestal descriptors like "troubled", "complex" or the genius "l'enfant terrible", Highsmith was shown no such generosity.
On top of that, I am struck how often pictures of her old age are published displaying her alcohol and anger ravaged face. We made that. Juxtapose those with photos of Highsmith at 21, so full of hope, vitality and ready for all the wonders of love, and it is clear - she was born this way. "A Beautiful Lie" is about a woman’s quest for love when it was a crime.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
Specifically, I learned I hide behind fiction or through my characters and not have to admit the narrative comes from a personal place. Through an incredibly safe and nurturing environment on the first day, Joan Tewksbury led us through a series of spontaneous and revelatory writing exercises that at first seemed random, but without time to allow the self-censor to kick in, the writing showcased how many more complex layers we can apply to our characters through our uninhibited sharing of our personal experiences. As a result, because the stories come from us, they are inherently going to be personal. It was like sleight of hand for the imagination.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The advisors were there to help us tell the story we want to tell. And the one-on-one sessions were focused solely on the writing, and was intended to be a dialogue. It was humbling to learn the tremendous amount of time they took to burrow deep into our scripts. I was thoroughly empowered by what these writers offered me, and excited that I could challenge such seasoned pros with my perspective and approach to telling a story. Ligiah Villalobos dared me to linger longer in emotional scenes and to take my pursuit for emotional truths for my character even further. While Scott Neustadter and I discussed much about memories as structure, he also pushed me to defy a note i have received that my character is “unlikable” and to allow her to have even more anti-hero moments. i concluded my last day at the Intensive with their voices unifying in the same sentiment: they have a good feeling the film will be made.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Through the Sundance Intensive, I have a clear idea of what is my next step, and that is to apply another layer of shading to my portrait of Patricia Highsmith. I’m anxious to keep the momentum going, and then take it out to talent. I’m going to realize this film.
Jimmy Mosqueda
Project: "Valedictorian"
Jimmy Mosqueda is a lifelong California resident, the son of two Mexican migrant workers, and a graduate of Stanford University. From an early age he showed a fondness for writing, starting his first journal at the age of five, which developed into a passion for writing short stories, poetry and eventually screenplays. While attending Stanford on a full scholarship, Mosqueda saw how social class and race influenced the experiences of his fellow students, which made him realize just how much the American educational system is intimately tied to those pillars. The intersection of race, class, and education remains an ongoing theme in his works. Today, Mosqueda lives in Los Angeles and writes full-time. His screenplays have placed in numerous contests, including as a finalist in the Austin Film Festival, Script Pipeline and TrackingB competitions, and as a semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowship. He’s represented by Angelina Chen and Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment, and is actively developing projects for film and television.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
"Valedictorian" is dark teen comedy in the vein of "Election" and "Heathers." It’s about an ambitious teenage girl who do anything to be crowned valedictorian of her high school, including a little bit of murder. So, you know, just like real high school! I started writing this project about three years ago. It was inspired by my own school experiences, where everyone on the Honors track was super competitive and had their sights set on the Ivy League. Readers respond positively to the comedy and the heightened world of the script, which is great, but one thing I felt got buried underneath the multitude of drafts is the emotional core of the main character. So during the Intensive my main goal was to rediscover who she was and, building out from that, the reason why I wanted to tell this story in the first place.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
The most important thing I learned from the workshop with Joan Tewkesbury is that creative development is not about brainstorming characters or story points. All of us have unique, personal experiences and emotions that can form the building blocks of a story. You really have to look inward and tap that raw data, or else run the risk of your story ringing hollow. A lot of artists understand this intuitively, I believe, but Joan’s workshop laid it out in such clear and simple terms. For my next draft of "Valedictorian," I’m going to use these techniques as a stress test, but in all honesty I want to go back and revisit every project I ever worked on using this approach now.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
My advisors were the bee’s knees, if I can be so blunt. My first session was with Scott Neustadter, who along with his writing partner has written a lot of films with teen lead characters. He very clearly understood what the script was, and gave very specific, actionable notes on how to improve what’s already there. I love how he was able to cut through and really get at the core issues of script, which were mostly the same issues I had going in. Scott is killing the screenwriting game right now. His insights were invaluable.
My second session was with Kyle Patrick Alvarez. We spent a lot of time talking about the main character, her motivation, her relationships, and how she “earns” the big moments/twists in the script. We also spent some time talking bigger picture about the industry and how to build a career in Hollywood, which was very much appreciated. Additionally, it was great getting the perspective of another Latino in the industry.
Both men were truly gracious with their time. I left both sessions feeling inspired!
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
After stepping off Cloud 9, it’s back to the computer and working on a new draft of "Valedictorian." In addition, I will also be tackling a new draft of the pilot version. It’s the same world and characters, but with a different engine that is geared towards episodic narrative. Many of the notes I got from Scott and Kyle apply to the pilot version as well, so it’s like getting two for the price of one!
Finally, I just want to thank everyone involved with putting together the Intensive: Ilyse McKimmie, Michelle Satter, Anne Lai, Shira Rockowitz and everyone at the Sundance Institute who made this possible. I am forever grateful for the experience.
Lotfy Nathan
Project: Untitled Bouazizi Project
Lotfy Nathan’s first film, the documentary "12 O’Clock Boys," played over 50 film festivals worldwide, including SXSW, Sundance Next Fest, Lincoln Center, Viennale, Hot Docs, London, and Copenhagen in 2013. It was ranked 7 in the BFI list of top 20 documentaries of 2013, and garnered Nathan an HBO Emerging Artist award. "12 O’Clock Boys" was subsequently picked up by Oscilloscope for a North American release in theaters, acquired by Showtime for television, and was optioned for a fiction remake by Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. Nathan is a 2015 grantee of the Creative Capital Foundation, a resident filmmaker at the Cinereach Foundation, and a previous awardee of the Garrett Scott development grant, the Peter Reed Foundation, the Grainger Marburg travel grant, and an Ifp fellowship.
Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is. Include details about your artistic vision for this project in particular.
The film is about Mohamed Bouazizi, the young Tunisian fruit vendor whose act of self-immolation sparked the Arab spring. It’s a love story, apolitical (as the subject of our protagonist was); about a young man’s steady undoing, and his final bittersweet act of defiance. The film will be shot on location, with cast selected locally besides the principles, and filmed with an immersive approach.
Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?
We were encouraged to draw from very specific personal experiences, prompted by Joan It was incredible to learn these tools, which enable you to tap into vast resources from your own life that you can then apply to the writing- and so vividly. I think the writing exercises with Joan actually stirred a very unusual dream for me that night.
Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?
The advisors were very motivating. I left with pages of notes on my writing, tangible pieces of smart advice that will help inform the next draft.
Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?
Before getting back to work on the script I plan to do some other writing on the characters.
- 3/28/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
A Lonely Way to Die: Anwandter Explores the Elements of a Hate Crime
The 2012 murder of openly gay Chilean Daniel Zamudio provides the basis for Alex Antwandter’s elegiac directorial debut, You’ll Never Be Alone. Recalling a legion of cinematic examinations concerned with the aftershocks of homophobic violence, similarities to the Matthew Shepard tragedy (turned into 2002 film The Laramie Project) or the skinheads responsible for the savage murder of Frenchman Francois Chenu (examined in the 2005 documentary Beyond Hatred) are irrefutable. Rather than focus on the motives of the malefactors or the societal prized machismo and misogyny which continues to allow these cycles of hatred to flourish in each new generation, the film’s focus is the creeping devastation to those directly and irreparably affected by such despicable barbarism. Sans answers or resolution, it’s merely an unassuming tale of loss, frustration, and combatting helplessness.
Eighteen year old Pablo (Andrew...
The 2012 murder of openly gay Chilean Daniel Zamudio provides the basis for Alex Antwandter’s elegiac directorial debut, You’ll Never Be Alone. Recalling a legion of cinematic examinations concerned with the aftershocks of homophobic violence, similarities to the Matthew Shepard tragedy (turned into 2002 film The Laramie Project) or the skinheads responsible for the savage murder of Frenchman Francois Chenu (examined in the 2005 documentary Beyond Hatred) are irrefutable. Rather than focus on the motives of the malefactors or the societal prized machismo and misogyny which continues to allow these cycles of hatred to flourish in each new generation, the film’s focus is the creeping devastation to those directly and irreparably affected by such despicable barbarism. Sans answers or resolution, it’s merely an unassuming tale of loss, frustration, and combatting helplessness.
Eighteen year old Pablo (Andrew...
- 2/16/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Actor James Woods has ripped into President Obama over the chief executive’s response to the deadly shooting at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College. The “Once Upon a Time in America” star took to Twitter and lambasted the president on Friday. Woods was apparently irked by what he felt was Obama’s insufficient attention to reports that the suspected shooter, Chris Harper Mercer, singled out Christians in Thursday’s rampage. “Hate crime massacre of Christians finally silences Obama,” Woods wrote, adding the hashtag, “#LiberalLaryngitis.” Also Read: 'The View' Refuses to 'Glorify' Oregon Shooter: 'We Aren't Saying His Name' Woods continued to trash Obama on Saturday,...
- 10/3/2015
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Before Cards Against Humanity, we played Apples to Apples, and if you wanted to make that game any fun at all for someone over 10, you had to have an inside joke wild card. And of course the only good wild card that could win every time no matter what was Helen Keller. Her name has become more synonymous with a meme than with her actual life. And Pro Tip: Helen Keller and Anne Frank are two different people.
But Helen Keller remains so awesome, that this latest movie that you should absolutely give all your money to is so epic that the crazy wild Wtf name Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves cannot even do it justice.
Currently Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves has 16 days left in a $1 million Indiegogo campaign to complete post-production on the film. Directed by Ross Patterson, who wrote the tongue-in-cheek Western novel At Night She Cries While He Rides His Steed,...
But Helen Keller remains so awesome, that this latest movie that you should absolutely give all your money to is so epic that the crazy wild Wtf name Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves cannot even do it justice.
Currently Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves has 16 days left in a $1 million Indiegogo campaign to complete post-production on the film. Directed by Ross Patterson, who wrote the tongue-in-cheek Western novel At Night She Cries While He Rides His Steed,...
- 5/21/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
The legendary late film critic Roger Ebert’s wife Chaz Ebert will develop a feature film on Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, and how the crime that was his death led to action by her, that helped galvanize the civil rights movement. Announced at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday, to be made in partnership with Shatterglass Films, the film will be based on the book, “Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America,” which was co-written by Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (who passed away in 2003), and journalist Christopher Benson. Here's a synopsis: "There are many heroes of the civil rights movement - men and women we can look to for...
- 5/16/2015
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
Shatterglass Films and Chaz Ebert will adapt the Emmett Till book Death Of Innocence: The Story Of The Hate Crime That Changed America into a feature film. The book is based on the life of the murdered Chicago teenager and was co-written by Till's mother and journalist Christopher Benson. It was nominated for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the death of Till, who was 14 and visiting relatives in the Mississippi Delta when he was…...
- 5/15/2015
- Deadline
Stars: Danny Glover, Joe Anderson, Dawn Olivieri, Derek Luke, Evan Ross, Lela Rochon, Mahershala Ali, Julie Benz, Nick Chinlund, Robin Bobeau, Anson Mount, Alex Henderson, Jenica Bergere, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Tyrin Turner | Written by Eric J. Adams | Directed by Deon Taylor
Apparently “inspired” by the true-life case of Robert Walter Scully, Jr. who killed a police officer in 1995 before taking a family hostage, Supremacy tells the story of Tully (Anderson) a white supremacist who just got paroled. But his first night out could be his last…
After being pulled over, Tully just killed the cop (Ali) and goes on the run. And no one’s going to listen to an ex-con with the Aryan Nation. Tully and his girlfriend (Olivieri) add home invasion and hostages to the body count. But no one counted on Mr. Walker (Glover), an ex-con himself, to fight back—using his understanding of the racist mind to...
Apparently “inspired” by the true-life case of Robert Walter Scully, Jr. who killed a police officer in 1995 before taking a family hostage, Supremacy tells the story of Tully (Anderson) a white supremacist who just got paroled. But his first night out could be his last…
After being pulled over, Tully just killed the cop (Ali) and goes on the run. And no one’s going to listen to an ex-con with the Aryan Nation. Tully and his girlfriend (Olivieri) add home invasion and hostages to the body count. But no one counted on Mr. Walker (Glover), an ex-con himself, to fight back—using his understanding of the racist mind to...
- 4/18/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Press Release: BBFC bans the horror film Hate Crime
Monday 2nd March 2015 – The BBFC announced today that Hate Crime, the first release in a new joint VOD venture between geek blog Nerdly.co.uk and TheHorrorShow.TV – has officially been banned in the UK. It is one of only four horror movies officially refused classification by the BBFC since 2009, the others being Grotesque, The Bunny Game and The … Continue reading →
Horrornews.net...
Monday 2nd March 2015 – The BBFC announced today that Hate Crime, the first release in a new joint VOD venture between geek blog Nerdly.co.uk and TheHorrorShow.TV – has officially been banned in the UK. It is one of only four horror movies officially refused classification by the BBFC since 2009, the others being Grotesque, The Bunny Game and The … Continue reading →
Horrornews.net...
- 3/3/2015
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
Word has just come in that production is currently under way in Sedona, Arizona, on the new indie feature from director Tommy Stovall, entitled Aaron's Blood. Read on for casting news and details.
From the Press Release
Aaron’s Blood, a horror movie from director Tommy Stovall (festival hits Sedona and Hate Crime), started shooting in Sedona, Az, last week. It was written by Stovall and is being produced by Marc Sterling.
Aaron’s Blood is the third feature from Arizona based Pasidg Productions. James Martinez ("Low Winter Sun," "Breaking Bad"), Michael Chieffo (Argo), and Trevor Sterling Stovall are starring.
Aaron’s Blood is about a single father (Martinez) fighting to save his only child, a 12-year-old bullied hemophiliac boy (Sterling Stovall), who becomes infected with vampire blood.
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Spill blood in the comments section below!
From the Press Release
Aaron’s Blood, a horror movie from director Tommy Stovall (festival hits Sedona and Hate Crime), started shooting in Sedona, Az, last week. It was written by Stovall and is being produced by Marc Sterling.
Aaron’s Blood is the third feature from Arizona based Pasidg Productions. James Martinez ("Low Winter Sun," "Breaking Bad"), Michael Chieffo (Argo), and Trevor Sterling Stovall are starring.
Aaron’s Blood is about a single father (Martinez) fighting to save his only child, a 12-year-old bullied hemophiliac boy (Sterling Stovall), who becomes infected with vampire blood.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Subscribe to the Dread Central YouTube Channel!
Spill blood in the comments section below!
- 7/31/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Previously, on The Vampire Diaries
Elena and Damon rush into Elena’s dorm where Caroline weeps over Stefan’s body. She begs them to tell her Bonnie has a plan to bring him back and Damon vows to make it happen. They move his body while Stefan looks on pensively from The Other Side. His mood is broken when the winds of Oblivion start dragging him away. Just as his grip fails, he is snatched from Oblivion’s maw by Lexi.
“Looks like I’ve now saved you from both metaphorical darkness and actual darkness. I think you owe me a beer.” Title card!
Bonnie tries to calm a rampaging Damon who’s smashing his way through her Improbably Large Dorm Room. He blames her for losing the shitty Traveler who was going to do the resurrection spell but she points out that one, she was lost to Oblivion and two,...
Elena and Damon rush into Elena’s dorm where Caroline weeps over Stefan’s body. She begs them to tell her Bonnie has a plan to bring him back and Damon vows to make it happen. They move his body while Stefan looks on pensively from The Other Side. His mood is broken when the winds of Oblivion start dragging him away. Just as his grip fails, he is snatched from Oblivion’s maw by Lexi.
“Looks like I’ve now saved you from both metaphorical darkness and actual darkness. I think you owe me a beer.” Title card!
Bonnie tries to calm a rampaging Damon who’s smashing his way through her Improbably Large Dorm Room. He blames her for losing the shitty Traveler who was going to do the resurrection spell but she points out that one, she was lost to Oblivion and two,...
- 5/16/2014
- by John
- The Backlot
Three people were killed when a gunman opened fire outside two Jewish Community centers near Kansas City Sunday, April 13, in what is believed to have been a hate crime.
Three Dead From Shootings
Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He was in the car with his grandfather, William Lewis Corporon, who also died as a result of his injuries. Underwood, who was not Jewish himself, was there to audition for “Kc Superstar,” a singing competition for Kansas City area high school students. His grandfather, a doctor, had recently moved to Kansas City to be closer to his grandchildren.
Underwood’s mother and Corporon’s daughter, Mindy Corporon, spoke at a vigil for the victims of the shootings, hosted by the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the church the family belongs to.
“I was there before...
Three Dead From Shootings
Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He was in the car with his grandfather, William Lewis Corporon, who also died as a result of his injuries. Underwood, who was not Jewish himself, was there to audition for “Kc Superstar,” a singing competition for Kansas City area high school students. His grandfather, a doctor, had recently moved to Kansas City to be closer to his grandchildren.
Underwood’s mother and Corporon’s daughter, Mindy Corporon, spoke at a vigil for the victims of the shootings, hosted by the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the church the family belongs to.
“I was there before...
- 4/14/2014
- Uinterview
Three people were killed when a gunman opened fire outside two Jewish Community centers near Kansas City Sunday, April 13, in what is believed to have been a hate crime.
Three Dead From Shootings
Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He was in the car with his grandfather, William Lewis Corporon, who also died as a result of his injuries. Underwood, who was not Jewish himself, was there to audition for “Kc Superstar,” a singing competition for Kansas City area high school students. His grandfather, a doctor, had recently moved to Kansas City to be closer to his grandchildren.
Underwood’s mother and Corporon’s daughter, Mindy Corporon, spoke at a vigil for the victims of the shootings, hosted by the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the church the family belongs to.
“I was there before...
Three Dead From Shootings
Reat Griffin Underwood, 14, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. He was in the car with his grandfather, William Lewis Corporon, who also died as a result of his injuries. Underwood, who was not Jewish himself, was there to audition for “Kc Superstar,” a singing competition for Kansas City area high school students. His grandfather, a doctor, had recently moved to Kansas City to be closer to his grandchildren.
Underwood’s mother and Corporon’s daughter, Mindy Corporon, spoke at a vigil for the victims of the shootings, hosted by the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the church the family belongs to.
“I was there before...
- 4/14/2014
- Uinterview
An upcoming documentary titled Tulsa: Hate Crime Capital, described as a groundbreaking exploration of the media's coverage of hate crimes spanning 90 years in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The film reveals the extremes of racial tension in America's heartland, told through the eyes of survivors of the 1921 Race Riot and the "Good Friday Murders" of 2012. The tragic events in Tulsa deserve in-depth historical and social analysis to explain the significance of each moment and clearly illuminate the path of racial unrest as it develops into violence and of denial as it foments into concealment, blocking the path toward resolution and healing. Tulsa: Hate Crime Capital will scrutinize American...
- 12/23/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
by Seth Metoyer, MoreHorror.com
It's that time of year where horror sites and fans present their Best Horror Films of 2013 lists. For some reason I've typically steered clear of top lists in the past. I think it's mostly because of the constant whining and bellyaching that occurs once lists are released. Plus there will inevitably be good films that didn't make the list. However, mostly it's the constant cries of "That wasn't a horror movie that was a thriller stupid!" or "That movie released last year dummy!" or "There are too many mainstream releases here losers!" or my personal favorite "That film totally sucked so you guys suck!", that really get to me.
This year I decided to go ahead and make a MoreHorror Top 20 Horror Films of 2013 list because a lot of people seem interested in our take. Yes there are some mainstream Hollywood films on the list,...
It's that time of year where horror sites and fans present their Best Horror Films of 2013 lists. For some reason I've typically steered clear of top lists in the past. I think it's mostly because of the constant whining and bellyaching that occurs once lists are released. Plus there will inevitably be good films that didn't make the list. However, mostly it's the constant cries of "That wasn't a horror movie that was a thriller stupid!" or "That movie released last year dummy!" or "There are too many mainstream releases here losers!" or my personal favorite "That film totally sucked so you guys suck!", that really get to me.
This year I decided to go ahead and make a MoreHorror Top 20 Horror Films of 2013 list because a lot of people seem interested in our take. Yes there are some mainstream Hollywood films on the list,...
- 12/22/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Kinky Boots looks good in black, Guillermo Del Toro rocks Treehouse of Horror couch gag, Arrow gives us what we want with “Great Abs Preview”
Judy Shepard has responded to the Ole Miss football players who heckled a production of The Laramie Project. “One thing I often see in productions of The Laramie Project is that involvement in the play sparks in them an awareness of anti-gay hate that they often would not have noticed, especially when performed at colleges and universities. Seeing how the community of Laramie, Wyoming was affected by the murder of my son as told in the play, creates a space where a community can talk about hate.” The chancellor of the school has finally apologized and promised the students will “be held accountable.”
USA Network is holding a contest for teens to write an anti-bullying PSA for the Characters Unite project. Perhaps they could help...
Judy Shepard has responded to the Ole Miss football players who heckled a production of The Laramie Project. “One thing I often see in productions of The Laramie Project is that involvement in the play sparks in them an awareness of anti-gay hate that they often would not have noticed, especially when performed at colleges and universities. Seeing how the community of Laramie, Wyoming was affected by the murder of my son as told in the play, creates a space where a community can talk about hate.” The chancellor of the school has finally apologized and promised the students will “be held accountable.”
USA Network is holding a contest for teens to write an anti-bullying PSA for the Characters Unite project. Perhaps they could help...
- 10/4/2013
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
"Hate Crime" is a terrifying tale of a Jewish family freshly moved into a new neighborhood. While enjoying a birthday party for their son's birthday, a viscous group of drug crazed maniacs invade their home and transform the happy birthday into a horrible nightmare. The release date for this very controversial film is October 15th. Check out the full details, as well as the official trailer below. From The Press Release: "After a lot of contro…...
- 7/18/2013
- Horrorbid
Tuxedo-clad bear Alec Baldwin continues to be poked by the abusive handlers of the world, though his latest attack unfortunately goes beyond tussles with stewardesses or his own daughter that can be ameliorated with SNL skits and YouTube mash-ups. Baldwin is currently under investigation by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force for an incident involving a New York Post photographer, G.N. Miller, a retired NYPD detective who told his former colleagues on the force that Baldwin called him a “coon,” a “crackhead,” and a “drug dealer,” after Baldwin had one of his characteristic run-ins with paparazzi outside his ...
- 2/19/2013
- avclub.com
The MoreHorror podcast is back at you just in time for the Holiday Season, with a show that is oh so appropriate for this time of year.
Your podcast regular Marcey is back, bringing with her fellow MoreHorror writer Jesse Miller in his first appearance on the show.
The pair discuss some Christmas Themed Horror films including a debate on Black Christmas and its remake from 2006. Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night are also up for discussion and how they are sort of similar - but which is better?
For some more family friendly films, we give you Gremlins, A Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorshands to consider.
Since it is near the end of the year, we also talked about some 2012 releases for horror. We discuss some titles we loved such as Maniac, Entrance, Hate Crime, The Woman And Black and Redd Inc. Then we also have ones...
Your podcast regular Marcey is back, bringing with her fellow MoreHorror writer Jesse Miller in his first appearance on the show.
The pair discuss some Christmas Themed Horror films including a debate on Black Christmas and its remake from 2006. Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night are also up for discussion and how they are sort of similar - but which is better?
For some more family friendly films, we give you Gremlins, A Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorshands to consider.
Since it is near the end of the year, we also talked about some 2012 releases for horror. We discuss some titles we loved such as Maniac, Entrance, Hate Crime, The Woman And Black and Redd Inc. Then we also have ones...
- 12/18/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Hatebreed, a metalcore band from Connecticut, recently took issue with the way CNN labeled them. In an article describing the Sikh temple shooting suspect's involvement in a number of white power bands, writer Lonnie Nasatir included Hatebreed in the following list:
At any given time, about 100 to 150 white power bands are in the United States. The bands' own names defiantly express feelings of hate or violence: Aggravated Assault, Angry Aryans, Attack, Definite Hate, Final Solution, Force Fed Hate, Fueled by Hate, Hate Crime, Jew Slaughter and White Terror, among others.
Unsurprisingly, the band -- which claims it does not support any racist messages or groups -- didn't take kindly to being in that company. In tweets posted to Hatebreed's Twitter page, the band derided CNN as "hacks" and sent the following message:
Fans of Hatebreed's music apparently flooded CNN with complaints, and the website removed any mention of the band from the article.
At any given time, about 100 to 150 white power bands are in the United States. The bands' own names defiantly express feelings of hate or violence: Aggravated Assault, Angry Aryans, Attack, Definite Hate, Final Solution, Force Fed Hate, Fueled by Hate, Hate Crime, Jew Slaughter and White Terror, among others.
Unsurprisingly, the band -- which claims it does not support any racist messages or groups -- didn't take kindly to being in that company. In tweets posted to Hatebreed's Twitter page, the band derided CNN as "hacks" and sent the following message:
Fans of Hatebreed's music apparently flooded CNN with complaints, and the website removed any mention of the band from the article.
- 8/9/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
We open this week with a lovely tracking shot up the length of Dev's naked body, glowing in the early morning light as he sleeps off the rest of last night's drunk.
He opens his eyes and, after a moment's confusion at his surroundings, clearly thinks to himself, “What the hell did I get myself into last night?” He rolls over and spots just what the hell he got himself into last night. Mornin' Ivy!
Cut to Karen backstage walking with Jessica, who is incredulous upon learning that Derek had sex with Rebecca. Cut to Derek, who waves good morning. Back to the ladies, where Karen frets about her fight with Dev. She's been texting and texting and he hasn't responded. Oh Karen, what's the worst that could have happened?
Jessica asks to borrow Karen's phone to call Ivy, who isn't yet at rehearsal. She dials and one of two...
He opens his eyes and, after a moment's confusion at his surroundings, clearly thinks to himself, “What the hell did I get myself into last night?” He rolls over and spots just what the hell he got himself into last night. Mornin' Ivy!
Cut to Karen backstage walking with Jessica, who is incredulous upon learning that Derek had sex with Rebecca. Cut to Derek, who waves good morning. Back to the ladies, where Karen frets about her fight with Dev. She's been texting and texting and he hasn't responded. Oh Karen, what's the worst that could have happened?
Jessica asks to borrow Karen's phone to call Ivy, who isn't yet at rehearsal. She dials and one of two...
- 5/8/2012
- by fakename
- The Backlot
Tyler Perry presents ... a possibly racist incident with police in Atlanta. The Atlanta Police Department says it's launched an internal investigation .... after Perry publicly accused two officers of racially profiling him during a traffic stop earlier this week. Perry says he was leaving his Atl studio ... when he made a left turn from the right lane to ensure he wasn't being followed. Tyler explains, "It’s a safety precaution that my security team taught me.
- 4/5/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Cops Launch Investigation Into Perry's Claims
Georgia police have launched an investigation into actor/director Tyler Perry's claims he was racially profiled by two white cops during a recent traffic stop.
The Diary of a Mad Black Woman star took to Facebook.com to recount his recent brush with the law, alleging he was pulled over in Atlanta after making an illegal turn and reprimanded for having tinted windows.
But Perry admits the incident quickly turned hostile.
He wrote, "I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled... Racial Profiling Should Be A Hate Crime Investigated By The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)!!!"
According to the post, the filmmaker was eventually let go once a black officer pulled up to the scene and recognised the star, but, Perry's allegations have now prompted police officials to launch an internal probe.
Atlanta Police Department chiefs, who confirmed two officers encountered the funnyman during a traffic stop in March, released a statement to CNN, which reads, "Mr. Perry's concerns, as recently expressed by him publicly, will be the basis for referral of the matter to the department's Office of Professional Standards. Ops has opened an investigation to determine if Mr. Perry's claims can be substantiated, and whether any departmental policies or procedures were violated during the stop."...
The Diary of a Mad Black Woman star took to Facebook.com to recount his recent brush with the law, alleging he was pulled over in Atlanta after making an illegal turn and reprimanded for having tinted windows.
But Perry admits the incident quickly turned hostile.
He wrote, "I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled... Racial Profiling Should Be A Hate Crime Investigated By The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)!!!"
According to the post, the filmmaker was eventually let go once a black officer pulled up to the scene and recognised the star, but, Perry's allegations have now prompted police officials to launch an internal probe.
Atlanta Police Department chiefs, who confirmed two officers encountered the funnyman during a traffic stop in March, released a statement to CNN, which reads, "Mr. Perry's concerns, as recently expressed by him publicly, will be the basis for referral of the matter to the department's Office of Professional Standards. Ops has opened an investigation to determine if Mr. Perry's claims can be substantiated, and whether any departmental policies or procedures were violated during the stop."...
- 4/4/2012
- WENN
Perry Calls For Racial Profiling To Be Treated As A Hate Crime
Actor/director Tyler Perry has called for federal agents to take racial profiling seriously as a potential hate crime after a terrifying recent encounter with two white cops.
The Diary of a Mad Black Woman star took to Facebook.com to recount the experience, and stated that more work needs to be done to prevent a repeat of the death of black teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in Florida in February by a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer.
Perry alleges he was pulled over in Los Angeles late one night for making an illegal turn, and reprimanded for having tinted windows - and, as he attempted to explain himself, he realised he was in big trouble.
He writes, "My mother would always say to me, 'if you get stopped by the police, especially if they are white policemen, you say 'yes sir' and 'no sir', and if they want to take you in, you go with them. Don't resist, you hear me? Don't make any quick moves, don't run, you just go.' It wasn't until after I heard her voice that I realized that both of these officers were white... I didn't feel safe at all.
"At this point, I told him (officer) that I wanted to get out of the car. I wanted the passersby to see what was happening."
However, once a black officer pulled up at the scene and recognised Perry, the officials apologised and let him go.
But the incident has stayed with the director, and opened his eyes to what type of treatment he may have endured if it wasn't for his celebrity status.
He continues, "I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled, and until this situation has improved greatly, I'm not sure how a murder in Florida can be protected by a 'stand your ground law'.
"Racial Profiling Should Be A Hate Crime Investigated By The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)!!! That way local government can't make the decision on whether or not these people get punished."...
The Diary of a Mad Black Woman star took to Facebook.com to recount the experience, and stated that more work needs to be done to prevent a repeat of the death of black teen Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in Florida in February by a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer.
Perry alleges he was pulled over in Los Angeles late one night for making an illegal turn, and reprimanded for having tinted windows - and, as he attempted to explain himself, he realised he was in big trouble.
He writes, "My mother would always say to me, 'if you get stopped by the police, especially if they are white policemen, you say 'yes sir' and 'no sir', and if they want to take you in, you go with them. Don't resist, you hear me? Don't make any quick moves, don't run, you just go.' It wasn't until after I heard her voice that I realized that both of these officers were white... I didn't feel safe at all.
"At this point, I told him (officer) that I wanted to get out of the car. I wanted the passersby to see what was happening."
However, once a black officer pulled up at the scene and recognised Perry, the officials apologised and let him go.
But the incident has stayed with the director, and opened his eyes to what type of treatment he may have endured if it wasn't for his celebrity status.
He continues, "I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled, and until this situation has improved greatly, I'm not sure how a murder in Florida can be protected by a 'stand your ground law'.
"Racial Profiling Should Be A Hate Crime Investigated By The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)!!! That way local government can't make the decision on whether or not these people get punished."...
- 4/3/2012
- WENN
In a lengthy essay posted yesterday on his official Facebook fan page, filmmaker Tyler Perry recounted a recent confrontation with law enforcement officers after he was allegedly pulled over and interrogated by police in Atlanta.
According to the post, Perry was leaving his studio when he made an illegal turn in order to ensure that he was not being followed. Two police officers pulled Perry over and purportedly pressed him about his actions, calling attention to his tinted windows and expressing their suspicion at why Perry believed he was being followed. A third officer arrived and seemingly explained who Perry was,...
According to the post, Perry was leaving his studio when he made an illegal turn in order to ensure that he was not being followed. Two police officers pulled Perry over and purportedly pressed him about his actions, calling attention to his tinted windows and expressing their suspicion at why Perry believed he was being followed. A third officer arrived and seemingly explained who Perry was,...
- 4/2/2012
- by Marc Snetiker
- EW.com - PopWatch
By Zachary Swickey
Few music festivals have the reliability of Austin’s South by Southwest when it comes to bringing in acts. The camaraderie between bands and fans alike is overwhelming (in an awesome way). Not to mention just about every up-and-coming group plays SXSW at least once, if not a half dozen times, in their careers. I thankfully discovered Solid Gold while preparing for my jaunt there earlier this year, but they weren’t the only ones. In a true moment of being at the right place at the right time, I got to emo’s music venue an hour early (knowing the Kills would go on an hour later) and discovered Austra – the Canadian New Wave act responsible for one of my favorite albums so far in 2011.
Austra is a Toronto-based three-piece consisting of vocalist and group-appointed leader, Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski, and bassist Dorian Wolf. After...
Few music festivals have the reliability of Austin’s South by Southwest when it comes to bringing in acts. The camaraderie between bands and fans alike is overwhelming (in an awesome way). Not to mention just about every up-and-coming group plays SXSW at least once, if not a half dozen times, in their careers. I thankfully discovered Solid Gold while preparing for my jaunt there earlier this year, but they weren’t the only ones. In a true moment of being at the right place at the right time, I got to emo’s music venue an hour early (knowing the Kills would go on an hour later) and discovered Austra – the Canadian New Wave act responsible for one of my favorite albums so far in 2011.
Austra is a Toronto-based three-piece consisting of vocalist and group-appointed leader, Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski, and bassist Dorian Wolf. After...
- 9/1/2011
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
Larry David is a petulant, bickering, irritating, unredeemable jackass of a human being. I understand that David's misanthropy is why so many people enjoy "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and for a few seasons, I found it amusing, too. But save for last season's "Seinfeld" reunion, I've lost my taste for Larry David. I hate him as much as the rest of the characters in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" do, and I hate the rest of those characters almost as much as I hate Larry David. Given how intelligent I think that David probably is, I'm also beginning to wonder if it's not purposeful. It feels like an exercise, as though he is saying, "I'm Larry David. I created 'Seinfeld,' and there is so much reverence for me that I can be as bitter, ugly, unlikable and hostile as I'd like, and people will continue to watch." It's the sort of...
- 7/26/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
Sci-fi review and news site Quiet Earth has debuted the first trailer for SyFy's Red Faction: Origins. This SyFy Original will premiere June 4th and this film is a video game adaptation, which will star Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgement Day), Tamzin Merchant (Jane Eyre) and Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime).
The latest Red Faction game is titled Red Faction: Armageddon and this title will release three days after the film, June 7th. This series of games follows colonists on Mars, where they must face an invading alien force. Space shuttle back to Earth, please! Check out the trailer inside and get set for the premiere in only a few short weeks.
The synopsis for Red Faction: Origins is here:
"Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason led the Martian Colonies to freedom and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra and left a broken hero in their wake.
The latest Red Faction game is titled Red Faction: Armageddon and this title will release three days after the film, June 7th. This series of games follows colonists on Mars, where they must face an invading alien force. Space shuttle back to Earth, please! Check out the trailer inside and get set for the premiere in only a few short weeks.
The synopsis for Red Faction: Origins is here:
"Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason led the Martian Colonies to freedom and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra and left a broken hero in their wake.
- 5/3/2011
- by Remove28DaysLaterAnalysisThis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
In his still relatively young, yet incredibly prolific, career, Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi has mostly exhibited three very distinct and separate styles in his approach to his films.
There are the highly sensual and sexual portraits of women, such as Traumata, Gash and Organ Molly. There are the serious and personal documentaries, such as Nice Bombs and the still-in-production American Arab. And there are his gonzo, transgressive “comedies” such as The Amateurs and The Foreigner.
However, for his latest feature-length, fictional narrative film Profane, Alshaibi has melded all of those styles into a singular, cohesive vision that is, as of now, his most accomplished work.
Have You Seen This Movie? (Leave Your Own Review)
Although Profane is a portrait of a young, female Muslim sex worker, Muna (Manal Kara), one can’t but help to feel that the film’s raw, naked emotional level comes from a highly autobiographical place.
There are the highly sensual and sexual portraits of women, such as Traumata, Gash and Organ Molly. There are the serious and personal documentaries, such as Nice Bombs and the still-in-production American Arab. And there are his gonzo, transgressive “comedies” such as The Amateurs and The Foreigner.
However, for his latest feature-length, fictional narrative film Profane, Alshaibi has melded all of those styles into a singular, cohesive vision that is, as of now, his most accomplished work.
Have You Seen This Movie? (Leave Your Own Review)
Although Profane is a portrait of a young, female Muslim sex worker, Muna (Manal Kara), one can’t but help to feel that the film’s raw, naked emotional level comes from a highly autobiographical place.
- 4/25/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Days before he was savagely beaten in a racist attack, Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi released the above video in which he discusses an appalling anti-Muslim rally in Orange County, California. At the rally, elected official Deborah Pauly — an O.C. councilwoman — even implied she would like to order military servicemen to massacre a peaceful gathering of Muslim families. Clearly angry and disturbed by this incident, Alshaibi remains calm and discusses the real meaning of what it is to be American.
The original video that Alshaibi is responding to has been taken down due to a “copyright violation” claim by George M. Collins who runs the website Santa Ana Insight. However, another video of Pauly’s comments can be viewed here. The councilwoman appears to be on an insane, paranoid rant in which she calls the attendees of a Muslim community fundraiser “evil” and “a bad seed” using American freedom of assembly “against us.
The original video that Alshaibi is responding to has been taken down due to a “copyright violation” claim by George M. Collins who runs the website Santa Ana Insight. However, another video of Pauly’s comments can be viewed here. The councilwoman appears to be on an insane, paranoid rant in which she calls the attendees of a Muslim community fundraiser “evil” and “a bad seed” using American freedom of assembly “against us.
- 3/8/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
As the country commemorates Martin Luther King Day and reflects on Tucson, The Daily Beast crunches the numbers to rank the tolerances of every state across America. How did yours stack up?
In the four-plus decades since Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, America has surely moved closer to a country where people are judged more by content of their character than the color of their skin-or their gender, religion or sexual orientation. In honor of today's national holiday, and mindful of the debate fostered by the massacre in Tucson nine days ago, The Daily Beast sought to examine which states are the most tolerant, devising a thorough point system that measures each state's residents based on their actions and opinions, as well the scope of state laws guaranteeing equal rights and protections, which reflects the broader political will.
Related story on The Daily Beast: President Obama Seizes the Center
Specifically,...
In the four-plus decades since Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, America has surely moved closer to a country where people are judged more by content of their character than the color of their skin-or their gender, religion or sexual orientation. In honor of today's national holiday, and mindful of the debate fostered by the massacre in Tucson nine days ago, The Daily Beast sought to examine which states are the most tolerant, devising a thorough point system that measures each state's residents based on their actions and opinions, as well the scope of state laws guaranteeing equal rights and protections, which reflects the broader political will.
Related story on The Daily Beast: President Obama Seizes the Center
Specifically,...
- 1/17/2011
- by The Daily Beast
- The Daily Beast
Stargate Universe is a bizarrely controversial show, and if you need proof, just take a look at my initial review of the show. Somewhere in the realm of “mildly positive, but hopeful,” the review doesn’t exactly oversell the show, but there are few comments that aren’t from “Stargate Purisits” taking shots at the changes in format and tone. Not that there aren’t plenty of reasons to avoid the show without Stargate baggage, but Sci-Fi is a genre of fans who throw themselves into things, and are often rather easy to annoy.
While some of my initial concerns were dealt with as the show continued, there are many ways in which this incarnation of Stargate still hasn’t, in my estimation, gotten out of its own way. I am the wrong guy to try to sell cheap, simplistic melodrama to, especially when it is slapped into a show...
While some of my initial concerns were dealt with as the show continued, there are many ways in which this incarnation of Stargate still hasn’t, in my estimation, gotten out of its own way. I am the wrong guy to try to sell cheap, simplistic melodrama to, especially when it is slapped into a show...
- 10/28/2010
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Stargate Universe, the latest installment series in the Stargate saga, has concluded its first season, and now you can buy the first season on DVD and Blu-ray. In celebration of this, JustPressPlay is giving away Stargate Universe: Season 1.5 on Blu-ray. What do you have to do to win? It's easy.
To win just do two things:
1) Follow us on Twitter via @JustPressPlay
2) Tweet the following message at us, each time earns you win entry towards winning (limit one entry per day):
@JustPressPlay I want to win Stargate Universe: Season 1.5 on Blu-ray. http://bit.ly/bZPZYt
Contest ends August 24th, 2010.
Now for an official summary:
The latest hit series from the creators of “Stargate Sg-1” makes a date with destiny when “Sgu 1.5” debuts on Blu-ray Disc and DVD July 27 from MGM Home Entertainment. Featuring the final 10 episodes of season one, the story continues to follow a group of soldiers,...
To win just do two things:
1) Follow us on Twitter via @JustPressPlay
2) Tweet the following message at us, each time earns you win entry towards winning (limit one entry per day):
@JustPressPlay I want to win Stargate Universe: Season 1.5 on Blu-ray. http://bit.ly/bZPZYt
Contest ends August 24th, 2010.
Now for an official summary:
The latest hit series from the creators of “Stargate Sg-1” makes a date with destiny when “Sgu 1.5” debuts on Blu-ray Disc and DVD July 27 from MGM Home Entertainment. Featuring the final 10 episodes of season one, the story continues to follow a group of soldiers,...
- 8/14/2010
- by Lex Walker
- JustPressPlay.net
Getty Images, Splashnews.com
Mel Gibson’s rants caught on tape, which have now been subpoenaed by the police, might be enough evidence for him to be charged for terrorist threats, mayhem, battery and hate crimes — and he could be facing more than eight years in jail, say lawyers.
Mel Gibson’s brutal and frightening telephone rants toward his now ex-girlfriend Oksana Girgorieva were caught on tape — and three lawyers tell HollywoodLife.com the 54-year-old actor is facing serious charges — including domestic abuse, terrorism, mayhem and hate crimes, which could mean eight years or more in jail.
“It’s as serious admission of guilt as I’ve ever heard,” divorce lawyer and author Vikki Ziegler told HollywoodLife.com after listening to Mel’s second rant, which leaked July 12. “In California, they are going to prove it as a felon, if they can prove it’s him. I think he has some major headaches — felony charges,...
Mel Gibson’s rants caught on tape, which have now been subpoenaed by the police, might be enough evidence for him to be charged for terrorist threats, mayhem, battery and hate crimes — and he could be facing more than eight years in jail, say lawyers.
Mel Gibson’s brutal and frightening telephone rants toward his now ex-girlfriend Oksana Girgorieva were caught on tape — and three lawyers tell HollywoodLife.com the 54-year-old actor is facing serious charges — including domestic abuse, terrorism, mayhem and hate crimes, which could mean eight years or more in jail.
“It’s as serious admission of guilt as I’ve ever heard,” divorce lawyer and author Vikki Ziegler told HollywoodLife.com after listening to Mel’s second rant, which leaked July 12. “In California, they are going to prove it as a felon, if they can prove it’s him. I think he has some major headaches — felony charges,...
- 7/12/2010
- by Kirstin Benson
- HollywoodLife
Vancouver-lensed "Stargate Universe", aka "Sgu 1.5" debuts on Blu-ray Disc and DVD July 27 from MGM Home Entertainment featuring the first season's last 10 episodes.
"...The story follows a group of soldiers, scientists and civilians, unexpectedly transported to the other side of the universe. Stranded billions of miles from Earth on an ancient ship known as the 'Destiny', the passengers encounter adventures beyond their wildest dreams as they struggle to survive..."
The show stars Robert Carlyle ("Trainspotting"), Brian J. Smith ("Hate Crime"), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and Canadian actors including Justin Louis, Alaina Huffman, Patrick Gilmore and Elyse Levesque.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Sgu 1.5"...
"...The story follows a group of soldiers, scientists and civilians, unexpectedly transported to the other side of the universe. Stranded billions of miles from Earth on an ancient ship known as the 'Destiny', the passengers encounter adventures beyond their wildest dreams as they struggle to survive..."
The show stars Robert Carlyle ("Trainspotting"), Brian J. Smith ("Hate Crime"), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and Canadian actors including Justin Louis, Alaina Huffman, Patrick Gilmore and Elyse Levesque.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Sgu 1.5"...
- 6/17/2010
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
The latest hit series from the creators of “Stargate Sg-1” makes a date with destiny when “Sgu 1.5” debuts on Blu-ray Disc and DVD July 27 from MGM Home Entertainment. Featuring the final 10 episodes of season one, the story continues to follow a group of soldiers, scientists and civilians that was unexpectedly transported to the other side of the universe. Stranded billions of miles from Earth on an Ancient ship known as the Destiny, the passengers encounter adventures beyond their wildest dreams as they struggle to survive. “Stargate Universe” recorded the highest Friday night series premiere since “Battlestar Gallactica” debuted in 2005, drawing in 2.7 million viewers. The bold and original show features an out of this world cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”), and Canadian actors Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman, Patrick Gilmore and Elyse Levesque. Plus fans will...
- 6/15/2010
- by Nix
- SciFiCool.com
Brian J Smith is best known for his role as Lt Matthew Scott in Stargate Universe, which airs on Tuesday nights at 8pm on Sky1.
The actor, who also starred in the 2005 film Hate Crime, was born on October 12, 1981 in Dallas, Texas.
So what drew him to Stargate Universe and what he can tell us about what's coming up, for the show in general and for his character?
Here he opens a stargate into the show's success and where it may be headed...
For People Who Haven't Seen Stargate Universe Yet, How Would You Say It Compares To Previous Shows In The Franchise?
I guess it would be hard to compare them. They set out to do something so new and so far out of the Stargate dock with this show, it's quite hard to recognise the similarities with the franchise. Stargate Atlantis and SG1 have a very specific look...
The actor, who also starred in the 2005 film Hate Crime, was born on October 12, 1981 in Dallas, Texas.
So what drew him to Stargate Universe and what he can tell us about what's coming up, for the show in general and for his character?
Here he opens a stargate into the show's success and where it may be headed...
For People Who Haven't Seen Stargate Universe Yet, How Would You Say It Compares To Previous Shows In The Franchise?
I guess it would be hard to compare them. They set out to do something so new and so far out of the Stargate dock with this show, it's quite hard to recognise the similarities with the franchise. Stargate Atlantis and SG1 have a very specific look...
- 5/26/2010
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
From the creators of television’s longest running Sci-Fi series, “Stargate Sg-1” comes a new story, as “Sgu 1.0” lands on two-disc Blu-ray and three-disc DVD on February 9 from MGM Home Entertainment.
Featuring the first 10 episodes of the series, fans will have the opportunity to relive their favourite moments before all-new episodes air in the spring. With a winning combination of Stargate’s pedigree, award-winning cult favourite stars and a bold new look, “Sgu 1.0” features appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) and Amanda Tapping (“Stargate Sg-1”). Plus meet a brand new all-star cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and guest starring Ming-Na (“ER”), Lou Diamond Phillips (Stand And Deliver), and Canadian actors Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman and Elyse Levesque.
“Sgu” is the story of a group of soldiers, scientists and civilians, fleeing an...
Featuring the first 10 episodes of the series, fans will have the opportunity to relive their favourite moments before all-new episodes air in the spring. With a winning combination of Stargate’s pedigree, award-winning cult favourite stars and a bold new look, “Sgu 1.0” features appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) and Amanda Tapping (“Stargate Sg-1”). Plus meet a brand new all-star cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and guest starring Ming-Na (“ER”), Lou Diamond Phillips (Stand And Deliver), and Canadian actors Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman and Elyse Levesque.
“Sgu” is the story of a group of soldiers, scientists and civilians, fleeing an...
- 1/7/2010
- MoviesOnline.ca
Featuring An Extended Pilot With Never-Before-Seen Footage
Sgu 1.0 Debuts Exclusively On Blu-ray Disc And DVD February 9
One of FusedFilm’s to shows of 2009, the first half of Sgu hits shelves this February. From the creators of television’s longest running Sci-Fi series, Stargate Sg-1, comes a new story as Sgu 1.0 lands on two-disc Blu-ray and three-disc DVD February 9 from MGM Home Entertainment. Featuring the first 10 episodes, fans will have the opportunity to relive their favorite moments before all-new episodes air in the spring. With a winning combination of Stargate’s pedigree, award-winning cult favorite stars and a bold new look, “Sgu 1.0” features appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) and Amanda Tapping (“Stargate Sg-1”). Plus meet a brand new all-star cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and guest starring Ming-Na (“ER”), Lou Diamond Phillips...
Sgu 1.0 Debuts Exclusively On Blu-ray Disc And DVD February 9
One of FusedFilm’s to shows of 2009, the first half of Sgu hits shelves this February. From the creators of television’s longest running Sci-Fi series, Stargate Sg-1, comes a new story as Sgu 1.0 lands on two-disc Blu-ray and three-disc DVD February 9 from MGM Home Entertainment. Featuring the first 10 episodes, fans will have the opportunity to relive their favorite moments before all-new episodes air in the spring. With a winning combination of Stargate’s pedigree, award-winning cult favorite stars and a bold new look, “Sgu 1.0” features appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) and Amanda Tapping (“Stargate Sg-1”). Plus meet a brand new all-star cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), Brian J. Smith (Hate Crime), David Blue (“Ugly Betty”), Jamil Walker Smith (“Hey Arnold!”) and guest starring Ming-Na (“ER”), Lou Diamond Phillips...
- 12/23/2009
- by Kevin Coll
- FusedFilm
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