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 April 14, 2008 Changing Industry: As Dentler Moves to Cinetic's New Rights Management Division, A Pierson Steps in to Lead SXSW
Rising expectations for the future of film distribution paved the way for a pair of important industry moves within the independent movie industry today. Word that SXSW Film Festival head Matt Dentler would leave the increasingly important South by Southwest festival to join a new arm of Cinetic Media aimed at repping digital rights came alongside the announcement that Janet Pierson is replacing him in Austin. Dentler will serve as head of marketing and programming operations within the new Cinetic Rights Management (CRM) unit, while fellow board member at the local Austin Film Society, Pierson has been named the new producer of the fest and conference that runs alongside the popular annual SXSW Music event. [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Moves & Hires, SXSW ]  iW NEWS | Janet Pierson Named New Producer of SXSW Film Fest; Dentler Heading to Cinetic
Janet Pierson has been named the new producer of the SXSW Film Festival and Conference, the organization has just announced. Matt Dentler, who has served as producer of the fest since 2004, has accepted a position in New York City to head the marketing and programming operations of Cinetic Media's new digital rights management unit, the festival said in an announcement. Pierson has a long history in the independent film world. In 1986 she and husband John Pierson began producer rep work that eventually lead to the release of groundbreaking work including "Roger and Me," "She's Gotta Have It," "Slacker" and "Clerks." A board member of the Austin Film Society, she was the co-creator of the TV series "Split Screen" on the Independent Film Channel. "I've been a huge fan and supporter of SXSW Film since its inception," commented Pierson in a statement. "I'm thrilled now to take on the challenge of continuing its exciting growth." [Brian Brooks]  [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] March 18, 2008  SXSW '08 | "Young @ Heart" Takes a Bow
More from SXSW '08 | Stephen Walker's doc "Young @ Heart" closed the SXSW Film Conference & Festival over the weekend. The film follows a group of senior citizens who perform contemporary and classic rock and pop songs. Joining in on the screening are Dora Morrow, Bob Cilman, Leonard Fontaine, Stephen Walker, Louise Canady and Jack Schnepp. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Perez Takes the Night
More from SXSW '08 | Uber blogger Perez Hilton hosted his own party in Austin for SXSW over the weekend, and it definitely was quite a scene (as one could imagine). Colorful characters, stations to get hair make-overs, lethal drinks and a bunch of bands, plus that sort of LA flare that is sort of absent in laid back Austin. The party went into the wee hours and joining in on the fun was SXSW Film Fest producer Matt Dentler. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Rachel Feeds Austin
More from SXSW '08 | Talk show host and Food Network star extraordinaire Rachel Ray hosted a party at Beauty Bar in Austin for her husband John Cusimano's band "The Cringe," which played over the weekend. With free food a la Rachel Ray, one could imagine the long-ass queue reaching down the street to get in... But we made it in and had some of her delicious seven layer burgers (well, those of us that eat red meat did anyway) and amaza-crazy mac n' cheese. One member of ZZ Top also came on stage for a song. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | A Vampire Weekend in Austin
More from SXSW '08: Vampire Weekend took to the stage at Stubbs BBQ's outdoor venue at the Spin magazine party over the weekend as the music festival got into full swing. The band was one of the stars among the 1700 bands playing at the festival, fresh from their cover shot on a recent issue of Spin. Here is frontman Ezra Koenig singing his heart out in the hot hot afternoon. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] iW NEWS | "Throw Down Your Heart" and "Cook County" Win Audience Nods at SXSW
The SXSW Film Conference & Festival announced its final audience award winners, with Sascha Paladino's doc "Throw Down Your Heart" taking the prize in the festival's music themed 24 Beats per Second section and David Pomes' small-town drug drama "Cook County" winning in the Lone Star States section. Jake Mahaffy's "Wellness" and Daniel Junge's "They Killed Sister Dorothy" won the jury awards in the narrative and doc competitions respectively at a ceremony earlier last week in Austin, TX. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] March 14, 2008 SXSW '08 | Victor and Kim
Actor Victor Rasuk and director Kim Peirce came to town for the Spotlight Premiere of "Stop-Loss," which had a red carpet to-do at the Paramount Theater in Austin. The film stars Ryan Philippe, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rasuk ("Raising Victor Vargas") about Sgt. King (Philippe) who returns to his small Texas town and tries to make peace with his civilian life. But against his will, he is ordered to return to Iraq. Paramount will release the film March 28. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Film & Music Abound Along with the Late Late Nights
Encompassing two of the largest creative industries, SXSW has created a formula spotlighting both film and music during its nine-day run (not to mention the massive influx of interactive folks), and it's a unique opportunity for both to converge under one mega event. But some have observed amusing differences. Just the other day, a group of film industry members joked that coming to Austin for the film fest is so full of revelry and parties -- along with the many panels, screenings and other events that make up the SXSW Film Conference & Festival-- that mornings can be a bit rough after the late nights. Still, the group observed, the really good times and late night bacchanalias truly begin when the music industry and artists arrive, marking the official start of SXSW's signature music & media conference. 1700 bands arrived mid-week, along with their ubiquitous posse of friends and fans, and then the late late late nights... [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | BMI Goes Tex Mex
Music licensing company BMI came to Austin in a big way with a fab dinner at one of Austin's most deelish Tex Mex restaurants Manuel's (at least we think so) and followed it up with other events including a brunch at the Four Seasons Friday afternoon. 400 were expected, but 1000 showed up apparently. The food was gone quickly, but the bloodies and mimosas kept flowing. Hanging out at the dinner for the IFP Narrative Rough Cut Alumni (left to right): Rubin Lim ("Half Life"), Amy Shatsey ("Marconi Bros."), Kim Haywood ("Rainbow Around the Sun"), Jennifer Phang ("Half Life"), Jihan Robinson, coord. of IFP Labs, Doreen Ringer Ross from BMI, Matthew Alvin Brown and Kevin Ely ("Rainbow Around the Sun"), Amy Dotson, managing director at IFP, Alex Kardovsky ("Woodpecker"), Beau Lelano ("Rainbow Around the Sun"), Georgina Lightning ("Older Than America") and Christina Walker. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 13, 2008 SXSW '08 | Steve James and Peter Gilbert
Earlier this week at the Paramount theater, filmmakers Steve James and Peter Gilbert prior to a screening of their new film, "At The Death House Door," looking at the career of Carroll Pickett, former death house chaplaiin in Huntsville, TX. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 DOC NOTEBOOK | Snapshots from the Competition: "Dorothy," "Wizards," "Assembly"
One of the films I was most interested in seeing at the South by Southwest film festival was a documentary called "They Killed Sister Dorothy," about the murder of Sister Dorothy Strang, a social and environmental activist, in Brazil. Daniel Junge's film won both the grand jury prize at the doc audience award at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival. Sister Dorothy, who had lived and worked as a missionary in Brazil since the 1960s, was involved in a sustainable living project in the Amazonian rain forest that was designed to set aside rain forest lands for poor farmers, allowing them to work the land in sustainable ways without destroying the biodiversity of the region. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | Dentler Sans Red Carpet
SXSW Film Festival producer Matt Dentler has found a moonlighting gig co-hosting IFC's red carpet coverage with its host Matt Singer in Cannes. The two played off each other last May at the fest and Dentler was asked back last month to co-host the red carpet (though it's actually a blue carpet) at the Film Independent Spirit Awards with IFC blogger Alison Willmore. No red carpets around 6th Street in Austin though, the two were just hanging out at IFC's Crossroads party celebrating the June premiere of its program, "Heavy Load." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | IFC Goes "Heavy Load"
IFC threw a coveted party on Austin's way popular 6th Street Tuesday night touting their June release of "Heavy Load" and celebrating SXSW. Bands Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket drew 700 people who snatched up the 400 wristbands for the event, which was as one can imagine -- packed. Hanging out before the show began, producer Al Morrow, Heavy Load bassist Paul Richards, director Jerry Rothwell, and IFC EVP Evan Shapiro. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 12, 2008AP: Helen Hunt talks filmmaking in Austin
Helen Hunt is an Oscar winner (for "As Good As It Gets") and a four-time Emmy winner (for "Mad About You"). Now she has a new title to add to her esteemed collection: filmmaker. Christy Lemire reports. [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | Mermin, Tucker and Spurlock
The doc filmmakers were in the house for VH1's party celebrating the world premiere of Sascha Paladino's "Throw Down Your Heart." Also in town with their films, directors Liz Mermin ("Shot in Bombay"), Michael Tucker ("Bulletproof Salesman") and Morgan Spurlock ("Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden") take in the scene near the free BBQ. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "We Are Wizards" and a Shiner
"We Are Wizards" director Josh Koury and brother Adam Koury (enjoying a Shiner beer -- a staple here in Texas) at SXSW. Koury's film, screening in the festival's documentary competition, profiles some of what the festival catalog describes as "the power players in the underground Harry Potter creative community. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "Frontrunners" in Austin
Hanging out at a party (with delicious quesadillas and tamales) co-hosted by indieWIRE in Austin earlier in the week, the women from doc competition feature, "Frontrunners" join in on the fun (along with a friend). Left to right: editor Jane Rizzo, filmmaker and blogger extraordinaire Michael Tully, director Caroline Suh and producer Erika Frankel. Their film documents the trials and tribulations surrounding the quest for student body president at New York City's most prestigious public high school, Stuyvesant High. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "Blip" Boys in Austin
In Austin prior to the world premiere of their film earlier in the week, editor/D.P. Asif Siddiky, director/editor Paul Owens and producer/editor Paul Levering at one of SXSW's many parties. Their film, "Blip Festival: Reformat the Planet" screened in the film fest's 24 Beats per Second section and spotlights the rising underground music movement known as "chip music." The film looks at the "Blip Festival," a four-day event centered around chiptunes, low-bit art and music created from the original Nintendos and Gameboys of the '80s and '90s. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] LAT: SXSW is Swelling
Judging from the number of high-profile studio films in this year's lineup and listening to movie industry executives here, South By Southwest's Film Festival and Conference finally is coming out from under its reputation as poor cousin to its revered sister music fest. Chris Lee reports. [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 NARRATIVE NOTEBOOK | The Latest from Austin: "Nights and Weekends," "Medicine for Melancholy," "Yeast," and "Woodpecker"
When South by Southwest film festival producer Matt Dentler introduced "Nights and Weekends" on Sunday night with the observation that some people have started referring to the festival as "South by South Swanberg," he was only half-joking. As the makeshift figurehead of a movement loosely held together by the term "mumblecore," Joe Swanberg -- the idea, not the man -- was born here, where his rambling, virtually plotless accounts of white young people hanging out strike familiar notes year after year. "Nights and Weekends" is technically his first collaborative directorial effort -- he shares the credit with "Hannah Takes the Stairs" star Greta Gerwig -- but they're also the lead actors in a claustrophobic set-up that puts them on camera almost all the time, talking about nothing until something comes up, and you get the sense that there's less direction going on than simply flow. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ] March 11, 2008 SXSW '08 DISPATCH | "Sister Dorothy" and "Wellness" Big Winners at SXSW
Daniel Junge's documentary "They Killed Sister Dorothy," about the murder of a devoted nun who fought to protect the Amazon and tirelessly supported the region's poor, won the top two doc prizes at the SXSW Film Festival, which continues through this weekend in Austin, TX. The film won the documentary grand jury prize and the festival's doc audience award as the event's film conference came to a close on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Jake Mahaffy's "Wellness," a film about the chaotic journey of one man trying to succeed in a business that doesn't exist, won the narrative grand jury award. It recently debuted at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. The other big winner was actor-turned-director Mark Webber's "Explicit Ills" which received the narrative audience award and the jury's cinematography prize. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 DOC NOTEBOOK | Sex, War, Bullfights and High School: SXSW Docs Run the Gamut
This year's South By Southwest Film Festival boasts an impressive range of subject matter among the films screening in the Documentary Competition. Last year the fest circuit was filled to capacity with Iraq war docs, so it's a refreshing change to see films on so many topics competing at this fest. "Sex Positive" is about Richard Berkowitz, a former gay S&M hustler turned AIDS activist, who spearheaded the safe sex movement in the gay community some 25 years ago. Back when AIDS was a new disease spreading like wildfire in the gay communities in cities like New York, San Francisco and London, Berkowitz was one of the few voices advocating safer sex practices like condom use. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "The Lost Coast" Director Gabriel Fleming
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Narrative Feature Competition, writer-director Gabriel Fleming's "The Lost Coast" will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The film stars Ian Scott McGregor and Lucas Alifano and follows a group of high school friends who wander around San Francisco on Halloween night. Circumstances lead two of the friends to confront an unspoken sexual history between them. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | Facebook in Focus
A hot ticket over at SXSW's Interactive conference during the weekend was Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg, who filled a massive Austin Convention Center ballroom for a Q & A session. His key message, reiterated a number of times, was "efficient communication" and "empathy" enabled via the Facebook site and the many products, services and tools being developed to run in conjunction with the platform. Zuckerberg revealed that, in addition to recently launching sites in Spanish and German, the company has now unveiled its French language site. Later in the day on Sunday, Facebook welcomed SXSW attendees to an afternoon event introducing some of the tools available to filmmakers and marketers. Variety offers a take on the panel, weighing in with some tough words for the discussion's moderator, writer Sarah Lacy. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Andre Williams Unplugged
Hanging out with the makers of the documentary about him, musician Andre Williams smiles for indieWIRE at SXSW. Seated at his side are filmmakers Eric Matthies and Tricia Todd, who no doubt had their hands full during the times following the vibrant and vocal Williams. During a late lunch at Manuel's on Congress here in Austin, Williams was both outspoken and funny, but also warm and respectful in praising the filmmakers for their support as he battled his own demons and addicitions in recent years. The film, "Agile, Mobile, Hostile: A Year With Andrew Williams," is a special screening at the festival. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 10, 2008INSIDE WORD | "Four Eyed" Monsters In The Home Stretch with IFC and DVD Deals
At an indie distribution panel today at SXSW, "Four Eyed Monsters" filmmakers Susan Buice & Arin Crumley revealed that they will sell a DVD of their film, bundled with five brand new video podcast episodes, at Borders stores on April 29th. In a deal with IFC TV, they indicated that they will also broadcast their film on the cable network. Buice and Crumley were joined on the panel by filmmaker Lance Weiler; indieWIRE profiled the trio and their efforts back in August of 2006. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Movies, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 NOTEBOOK | Notable Narratives: "Humbolt County", "Explicit Ills", "Natural Causes", and "A Necessary Death"
While the goofball stoner antics of "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" and the sheen of the new Kevin Spacey vehicle "21" might help raise the profile of the South by Southwest Film Festival, its soul comes from filmmakers operating out of sheer creative impulses. Many of the entries contain little in the way of mainstream temptations, lacking both star power and strong budgets. The resulting productions frequently come closer than their heftier brethren to constructing authentic human experiences. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | "Throw Down Your Heart" VH1 Bash
Director Sascha Paladino (left) ahead of the world premiere of his SXSW 24 Beats per Second doc, "Throw Down Your Heart" Sunday afternoon at a party hosted by VH1 in Austin. The film follows his multiple Grammy Award-winning brother, Bela Fleck (right) who travels to Africa to seek the roots of his great passion -- the banjo. Fleck explores the musical traditions in Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Mali, while, according to the SXSW catalog, "seeking a role for his banjo within African music..." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "Fatboy" in Austin
Picturehouse hosted an intimate dinner Sunday night in Austin ahead of the screening of actor/director David Schwimmer's "Run, Fat Boy, Run." The film stars Simon Pegg as a flabby guy who turns to the marathon in an effort to win the attention of his estranged wife... Joining Schwimmer are critic Robert Wilonsky and SXSW chief, Louis Black. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "Natural Causes" at SXSW
Directors/producers/editors Alex Cannon and Michael Lerman and Paul Cannon's feature on young love, "Natural Causes," had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival this week. The crew partied it up over the weekend ahead of their big outing including (L to R): Alex Cannon, Paul Cannon, Michael Lerman and cast members Leah Goldstein and Jerzy Gwiazdowski. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | They Killed Sister Dorothy Premiere
Daniel Junge's doc competition film, "They Killed Sister Dorothy," which follows the murder and stunning court case which followed of the devoted nun who fought for sustainable livelihood for the poor in Brazil's Amazon, had its world premiere at SXSW Sunday afternoon. "This story is about us, will we have a future?" asked her brother, David Stang after the screening of the film. "Are we willing to stand up and fight for the environment?" Pictured left to right after the screening in Austin: Producer Henry Ansbacher, Sister Becky Spires, David Stang, director Daniel Junge, producer Nigel Noble, editor Davis Coombe and Pedro Bromfman who did the film's music. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Explicit Ills" Director Mark Webber
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Narrative Feature Competition, director Mark Webber's "Explicit Ills" will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. With a large cast including Lou Taylor Pucci, Frankie Shaw, Tariq Trotter, Rosario Dawson, Naomie Harris and Paul Dano, "Ills" follows a group of characters who come together in a story of young love, drugs and poverty. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "We Are Wizards" Director Josh Koury
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Documentary Feature Competition, Josh Koury's "We Are Wizards" is having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The doc is a portrait of the unusual and passionate culture of Harry Potter fans. As the SXSW catalog describes the film, "The 'Harry Potter' mythos allows the nerdy, the average, the young, the downtrodden, and the bored a chance to borrow a little inspiration and step out of their respective worlds to be a part of something 'big.'" [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Interviews, Lead Story, SXSW ] Variety: SXSW Fest Gets Hot with Directors
Even after 15 years, the South By Southwest Film Festival is no threat to Sundance -- but it is the festival Slamdance always wanted to be. Dana Harris and Michael Jones report. [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] March 9, 2008 SXSW '08 DISPATCH | As "Nights and Weekends" Debuts, Swanberg & Gerwig Sign Worldwide Deal with IFC
The SXSW Film Festival, annual meeting place for that infamous interconnected movement of new American filmmakers known as Mumblecore, has yielded a deal for the new film from prolific DIY director Joe Swanberg. In a pact brokered in recent days, IFC Entertainment quickly acquired worldwide rights to Swanberg and Greta Gerwig's "Nights and Weekends," announcing the deal as the film had its world premiere tonight (Sunday) here in Austin, TX. and less than a year after distributing Swanberg's "Hannah Takes The Stairs," which debuted here last March. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Acquistions, Lead Story, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | Panel: Do I Really Want to Make this Movie?
Warner Independent's Carl Hampe, 7th Floor producer Allen Bain and Sidetrack Films' Jared Moshe following their panel "Do I Really Want to Make this Movie?" Saturday afternoon. Bain brought in Moshe and Hampe to give some practical advice to aspiring producers, screenwriters and directors. While tons of pragmatic input was given, the overriding theme seemed to be to never give up and to maintain paperwork... "You'll become an honorary lawyer, I promise you," said Bain. "Keep your paperwork in order," added Moshe. "If you don't have the paperwork in order, there's nothing you can do with [your film]." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Sex Positive
"Sex Positive" producer David Oliver Cohen, director/producer/editor Daryl Wein and subject Richard Berkowitz after a busy world premiere screening of their doc in Austin Saturday afternoon. The film follows the story of Berkowitz, a controversial gay S&M hustler who turned into an AIDS activist on the forefront of promoting safe sex and questioning what he believes was an oversimplification of the disease by science. He also sees current safe sex campaigns as ineffective. "People who took over sex campaigns in the late '80s were sex workers and porn stars that made their campaigns appealing to sluts," said Berkowitz. "And now those campaigns are taken over by bureaucrats and people who are worried about losing their funding." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Bi the Way
"Bi The Way" co-directors Brittany Blockman and Josephine Decker and producer Martha Shane received a standing ovation following the world premiere of their film, which is screening in the SXSW Special Screenings section. The doc turns the spotlight in what they view as a rising "coming out" of people, primarily teens and those in their 20s, of people who consider themselves either "bisexual," "pan-sexual," or "no label." I was watching [television's] "The O.C." and Mischa Barton's character kissed another girl and I was wondering if this was just another 'bi-chic' moment or was this a [sign of a] new sexual revolution...," Blockman commented after the screening. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | "Humboldt" and "Flying on One Engine" Do Montana/South Dakota
The Montana and South Dakota film offices held an "exclusive" reception (we had to sort of charm our way in) Saturday afternoon for filmmakers and panelists. Among the filmmakers there were SXSW Emerging Visions co-directors/co-screenwriters Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs who are in Austin with the world premiere of their film, "Humboldt County." Chatting with them is "Flying on One Engine" (directed by Joshua Z. Weinstein) Assoc. Producer, Nicole Lederman (who graciously talked up our credentials to get in that event). [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 8, 2008 SXSW '08 | "21" Opener in Austin
The SXSW Film Festival & Conference (SXSW) kicked off officially Friday night with the opening night film "21" by Robert Luketic. The film follows a group of MIT students who managed to take Las Vegas for millions of dollars. Based on the book "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich, Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess -- pictured on the left) is a math genius in need of $100,000s in order to attend Harvard, and maybe gambling is the way to go... Both Sturgess and Jeff Ma -- who is one of the original figures the film is based on -- both played pool at the opening night party following the screening. We didn't see anyone betting though, but who knows... [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | ZZ Top Show their Film Cred
Friday night was a busy film night in Austin, TX with both the opening of the SXSW Film Festival and the Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards hosted by the Austin Film Society. ZZ Top took TX Hall of fame nods, accepting the event's AMD Live! Soundtrack Award. Band members Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard (is that really his name?) and Dusty Hill accepted their award and gave some great shots. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ]  SXSW '08 | Morgan Fairchild at Tess Harper at Texas Film Hall of Fame
"No Country for Old Men" actress Tess Harper (right) introduced her friend actress Morgan Fairchild with her Texas Film Hall of Fame award Friday night at Austin Studios. Minus the big hair reminiscent of her roles in famous nighttime soaps like "Dallas" and "Falcon Crest," the Dallas native looked just the same as she did back in the '80s. Tess praised her friend for her thoughtfulness and calm determination in her pursuit of humanitarian causes. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 7, 2008 SXSW '08: Eating, Drinking, and Shopping in Austin: An indieWIRE Insiders Guide
BBQ, Tex-Mex and muic are typically among the highlights of a trip to Austin, TX. But those who regularly attend SXSW often report back on the laid back, casual vibe that the city offers its guests. From the crowded movie theaters filled with slackers (or those who just sport the look) and industry attendees alike, to concerts all around town at the many local venues, Austin will be jammed with out-of-towners in the coming days. There are tons of movies to write about, but to ignite indieWIRE's coverage of SXSW '08, we decided to try something a bit different by taking a closer look at the city itself. Thousands of people will converge upon Texas's capital and coolest city over the next ten days or so for the film, music and interactive festival/conferences, socializing and networking all over town. indieWIRE surveyed a group of Austin locals and insiders about their favorites places to eat, drink, shop and chill, including some of our own tips gleaned during our past jaunts to Texas. The results of our informal, subjective survey follow. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 4 comments ] [ filed under Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, SXSW ] AP: South by Southwest bets on "21"
Robert Luketic sheepishly says he thinks the South by Southwest Film Festival is taking a gamble on him by showing his Las Vegas thriller, "21," on opening night. Christy Lemire reports. [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Full Battle Rattle" Directors Jesse Moss & Tony Gerber
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Feature Documentary Competition, Jesse Moss and Tony Gerber's "Full Battle Rattle" will be having its North American premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival after premiering in Berlin last month. The follows lives inside the US Army's Iraq Simulation in California's Mojave Desert. The film takes on one Army Battalion's efforts to pacify the town of Medina Wasl, one of thirteen villages in the simulation, as it lies on the brink of civil war. indieWIRE talked to Moss and Gerber about the film and their goals for SXSW. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Up With Me" Director Greg Takoudes
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in Narrative Feature Competition, Greg Takoudes' feature directorial debut, "Up With Me," will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. Takoudes co-wrote the project with Maeve McQuillan, which follows a teenager in Harlem who is admitted to an upstate boarding school on scholarship. The film stars Francisco Vicioso, Erika Rivera, Brandon Thorpe and Justin Coltrain. indieWIRE talked to Takoudes about the film and his goals for SXSW. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 | Armstrong and Marshall Before the Film
Tour de France seven-time winner Lance Armstrong and producer/director Frank Marshall (prod. "The Bourne Ultimatum") at Armstrong's lovely home outside of central Austin on Thursday night. Marshall will be the director of the upcoming film, now referred to as the 'Untitled Lance Armstrong Project', starring who knows... though names from a Jake to a Matt have been thrown around. Sony apparently has some stake in it all too, but for tonight, the party was officially a pre-party for the Austin Film Society's Texas Film Hall of Fame bash Friday night at the Austin Studios. And of course many arriving industry, press and more turned up at Armstrong's home for the party -- along with some very chilly weather. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under SXSW, SXSW Film Festival & Conference ] March 6, 2008INSIDE WORD | Secret Screenings Set for SXSW
Sundance Hits in Austin... The cool, windy weather in Austin has swept in a pair of Sundance Film Festival hits for surprise midnight screenings this weekend (via Sony Pictures Classics). Friday night at Midnight a bonus screening of The Duplass Brothers' "Baghead" is on tap for the Alamo South Lamar. According to ads in the local Austin American Statesman, tickets are available to anyone who drops by The Jackalope bar (404 E. 6th Street) between 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. See the man with a bag on his head. The following night a surprise showing of an unnamed Park City favorite will screen at the Alamo South Lamar. The promo copy (and innuendos) should leave little doubt as to which SPC film will be shown: "Before it rolls into theaters this summer, be one of the first to see this huge (bong) hit from this year's Sundance Film Festival. Where were you in '94? Find out what you missed at this secret (stash) midnight screening Saturday night at the Lamar! Snacks not provided, but strongly encouraged." [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "They Killed Sister Dorothy" Director Daniel Junge
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Documentary Feature Competition, Daniel Junge's "They Killed Sister Dorothy" will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The doc follows the story of a 73 year-old Catholic nun from Ohio who was shot six times at point blank range and left to die on February 12th, 2005, to ask: Who was this woman, and why was she killed? What will become of her murderers, and who else was involved? What are the implications of her murder and these trials on the future? indieWIRE talked to Junge about the film and his goals for SXSW. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "The Marconi Bros." Directors Marco Ricci and Michael Canzoniero
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Emerging Visions program, writer-directors Marco Ricci and Michael Canzoniero's feature debut, "The Marconi Bros. is having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. Starring Brendan Sexton III, Dan Fogler and Jon Polito, the film follows brothers Anthony and Carmine Marconi, who have spent their lives in the family carpet business. Their opportunity to escape this life occurs when they meet a Long Island wedding video businessman. indieWIRE talked to the directors about their film and their goals for SXSW. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ] March 5, 2008 SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Bulletproof Salesman" Co-Director Michael Tucker
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Documentary Feature Competition, Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's "Bulletproof Salesman is having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The doc follows Fidelis Cloer, a self-confessed "war profiteer" who found The Perfect War when the US invaded Iraq. As explained by South By Southwest: "It wasn't about selling a dozen cars, or even a hundred, it was a thousand-car war where security would become the ultimate product." indieWIRE talked to Tucker about his and Epperlein's film and their goals for South By Southwest. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "The Matador" Directors Stephen Higgins & Nina Gilden Seavey
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Documentary Feature Competition, directors Stephen Higgins and Nina Gilden Seavey's "The Matador" will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The doc takes on the "epic tale" of David Fandila's quest to become the world's top-ranked bullfighter. "Matador" follows three-years of Fandila's journey across Spain and Latin America during many setbacks and successes en route to achieve his goal. indieWIRE talked to Higgins and Seavey about the film and their goals for the festival. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ] March 4, 2008 SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Yeast" Director Mary Bronstein
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Narrative Feature Competition, writer-director-actor Mary Bronstein's "Yeast" is having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. Also starring Amy Judd, Greta Gerwig and Sean Williams, "Yeast" follows a maddeningly oblivious, tyrannical and emotionally stunted young woman tries her best to negotiate two toxic friendships. indieWIRE talked to Bronstein about the film and her aspirations for the festival. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "FrontRunners" Director Caroline Suh
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Documentary Feature Competition, Caroline Suh's "FrontRunners" will be having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival. The doc details the campaign for student body president at Stuyvesant, one of the most prestigious public high schools in the United States. The campaign, is suggested as almost as sophisticated as any presidential election. But unlike presidential candidates, they also have to do their homework, take their SATs and write their college applications. indieWIRE talked to Suh about the film and her goals for the festival. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ] March 3, 2008 SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Paper Covers Rock" Director Joe Maggio
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Director Joe Maggio's "Paper Covers Rock" is having its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival." Screening in the Narrative Film Competition, "Rock" covers the story of Sam (Jeannine Kaspar), a troubled young woman who loses custody of her six year-old daughter in the wake of an unsuccessful suicide attempt. indieWIRE talked to Maggio about the film and his goals for the festival. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ]  SXSW '08 INTERVIEW | "Wellness" Director Jake Mahaffy
EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling directors who have films screening at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. Screening in the Narrative Feature Competition, writer-director Jake Mahaffy's "Wellness" is having its North American Premiere at South By Southwest Film Festival. Detailing the haotic journey of one man trying to succeed in a business that doesn't exist, "Wellness" stars Jeff Clark and Paul Mahaffy. indieWIRE talked to Jake Mahaffy about the film and his hopes for the festival. [ read more in People ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Interviews, SXSW ] February 12, 2008iW NEWS | SXSW '08 Adds Films, Panels
Eva Norvind's "Born Without" and Everardo Gonzalez' "The Old Thieves" have been added to the roster for the upcoming SXSW Film Conference and Festival, screening in the event's new "Global Doc Days" section that will showcase programming from various international film organizations. The section will also include docs from Canada, Norway, and China. Also added to the SXSW lineup are panels featuring Billy Bob Thornton & Dwight Yoakam (In conversation on March 11), separate conversations with Helen Hunt and Stanley Nelson (both on March 9th), and an acting workshop with Jeffrey Tambor on the same day. The event is also adding "Drugs, Politics, and Race: A 'Harold & Kumar' Panel" and "What the Writers' Strike Taught Us" on March 8th. SXSW will run from March 7 - 16 in Austin, TX. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] February 4, 2008 SXSW '08 | South by Southwest Sets Slate for 15th Film Fest
Some 113 feature films are set to screen at the 15th South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference & Festival in Austin, TX. Running, March 7 - 15, 2008, the event's showcases are the documentary and narrative feature competitions (see complete lists below). Also on tap are high-profile, anticipated films in the Spotlight Premieres section, including Nanette Burstein's "American Teen," Jay & Mark Duplass' "Baghead," Aaron Rose & Joshua Leonard's "Beautiful Losers," Clark Gregg's "Choke," Nicholas Stoller's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Michael Almereyda's "New Orleans Mon Amour," Joe Swanberg & Greta Gerwig's "Nights and Weekends," Martin Scorsese's "Shine A Light," Kimberly Peirce's "Stop-Loss," Liz Mermin's "Shot In Bombay," and Morgan Spurlock's "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?". The event, while will open Robert Luketic's "21," will close with Stephen Walker's "Young@Heart." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Festival News, Lead Story, SXSW ] January 15, 2008iW NEWS | "Harold and Kumar," "Seattle," "Crawford," "Mister Lonely" Among SXSW Titles Added
Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg's New Line Cinema release, "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," the sequel to "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," will join the line up at the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference & Festival. Suspected of terrorism after they try to sneak on board a plane to Amsterdam, they are forced to run from the law and try to find a way to prove their innocence. Joining the line up as well are: Stuart Townsend's "Battle in Seattle," David Modigliani's "Crawford," Harmony Korine's "Mister Lonely," Steve Conrad's "The Promotion," and "The Toe Tactic" by Emily Hubley. Helen Hunt will join a panel (her directorial effort, "Then She Found Me" is screening), as will sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison and Michael Eisner. For more information, visit the SXSW website. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] January 2, 2008iW NEWS | Luketic's "21" to Open 15th SXSW Film Festival in March
Robert Luketic's "21" will open the 15th South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival (SXSW) March 7th, the event anounced Wednesday. Written by Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb, the Columbia Pictures release is based on Ben Mezrich's book, "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Student Who Took Vegas for Millions." The feature stars Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, and Laurence Fishburne and will screen at Austin's Paramount Theater, kicking off the nine day film fest taking place in the Texas capital March 7 - 15. Also joining the partial line up unveiled today along with "21" are Steve James and Peter Gilbert's drama "At the Death House Door," Erik Nelson's doc on author Harlan Ellison "Dreams with Sharp Teeth," Michael Radford's "Flawless" starring Demi Moore, "Run Fatboy Run" by David Schwimmer, and Celia Maysles' doc about her father, filmmaker David Maysles, "Wild Blue Yonder," which iW profiled from IDFA in November. "We're thrilled to have 21 screen as the Opening Night Film of SXSW 2008," commented festival producer Matt Dentler in a statement. "With a great story, as well as fantastic talent in front of and behind the camera, we're willing to bet that audiences will be just as excited." [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] September 4, 2007iW NEWS | Moby and Stanley Nelson on Tap for SXSW '08
Looking ahead to its next edition in March, the South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival (SXSW) have confirmed Moby and documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson to its slate of speakers, the fest announced over the weekend. Moby will participate in a session entitled "A Conversation with Moby," hosted and moderated by Doreen Ringer-Ross of BMI. The session, scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, will take a look at the musician's relationship with cinema including a look at "moby gratis," the musician's new endeavor to offer some of his music, free-of-charge, to independent filmmakers. Nelson filmmaker ("Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple") will take part in a discussion of his work including highlights from his award-winning career. SXSW also announced the creation of "Global Doc Days," an initiative formed "to create a brighter spotlight on documentary films produced around the world." International film organizations are invited to showcase some of their latest in nonfiction filmmaking, and each participating nation will have an afternoon slot at a SXSW theater, to offer audiences a chance to sample their documentary programming. The 15th festival will take place March 7 - 15 in Austin, TX. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] August 4, 2007iW NEWS | SXSW Names 'click' Winners; Accepting Submissions for '08
The South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) announced the winners of its 4th annual SXSWclick Festival with Dan Brown's "Pierre" taking the grand jury prize as well as the "Animate-It" nod, while "Peterson's Savings and Loan" by Will Elliott won the 'Popularity Contest' with 1,000 online votes in addition to taking the prize in the "Old School Shorts" category. Other winners included "Ubuntu" by David Serota (Really Real Shorts), "Always Near" by Andrea Giacomini (Sound Checks), and "The Timebox Twins" by Tipper Newton (What the F*#!?). In addition to its winners, SXSW is now accepting entries for its 2008 edition next March 7 - 15. The early submission deadline is November 16 and the final deadline is December 7. For more information, visit the festival's website. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] July 2, 2007iW NEWS | Finalists Named for 4th SXSWclick
Fifteen finalists in five categories have been named for the South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival's four-year-old online Summer short film event, SXSWclick. Selected in the Animate-It category are: AM Peters' "Corporate Whore," Dan Brown's "Pierre," and David Crumley's "Sloths on a Tank"; in the Old School Shorts section: Will Elliott's "Peterson's Savings and Loan," Johnny O'Hara's "Mac's First Time," and Adam Wingard's "1000 Year Sleep"; in the Really Old Shorts category: David Serota's "Ubuntu," Kent Osbourne's "Every Picture I Took Last Year," and Jenny Perlin's "Review"; in the Sounds Shots section: Jonathan Stearns' "Falling Up" by Rickie Lee Jones, Andrea Gianomini's "Always Near" by Socadia, and Aaron Castillo's "Not Until Now" by Mediums; and in the What the F*#! category: Tim Spellman's "Math Bus," Tipper Newtown's "The Timebox Twins," and Naveen Singh's "Orphans." Jurors for the competition include actor Kal Penn, comedian Bob Odenkirk, filmmakers Doug Pray, Michael Tully and AJ Schnack, and bloggers Agnes Varnum and Violet Blue. For more information, visit the SXSWclick website. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW, Shorts ] April 5, 2007Mumblecorps Trailers at SXSW
Cast and crew from "Hannah Takes The Stairs," including Andrew Bujalski, Kevin Bewersdorf, Mark Duplass, Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Ry Russo-Young, Todd Rohal, and Joe Swanberg starred in a series of trailers they made for the recent SXSW Film Festival. One clip, dubbed "Mc Griddles" features Bujalski, Osborne and Bewersdorf talking about blogs and an apparently popular McDonalds breakfast item. Others, shot on the set of "Hannah" are available online (via YouTube). [permalink] [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ] March 21, 2007 Our Horrifying Camera Malfunction
More from SXSW '07: Photographer/director Bruce Weber and singer Angela McCluskey flash a nice pose after McCluskey's |