THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora
Showing posts with label Film Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film Festival. Show all posts

FILM FESTIVAL - SXSW, "Goodbye Solo"

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Once again... scrubbing the list of films from the recently announced SXSW Film Festival line-up, in search of any films starring black faces in front of or behind the camera... I found this... number 2 thus far (See #1, titled, Sorry, Thanks).

It's called Goodbye Solo, the latest film from internationally-acclaimed Iranian American filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, responsible for the previously well-reviewed and received, Chop Shop, and Man Push Cart.

It premiered as an official selection of the Venice Film Festival last year (2008), where it won the international film critic's FIPRESCI award for best film; and it later had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, also in late 2008.

And for those of us in these United States, SXSW gets the honor of debuting the film next month, when the festival opens at its Austin, TX location.

So, what's it all about:

On the lonely roads of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, two men forge an improbable friendship that will change both of their lives forever. Solo is a Senegalese cab driver working to provide a better life for his young family. William is a tough Southern good ol‘ boy with a lifetime of regrets. One man‘s American dream is just beginning, while the other‘s is quickly winding down. But despite their differences, both men soon realize they need each other more than either is willing to admit. Through this unlikely but unforgettable friendship, GOODBYE SOLO deftly explores the passing of a generation as well as the rapidly changing face of America.

Ok. For a change, I'll withhold every impulsive, knee-jerk reaction I have to the above write-up. After all, I haven't even seen the film yet!

By the way, the name "Solo" in the film's title, is the name of the lead character, played by Senegalese actor, Souleymane Sy Savane.

Roadside Attractions already owns theatrical rights to the film for stateside audiences, and will release it in limited release on March 27th, right after SXSW closes it doors for the year.

Its IMDB page lists theatrical distributors in several other countries - mostly in Europe and South America.

Here's the trailer:

FILM FESTIVAL - SXSW, "Sorry Thanks"

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Yes, the South By Southwest (SXSW) film festival is nearly upon us. It's the next prominent American film festival on the annual festival calendar, right after the granddaddy of them all, the Sundance Film Festival.

And just as I did with Sundance, I've scrubbed the list of films accepted into SXSW, in search of any black faces in front of and/or behind the film cameras. But unlike Sundance this year, SXSW doesn't have much to offer in that regard, compared to last year's edition of the Austin, TX-based festival, where Barry Jenkins' Medicine For Melancholy made its debut, on its way to an eventual IFC distribution pick-up!

One film that fits the bill from this year's selection, is the "Mumblecore" produced Sorry, Thanks, a film I first heard about almost a year ago, but didn't pay much attention to. I recall stumbling across the film's website then; however there was little info for me to swallow at the time.

The film stars newcomer, Kenya Miles, and Willey Wiggins, both pictured in the image above.

The synopsis is as follows:

"Sorry, Thanks" is an un-romantic comedy about two people who are glad they met, sorry they slept together, and self-destructive enough to “keep in touch." Upon visiting her ex-boyfriend's apartment to collect her belongings, Kira (Kenya Miles) launches into the dating scene for the first time in years and fixates immediately on the disheveled Max (Wiley Wiggins). Disaster looms when Max (who already has a girlfriend) decides to dabble in two new pursuits: an obsessive-tending interest in Kira, and the mystery of whether he may in fact be an ass. Kira, meanwhile, continues bewildered: fighting to win a job she's far too smart for, then sabotaging her only meaningful romantic prospect when her best friend lays it on the line.

By the way, like Medicine For Melancholy, Sorry, Thanks was shot entirely in San Francisco.

From the looks of the trailer, it looks like yet another indie romantic comedy, full of stock quirky characters, in their 20s/early 30s, naturalistic dialogue, seemingly mostly improvised, and, of course, likely shot with a hand-held prosumer digital camcorder.

Kudos to the filmmakers for their accomplishment; but, I can't say that I'll be rushing to see this one, if it ever reaches a theatre near me.

I'm calling for a moratorium on the indie romantic comedy/relationship movie! They all start to look the same after awhile.

The film's website: http://www.sorrythanksfilm.com/

Here's its trailer:



For the full list of films scheduled to screen at SXSW next month, go to http://www.sxsw.com/.

The film festival runs from March 13th to the 21st.

FESTIVAL - Pan African Film Festival

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One of the better black film festivals in the country, IMHO.

I'm hoping to make an appearance, provided my application for a press pass is approved, so that I can take in as many films as I possibly can, and, of course, blog about them, as well as my overall experience at the festival, right here, on The Obenson Report.

One noteworthy scheduled screening is, Killer Of Sheep writer/director, Charles Burnett's next work, titled, Relative Strangers, which stars Eriq LaSalle as a once successful man, who separates himself from his family, fearing failure, until he receives word of his father’s death, and has to return home, and face those he left behind.

Drama ensues, I'm sure.

The film costars Cicely Tyson, Michael Michele, and Michael Beach.

Blair Underwood has been pegged as the Master of Ceremonies for the festival, which runs from February 5th to the 16th. Check out their website for the entire program of screenings and panels at http://www.paff.org/.

Below is a trailer:

FESTIVAL - The International Black Women’s Film Festival

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My first time hearing about this festival... found at Must Love Movies.



According to the festival's website:

The International Black Women’s Film Festival was established in 2002 by Adrienne Anderson, a San Francisco Bay Area-resident and San Francisco-native. Though an academic and collaborative technology trainer by profession, Ms. Anderson is also a journalist, writer and cultural activist. It was through her contact with music artists and filmmakers that she found that many films being presented had little, if any, fair representation of the complexity and human emotions of Black, female characters. Surprisingly, she found this consistency among films from other countries as well.

She decided to create a festival where the accomplishments, talents, creativity and filmmaking skills of Black women could be celebrated, featured and fairly represented. Looking beyond the usual Hollywood-style stereotypes of Black women, she introduced new and innovate cinema, primarily directed by Black women, and/or featuring Black women in non-stereotypical roles.

To date, the festival has received over 400 entries and has garnered international attention around the world from the Netherlands, Germany, Paris, Ghana, Canada and Australia! The festival has also received personal support and sponsorship from STAR WARS director and creator George Lucas and his media company LucasFilms, Ltd.

Below is a trailer for the festival competition:




via MLM

Slamdance Film Festival Unveils Lineup

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Toronto Film Festival Announces Films - 2 To Note

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The prestigious Toronto International Film Festival announced 27 international film selections to screen at the festival this September. As can usually be expected, the list is made of a diverse, ecclectic group of films from countries all over the world (none from the African continent this year though).

Of note, 2 films I've mentioned previously on this blog, made the coveted list of 27, and I'm sure the filmmakers are euphoric right about now!

The first of the 2 films is Medicine for Melancholy by writer/director Barry Jenkins. I doubt that the film needs an introduction at this point. If you've been reading this blog, you should certainly be well aware of the film by now. If not, just perform a search above-left for the title, and you'll see all my previous posts about it.

The second is Hunger by Afro British filmmaker Steve McQueen - a film that, if you recall, won this year’s Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film follows Bobby Sands and the other political inmates of Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison in 1981, as they seek to gain special category status for republican prisoners.

I assume both filmmakers will be present at the festival for those of you planning on going. Medicine already has a distribution deal with IFC Films. Interestingly, Hunger was also picked up by IFC Films.

Given all that I've posted about IFC Films on this blog this year, it's safe to say that they are having quite a busy year over there! And with the IFC Center theater being right here in New York City, you can guarantee that both films will play there, and I'll certainly be front and center to see them! Also if you recall, a film called Ballast was once an IFC pick-up, but they lost it when the filmmaker opted for a deal with another company that afforded him more control over his work. Ballast, by the way, features an African American cast.

So, the message seems to be: if you're a black filmmaker, and/or have a film about a black person or black people, then IFC Films just might be the distributor whose door you should be knocking on right about now :o) Of course, I'm being facetious, but if I did have a film, I'd certainly have consider seriously the facts above.

Check out the entire list of 27 films HERE.

Flashing Lights - Cannes Unveils 2008 Lineup!

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The "prestigious" Cannes Film Festival unveiled its lineup of films both in and out of competition for the 2008 festival taking place in its usual luxurious French Riviera location next month! I put the word "prestigious" in quotation marks because l'm starting to question the true relevance and value of the 69 year old film festival! It's very much an elitist affair, and I think it's always been that way, but it's starting to wear its elitism like a badge of honor, which is a turnoff. It negates its legitimacy and global acceptance as THE preeminent film festival in the world. Just like new technology companies are changing how we think of and use technology, challenging the reach of the stalwarts (for example, Google VS Microsoft), I feel like America, and even the world, need upstart festivals to replace the dinosaurs of the industry, in which the quality of the work is the only thing that matters, and who you are or who you know mean absolutely nothing!

Of course, no surprise, there aren't any films from Africa. Apparently Sembene's death meant the end of African cinema as well - at least, according to the good people at Cannes.

However, it is what it is, and regardles of what I say, filmmakers and the media will ensure that it remains the top festival in the world... at least for now!

Of note for those of us in the USA, Clint Eastwood's next film, The Changeling (starring Angelina Jolie) will make its debut. Notable screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York, also is scheduled. Steven Soderbergh's highly anticipated Che Guevara bio-pic starring Benicio Del Toro will screen as well. And Woody Allen strikes again with a film that supposedly has a lesbian storyline, titled Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Woody Allen and lesbian themes just don't seem like a fit to me. And David Lynch's daughter, Jennifer, makes her Cannes debut with a thriller called Surveillance. Let's hope there's actually a coherent, plausible story, unlike her father's last film, Inland Empire... talk about a cure for insomnia! Lastly, Steven Spielberg's next (and hopefully, final) installment of the Indiana Jones series, Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, will premiere.

You can see the complete list HERE, including the selected panel of judges.

Film Movement, LLC

Episode 16 - The Obenson Report Podcast On Black Film / Black Cinema

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EPISODE 16 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCASTon Black Film / Black Cinema

Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation

RECORDED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH 2007

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:
1. TWO BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS: Tambay launches a new festival, the New York Black Film Festival... and creates a $2000 annual fund to finance short films, starting in 2008.
2. Protests outside of BET CEO's Washington, DC home.
3. ANF Thursday night screening recap. A "Black Night In London!"
4. Also movement/collective power - 2 simple things YOU can do.
5. Lastly the "Capable Tenth" redux. Where do we stand?

ARE YOU IN? I am!

To Listen, simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there. You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Links referenced in podcast - The Invisible Cinema Blogspot, Low Budget TV, The Enough Is Enough Campaign.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

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