Hot Docs (www.hotdocs.ca), North America's largest documentary festival, conference and market, will present its 19th annual edition from April 26 - May 6, 2012. An outstanding selection of 170+ documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented to Toronto audiences and international delegates. Hot Docs will also mount a full roster of conference sessions and market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum and The Doc Shop. In partnership with Blue Ice Film, Hot Docs operates the recently acquired Bloor Cinema, a century-old landmark located in Toronto's Annex neighborhood.

The Montclair Film Festival, held in Montclair New Jersey, takes place May 1-6, 2012 and features over 45 films with live participation by special guests including Kathleen Turner, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Moore, Patrick Wilson and Oliver Platt.

Bob Feinberg, the co-founder and chairman of the project, set out to create a film festival for the town of Montclair that would serve as a focal point for the cinematic arts, an economic engine and an expression of cultural and artistic diversity. Two years later, the idea has become a reality: New Jersey is home to a first-class film festival. "We’ve rallied supporters from the film community, from the philanthropic community, and from the civic community," said Feinberg. "During the first week in May, we’ll see the results of these efforts. Based on the outpouring of support, I’m confident that it’s going to be a great week for all involved."

Festival directors Raphaela Neihausen and Thom Powers selected films from around the world while paying special attention to New Jersey talent. "The heart of filmmaking beats strongly in Jersey," said Neihausen. "It’s astonishing when you realize how many talented people were born here or now call the state home."

"We sought to curate a selection that plays to the strengths of Montclair," said Powers. "That includes a comedy section, a strong interest in African-American stories and an engagement with progressive issues."

In the planning stages for over two years, the board of advisors includes comedian Stephen Colbert, journalist Adaora Udoji, cosmetics CEO Bobbi Brown and President of National Geographic Films, Daniel Battsek.

Highlights of festival sections include:

Special Presentations: The Opening Night Gala (May 1) will present the New Jersey comedy, The Oranges, with a strong ensemble cast including Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, and Oliver Platt. The Oranges will open this fall. A "Tribute to Kathleen Turner" (May 2) will survey the actress’ career with a live interview. (Her newest film The Perfect Family plays separately at MFF). Olympia Dukakis will appear for a screening of her latest film Cloudburst (May 3).

Drama: Tiger Eyes, based on the novel by New Jersey native Judy Blume (the first of her books to be adapted for the big screen), is directed by her son Lawrence Blume. An Oversimplification of Her Beauty is the bold debut of African-American director Terence Nance.

Comedy: "The What-Is-It," a live event with comedians from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. NJ resident Chris Rock stars in 2 Days in New York.

Documentary: World Premiere of The Prep School Negro. A screening of About Face, a documentary by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, plus a Q&A with Pat Cleveland.

Family: Brooklyn Castle and First Position, films that challenge preconceptions of chess and ballet.

New Jersey Spotlight: World Premiere of David Bromberg: Unsung Treasure and Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr Movie. Rare theatrical screening of The Promise: The Making of the Darkness on the Edge of Town, plus a Q&A with director Thom Zimny.

Classics: Oscar-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell appears in–person to present a restoration of the 1948 film, The Red Shoes, co-directed by her late husband, Michael Powell, with Emeric Pressburger. The festival also shows a restored version of the 1933 original King Kong.

Conversations: "The Road to Batman & Dark Knight", a discussion with Michael Uslan and Steve Gorelick, executive director of the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission. A conversation with acclaimed actor and NJ resident Patrick Wilson and a panel on film and community building with Michael Moore.

Arts Engine celebrates twelve years of Media That Matters™ — the premier showcase for short films with big messages.

"We no longer have to rely on major corporations for things to be seen — we have Media that Matters™ to distribute new material and new voices and new points of view."
— Tim Robbins, Actor

Submit your film for the chance to work with us in creating social change through film. If selected, your film will take become a part of Media That Matters™—an international, multi-platform campaign streaming and playing to thousands of people at screenings across the globe. Media That Matters™ creates discussion guides and screening materials to promote conversation and encourage educators, activists and organizers alike to Take Action around these films.

CRITERIA:

• Short films — the shorter the better—no longer than 12 minutes max, but 8 and under would be great!
• Social issues — All issues will be considered.
• The film should encourage the audience to be engaged and take action around the issue.
• All genres — Documentary, animation, public service announcement, narrative, music video, drama, comedy. Creativity is encouraged — but your film must focus on a social issue.
• Open to all ages

BEFORE SUBMITTING:

• The film you are submitting must be cleared for NON EXCLUSIVE home video, educational, online, broadcast and theatrical distribution. If you have signed a contract with any other entity for this film that includes EXCLUSIVE rights to this film, please review prior to submitting to our festival. Media That Matters™ seeks the widest possible audiences for your film. To do this effectively, we use a non-exclusive contract, so unlike many media entities, we do not ask for exclusive rights. This flexibility helps our outreach team go further with your film, creating even more opportunity for distribution and exposure of your work.
• All footage — including music and other referenced video pieces — must have all rights cleared and secured. Please refer to the Center for Social Media’s set of Best Practices for more information on how to use licensed materials. Creative Commons is also a great resource for license-free or flexi-licensed music and media alternatives.

HOW TO SUBMIT:
Step 1: Choose submission method:

• Submit via URL
  This year we encourage online submissions. We prefer a link to watch online. Please remember to send us a password if necessary to view private videos. You can follow guidelines on Vimeo or Youtube for this.
• Submit via DVD
  Submissions must be sent to us on DVD and programmed to play as a DVD Region 0 (region free) or Region 1 (US, Canada, US Territories) Please note that the following formats will not be considered this year: PAL, VHS, mini DV or CD-R (QuickTime MOV or MPG files).

Step 2: Fill out details in the film submission form for each film.

Step 3: Process payment (see submission fees below):

Early Deadline postmarked by: Feb 23, 2012

• Individual Filmmaker: $15 / each film submission; Max: 3 submissions
• Student Filmmaker (18+): $5 w/ Student ID; Max: 3 submissions
• Youth Filmmaker (18 & under): FREE w/ proof of age; Max: 3 submissions
• Non-profit / Youth Media Organization: FREE; Max: 5 submissions

Regular Deadline postmarked by: April 20, 2012

• Individual Filmmaker: $25 / each film submission; Max: 3 submissions
• Student Filmmaker (18+): $10 w/ Student ID; Max: 3 submissions
• Youth Filmmaker (18 & under): FREE w/ proof of age; Max: 3 submissions
• Non-profit / Youth Media Organization: FREE; Max: 5 submissions

Late Deadline postmarked by: May 1, 2012

• Individual Filmmaker: $35 / each film submission; Max: 3 submissions
• Student Filmmaker (18+): $15 w/ Student ID; Max: 3 submissions
• Youth Filmmaker (18 & under): FREE w/ proof of age; Max: 3 submissions
• Non-profit / Youth Media Organization: FREE; Max: 5 submissions

Step 4: Your submission will be complete once you receive a confirmation email including a reference number for each film and any further instructions.

Questions?
Contact festival@artsengine.net
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Digital Hollywood is the premier entertainment and technology conference in the country. Digital Hollywood has multiple tracks on each day. Attendees will be free to move from conference room to conference room during the day. There will be from four to seven concurrent sessions, depending on the day.

65_RedRoses takes an unflinching look into the life of Eva Markvoort as she battles a fatal genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis (CF). At 23, Eva needs a double lung transplant to live. Unable to be around other patients with the same disease, Eva turns to the internet where she forms a strong connection with two American girls, Meg and Kina, in different stages of CF. As the film follows Eva on her journey to get new lungs, we witness how her online friendships withstand the tests of both time and distance. The film is directed by Nimisha Mukerji and Philip Lyall and produced by John Ritchie.  Executive produced by Rob Bromley and Gillian Lowrey.

Firmly establishing the urgency of the global water crisis as the central issue facing our world this century, Last Call at the Oasis, by Jessica Yu, illuminates the vital role water plays in our lives, exposes the defects in the current system and shows communities already struggling with its ill-effects. Featuring activist Erin Brockovich, respected water experts including Peter Gleick, Jay Famiglietti and Robert Glennon and social entrepreneurs championing revolutionary solutions, the film posits that we can manage this problem if we are willing to act now.

Co-Curated by Marina Goldovskaya and Samuel B. Prime
Co-sponsored by the French Film & TV Office, Consulate General of France in Los Angeles

A Melnitz Movies and Documentary Salon Co-Presentation

Return To Sender, Address Unknown – A Tribute To Chris Marker

Featuring: ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH (Chris Marker, 1999) and TO CHRIS MARKER, AN UNSENT LETTER (Emiko Omori, 2012)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 @ 7:30PM
UCLA James Bridges Theater
Melnitz Hall 1409, UCLA

Q&A with director Emiko Omori to follow screening 

ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH (Chris Marker, 1999):

Through film clips, journal entries, and personal musings, ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH is renowned French filmmaker Chris Marker's homage to his friend and colleague, Andrei Tarkovsky, who died in 1986. Performing close readings of Tarkovsky’s films—including rare scenes from his student film (an adaptation of Hemingway's THE KILLERS) and a practically unknown production of BORIS GOUDONOV—Marker attempts to locate Tarkovsky in his work. Parallels drawn by Marker between Tarkovsky’s life and films offer an original insight into the reclusive director. Personal anecdotes from Tarkovsky's writings—from his prophetic meeting with Boris Pasternak (author of DR. ZHIVAGO) to an encounter with the KGB on the streets of Paris (he thought they were coming to kill him)—pepper the film.

With behind-the-scenes footage of Tarkovsky obsessively commanding his entire crew (including famed Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist, during the filming of a complicated sequence from his final film The Sacrifice), and candid moments of Tarkovsky with his friends and family, bedridden but still working on the editing of his final film, ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH is a personal and loving portrait of the monumental filmmaker.

"A masterpiece! Marker's ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH [is] the best single piece of Tarkovsky criticism I know of, clarifying the overall coherence of his oeuvre while leaving all the mysteries of his films intact. The video interweaves biography and autobiography with poetic and political insight in a manner that seldom works as well as it does here."

—Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

"A brilliant appreciation of the last great Soviet director, Andrei Tarkovsky. No less then Jean-Luc Godard or Martin Scorsese, Marker is an original and perceptive exegete of other filmmakers...The most sustained and heartfelt tribute one filmmaker has paid another."

—Jim Hoberman, Village Voice

"A film that defies categorization as a documentary, or even as a 'film essay'...A love letter is more like it: personal, passionate, unguarded. The meat of the film is a dazzling montage, drawn mostly from Tarkovsky's work, but reorganized into illuminating new patterns... inspiring us to make our own observations and connections."

—F. X. Feeney, LA Weekly

TO CHRIS MARKER, AN UNSENT LETTER (Emiko Omori, 2012):

A collective cinematic love letter to the elusive French filmmaker Chris Marker in documentary form, Emiko Omori’s timely film captures the persona of a filmmaker who is at once both contradictorily present in and distant from his body of work. Notoriously private, Self-described as the “best known author of unknown works,” Marker is widely known for a few key cinematic works such as LA JETÉE (1962) and SANS SOLEIL (1983), but his wider filmography remains undiscovered. Through interviews with Marker's many colleagues and admirers, Omori lovingly describes a man whose preference for personal privacy has rendered him perhaps cinema’s most famous enigma: a man who is his works. Marker’s films have affected many, both those who know him personally and those who only know him through his films. Please join us for this special event as we pay tribute to a legendary and ephemeral French filmmaker, the "cat who walks by himself," Chris Marker.

ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH

Writer/Director: Chris Marker
Featuring: Andrei Tarkovsky, Chris Marker, Marina Vlady, Sven Nykvist, Eva Mattes, Alexandra Stewart, Margarita Terekhova, Michal Leszczylowski, Valérie Mairesse, Larisa Tarkovskaya
DigiBeta, 55 min.

(brief intermission)

TO CHRIS MARKER, AN UNSENT LETTER

Writer/Director: Emiko Omori
DVD, 80 min.

NOTE: This is the first public screening of Emiko Omori’s TO CHRIS MARKER, AN UNSENT LETTER, still a work in progress.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Rooftop Films is proud to announce the opening weekend of our 16th Annual Summer Series presented by AT&T with some of the greatest new short films from all around the world and a special preview screening of Think of Me, starring Lauren Ambrose.

When:

Friday, May 11th and Saturday, May 12th, 2012. Doors at 8:00 p.m.

Where:

Open Road Rooftop above New Design High School, 350 Grand Street, Lower East Side, New York, NY

Opening Weekend Show Details:

Friday, May 11 - Opening Night

This is What We Mean by Short Films

Opening Night of Rooftop Films 16th Annual Summer Series will feature grand stories in little packages, with some of the greatest new short films from all around the world.

8:00pm: Doors Open
8:30pm: Live Music by Crinkles
9:00pm: Short Films
11:30pm: After party with Complimentary Drinks

Tickets: $12 online or at the door

For tickets and more information, visit:

http://rooftopfilms.com/2012/schedule/this-is-what-we-mean-by-short-films-3/

The PUMA.Creative Impact Award is a major new annual award to honour the documentary film creating the most significant impact in the world. This award acknowledges the film’s makers and will help the continuation of the film’s campaign work.

The Call for Entries for the 2012 PUMA.Creative Impact Award is now open until May 11th 2012.

Our aim is to draw attention to the finest social justice filmmaking in the world, with a prize that underlines the role and importance of documentary film in society; a prize that encourages best practice in the filmmaking community, to collect and communicate relevant data on these films.

As individuals and as organisations, we are faced with some serious challenges today such as ongoing conflict, climate change, loss of biodiversity. None of these issues will solve themselves without intervention. We, at PUMA, have chosen to intervene through film because it is the most powerful medium to reach mass audiences and influence opinion formers and will contribute to leaving a better world for generations to come.
Jochen Zeitz, Chairman of PUMA

The Call for Entries for the 2012 PUMA.Creative Impact Award is now open until May 11th 2012.

Anyone can put a film forward from any country—filmmakers, distributors, film festivals, partner organisations including NGOs and Foundations, film critics and journalists. Films could be put forward any time up to three years after release (where the release is defined as first film festival screening, TV broadcast, cinema release or internet release).

The BRITDOC Foundation will assess the applications and produce a shortlist for consideration by an international Peer Review Committee including: Diana Barrett, President and Founder of Fledgling Fund; Heidi Gronauer at EsoDoc; Yvette Alberdingk Thjim at Witness; Wendy Levy at Tomorrow Partners; Willie McKenzie at Greenpeace; Jamie Drummond at One.org; Sharon La Cruise at the Ford Foundation; Pam Harris at Iris Films.

Rooftop Films is proud to announce the feature film lineup for the 16th Annual Summer Series presented by AT&T, featuring over 45 outdoor screenings with huge crowds, live music, spectacular venues and the best in new, independent, and foreign films. This year’s edition kicks off with some of the greatest new short films from all around the world on Friday, May 11th at Open Road Rooftop at New Design High School in the Lower East Side, and a special preview screening of Think of Me, starring Lauren Ambrose, on Saturday, May 12th also at Open Road Rooftop.

Rooftop Films has continued to experience remarkable growth since their initial single screening on the roof of founder Mark Elijah Rosenberg’s tenement building in 1997 and the focus remains on leveraging their grassroots popularity to bring out big crowds and shine a spotlight on new independent films that might otherwise never get the attention they deserve.

Acting as innovators and leading an event-based film marketing revolution, Rooftop Films has helped enable the success of many alumni, including Wasteland, Trouble the Water, Holy Rollers, Winnebago Man, and numerous others. In addition, through their Rooftop Filmmakers’ Fund, they help more powerful, understated films not only be seen, but made; films such as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Patron Saints, Nancy, Please, and The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom have received production or post-production support via the Rooftop Filmmakers’ Fund and gone on to have tremendous success at festivals and reaching wide, appreciative audiences.

However, the popularity and longevity of Rooftop Films comes primarily from the fact that their events take audiences beyond the average multi-plex movie going experience. This year is no different.

"Our aim at Rooftop Films," says Founder and Artistic Director Mark Elijah Rosenberg, "is to immerse our audiences in new worlds, to bring them places they wouldn’t otherwise go, to provide intimate looks into unique lives. I’m excited about our feature film programming in 2012 because it includes daring and personal films on a wide range of subjects, from a diverse collection of filmmakers, and with every film we’ll be providing a unique cinematic experience."

During the weekend of June 6-8, Rooftop Films will be presenting three films from the SXSW Film Festival to New York City: Caveh Zahedi’s (I am a Sex Addict) political documentary The Sheik and I, Matthew Lillard’s (Scream, SLC Punk) comic feature debut Fat Kid Rules the World, and Amy Seimetz’s dramatic thriller Sun Don’t Shine, about a road-trip gone bad.

Please find below the full line-up for the 2012 Summer Series listing of feature films. All shows include live-music before the screenings and most include filmmaker Q&As and after parties with complementary open bars. The Summer Series will also include over 20 programs of short films. The full schedule including locations and dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

Press passes, screeners, images, and interviews available upon request.

Rooftop Films 16th Annual Summer Series Opening Weekend

Friday, May 11, 2012
This is What We Mean by Short Films
Opening Night of Rooftop Films 16th Annual Summer Series will feature grand stories in little packages, with some of the greatest new short films from all around the world.
Venue: Open Road Rooftop (350 Grand Street, LES)
Tickets, films and more info at: www.rooftopfilms.com

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Think of Me (Bryan Wizemann)
http://www.thinkofmemovie.com/
“Trembling with vulnerability, Lauren Ambrose is positively devastating” (The New York Observer) as a young single mother doing her best not to fall apart.
Venue: Open Road Rooftop (350 Grand Street, LES)
Tickets, films and more info at: www.rooftopfilms.com

Visual Communications, the nation's premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, established the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival in 1983 as a vehicle to promote Asian and Asian Pacific American cinema. The Festival has grown from its humble beginnings as a weekend-long series into a major annual showcase presenting the best of Asian Pacific American and Asian international media in the United States. Along the way the Festival has taken up residence in various local venues before settling into its signature venues, the Directors Guild of America and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre.

The Festival serves as a crucial launching ground for Asian Pacific American cinema through the premiere screenings of important new works as well as the development and nurturing of emerging talents via innovative programming initiatives including the VC Digital Academy and the Armed With a Camera Fellowship.

DOK Leipzig is an annual Festival for documentary and animated films. The City of Leipzig, sponsor and organiser of the Festival, has commissioned Leipziger DOK-Filmwochen GmbH, a non-profit-making limited liability company, to organise and manage the event. The 55th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film is taking place from 29 October to 4 November 2012.

Under the motto of „The HeArt of Documentary", the DOK Festival is to facilitate the promotion and further distribution of international documentary and animated films, to create opportunities for filmmakers, producers, distributors, commissioning editors, journalists, media scientist and the Leipzig cinema audience to meet and to exchange views with each other.

The Official Selection of 2012 is open to

• documentary films of any length ,
• animated films up to 45 minutes' length and
• animadoc films of any length .

Entries to the Festival must not have been publicly screened prior to 1 October 2011.

Films and videos completed before 1 May 2012 need to be submitted by 15 May 2012. All other entries need to be submitted to the Festival office by 10 July 2012 (in-box date of the documents sent). Any later submission cannot be accepted.

Doug Pray and Peter J. Vogt, in association with TheFilmSchool, are proud to introduce Wild Mind Film Camp, a 10-day intensive workshop for documentary filmmaking in the Washington Cascades.

The term "Wild Mind" is American/Buddhist, meaning "starting now/ready for anything." Gary Snyder, the Buddhist/poet/ecologist defines it as being "elegantly self-disciplined, self-regulating. That's what wilderness is. Nobody has a management plan for it." For us, good filmmaking is a practice that can be prepared for but never completely controlled. It requires innovation in the moment, trust in the process, and a great deal of courage. It demands risk, patience, and enormous amounts of energy. A Wild Mind is focused, attentive, and curious, it accepts rigor, enjoys challenge, endures failure, and delights in the discovery of the documentary filmmaking process.

Wild Mind Film Camp is a hands-on, in-depth educational experience for a small group of serious filmmakers who are interested in increasing their documentary skills and knowledge. The daily curriculum will be a mix of classes, workshops, discussions and live production in a supportive and friendly community atmosphere. Surrounded by the astounding beauty of the Cascade Mountains and immersed in the fascinating culture of the Methow Valley, Wild Mind Film Camp provides a unique opportunity to expand your nonfiction filmmaking with accomplished veterans and fellow documentarians.

Precious Knowledge, by Ari Luis Palos and Eren Isabel McGinnis, portrays the one of the final years of the highly successful but controversial Mexican American Studies Program at Tucson High School.

At Tucson High School, ethnic studies programs have improved graduation rates among Latino students. But some state politicians think ethnic studies promote "racial solidarity" and anti-Americanism. When books are banned and the programs eliminated, teachers and students fight back in a modern civil rights struggle.

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has a long and proud tradition of supporting timely and compelling work from independent producers for public television broadcast. With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, CAAM is launching the 2012 Innovation Fund, a new initiative to fund and license short, online content to be streamed on the CAAMedia.org website and PBS affiliate sites.

The new initiative recognizes the increasingly vital role that online content plays in transforming the public media landscape as well as its potential reach a new and talented community of Asian American media makers and producers who have proven to be incredibly prolific and resourceful, churning out creative and imaginative work on shoestring budgets. They have also demonstrated success at reaching and sustaining a large audience; Asian Americans can count themselves among the top 25 most subscribed YouTube channels. Many of these producers have connected with their audience based on a commonality of interest: music, pop culture, political satire, and comedy. The Innovation Fund will encourage work from the community that also addresses contemporary social issues from a unique perspective.

This year the CAAM Innovation Fund will offer funding of up to $20,000 to license short web series (3-5 pieces each) by independent producers that address arts, music, culture, politics in unique and creative ways. Work should have a strong visual component. The focus of the fund may differ from year to year, ranging from online, mobile applications, or audience engagement tools. The work renews as well as revitalizes CAAM’s commitment to public media for both audiences and media producers. The review process takes approximately 4 months.

To apply, visit http://caam.slideroom.com/.

The Women In Film Foundation’s Film Finishing Fund (WIFF FFF) supports films by, for or about women by providing cash grants of up to $15,000 and in-kind services.

Since the inception of the Fund in 1985, the Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in cash and in-kind services to 170 films ensuring that innovative films can be completed and seen by audiences worldwide. Cash awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, with the number of grants varying from year to year. In-kind services may be available upon request.

In order to apply for a FFF grant, a filmmaker must have completed principal photography and a rough cut at the time of application. For specific application requirements, please follow the link and refer to the application. The program funds filmmakers working in both short and long formats in all genres—narrative, documentary, educational, animated and experimental. You do not have to be a Women In Film member to apply for the FFF, and we encourage applications from around the world. Please note that student projects are not eligible to receive Film Finishing Funds.

The 13th Annual DC Asian Pacific American (APA) Film Festival will take place in October 2012, and we are accepting all submissions through Withoutabox: https://www.withoutabox.com/login/5151

More than 20,000 people in the D.C. area have been introduced to the voices and talents of Asian Pacific American filmmakers with the number of attendees growing steadily each year. In recent years we have featured films about contemporary issues that have gone to win awards and receive national television broadcast premieres such as 9500 Liberty (MTV Networks, 2010), A Village Called Versailles (PBS, Independent Lens, 2010) and Daughter from Danang (Academy Award nomination, 2003).

We accept submissions of all types of films including narratives, documentaries, animation, music videos and experimental. Why should you submit your full-length or short film to our festival?

• We are the largest showcase of Asian Pacific American films on the East Coast.
• Great networking opportunities with filmmakers and talent from around the country.
• Good odds of acceptance: 30 percent of entries programmed last year!
• Washington, DC is an exciting town with great museums, restaurants and a vibrant nightlife.

Dates to remember: regular deadline is May 18, 2012; late deadline is June 1, 2012. Visit our submission FAQ for full details: http://www.apafilm.org/submissions/

REDCAT is proud to mark the 40th anniversary of New Day Films by hosting a celebratory screening of work by two of its Los Angeles-based members, Anayansi Prado’s Niños en Tierra de Nadie (Children in No Man’s Land) and Adele Horne’s The Tailenders. The collective was created by filmmakers Julia Reichert, Jim Klein, Amalie R. Rothschild and Liane Brandon when Klein and Reichert failed to secure distribution for Growing Up Female (1971), about the social constraints placed on women aged 4 to 35.

In the early 1970s the act of hearing women’s voices was perceived as a “radical,” and New Day welcomed the work of filmmakers—both men and women—who were challenging the political status quo in terms of gender, social and racial inequality. Today, New Day Films counts about 120 members, whose films have won Academy Awards, Emmys, and premiered at major film festivals, and cover issues as diverse as immigration, human rights, LGBT, disability, addiction, criminal justice, youth and aging.

In person: New Day Members Adele Horne, Ann Kaneko, Meena Nanji, Anayansi Prado and Jonathan Skurnik

Curated by Steve Anker and Bérénice Reynaud.

The 15th annual United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) will take place on October 18-28, 2012 at Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, San Francisco and Stanford University in California. This festival celebrates the power of international documentary films dealing with human rights, the environment, protection of refugees, famine, homelessness, racism, disease control, women's issues, children, universal education, war and peace. In addition to our ongoing celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this year we emphasize the theme "Human Dignity." "The recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." (Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

The submission deadline is May 22, 2012 (the postmark date) and the fee is $25 for films up to 30 minutes and $35 for longer ones. There is also an early and late deadline (May 2nd and June 2nd respectively). The late deadline fee is $45. Acceptable formats are 16mm and 35mm film; Beta SP, DVD (NTSC). Preview formats on DVD (NTSC region 0 or 1). Please test your consumer-burned DVD on several makes and models of players before submitting it. Our jury process is unfortunately not suitable for on-line screeners.

All lengths are eligible.

The following five awards will be presented during the festival: UNAFF Grand Jury Award for the Best Documentary, UNAFF Grand Jury Award for the Best Short Documentary, the UNAFF Youth Vision Award, the UNAFF/Stanford Video Award for Cinematography and the UNAFF/Stanford Video Award for Editing.

You may download an entry form at http://www.unaff.org/2012/submission.html, or use Without A Box (withoutabox.com).

Please submit screening materials and background information to:
UNAFF 2012
CERAS/CFLP, Room 114
Stanford University
520 Galvez Street
Stanford, CA 94305-3084

If you have questions or need more information please visit www.unaff.org, email info@unaff.org or call 650-724-5544.

The 4th Annual Hola Mexico Film Festival presents seven days of the best films that have emerged from the halls of Mexico. Action films, dramas, comedies and real stories that have changed our society. Our goal is to showcase the real Mexico and transmit our vision of what life in Mexico is on a day-to-day basis.

The festival runs May 24 - 30, 2012 at the Ricardo Montalban Theater located at 1615 North Vine Street Hollywood, CA 90028

Hola Mexico's programming includes action films, dramas, comedies and real stories that have changed our society, including these documentaries:

De Panzazo (Barely Passing)
Saturday, May 26 @ 7:00PM

Félix: Autoficciones de un traficante (Felix: Self-Fictions of a Smuggler)
Saturday, May 26 @ 4:30PM

Agnus Dei - Cordero de Dios
Monday, May 28 @ 7:00PM

El Cielo Abierto (The Open Sky)
Tuesday, May 29 @ 9:30 PM

Tickets, schedule, and more information about the festival available at http://www.holamexicoff.com

For the past thirty-two years, Independent Film Week (formerly IFP Market) has been a one-of-a-kind event that has brought the international filmmaking community to New York City to celebrate, advocate and introduce new voices on the independent scene.

IFP’s objective is to create a destination where the community of individuals involved with independent film can annually convene – from the emerging filmmakers and established producers selected for their strong new projects to the individuals from companies, festivals and organizations aimed at helping the work get made and ultimately seen by public audiences.

Early Deadline: May 4th

Late Deadline: May 25th

Who Can Apply
Filmmakers in production or post-production seeking financing partners, broadcast/distribution, and festival invitations.

Guidelines

FAQ

How It Worked For Jennifer Arnold’s A Small Act
Director Jennifer Arnold and producer Patti Lee’s first meeting with Lisa Heller from HBO Documentaries at Independent Film Week 2009 evolved into a series of conversations that put the film on a fast track of consideration by HBO, with Arnold supplying an updated cut of the film within a couple of months. Acquired by HBO, the documentary premiered in July 2010. "The week really changed this film. We got HBO on board. We got some grant attention, and we signed a foreign sales agent (Louise Rosen) – all this from that week. We got a lot of momentum from Spotlight on Docs; we started making pre-sales which allowed us to finish our budget. We wanted the film to be theatrically released, but we also wanted maximum eyes on the project – we got both!"

Criteria & Selection Process
Spotlight on Documentaries is for feature-length (>50 minutes) U.S. projects in any stage of production, as long as some footage has been shot, and the film is not complete. The program accepts approximately 60 projects. Projects must submit compelling assembled material to be considered for this competitive program.

What to Expect Prior to Independent Film Week:
Upon acceptance in mid-July, filmmakers receive guidelines for preparing for the week. IFP staff will schedule individual check-in calls with all selected projects during August to answer specific questions regarding preparations and goals for the week’s activities and meetings.

During Independent Film Week:

• Pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with potential financing and distribution partners. All meetings are at attending buyers’ requests based on information provided in Spotlight on Documentaries Online Project Dossier.
• Presentation of a work sample pitch screening to attending filmmakers and buyers; inclusion of up to a 20-minute sample in the Online Project Dossier and on-site Industry Video Library.
• speed-dating meetings with festival programmers.
• Invitation to private doc social events with buyers and programmers.
• Access to Independent Filmmaker Conference programming, including workshops, case studies and conversations with cutting-edge leaders in independent film and media

Recent Projects
Lauren Greenfield's The Queen of Versailles; Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman's If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front; Marie Losier's The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye; Michael Collins' Give Up Tomorrow; Laura Poitras' The Oath; Jennifer Arnold's A Small Act; Rebecca Richman Cohen's War Don Don, Julia Bacha's Budrus, Jennifer Redfearn's Sun Come Up.

Catapult Film Fund is now accepting applications for Spring, 2012.
New applications are due by May 25th.

Catapult provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a compelling story to tell, have secured access to their story and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. Our mission is to enable filmmakers to develop their film projects to the next level at a moment where funding is hard to find. We support powerful stories, and moving storytelling, across a broad spectrum of issues and perspectives.

To apply, you will submit an online form that includes a written application and a completed budget template as attachments. You can download those files now:

Spring 2012 Written Application [.doc]
Budget Template [.xls]

We also require that you submit a resume/CV with your materials. For further preparation, you can review the online application at any time, and when you are ready, submit your application online.

ELIGIBILITY

• Applicants must be 18-years of age or older.
• Catapult does not fund student films.
• Documentaries must be 28 minutes or longer in length.
• Animation is okay.
• Development funds must specifically be used for the process of completing a fundraising piece, which includes writing, shooting and editing once story and characters are in place.
• Applicants must be independent producers. They must own the copyright of their production, and have artistic, budgetary and editorial control over their project.
• Applicants should have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (director, co-director, producer, co-producer) as demonstrated by submitting previously completed work sample. Applicants who have not yet produced or directed their own feature length documentary must demonstrate that they will be working with an experienced filmmaker in a principal role.
• Applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have successfully fundraised for an independent documentary film in line with its original budget.

• Creative, artful, compelling and innovative storytelling techniques
• Strong story narrative at the core of the film
• A unique perspective or approach; use of humor a plus
• Contemporary relevance
• Market potential
• Feasibility of the project with respect to its budget, financing, schedule and scope
• Demonstrated ability of the creative team to implement previous projects
• Grant amount should have significant impact on development stage of the project
• Emphasis on the story not the lesson or agenda of the filmmaker
• Filmmaker must demonstrate credible access and rapport with the proposed subject(s) of the story.
• Originality of form, approach or content
• Potential of the project to generate public discourse and social engagement

• Catapult Film Fund development grants range from $5000 to $20,000.
• Catapult only makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations. A film production company or individual may submit the application but the applicant needs to submit documentation from the fiscal sponsor before the grant can be processed.
• Catapult accepts only US-based applicants.
• Applicants may submit only one project per funding cycle.
• Previous grant awardees must wait two years before applying for new development funds.
• Catapult may request an interview with the applicant.
• Grantees must submit two financial reports during the course of the grant period: an interim report, which will accompany a narrative report; and a final financial report to be submitted once the grant is complete.
• Grantees must submit at the end of the grant period an edited piece that can be used for production fundraising.
• Catapult Film Fund support must be acknowledged with a tag line and logo–of similar size and stature to other logos in the credits–at the end credits of the film as well as on all publicity and promotional materials relating to the production.
• Catapult will not return DVDs to applicants.

Filmmaker Steven C. Barber, producers Matthew Hausle and Tamara Henry and executive producer Tim Shelton invite you to the 2012 Memorial Day (May 28) premiere of Until They Are Home at the DGA Theatre in Los Angeles.

Until They Are Home, Barber's sequel to his 2009 film Return to Tarawa, chronicles the search by members of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) for the remains of missing US Marines who were killed in the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943. Narrated by Kelsey Grammer, Until They Are Home brings to light the extraordinary dedication of the JPAC team members, largely unsung heroes who, until now, have been unrecognized while working in the shadows.  These young men and women returned in 2010 to the site of one of the most horrific battles of World War II in order to bring home fallen military heroes. Their efforts have provided some closure after 69 years, recovering the remains of a few US servicemen and flying those remains back to American soil.

OSCAR NOMINEE HELL AND BACK AGAIN PREMIERES ON INDEPENDENT LENS on MEMORIAL DAY, MONDAY, MAY 28 AT 10 PM ON PBS

What does it mean to lead men in war? What does it mean to come home—injured physically and psychologically—and build a life anew? As more and more veterans return from deployment these questions will have to be answered not only by those who fought, but by their families, friends and fellow citizens.

Filmed and directed by Danfung Dennis, Hell and Back Again seamlessly transitions from stunning war reportage to an intimate, visceral portrait of one man's personal struggle back home. There Sergeant Nathan Harris confronts the physical and emotional difficulties of re-adjusting to civilian life with the love and support of his wife Ashley. Masterfully contrasting the intensity of the front lines with the unsettling normalcy of home, Hell and Back Again premieres on Independent Lens on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28 at 10 PM on PBS.

Delta Boys, the new film from Andrew Berends, explores the untold stories of the Niger Delta militancy--rebels who band together in the face of corrupt government oppression in this oil-rich region of Nigeria--following the lives of two militants: Ateke Tom, the "Godfather" of the Niger Delta Vigilante Force, and Chima, a 21-year-old who left home to join the fight. The film also documents life in a tiny fishing village caught in the crossfire of the conflict. Mama, a 22-year-old,struggles to give birth to her first child with no access to modern medical care, while raids are launched from a militant camp across the river. The personal stories of Chima, Ateke and Mama reflect a broader global struggle between entrenched power and corporate interests and an underserved population.

Nigeria is the fifth largest supplier of oil to the United States. Yet, despite this natural wealth, the majority of Niger Deltans live in poverty. Ateke's militants, along with other groups, have called for a greater distribution of wealth and jobs. When their requests have been ignored, they've attacked oil installations and pipelines, kidnapped foreigners, and made the entire Delta a no-go-zone.

But many feel that while the Niger Delta struggle is legitimate, the militants' motives are not so pure.

94 Elements is a new cross-media documentary project based around the 94 naturally occurring elements, from Hydrogen to Plutonium, with different filmmakers making a short film about each element. The project is both a celebration of creative documentary film and an exploration of our relationships with our natural resources. 94 Elements was pitched in MeetMarket in 2009 and we're really delighted to be continuing to support it through this pitch at Doc/Fest 2012.

The 94 Elements team have produced a pilot, funded by the Wellcome Trust, and they’re very excited to be running a new pitch at Doc/Fest this year. They'll be looking for the best doc-makers to pitch live at the festival to win a prize of £5k, raised from the crowd on Kickstarter. Pitch your ideas for films, we’ll shortlist the best for each opportunity, and the crowd will decide who wins the commissions.

We’re looking for surprising, moving, funny and unique human stories involving the elements—this is not about science, but our human relationships with our natural resources—and we're keen to see all documentary styles—from animated to artist’s film, from the personal to the political, from experimental to observational.

Email your pitches to pitch at 94elements.com

Registration is now open!

On the heels of a hugely successful Realscreen Summit, the realscreen team is back to work planning and programming the next must-attend event for anyone involved in the production, distribution or broadcasting of reality television and factual entertainment fare—Realscreen West: The Factual Entertainment Forum. The conference takes place at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica on May 30th & 31st, 2012.

Formerly known as realscreen's Factual Entertainment Forum, Realscreen West is now in its fourth year and is designed to bring stakeholders in the reality TV/factual entertainment industry together for a day and half of inspiration, discussion about the current state of reality/factual TV and where it’s going, and of course, networking. We'll be maximizing the networking and learning experience, and will once again be offering Speed Pitching, "30 Minutes With .." and Agent One-on-One sessions to registered delegates.

The conference includes the presentation of realscreen's Factual Entertainment Awards on May 30th, when we will pay tribute to outstanding content that entertains and engages audiences around the world. Submissions for the awards are now closed and entries are being prepped for judging.

David McKillop, executive vice president of programming for A&E Network; Jonathan Murray, chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions; and Brent Montgomery, owner and executive producer at Leftfield Pictures, will be part of the advisory board for the 2012 edition of Realscreen West. More board members are to be announced soon.

If you have any suggestions for content, please direct them to Event Producer Heidi Rotter at hrotter@brunico.com.

Register today in order to take advantage of the early bird rate of US$625; offer expires Friday, April 13th, 2012. Registration includes your ticket to realscreen’s Factual Entertainment Awards presentation. You can register online or by calling Joel Pinto at 1-416-408-2300 ext. 650.