The Latest
Director David Charles on The Gary Baseman Documentary Mythical Creatures
David Charles is a filmmaker, writer, and graphic novelist who has written and directed interactive and non-traditional storytelling experiences for bands, brands, and properties worldwide, including James Cameron’s Avatar. In 2011, Charles became the creative partner of renowned contemporary artist Gary Baseman. The pair are currently in development on their first live action feature film Mythical Creatures, which was supported at the 2013 Sundance Institute New Frontier Story Lab, and recently released a short animation commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
A Persian Vampire Romance and Warpaint Convene at NEXT FEST
There’s not much one can hope to gather from the genre-spanning description for Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. After all, what is a Persian vampire comedy romance – or one better, an Iranian vampire western? Now’s your chance to find out. The inscrutable work from Amirpour will be on display once again on Sunday, August 10, at Sundance NEXT FEST.
NEXT FEST: Aubrey Plaza’s Deranged Antics in Life After Beth, Father John Misty Music Video
Between Jeff Baena’s serpentine zombie romance and Father John Misty’s unruly video for his breakout song “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings,” it seems Aubrey Plaza can act her way into any adaptation of a deranged young woman.
Both Baena’s dramatic comedy Life After Beth and Father John Misty, in all his paradoxical (part-nihilist, part-shamanistic) allure, will be on showcase at Sundance NEXT FEST for a two-part event. First, we’ll screen the Los Angeles premiere of Life After Beth, which walks the thin line between zombie thriller, madcap comedy, and poignant romance, and stars Plaza and Dane DeHaan in similarly revelatory performances.
Particle Fever Follows 6 Scientists Solving the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries
Particle Fever participated in IFP’s 2008 Spotlight on Documentaries at Independent Film Week and is released in-part through IFP’s collaboration and partnership with the Sundance Institute #ArtistServices Initiative.
It’s hard to imagine a more imposing logline than the one depicting Particle Fever. While the film itself doesn’t endeavor to solve the mysteries of the universe, its subjects –a coterie of leading scientists – absolutely do.
Napoleon Dynamite’s Efren Ramirez Still Wants You to Vote For Pedro
Even the most prescient indie film enthusiast couldn’t forecast the spectacle. It was the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and Efren Ramirez—who plays Pedro, the bashful Mexican transfer student running for school president in Napoleon Dynamite—recalls pinning posters up and down Main Street in Park City while dutifully passing out “Vote for Pedro” pins. It’s hardly an exceptional sight at the Festival, but certainly not one indicative of a film that would go on to gross some $45 million in domestic revenue.
Sundance Institute and Time Warner Foundation Select 9 Fellows for 2014 Artist Support Grants
Park City, UT — Sundance Institute and Time Warner Foundation announced today the nine artists selected for the 2014 Sundance Institute | Time Warner Foundation Fellowship Program, including two artists selected for the Sundance Institute | Time Warner Foundation Native Producing Fellowship.
Each Fellow was identified by one of the following core programs of the Institute: Documentary Film Program, Feature Film Program, Film Music Program, Native American & Indigenous Program and Theatre Program. Fellows attend an annual Lab and receive continued support from the Institute, including mentoring, strategic granting, attendance at the Sundance Film Festival and participation in screenplay readings, work-in-progress screenings and related programs and events.
Sundance Institute Selects Acting Company and Creative Advisors for 2014 Theatre Lab at Sundance Res
New York, NY — Sundance Institute today announced the acting company and creative advisors that are participating in its 2014 Theatre Lab, which is now taking place and runs through July 27 at the Sundance Resort in Utah. The Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute’s year-round work with the theatre community and is one of 10 residential Labs hosted by Sundance Institute this summer, collectively representing 15 weeks of residency support and mentorship for the most promising new independent theatre and film projects from the United States and around the world.
Under the supervision of Theatre Program Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the three-week Lab supports emerging and established playwrights and directors developing new work for the stage.
NEXT FEST: The Zellner Bros. Help Unearth Mysteries of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter will screen at the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, August 9, as part of Sundance NEXT FEST. Following the screening, the Zellner Brothers will be joined by a special guest for a lively conversation and Q&A. Click here to purchase tickets.
Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna on Ambulante, Their Rogue Documentary Tour
The goal is to “democratize documentary culture,” say Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, the artists behind Ambulante (whom you may recall from Y Tu Mama Tambien or Motorcycle Diaries), a traveling documentary film festival that embarks on a new journey for two weeks this fall. The idea is fairly simple, and one adapted from a tried and true formula that has engendered nine consecutive years of sucessful tours across Mexico presenting international documentary cinema to areas with limited access to film. For two weeks beginning September 21, Ambulante will occupy the greater Los Angeles region to create unique exhibition spaces and program free documentary cinema.
Carte Blanche: Sundance Institute Native Program Screening Series at MoMA
Since the early days of Sundance Institute, and true to the vision of Robert Redford, supporting Native Film has been an integral part of the work we do. The Native American and Indigenous Program at Sundance Institute boasts over 20 years of celebrating community and the exchange of ideas among Native American and Indigenous filmmakers and the global film community. To commemorate this milestone, Sundance Institute has partnered with multiple institutions which have a commitment to film and Native and Indigenous cinema.
Steve James on Premiering ‘Hoop Dreams’ at the Sundance Film Festival
“These works are like our children,” says Steve James, surely echoing the sentiment of any filmmaker who’s toiled over their art. “We put so much of ourselves into them, it’s unfathomable to contemplate that they might disappear and be forgotten.” Yet somehow, the prospect still remains that independent films with invaluable cultural or social significance become lost or damaged.
July Now Playing: A Raw Portrait of Ebert in Life Itself, Brit Marling Returns in I Origins
In January, Festival Director John Cooper called Life Itself “absolutely, positively the easiest film to program.” As declarations go, that one could draw allegations of hyperbole. That is, until you view Steve James’ raw, often difficult-to-watch but nonetheless faithfully directed portrait of legendary critic Roger Ebert, which continues its journey to theaters Friday, July 4.
New Frontier Artist Residency Program Launches with Support from the Rockefeller Foundation
Over eight years, New Frontier has cultivated a community of inventive minds, creative technologists, and talented storytellers from a variety of backgrounds. Just like the innovators at the dawn of the film age, New Frontier artists are creating language, forms, and methodologies that will become the standard for the future storyteller. To deepen this process, Sundance Institute recently launched the New Frontier Artist Residency program, designed to place New Frontier storytellers in resource rich environments to innovate the art and form of story.
Life After Beth, Father John Misty, Imperial Dreams, and Warpaint Set for Sundance NEXT FEST
Film and music go together like [blank] and [blank]. We’ll leave the platitudes to you. But if you’re stumped, today’s Sundance NEXT FEST program announcement may elicit some ideas.
How to Save Indie Distribution in 5 Easy Steps
Straith Schreder is the Director of Content Strategy, BitTorrent, Inc., which has worked with Drafthouse Films on its BitTorrent Bundle, which Chief Content Officer Matt Mason spoke on at #ArtistServices San Francisco Workshop. Below, Schreder outlines the ways in which Drafthouse Films is an indicator of where independent distribution is headed and highlights five ways that Drafthouse Films gets the new distribution model right.