Our ongoing Member Lens feature spotlights current Film Independent Members to see how they got started, where they are now and what being part of Film Independent means to them. This month: producer Diane Becker.
***
Film Independent Member Diane Becker has always had non-fiction in her blood. The Academy Award winning producer of Navalny started off going to school for photojournalism, ended up working for big news networks, but couldn’t help but think that going into film was what she needed to do.
After graduating from AFI, she was exposed to the world of documentary filmmaking, and found that it was a collision of two worlds she loved. Now she has produced films like King Coal, Stutz, the Netflix docuseries The Program: Cons Cults and Kidnapping, and Blink, which is premiering this fall for National Geographic.
We spoke with her earlier this month about the high-highs and low-lows of...
***
Film Independent Member Diane Becker has always had non-fiction in her blood. The Academy Award winning producer of Navalny started off going to school for photojournalism, ended up working for big news networks, but couldn’t help but think that going into film was what she needed to do.
After graduating from AFI, she was exposed to the world of documentary filmmaking, and found that it was a collision of two worlds she loved. Now she has produced films like King Coal, Stutz, the Netflix docuseries The Program: Cons Cults and Kidnapping, and Blink, which is premiering this fall for National Geographic.
We spoke with her earlier this month about the high-highs and low-lows of...
- 8/29/2024
- by John Squire
- Film Independent News & More
On Wednesday June 26 2024, PBS broadcasts Pov!
King Coal Season 37 Episode 1 Episode Summary
In this episode of “Pov” titled “King Coal,” viewers will delve into the intricate history and potential future of the coal industry. The documentary explores the significant impact of coal on various communities and the myths that have surrounded this industry for decades. Through interviews, archival footage, and expert analysis, the episode sheds light on the complexities of coal mining and its cultural implications.
“King Coal” aims to provide a comprehensive view of how the coal industry has shaped not only economies but also the social fabric of many regions. Viewers can expect to witness the struggles and triumphs of individuals whose lives have been intertwined with coal mining. The episode offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges faced by these communities and the efforts being made to navigate a changing landscape.
As “Pov” takes a deep dive...
King Coal Season 37 Episode 1 Episode Summary
In this episode of “Pov” titled “King Coal,” viewers will delve into the intricate history and potential future of the coal industry. The documentary explores the significant impact of coal on various communities and the myths that have surrounded this industry for decades. Through interviews, archival footage, and expert analysis, the episode sheds light on the complexities of coal mining and its cultural implications.
“King Coal” aims to provide a comprehensive view of how the coal industry has shaped not only economies but also the social fabric of many regions. Viewers can expect to witness the struggles and triumphs of individuals whose lives have been intertwined with coal mining. The episode offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges faced by these communities and the efforts being made to navigate a changing landscape.
As “Pov” takes a deep dive...
- 6/26/2024
- by US Posts
- TV Regular
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Weekly Commentary: With the Directors Guild of America and BAFTA Awards in hand, in addition to the tragic news of the death of Alexei Navalny, the subject of the Oscar-winning “Navalny” last year, “20 Days in Mariupol” is too important to ignore.
Will Win:...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Documentary Feature
Weekly Commentary: With the Directors Guild of America and BAFTA Awards in hand, in addition to the tragic news of the death of Alexei Navalny, the subject of the Oscar-winning “Navalny” last year, “20 Days in Mariupol” is too important to ignore.
Will Win:...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Song Barbie
Weekly Commentary: With an original song win, Billie Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, would become the youngest artists ever to win two Oscars before the age of 30. The pair won for James Bond theme “No Time to Die” in 2022, and are nominated this year for “What Was I Made For,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Song Barbie
Weekly Commentary: With an original song win, Billie Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, would become the youngest artists ever to win two Oscars before the age of 30. The pair won for James Bond theme “No Time to Die” in 2022, and are nominated this year for “What Was I Made For,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Oppenheimer continued its dominant awards season form on Sunday night at the American Society of Cinematographers’ ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards, with Hoyte van Hoytema taking the prize for theatrical feature film.
The win was Van Hoytema’s first ASC award, after previously being nominated for Dunkirk (2018) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2012).
On the TV side, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s M. David Mullen won the ASC prize for an episode of one hour of television, Barry‘s Carl Herse won for an episode of a half-hour series and Boston Strangler‘s Ben Kutchins won for limited or anthology series or motion picture made for TV.
Also on the night, Spike Lee was awarded the ASC Board of Governors Award and Don Burgess, whose work includes Academy Award-winning best picture Forrest Gump, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Steven Fierberg accepted the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award, and Amy Vincent...
The win was Van Hoytema’s first ASC award, after previously being nominated for Dunkirk (2018) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2012).
On the TV side, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s M. David Mullen won the ASC prize for an episode of one hour of television, Barry‘s Carl Herse won for an episode of a half-hour series and Boston Strangler‘s Ben Kutchins won for limited or anthology series or motion picture made for TV.
Also on the night, Spike Lee was awarded the ASC Board of Governors Award and Don Burgess, whose work includes Academy Award-winning best picture Forrest Gump, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, Steven Fierberg accepted the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award, and Amy Vincent...
- 3/4/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Congratulations to our User Carlos Abril for an excellent score of 80% when predicting the 2024 American Society of Cinematographers Awards winners on Sunday night. Our top scorer is actually tied with four other people at that percentage but has a better point score of 15,855 by using the two Super Bets (500 points each) wisely.
More than 1,100 people worldwide predicted these champs for the ceremony that took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Our top User got four out of five categories correct. The night featured wins by “Oppenheimer” (Best Feature Film Cinematography), “King Coal” (Best Documentary Cinematography), “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Best TV One-Hour Series Cinematography) and “Barry” (Best TV Half-Hour Series Cinematography), plus a big surprise victory for “Boston Strangler” (Best TV Movie/Limited Cinematography).
SEEWill ‘Oppenheimer’ be the 1st film in 64 years to win Oscars for Best Picture, Actor and Supporting Actor?
You can see how...
More than 1,100 people worldwide predicted these champs for the ceremony that took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Our top User got four out of five categories correct. The night featured wins by “Oppenheimer” (Best Feature Film Cinematography), “King Coal” (Best Documentary Cinematography), “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Best TV One-Hour Series Cinematography) and “Barry” (Best TV Half-Hour Series Cinematography), plus a big surprise victory for “Boston Strangler” (Best TV Movie/Limited Cinematography).
SEEWill ‘Oppenheimer’ be the 1st film in 64 years to win Oscars for Best Picture, Actor and Supporting Actor?
You can see how...
- 3/4/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
“Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema won Feature Film at the 38th ASC Awards, March 3 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The Oscar favorite beat the other four Oscar nominees: “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” Poor Things,” and “El Conde”.
This marked van Hoytema’s first ASC win after three nominations (including “Dunkirk” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and positions the Dutch-Swedish cinematographer for his first Oscar win. Significantly, “Oppenheimer” represents the culmination of his experimental IMAX collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. The duo achieved a new kind of intimate spectacle with this psychological thriller about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Best Actor nominee Cillian Murphy), the “father of the atomic bomb.” Van Hoytema used the large-format IMAX camera to explore the landscape of faces; namely, Oppenheimer’s in color from his perspective and Salieri-like adversary Admiral Lewis Strauss’ (Best Supporting Actor nominee Robert Downey Jr.) in black-and-white from his.
What a...
This marked van Hoytema’s first ASC win after three nominations (including “Dunkirk” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and positions the Dutch-Swedish cinematographer for his first Oscar win. Significantly, “Oppenheimer” represents the culmination of his experimental IMAX collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. The duo achieved a new kind of intimate spectacle with this psychological thriller about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Best Actor nominee Cillian Murphy), the “father of the atomic bomb.” Van Hoytema used the large-format IMAX camera to explore the landscape of faces; namely, Oppenheimer’s in color from his perspective and Salieri-like adversary Admiral Lewis Strauss’ (Best Supporting Actor nominee Robert Downey Jr.) in black-and-white from his.
What a...
- 3/4/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Hoyte Van Hoytema has taken top honors at the 38th annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards for his work on “Oppenheimer.”
Van Hoytema topped a field that included Edward Lachman for “El Conde, Matthew Libatique for “Maestro,” Rodrigo Prieto for “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Robbie Ryan for “Poor Things.”
The awards were handed out Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with Ed Helms hosting the festivities.
All five theatrical feature film nominees are also nominated for best cinematography at the Oscars.
In its 38-year history, only 17 have gone on to win the Oscar. Last year, Mandy Walker made history when she became the first woman to win an ASC award for her work on “Elvis.” The Academy Award ultimately went to James Friend for “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
On the TV side, winners included Carl Herse for “Barry” and Ben Kutchins for “Boston Strangler.”
Van...
Van Hoytema topped a field that included Edward Lachman for “El Conde, Matthew Libatique for “Maestro,” Rodrigo Prieto for “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Robbie Ryan for “Poor Things.”
The awards were handed out Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with Ed Helms hosting the festivities.
All five theatrical feature film nominees are also nominated for best cinematography at the Oscars.
In its 38-year history, only 17 have gone on to win the Oscar. Last year, Mandy Walker made history when she became the first woman to win an ASC award for her work on “Elvis.” The Academy Award ultimately went to James Friend for “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
On the TV side, winners included Carl Herse for “Barry” and Ben Kutchins for “Boston Strangler.”
Van...
- 3/4/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
“El Conde,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Poor Things,” and “Oppenheimer” were nominated by the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) for outstanding achievement in theatrical film cinematography. Winners will be announced during the 38th Annual ASC Awards ceremony on March 3 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California; the event will also be live-streamed worldwide on theasc.com.
On the television side, the ASC singled out episodes of “Barry,” “The Bear,” and the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” alongside sci-fi stalwarts “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and “Foundation,” among others. The nominees for best anthology or limited series included episodes of “George and Tammy” and “Lessons in Chemistry” as well as made-for-tv movie “Boston Strangler.”
The ASC also singled out three documentaries: the first episode of the docu-series “Murder in Big Horn,” as well as the films “King Coal” and “Kokomo City.”
Below is the full list of nominations for the...
On the television side, the ASC singled out episodes of “Barry,” “The Bear,” and the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” alongside sci-fi stalwarts “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and “Foundation,” among others. The nominees for best anthology or limited series included episodes of “George and Tammy” and “Lessons in Chemistry” as well as made-for-tv movie “Boston Strangler.”
The ASC also singled out three documentaries: the first episode of the docu-series “Murder in Big Horn,” as well as the films “King Coal” and “Kokomo City.”
Below is the full list of nominations for the...
- 1/11/2024
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto’s lensing of Martin Scorsese’s drama Killers of the Flower Moon and Robbie Ryan’s photography of Yorgos Lanthimos’ fantasy Poor Things are among the nominees in the feature competition of the 2024 American Society of Cinematographers Awards, which will be held March 3 at the Beverly Hilton.
They are nominated alongside Edward Lachman, for Pablo Larraín’s El Conde; Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Berstein drama Maestro; and Hoyte van Hoytema for Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer. All five Oscar-nominated DPs have been previously nominated in this ASC category and each are seeking their first win. Lachman, whose previous credits include Carol and Far from Heaven, was the ASC’s 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. This year, Prieto’s work also includes Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
A year ago, Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker became the first woman to win the ASC feature competition. All Quiet on...
They are nominated alongside Edward Lachman, for Pablo Larraín’s El Conde; Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Berstein drama Maestro; and Hoyte van Hoytema for Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer. All five Oscar-nominated DPs have been previously nominated in this ASC category and each are seeking their first win. Lachman, whose previous credits include Carol and Far from Heaven, was the ASC’s 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. This year, Prieto’s work also includes Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
A year ago, Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker became the first woman to win the ASC feature competition. All Quiet on...
- 1/11/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Oppenheimer,” “Maestro” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are among the films that received nominations for the American Society of Cinematographers Awards.
The ASC Award nominees for feature film, documentary and television cinematography represent the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking.
Rounding out the feature film nominations are “El Conde” (Edward Lachman) and “Poor Things” (Robbie Ryan).
In television, “The Bear,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” were among the nominated series.
Last year’s feature film winner Mandy Walker made history when she became the first woman to win the ASC Award for her work on Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” However, she did not go on to win the cinematography Oscar, which went to “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Still, seven of the past 11 ASC winners went on to win the Oscar for best cinematography.
The ASC Award...
The ASC Award nominees for feature film, documentary and television cinematography represent the organization’s picks for the most compelling visual filmmaking.
Rounding out the feature film nominations are “El Conde” (Edward Lachman) and “Poor Things” (Robbie Ryan).
In television, “The Bear,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” were among the nominated series.
Last year’s feature film winner Mandy Walker made history when she became the first woman to win the ASC Award for her work on Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” However, she did not go on to win the cinematography Oscar, which went to “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Still, seven of the past 11 ASC winners went on to win the Oscar for best cinematography.
The ASC Award...
- 1/11/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
321 films are in contention for this year’s Academy Awards, while 265 features are eligible in the best picture category, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday as it released its annual “reminder list” for members.
To be eligible in the general categories, films (meaning a runtime of more than 40 minutes) must open in a commercial theater in at least one of the following areas: Los Angeles County; the city of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023. Additionally, it must complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue.
To be eligible for the best picture category specifically, the movies must be eligible for the general entry and have “submitted a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards entry form.” Additionally, the film must meet two of the four standards required, in addition to the theatrical component.
To be eligible in the general categories, films (meaning a runtime of more than 40 minutes) must open in a commercial theater in at least one of the following areas: Los Angeles County; the city of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023. Additionally, it must complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue.
To be eligible for the best picture category specifically, the movies must be eligible for the general entry and have “submitted a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards entry form.” Additionally, the film must meet two of the four standards required, in addition to the theatrical component.
- 1/8/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By one measure, 2023 was a very tough year in documentary. The first indications of what lay ahead came in January at Sundance, where the usual panoply of films entered the arena in hopes of earning awards and the ultimate prize – distribution.
But streamers and other major distributors showed no inclination to loosen their purse strings and many acclaimed Sundance titles languished for months without distribution deals – King Coal, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, The Disappearance of Shere Hite among them. Bad Press never did get a distribution deal. Netflix, after spending handsomely at Sundance in recent years, didn’t buy any docs at the festival (it did acquire American Symphony at Telluride).
As the year advanced, the acquisition pace remained sluggish and smaller distributors found themselves in a buyer’s market, landing films that in previous years would have gone to bigger entities. On the continuum of feast and famine,...
But streamers and other major distributors showed no inclination to loosen their purse strings and many acclaimed Sundance titles languished for months without distribution deals – King Coal, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, The Disappearance of Shere Hite among them. Bad Press never did get a distribution deal. Netflix, after spending handsomely at Sundance in recent years, didn’t buy any docs at the festival (it did acquire American Symphony at Telluride).
As the year advanced, the acquisition pace remained sluggish and smaller distributors found themselves in a buyer’s market, landing films that in previous years would have gone to bigger entities. On the continuum of feast and famine,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Our Pmc sister website Variety is reporting that the motion picture academy has named 94 tunes as eligible for Best Original Song at the 2024 Oscars. See the complete list below of every song currently on the ballot for the music branch. A total of 15 will be announced this Thursday, December 21, on the Oscar short list. A final five will be revealed on January 23 as the the actual nominees.
SEEDiane Warren interview: ‘The Fire Inside’ from ‘Flamin’ Hot’
Gold Derby has been offering you the opportunity to predict the Best Original Song category for the past few weeks. Among some of the surprise omissions:
“Barbie” producers have chosen not to submit “Barbie World,” “Speed Drive” and “Pink.” That film’s three official submissions are “I’m Just Ken,” “Dance the Night” and “What Was I Made For?”
“Trolls Band Together” producers have not entered “Family,” “Watch Me Work” and “Let’s Get Married.
SEEDiane Warren interview: ‘The Fire Inside’ from ‘Flamin’ Hot’
Gold Derby has been offering you the opportunity to predict the Best Original Song category for the past few weeks. Among some of the surprise omissions:
“Barbie” producers have chosen not to submit “Barbie World,” “Speed Drive” and “Pink.” That film’s three official submissions are “I’m Just Ken,” “Dance the Night” and “What Was I Made For?”
“Trolls Band Together” producers have not entered “Family,” “Watch Me Work” and “Let’s Get Married.
- 12/17/2023
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Ninety-four songs and 149 scores have been deemed eligible in the music categories for the 96th annual Academy Awards, Variety has learned.
Voting began Thursday, with 390 members of the Academy music branch eligible to vote in this year’s competition. And for the first time in years, there appear to be no surprises or glaring omissions.
Any film can submit up to three songs, and the “Barbie” entries were as expected: Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made for,” Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” and the Mark Ronson-Andrew Wyatt song “I’m Just Ken.”
Five other films submitted the maximum of three songs, including two from Disney: the live-action “The Little Mermaid,” with “For the First Time,” “The Scuttlebutt” and “Wild Uncharted Waters,” all by Alan Menken (who won Oscars for the original in 1989) and Lin-Manuel Miranda; and “Wish,” the Julia Michaels-Benjamin Rice tunes including “I’m a Star,...
Voting began Thursday, with 390 members of the Academy music branch eligible to vote in this year’s competition. And for the first time in years, there appear to be no surprises or glaring omissions.
Any film can submit up to three songs, and the “Barbie” entries were as expected: Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made for,” Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” and the Mark Ronson-Andrew Wyatt song “I’m Just Ken.”
Five other films submitted the maximum of three songs, including two from Disney: the live-action “The Little Mermaid,” with “For the First Time,” “The Scuttlebutt” and “Wild Uncharted Waters,” all by Alan Menken (who won Oscars for the original in 1989) and Lin-Manuel Miranda; and “Wish,” the Julia Michaels-Benjamin Rice tunes including “I’m a Star,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy has revealed the list of eligible films for consideration in best animated, documentary and international feature of the year, encompassing a broad range of blockbusters and critically acclaimed titles.
GKids’ “The Boy and the Heron,” Pixar’s “Elemental,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Illumination’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” are among the 33 animated films in the running. This is up from 27 in 2023, when “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” took home the prize.
The eventual five nominees are determined by members of the shorts and animation branch, and any Academy members outside the branch who wish to participate. The number of outside members who opt in is unknown. All films submitted for animated feature also qualify for the Academy Awards in other categories, including best picture.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
There are 88 films representing their countries for the international feature Oscar,...
GKids’ “The Boy and the Heron,” Pixar’s “Elemental,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Illumination’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” are among the 33 animated films in the running. This is up from 27 in 2023, when “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” took home the prize.
The eventual five nominees are determined by members of the shorts and animation branch, and any Academy members outside the branch who wish to participate. The number of outside members who opt in is unknown. All films submitted for animated feature also qualify for the Academy Awards in other categories, including best picture.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
There are 88 films representing their countries for the international feature Oscar,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday unveiled the films eligible for consideration for the 2024 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film and Animated Feature Film.
A total of 167 documentaries have made the cut for the 96th Academy Awards, while 88 countries are eligible for the International Feature. Shortlists of 15 films in both categories will be revealed December 21.
In the Animated Feature race, 33 films are eligible for the 2024 race.
Final Oscar nominations will be revealed January 23, 2024, with the 96th Oscars to air Sunday, March 10 on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
Here are the film lists revealed today, with AMPAS noting that not all have had their qualifying release yet, a requirement to advance in the voting process.
Animated Feature
The Amazing Maurice
Blue Giant
The Boy and the Heron
Chang’an
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Deep Sea
Elemental
Ernest & Celestine: A...
A total of 167 documentaries have made the cut for the 96th Academy Awards, while 88 countries are eligible for the International Feature. Shortlists of 15 films in both categories will be revealed December 21.
In the Animated Feature race, 33 films are eligible for the 2024 race.
Final Oscar nominations will be revealed January 23, 2024, with the 96th Oscars to air Sunday, March 10 on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
Here are the film lists revealed today, with AMPAS noting that not all have had their qualifying release yet, a requirement to advance in the voting process.
Animated Feature
The Amazing Maurice
Blue Giant
The Boy and the Heron
Chang’an
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Deep Sea
Elemental
Ernest & Celestine: A...
- 12/7/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Bad Press, King Coal, Joonam and Fantastic Machine are all award-winning documentaries, yet in the race for Oscar recognition, they’re underdogs. Despite the many honors they have collected at festivals around the world, each of these exceptional films has struggled to land distribution, complicating efforts to get attention from Academy voters.
Instead of throwing up their hands and leaving things to fate, the teams behind the four documentaries have taken the remarkable step of banding together to launch a joint For Your Consideration campaign, Do It Yourself fashion. Oscar-winning King Coal producer Diane Becker, Joonam producer Keith Wilson, and Bad Press co-director Joe Peeler join the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to talk about their groundbreaking venture.
Typically, these films would consider themselves rivals, pitted against each other...
Instead of throwing up their hands and leaving things to fate, the teams behind the four documentaries have taken the remarkable step of banding together to launch a joint For Your Consideration campaign, Do It Yourself fashion. Oscar-winning King Coal producer Diane Becker, Joonam producer Keith Wilson, and Bad Press co-director Joe Peeler join the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to talk about their groundbreaking venture.
Typically, these films would consider themselves rivals, pitted against each other...
- 12/5/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: American Documentary has acquired Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s award-winning documentary King Coal for the upcoming season of Pov, the longest-running nonfiction series on television.
The film set in Central Appalachia premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January and went on to win prizes at the RiverRun International Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, and Seattle International Film Festival, among other festivals. It is expected to debut in the summer of 2024 on Pov, the public television series whose films have claimed three Oscars, 47 Emmys, 27 Peabody Awards, and more than a dozen duPont-Columbia awards over the span of 36 seasons.
‘King Coal’
“King Coal, through the personal memories of a 4th generation coal miner’s daughter, meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created,” notes a description of the documentary. “Filmed in Central Appalachia, where McMillion Sheldon was raised and lives,...
The film set in Central Appalachia premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January and went on to win prizes at the RiverRun International Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, and Seattle International Film Festival, among other festivals. It is expected to debut in the summer of 2024 on Pov, the public television series whose films have claimed three Oscars, 47 Emmys, 27 Peabody Awards, and more than a dozen duPont-Columbia awards over the span of 36 seasons.
‘King Coal’
“King Coal, through the personal memories of a 4th generation coal miner’s daughter, meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created,” notes a description of the documentary. “Filmed in Central Appalachia, where McMillion Sheldon was raised and lives,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
In a sense, Central Appalachia is as threatened by climate change as much as any other place on Earth.
Since the 1970s alone, 2 billion tons of coal have been extracted from the region, providing fuel for a highly industrialized nation and jobs for thousands in West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and surrounding areas. But as the single biggest contributor to rising global temperatures, the energy source is being phased out, and with it an entire way of life.
The impact of coal on Central Appalachia – the economy, the people, the culture – is explored in King Coal, directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon, a native of the region. She appears on the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to discuss her feature documentary, winner of awards at film festivals across the country. The film is produced by McMillion Sheldon, Peggy Drexler, and Shane Boris and Diane Becker, two of the Oscar-winning producers of Navalny.
Since the 1970s alone, 2 billion tons of coal have been extracted from the region, providing fuel for a highly industrialized nation and jobs for thousands in West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and surrounding areas. But as the single biggest contributor to rising global temperatures, the energy source is being phased out, and with it an entire way of life.
The impact of coal on Central Appalachia – the economy, the people, the culture – is explored in King Coal, directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon, a native of the region. She appears on the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to discuss her feature documentary, winner of awards at film festivals across the country. The film is produced by McMillion Sheldon, Peggy Drexler, and Shane Boris and Diane Becker, two of the Oscar-winning producers of Navalny.
- 11/28/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
A scene from King Coal. Credit: Drexler Films, Cottage M & Fishbowl Films. Courtesy of Sliff
King Coal is a hauntingly-beautiful, poetic documentary that immerses us in the stunning wilderness of Appalachia and opens a gateway to into the oft-misunderstood culture of the people who live in and love that natural world, along with their complex love-hate relationship with coal. The award-winning King Coal is one of the free screenings at the St. Louis International Film Festival, and one the year’s best documentary films.
The title King Coal is a bit misleading, as this haunting documentary is really a meditative, exquisitely lyrical cinematic celebration of the uniquely American culture and people of Appalachia. Because they are from Appalachia, director/writer Elaine Million Sheldon and cinematographer Curran Sheldon the husband and wife team behind this film, give us remarkable access into understanding the people and folkways that are among the most deeply rooted in this country,...
King Coal is a hauntingly-beautiful, poetic documentary that immerses us in the stunning wilderness of Appalachia and opens a gateway to into the oft-misunderstood culture of the people who live in and love that natural world, along with their complex love-hate relationship with coal. The award-winning King Coal is one of the free screenings at the St. Louis International Film Festival, and one the year’s best documentary films.
The title King Coal is a bit misleading, as this haunting documentary is really a meditative, exquisitely lyrical cinematic celebration of the uniquely American culture and people of Appalachia. Because they are from Appalachia, director/writer Elaine Million Sheldon and cinematographer Curran Sheldon the husband and wife team behind this film, give us remarkable access into understanding the people and folkways that are among the most deeply rooted in this country,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors has officially announced its full list of nominees, with D. Smith’s debut feature “Kokomo City” topping the awards contenders.
The Sundance breakout film about Black trans sex workers has six nominations for the 17th annual awards ceremony which spotlights achievements in nonfiction and documentary films and series. The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors will take place January 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, New York.
Following “Kokomo City” are Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Sam Green’s “32 Sounds,” and Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory,” each with five nominations. All four films are nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature with the respective directors all nominated for Outstanding Direction.
This year’s Cinema Eye Honors also marks a history-making first with directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson being the first filmmakers to be nominated for Nonfiction Feature and Nonfiction Short in the same year,...
The Sundance breakout film about Black trans sex workers has six nominations for the 17th annual awards ceremony which spotlights achievements in nonfiction and documentary films and series. The 2024 Cinema Eye Honors will take place January 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, New York.
Following “Kokomo City” are Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Sam Green’s “32 Sounds,” and Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory,” each with five nominations. All four films are nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature with the respective directors all nominated for Outstanding Direction.
This year’s Cinema Eye Honors also marks a history-making first with directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson being the first filmmakers to be nominated for Nonfiction Feature and Nonfiction Short in the same year,...
- 11/16/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“Kokomo City,” D. Smith’s documentary about four trans Black women in New York and Georgia, led all films in nominations for the 17th annual Cinema Eye Honors, the New York-based awards designed to spotlight all facets of nonfiction filmmaking.
The film received six nominations, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature and Outstanding Direction. Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory” and Sam Green’s “32 Sounds” followed with five nominations each.
In the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category, “Kokomo City,” “The Eternal Memory,” “20 Days in Mariupol” and “32 Sounds” were joined by “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” received nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Score, making Heineman the third-most-nominated filmmaker in Cinema Eye history. With 12 nominations overall, he now trails Steve James and Laura Poitras by one.
While many...
The film received six nominations, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature and Outstanding Direction. Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” Maite Alberdi’s “The Eternal Memory” and Sam Green’s “32 Sounds” followed with five nominations each.
In the Outstanding Nonfiction Feature category, “Kokomo City,” “The Eternal Memory,” “20 Days in Mariupol” and “32 Sounds” were joined by “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” received nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Score, making Heineman the third-most-nominated filmmaker in Cinema Eye history. With 12 nominations overall, he now trails Steve James and Laura Poitras by one.
While many...
- 11/16/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Cinema Eye Honors for achievement in nonfiction and documentary films and series has announced nominees for the 17th awards ceremony. “Kokomo City” from D. Smith led the nominees with six. “20 Days in Mariupol,” “32 Sounds” and “The Eternal Memory” each received five nominations. The nominees for outstanding fiction feature also include “Four Daughters,” “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Outstanding direction nominees include Maite Alberdi for “The Eternal Memory,” Sam Green for “32 Sounds,” Kaouther Ben Hania for “Four Daughters,” Smith for “Kokomo City,” Claire Simon for “Our Body” and Wim Wenders for “Anselm.”
The Cinema Eye 2024 Awards Ceremony takes place on Jan. 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.
Full list of nominees follows.
2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
20 Days in Mariupol
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
Produced by Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath...
Outstanding direction nominees include Maite Alberdi for “The Eternal Memory,” Sam Green for “32 Sounds,” Kaouther Ben Hania for “Four Daughters,” Smith for “Kokomo City,” Claire Simon for “Our Body” and Wim Wenders for “Anselm.”
The Cinema Eye 2024 Awards Ceremony takes place on Jan. 12 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.
Full list of nominees follows.
2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations
Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
20 Days in Mariupol
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
Produced by Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath...
- 11/16/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Updated with the addition of The Holly and American Symphony to the FallDocs lineup.
The Holly, Julian Rubinstein’s documentary about conflict over a gentrifying neighborhood near Denver, and Matthew Heineman’s film American Symphony, about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste, have been added to the IDA’s FallDocs screening series.
American Symphony will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Culver Theater in Los Angeles, followed by a live Q&a with Heineman.
The Holly will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Culver Theater, followed by a live Q&a with Rubinstein, main participant Terrance Roberts, and Aqeela Sherrills, anti-violence activist and co-founder of Community Based Public Safety Collective.
Earlier: Exclusive: The International Documentary Association announced the lineup for its prestigious FallDocs 2023 program, featuring a slew of Oscar contending nonfiction films as well as more than two dozen films that haven’t yet nailed down distribution.
The Holly, Julian Rubinstein’s documentary about conflict over a gentrifying neighborhood near Denver, and Matthew Heineman’s film American Symphony, about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste, have been added to the IDA’s FallDocs screening series.
American Symphony will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Culver Theater in Los Angeles, followed by a live Q&a with Heineman.
The Holly will hold an in-person screening on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Culver Theater, followed by a live Q&a with Rubinstein, main participant Terrance Roberts, and Aqeela Sherrills, anti-violence activist and co-founder of Community Based Public Safety Collective.
Earlier: Exclusive: The International Documentary Association announced the lineup for its prestigious FallDocs 2023 program, featuring a slew of Oscar contending nonfiction films as well as more than two dozen films that haven’t yet nailed down distribution.
- 8/31/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker is happy to share an exclusive clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s documentary King Coal, which opens at Dctv Firehouse Cinema in New York City on August 11 before a limited expansion. The clip details the history of West Virginia’s New River—”the second oldest river in the world”—and the discovery of coal in a tributary nearby. Watch the full clip above. An official synopsis gets into the film’s overall thesis: A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it […]
The post Watch an Exclusive Clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Watch an Exclusive Clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/10/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Filmmaker is happy to share an exclusive clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s documentary King Coal, which opens at Dctv Firehouse Cinema in New York City on August 11 before a limited expansion. The clip details the history of West Virginia’s New River—”the second oldest river in the world”—and the discovery of coal in a tributary nearby. Watch the full clip above. An official synopsis gets into the film’s overall thesis: A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it […]
The post Watch an Exclusive Clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Watch an Exclusive Clip of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/10/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Like many Filmmaker readers, I first encountered the work of Elaine McMillion Sheldon a decade ago, when the West Virginia native landed on our annual 25 New Faces of Independent Film list in 2013. She’d just completed Hollow, which began as a documentary about her home state’s struggling McDowell County, and ultimately transformed into a sprawling interactive project; and per Randy Astle’s profile, “a community portrait that includes about three hours of video — including a lot shot by members of the community — audio recordings, text, photographs and user-generated material via Instagram.” Sheldon then popped back onto my radar two […]
The post “I Realized This Was a Film Not Necessarily About Things Seen…But Things Felt”: Elaine McMillion Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Realized This Was a Film Not Necessarily About Things Seen…But Things Felt”: Elaine McMillion Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/9/2023
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Like many Filmmaker readers, I first encountered the work of Elaine McMillion Sheldon a decade ago, when the West Virginia native landed on our annual 25 New Faces of Independent Film list in 2013. She’d just completed Hollow, which began as a documentary about her home state’s struggling McDowell County, and ultimately transformed into a sprawling interactive project; and per Randy Astle’s profile, “a community portrait that includes about three hours of video — including a lot shot by members of the community — audio recordings, text, photographs and user-generated material via Instagram.” Sheldon then popped back onto my radar two […]
The post “I Realized This Was a Film Not Necessarily About Things Seen…But Things Felt”: Elaine McMillion Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Realized This Was a Film Not Necessarily About Things Seen…But Things Felt”: Elaine McMillion Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/9/2023
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The rhapsodic film King Coal blurs the lines of documentary and memorializes the coal culture that has shaped Appalachia
The film-maker Elaine McMillion Sheldon grew up roving around West Virginia. Like many children of Appalachia, her world was shaped by coal – her father worked for a mining company, and the family moved to seven coal fields in 12 years for his job. Her brother became a fourth-generation miner. “Everybody in my community worked in the coal mines,” she said. “If you were going to stay there and work, if you weren’t a doctor or a lawyer, that’s what you did.”
It wasn’t until she studied abroad as an undergraduate and asked people what they did for work that she realized the totalizing extent of coal. “Not everywhere has a king,” said Sheldon. “Not everywhere is completely dominated by this industry that controls everything from our rituals to the ways we live our life.
The film-maker Elaine McMillion Sheldon grew up roving around West Virginia. Like many children of Appalachia, her world was shaped by coal – her father worked for a mining company, and the family moved to seven coal fields in 12 years for his job. Her brother became a fourth-generation miner. “Everybody in my community worked in the coal mines,” she said. “If you were going to stay there and work, if you weren’t a doctor or a lawyer, that’s what you did.”
It wasn’t until she studied abroad as an undergraduate and asked people what they did for work that she realized the totalizing extent of coal. “Not everywhere has a king,” said Sheldon. “Not everywhere is completely dominated by this industry that controls everything from our rituals to the ways we live our life.
- 8/8/2023
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
While the fall movie lineup continues to shift due to studios adamantly deciding not to fairly pay the writers and actors responsible for them being in business in the first place, not much has changed when it comes to August. Aside from A24 yanking Julio Torres’ Problemista from its August 4 opening, the rest of the calendar has stayed intact and here are the films that should be on your radar.
13. What Comes Around (Amy Redford; Aug. 4)
One of the most divisive films to premiere at TIFF last year was Amy Redford’s What Comes Around (formerly titled Roost). Led by Grace Van Dien, Summer Phoenix, Jesse Garcia, and Kyle Gallner, the thriller tracked a young love affair that becomes a menacing game of cat-and-mouse where nothing is what it seems. Jared Mobarak said in his review, “What Comes Around is a tricky film to talk about without massive spoilers unless,...
13. What Comes Around (Amy Redford; Aug. 4)
One of the most divisive films to premiere at TIFF last year was Amy Redford’s What Comes Around (formerly titled Roost). Led by Grace Van Dien, Summer Phoenix, Jesse Garcia, and Kyle Gallner, the thriller tracked a young love affair that becomes a menacing game of cat-and-mouse where nothing is what it seems. Jared Mobarak said in his review, “What Comes Around is a tricky film to talk about without massive spoilers unless,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"A ghost story... a cinematic archive." An official trailer is out for an acclaimed documentary film from this year's Sundance titled King Coal, made by doc filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon. The film premiered at Sundance earlier in 2023 and stopped by the Cleveland, Sarasota, RiverRun, San Francisco, and DocLands Film Festivals throughout this year so far. The cultural roots of coal continue to permeate the rituals of daily life in Appalachia even as its economic power wanes. This poetic, humble, and entrancing film is the journey of a coal miner's daughter exploring the region's dreams and myths, untangling the pain and beauty, as her community sits on the brink of massive change. Sundance adds: "Sheldon's distinct vision remixes present-day moments of life in a coal-mining town with archival footage and atmospheric invocations of the land to alchemize something new — a rare, nuanced depiction of this community... A reclamation of the...
- 7/26/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
What has coal meant to America? Central Appalachia saw the energy source build communities and jobs, all the while creating destructive consequences. Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon explores the area’s difficulties as well as its connections to coal in “King Coal.” The documentary highlights complex subjects through the lives of two young dancers — their journey intensified by Sheldon’s unflinching attention to detail.
Read More: ‘King Coal’ Review: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s Documentary Is An Atmospheric, Evocative Elegy For Central Appalachia [Sundance]
The film’s official synopsis:
“A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, “King Coal” meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created.
Continue reading ‘King Coal’ Trailer: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s Acclaimed Doc About The Coal Industry’s Impact Arrives In August at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘King Coal’ Review: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s Documentary Is An Atmospheric, Evocative Elegy For Central Appalachia [Sundance]
The film’s official synopsis:
“A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, “King Coal” meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created.
Continue reading ‘King Coal’ Trailer: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s Acclaimed Doc About The Coal Industry’s Impact Arrives In August at The Playlist.
- 7/24/2023
- by Valerie Thompson
- The Playlist
One of the most impressive films at Sundance Film earlier this year was the latest work from Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Elaine McMIllion Sheldon. With stunning cinematography, King Coal explores the lives in Central Appalachia and how the effects and bonds instilled by the coal industry. Ahead of a theatrical release beginning on August 11 the first trailer has now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “A poetic ode to the blue ridges of Central Appalachia, King Coal often evokes an IMAX educational film in its scope, space, and presence. The film explores the complex history of coal as a specter that looms over the region. The precious rock is celebrated throughout, the picture never veering off-course to engage in a discussion of contemporary politics. It’s instead built on West Virginia itself, a land still tied to mythology in some ways. “Who are we, without a king,” Lanie Marsh...
John Fink said in his review, “A poetic ode to the blue ridges of Central Appalachia, King Coal often evokes an IMAX educational film in its scope, space, and presence. The film explores the complex history of coal as a specter that looms over the region. The precious rock is celebrated throughout, the picture never veering off-course to engage in a discussion of contemporary politics. It’s instead built on West Virginia itself, a land still tied to mythology in some ways. “Who are we, without a king,” Lanie Marsh...
- 7/24/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The first trailer drops today for 25 New Faces of Film alum Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal, the filmmaker’s meditative hybrid doc on the impact of the coal industry (and the substance itself) on Central Appalachia. The film premiered at Sundance this year in the Next section and will arrive in select theaters around the country for limited engagements beginning next month. Per an official synopsis: A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created. Oscar-nominated filmmaker […]
The post Trailer Watch: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Trailer Watch: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/21/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The first trailer drops today for 25 New Faces of Film alum Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal, the filmmaker’s meditative hybrid doc on the impact of the coal industry (and the substance itself) on Central Appalachia. The film premiered at Sundance this year in the Next section and will arrive in select theaters around the country for limited engagements beginning next month. Per an official synopsis: A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created. Oscar-nominated filmmaker […]
The post Trailer Watch: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Trailer Watch: Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/21/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Dear Producer, founded by producer Rebecca Green, has announced the four recipients of its 2023 Dear Producer Award, now in its second year. IndieWire shares the recipients exclusively below.
Each producer will receive an unrestricted grant of $50,000, attend a retreat focused on rest and community building, and commit to mentoring an emerging producer for one year. This award is part of Dear Producer’s ongoing commitment to amplify the role of the producer and provide the independent film community with resources to build a more sustainable future.
The Dear Producer Award is sponsored by Facet, founded by Maida Lynn, which embraces creative non-fiction filmmaking by visionary artists.
Green noted the timeliness of this award in a statement shared with IndieWire: “With the WGA strike underway, producers are confronted with the harsh reminder that unlike their collaborators, producers do not have minimum salary protections, healthcare or pension contributions, or residuals.”
A Producers Sustainability Survey,...
Each producer will receive an unrestricted grant of $50,000, attend a retreat focused on rest and community building, and commit to mentoring an emerging producer for one year. This award is part of Dear Producer’s ongoing commitment to amplify the role of the producer and provide the independent film community with resources to build a more sustainable future.
The Dear Producer Award is sponsored by Facet, founded by Maida Lynn, which embraces creative non-fiction filmmaking by visionary artists.
Green noted the timeliness of this award in a statement shared with IndieWire: “With the WGA strike underway, producers are confronted with the harsh reminder that unlike their collaborators, producers do not have minimum salary protections, healthcare or pension contributions, or residuals.”
A Producers Sustainability Survey,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
A Great Divide, a anti-Asian racism drama that stars Ken Jeong, Jae Suh Park and Emerson Min, is set to open the competitive program for Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival, running June 13-18.
The feature directorial debut of Emmy-winning commercial and short film director Jean Shim, which also star Miya Cech in a lead role, will get a world premiere during the ninth edition of the Bentonville, Arkansas festival. A Great Divide follows a Korean-American family that leaves the Bay Area for a fresh start in rural Wyoming after experiencing a devastating loss.
Also getting a first look at Bentonville is director R. J. Daniel Hanna’s Hard Miles, which dramatizes the true story of a youth prison social worker who took a cycling team comprising teenage inmates on a transformative 1,000-mile ride. The film, written by Hanna and Christian Sander, stars Matthew Modine, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly,...
The feature directorial debut of Emmy-winning commercial and short film director Jean Shim, which also star Miya Cech in a lead role, will get a world premiere during the ninth edition of the Bentonville, Arkansas festival. A Great Divide follows a Korean-American family that leaves the Bay Area for a fresh start in rural Wyoming after experiencing a devastating loss.
Also getting a first look at Bentonville is director R. J. Daniel Hanna’s Hard Miles, which dramatizes the true story of a youth prison social worker who took a cycling team comprising teenage inmates on a transformative 1,000-mile ride. The film, written by Hanna and Christian Sander, stars Matthew Modine, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Last year, Shane Boris received two Oscar nominations for producing National Geographic’s “Fire of Love” and CNN Films’ “Navalny.” In March he garnered an Academy Award for his work on Daniel Roher’s “Navalny,” about anti-Putin freedom fighter Alexei Navalny. During a Hot Docs Industry talk, the producer spoke about a wide variety of topics, including his latest documentary, “King Coal,” what he’s looking for in a docu, and nonfiction’s current distribution landscape.
Boris made his first documentary “You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t” in 2010. The film, which aired on PBS’s Independent Lens, follows Lee Gorewitz as she struggles to navigate the increasingly confused and confusing landscape of Alzheimers.
“That doc began as a fiction film,” Boris said. “But we went into the Alzheimer’s unit to scout our location, and the person that took us around was starting...
Boris made his first documentary “You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t” in 2010. The film, which aired on PBS’s Independent Lens, follows Lee Gorewitz as she struggles to navigate the increasingly confused and confusing landscape of Alzheimers.
“That doc began as a fiction film,” Boris said. “But we went into the Alzheimer’s unit to scout our location, and the person that took us around was starting...
- 5/5/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Elaine McMillion Sheldon, the filmmaker known thus far for her Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning work in the documentary space, is making her first move into narrative as the director of a film on Marry Harris Jones — the hallowed labor figure known to history as Mother Jones.
Jerry Bowles and David O’Malley penned the script for the project, with Lisa Saltzman set to produce.
An Irish-born American working at various points as a dressmaker and schoolteacher, Jones pivoted her focus to union and community organizing and activism after experiencing two major, personal tragedies: the death of her husband and four children from yellow fever in 1867 Memphis, and the destruction of her dress shop in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The impassioned figure would come to be known as “the most dangerous woman in America” while working to secure rights for mine workers and ban child labor.
Sheldon’s film on...
Jerry Bowles and David O’Malley penned the script for the project, with Lisa Saltzman set to produce.
An Irish-born American working at various points as a dressmaker and schoolteacher, Jones pivoted her focus to union and community organizing and activism after experiencing two major, personal tragedies: the death of her husband and four children from yellow fever in 1867 Memphis, and the destruction of her dress shop in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The impassioned figure would come to be known as “the most dangerous woman in America” while working to secure rights for mine workers and ban child labor.
Sheldon’s film on...
- 4/14/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The 12th annual Sun Valley Film Festival runs from March 29th to April 2nd and will feature 18 narrative and documentary titles, including opening night selection, “Fancy Dance,” which is the directorial debut of co-writer Erica Tremblay, and the world premiere of Anthony Mandler’s “Surrounded,” which will close the festival. Award honorees include Josh Brolin, who will receive the Vision Award, and Sophie Thatcher, who will be given the Rising Star Award. “Last year, people were dying to get out, and this year our ticket sales are outpacing 2022. Once again, there’s a strong appetite for live events,” says festival founder and executive director Teddy Grennan.
Svff was launched on the backs of celebrities like Ernest Hemingway, Gary Cooper, and Marilyn Monroe, who took lavish vacations to America’s first destination ski resort. A train, called the Snowball Express, ran from Los Angeles to Sun Valley, and it was common...
Svff was launched on the backs of celebrities like Ernest Hemingway, Gary Cooper, and Marilyn Monroe, who took lavish vacations to America’s first destination ski resort. A train, called the Snowball Express, ran from Los Angeles to Sun Valley, and it was common...
- 3/31/2023
- by Malina Saval and Nick Clement
- Variety Film + TV
Davis Guggenheim’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” will open the eighth edition of Chicago’s Doc10 documentary film festival on May 4.
About Fox’s life, career and work as a public advocate for Parkinson’s research, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” debuted at Sundance in January. Guggenheim, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “An Inconvenient Truth” will be at Doc10 to participate in a post-screening conversation.
Doc10, a four-day fest running May 4-7, features a selection of 10 of this year’s most acclaimed documentaries and a package of prestigious doc shorts. Dedicated to supporting social-impact documentary films, the fest is hosted by Chicago Media Project, a company that raises funds for and produces docus including “Crip Camp” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
In addition to “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” Doc10 will screen: Penny Lane’s “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” Nicole Newnham’s “The Disappearance of the Shere Hite,...
About Fox’s life, career and work as a public advocate for Parkinson’s research, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” debuted at Sundance in January. Guggenheim, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “An Inconvenient Truth” will be at Doc10 to participate in a post-screening conversation.
Doc10, a four-day fest running May 4-7, features a selection of 10 of this year’s most acclaimed documentaries and a package of prestigious doc shorts. Dedicated to supporting social-impact documentary films, the fest is hosted by Chicago Media Project, a company that raises funds for and produces docus including “Crip Camp” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
In addition to “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” Doc10 will screen: Penny Lane’s “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” Nicole Newnham’s “The Disappearance of the Shere Hite,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
On his recent promotional tour for “Pinocchio,” Guillermo del Toro went on more than one tirade about how “animation is a medium, not a genre,” and more than children’s entertainment. That’s a message that documentaries could have used at the 2023 edition of the Sundance Film Festival, which provided a stark reminder that the non-fiction community needs to start talking about its work in broader terms than the so-called “genre” that limits its appeal.
Blockbuster documentaries about treasured icons, thrilling subjects, and complicated pop-culture figures were everywhere at Sundance. For the most part, they came with distribution: Apple had “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” and “Steph Curry: Underrated,” Amazon premiered “Judy Blume Forever,” and Netflix brought diving survival saga “The Deepest Breath.”
Then there was… well, pretty much, everything else. No disrespect to any of the aforementioned titles (I haven’t seen them all), but it was disheartening...
Blockbuster documentaries about treasured icons, thrilling subjects, and complicated pop-culture figures were everywhere at Sundance. For the most part, they came with distribution: Apple had “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” and “Steph Curry: Underrated,” Amazon premiered “Judy Blume Forever,” and Netflix brought diving survival saga “The Deepest Breath.”
Then there was… well, pretty much, everything else. No disrespect to any of the aforementioned titles (I haven’t seen them all), but it was disheartening...
- 2/4/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
In Sundance Next selection King Coal, Elaine McMillion Sheldon employs a hybrid approach, blending contemporary imagery with archival material and poetic voiceover to explore the impact that coal — the substance and the industry — has had on Central Appalachia. Below, Dp Curren Sheldon discusses his collaboration with Sheldon on the picture. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Sheldon: King Coal’s director, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, and I have collaborated […]
The post “Our Goal Was To Show the Region as We Appalachians See It, As a Place Full of Complexity and Grandeur”: Dp Curren Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Goal Was To Show the Region as We Appalachians See It, As a Place Full of Complexity and Grandeur”: Dp Curren Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
In Sundance Next selection King Coal, Elaine McMillion Sheldon employs a hybrid approach, blending contemporary imagery with archival material and poetic voiceover to explore the impact that coal — the substance and the industry — has had on Central Appalachia. Below, Dp Curren Sheldon discusses his collaboration with Sheldon on the picture. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Sheldon: King Coal’s director, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, and I have collaborated […]
The post “Our Goal Was To Show the Region as We Appalachians See It, As a Place Full of Complexity and Grandeur”: Dp Curren Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Goal Was To Show the Region as We Appalachians See It, As a Place Full of Complexity and Grandeur”: Dp Curren Sheldon on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In Sundance Next selection King Coal, Elaine McMillion Sheldon employs a hybrid approach, blending contemporary imagery with archival material and poetic voiceover to explore the impact that coal — the substance and the industry — has had on Central Appalachia. Below, editor Iva Radivojevic, herself a filmmaker, discusses her collaboration with Sheldon on the picture. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Radivojevic: Elaine and I had known each other for about a decade prior to making this […]
The post “We Initially Imagined It as a Rectangle That From the Left Starts Off Dark, Gray and Gloomy”: Editor Iva Radivojevic on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Initially Imagined It as a Rectangle That From the Left Starts Off Dark, Gray and Gloomy”: Editor Iva Radivojevic on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In Sundance Next selection King Coal, Elaine McMillion Sheldon employs a hybrid approach, blending contemporary imagery with archival material and poetic voiceover to explore the impact that coal — the substance and the industry — has had on Central Appalachia. Below, editor Iva Radivojevic, herself a filmmaker, discusses her collaboration with Sheldon on the picture. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Radivojevic: Elaine and I had known each other for about a decade prior to making this […]
The post “We Initially Imagined It as a Rectangle That From the Left Starts Off Dark, Gray and Gloomy”: Editor Iva Radivojevic on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Initially Imagined It as a Rectangle That From the Left Starts Off Dark, Gray and Gloomy”: Editor Iva Radivojevic on King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every production faces unexpected obstructions that require creative solutions and conceptual rethinking. What was an unforeseen obstacle, crisis, or simply unpredictable event you had to respond to, and how did this event impact or cause you to rethink your film? See all responses to our annual Sundance Question here. King Coal is whole-heartedly a creative response to the very act of filmmaking. We filmed this over three years and we were led from shoot-to-shoot based on reactions and creative impulses of our team and Appalachians we filmed with. Some ideas for shots and scenes came to me as a single image […]
The post “There Were So Many Times That This Film Changed in Form, Tone and Story” | Elaine McMillion Sheldon, King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “There Were So Many Times That This Film Changed in Form, Tone and Story” | Elaine McMillion Sheldon, King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every production faces unexpected obstructions that require creative solutions and conceptual rethinking. What was an unforeseen obstacle, crisis, or simply unpredictable event you had to respond to, and how did this event impact or cause you to rethink your film? See all responses to our annual Sundance Question here. King Coal is whole-heartedly a creative response to the very act of filmmaking. We filmed this over three years and we were led from shoot-to-shoot based on reactions and creative impulses of our team and Appalachians we filmed with. Some ideas for shots and scenes came to me as a single image […]
The post “There Were So Many Times That This Film Changed in Form, Tone and Story” | Elaine McMillion Sheldon, King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “There Were So Many Times That This Film Changed in Form, Tone and Story” | Elaine McMillion Sheldon, King Coal first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/1/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
A poetic ode to the blue ridges of Central Appalachia, King Coal often evokes an IMAX educational film in its scope, space, and presence. The film explores the complex history of coal as a specter that looms over the region. The precious rock is celebrated throughout, the picture never veering off-course to engage in a discussion of contemporary politics. It’s instead built on West Virginia itself, a land still tied to mythology in some ways. “Who are we, without a king,” Lanie Marsh (the young star of the picture) asks.
Written and directed by West Virginia native Elaine McMillion Sheldon (who also narrates)––with additional writing by Shane Boris, Logan Hill, Iva Radivojevic, and Heather Hannah––King Coal is a departure from the filmmaker’s previous vérité documentaries Heroin(e) and Recovery Boys, which explore a darker side of her home state. The opioid crisis is a byproduct of...
Written and directed by West Virginia native Elaine McMillion Sheldon (who also narrates)––with additional writing by Shane Boris, Logan Hill, Iva Radivojevic, and Heather Hannah––King Coal is a departure from the filmmaker’s previous vérité documentaries Heroin(e) and Recovery Boys, which explore a darker side of her home state. The opioid crisis is a byproduct of...
- 1/30/2023
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.