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2010 WOMEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT FILM FESTIVAL
CALL FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS
The Women of African Descent Film Festival, co-presented with the Brooklyn Chapter of the Links Inc., seeks feature length and short films directed, written or produced by female filmmakers of African descent. The festival is now accepting submissions of narrative feature and short films, documentaries and animations for the festival, which will take place in May 2010 in Brooklyn, NY.
Submissions can be registered through the festival's Withoutabox site, which also includes additional information about the event.
To access the application form through Withoutabox please visit - https://www.withoutabox.com/login/6442
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Formed in 1952, The Brooklyn Chapter of The Links, Inc., an organization of African American professional women, is dedicated to the support of educational, civic, and cultural activities in Brooklyn. A chapter of The Links, Inc., an international organization comprised of 276 chapters and over 11,000 members in 42 states, the District of Columbia, South Africa, the Bahamas and Germany, the Brooklyn Chapter works under the guidelines of the national body in providing services to its Brooklyn community in four mission areas: services to youth, health and wellness, the arts, and civic involvement.
The foundation for all of the chapter's programs and services is rooted in the African American tradition of giving and volunteerism. Members share a deep sense of communal responsibility, and for the past 50 plus years have been committed to actively initiating and supporting educational, cultural, and civic programs, that positively impact the lives of people from Brooklyn's African American/Caribbean communities.
To mark the milestone of its 50th Anniversary, and to continue its legacy of showcasing the talent and accomplishments of the African American arts and artists, the Brooklyn Chapter began co-sponsoring with Brooklyn Arts Council a film festival for women filmmakers. On May 18, 2002, the chosen films explored the impact of the positive linkages that women of African descent have to their families, friends, communities and the broader world. This tradition has continued annually since then and takes place at the Spike Lee Screening Room at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University in May of each year.
GENERAL RULES
Only films directed by, written by or produced by female filmmakers of African descent will be considered. Please do not submit if you do not fit this criteria.
The EDN Financing Guide provides documentary professionals with the detailed information needed to navigate in the evolving global landscape of documentary production. The guide offers a shortcut to international documentary financing by providing detailed contact info and profiles of international institutions and financiers.
Sections in The EDN Financing Guide include:
- International Broadcasters: detailed profiles of major non-European broadcasters buying and co-producing documentaries including contact info on relevant commissioning editors and buyers
- European Broadcasters: detailed profiles of +100 European broadcasters acquiring documentaries; this includes contact details on relevant commissioning editors and buyers
- Distributors: info on leading international documentary distributors and sales agents covering cinema, broadcasting, non-commercial, educational and DVD
- VoD: info on Video on Demand (VoD) platforms selling documentaries
- Funds: information on funds and public support aimed at international documentary development, production and distribution.
Upon the release of The EDN Financing Guide 2010 Head of EDN Cecilia Lidin says: In a landscape where financing and distribution is becoming increasingly based on global strategies, we are very happy to present the new edition of our EDN Financing Guide. I think the worldwide perspective we have started to develop with this updated edition, will fit very well the global landscape, in which more and more documentary professionals navigate in.
Get your copy of The EDN Financing Guide
When you join EDN you will receive a copy of the EDN Financing Guide 2010 as well as access to search in the online edition. In the online edition of the guide you can search for relevant financiers in terms of themes, territories and length. This makes it easy to locate financiers for exactly your documentary.
Here you can join EDN - http://www.edn.dk/edn/join-edn/
You can also buy the EDN Financing Guide 2010 for 100 Euro + postage by sending an email to edn@edn.dk
The Third World Newsreel Film & Video Production Workshop is a unique "hands- on" program that provides practical skills and resources for emerging film and video makers. The Production Workshop emphasizes on the training and support of people of color who have limited resources and access to mainstream educational institutions and traditional training programs within the film/video industry. Most past workshop participants now work in film, video and the media arts and include Academy Award nominees and Emmy winning filmmakers. Instructors and guest speakers are working media professionals.
The curriculum of this intensive 6 month program focuses on the pre-production, production and post production skills necessary to take a short project from conception to completion. Workshop members will participate in projects shot on 16mm film and digital video. Workshop members will gain technical skills and experience through the projects, and will be trained to edit using the non-linear Final Cut Pro system.
The Production Workshop begins in early February and meets every Thursday at 6:30 pm in the offices of TWN. The workshop is time intensive and participants must be able to attend regular class meetings as well as meet the out-of-class demands of pre- production, production, and post-production. Prior film, video or related experience is recommended but not required; creativity, self-initiative, time and a collaborative spirit are. The selection to the Production Workshop is limited to 9 participants. An initial written application is required and a second round of applicants are selected for interviews. The cost of the 2010 workshop will be $600.
The deadline for applications is Friday, January 8th, 2010.
TWN is supported in part by The New York State Council on the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Ford Foundation, The North Star Fund, The Funding Exchange, The Asian Women Giving Circle, Materials for the Arts, as well as individual donors.TWN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the creation, appreciation, and dissemination of independent media by and about people of color.
Tribeca Cinemas announces the return of the two-day series "Tribeca Cinemas Presents: Docs on the Shortlist." Curated by the Tribeca Film Festival programming team, the series offers filmgoers the opportunity to see a selection of the documentary contenders shortlisted for the nomination for Best Feature Documentary for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Docs on the Shortlist is hosted by the Tribeca Film Institute's Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, which offers finishing funds to documentaries of social significance.
Launching on Friday, January 8, and continuing Saturday, January 9, the two-day series brings together filmmakers who have been involved with previous editions of the Tribeca Film Festival to screen their new documentary films, which are currently being recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Six of the 15 documentaries under consideration for nomination will be screened; the films in the series are: The Cove, Food, Inc., Living in Emergency, Soundtrack for a Revolution, Under Our Skin, and Which Way Home.
Tickets: Tickets go on sale December 16, 2009. Admission for each film screening is $10 for regular tickets; $8 for members of the Guilds (PGA, DGA, WGA and SAG), members of BAFTA East Coast, DocuClub, IDA, IFP, and/or Shooting People with a valid membership card and full-time students with current I.D.; free for Academy Members.
Public Information:
Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street (corner of Laight), New York, NY 10013
The public may call 212/941.2001 for further information. Visit us on the Web at www.tribecafilm.com/docseries
Subway: A, C, E - Canal Street/6 Avenue; 1 - Canal Street/Varick Street
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Friday January 8
6:30pm
Which Way Home, directed by Rebecca Cammisa
Running time: 82 minutes
Director Rebecca Cammisa will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion.
As the United States continues to build a wall between itself and Mexico, Which Way Home shows the personal side of immigration through the eyes of children who face harrowing dangers with enormous courage and resourcefulness as they endeavor to make it to the United States.
The film follows several unaccompanied child migrants as they journey through Mexico en route to the U.S. on a freight train they call "The Beast ." Director Rebecca Cammisa (Sister Helen) tracks the stories of children like Olga and Freddy, nine-year old Hondurans who are desperately trying to reach their families in Minnesota, and Jose, a ten-year-old El Salvadoran who has been abandoned by smugglers and ends up alone in a Mexican detention center; and focuses on Kevin, a canny, streetwise 14-year-old Honduran whose mother hopes that he will reach New York City and send money back to his family. These are stories of hope and courage, disappointment and sorrow. They are the ones you never hear about - the invisible ones.
Courtesy of HBO. World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.
9:00pm
Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner
Running time: 93 minutes
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers, and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli - the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farms' Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising - and often shocking - truths about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation, and where we are going from here.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. World Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival.
Saturday January 9
1:00pm
Living in Emergency, directed by Mark Hopkins
Running time: 93 minutes
Bosnia. Rwanda. Kosovo. Sierra Leone. Pakistan. Just a few of the world's humanitarian and political crises in the past years. Whether the result of war or nature, these disasters devastate populations and cripple health systems. Despite the immense dangers and difficulties of the work, one organization, Doctors Without Borders, has continuously intervened at these frontlines of overwhelming human need.
Set in war-torn Congo and post-conflict Liberia, Living in Emergency interweaves the stories of four volunteers with Doctors Without Borders as they struggle to provide emergency medical care under the most extreme conditions.
Two volunteers are new recruits: a 26 year-old Australian doctor stranded in a remote bush clinic and an American surgeon struggling to cope under the load of emergency cases in a shattered capital city. Two others are experienced field hands: a dynamic Head of Mission, valiantly trying to keep morale high and tensions under control, and an exhausted veteran, who has seen too much horror and wants out.
Amidst the chaos, each volunteer must confront the severe challenges of the work, the tough choices, and the limits of their own idealism.
World Premiered at Venice Film Festival.
3:30pm
Soundtrack for a Revolution, directed Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
Running time: 81 minutes
SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION tells the story of the American civil rights movement through its powerful music -the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality.
The film features new performances of the freedom songs by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots; riveting archival footage; and interviews with civil rights foot soldiers and leaders, including Congressman John Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, and Ambassador Andrew Young.
The freedom songs evolved from slave chants, from the labor movement, and especially from the black church. The music enabled blacks to sing words they could not say, and it was crucial in helping the protesters as they faced down brutal aggression with dignity and non-violence. The infectious energy of the songs swept people up and empowered them to fight for their rights.
SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION celebrates the vitality of this music. Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman (Nanking), and executive produced by Danny Glover, SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION is a vibrant blend of heart-wrenching interviews, dramatic images, and thrilling contemporary performances -- a film of significance, energy, and power.
World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.
6:00pm
The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos
Running time: 92 minutes
Director Louie Psihoyos will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion.
In the 1960's, Richard O'Barry was the world's leading authority on dolphin training, working on the set of the popular television program Flipper. Day in and day out, O'Barry kept the dolphins working and television audiences smiling. But one day, that all came to an end. The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos, tells the amazing true story of how Psihoyos, O'Barry and an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.
Courtesy of Roadside Attractions. World Premiered at Sundance Film Festival.
8:30pm
Under Our Skin, directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson
Running time: 103 minutes
A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money, Under Our Skin exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time.
Each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are "all in their head." Following the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a haunting picture of the healthcare system and a medical establishment all too willing to put profits ahead of patients.
World Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.
"Memory is everything. Without it we are nothing," says neuroscientist Eric Kandel, winner of the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking research on the physiology of the brain's storage of memories. As he explains, memory is the glue that binds our mental life together and provides a sense of continuity in our lives.
IN SEARCH OF MEMORY is a compelling blend of autobiography and history that recounts the life of one of the most important neuroscientists of the 20th century and illuminates scientific developments in our understanding of the brain's role in recording and preserving memory. In addition to archival footage and dramatic re-creations of Kandel's childhood experiences in Nazi-occupied Vienna and his formative years as an emigrant in New York, the film features discussions with Kandel, friends and family, as well as his public lectures in Vienna and New York, which explore both his professional and personal life, especially his emotional ties to Judaism.
Both through its personal journey into the memory of this amazingly spry and witty 79-year old, especially his traumatic experiences during the Holocaust, and a visit to his Columbia University laboratory, where Kandel and his colleagues demonstrate their experimental research, IN SEARCH OF MEMORY examines how the brain stores memories, the difference between short-term and long-term memory, Alzheimer's and age-related memory loss, and structural modifications to the brain that enhance memory.
In revisiting the people, places and objects of Kandel's lifetime experiences, IN SEARCH OF MEMORY reveals how everything we undergo changes the brain, even our genetic make-up, and can determine the focus of a life's work.
NR, 95 Minutes
Icarus Films, USA, 2010
Official Website: http://icarusfilms.com
Nobel-winner Eric Kandel in person Fri, Jan 8 at 7:35!
Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel, whose life and work is profiled in the new documentary IN SEARCH OF MEMORY, will appear in person for a discussion on opening night, Friday, January 8, following the 7:35pm screening.
"Mentally stimulating and emotionally affecting."
- Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
CALL FOR ENTRIES:
Calling all Brooklyn filmmakers!
Scene: Brooklyn seeks short and feature narrative films, short and feature length documentaries, animations, and video art from Brooklyn based filmmakers and artists.
Scene: Brooklyn is an ideal way to have your work seen in front of a local Brooklyn audience at great screening venues including Galapagos Art Space and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Scene: Brooklyn presents prizes for the winning film as well as panels and parties.
Early bird discounts available until November 13th so don't wait to submit!
Submit your film through our Withoutabox site here - https://www.withoutabox.com/login/1015
For more info go to - www.brooklynartscouncil.org
ABOUT:
Scene: Brooklyn is Brooklyn Arts Council's annual film and media arts program, presenting quarterly film screenings, with a multi-day centerpiece event each spring.
The flagship spring program features screenings of short films, documentaries, animation, and experimental works by Brooklyn based artists and filmmakers. Screenings are held at venues around downtown Brooklyn, including Galapagos Art Space. Additionally, the series includes a filmmaking panel, reception and awards ceremony.
Seasonal screenings and filmmaker talks take place throughout the year in BAC's screening room in DUMBO, Brooklyn in conjunction with Dumbo First Thursday Gallery Walks, as well as other sites around Brooklyn.
Scene: Brooklyn serves Brooklyn and the wider New York community by providing quality film and media arts programming that reflects Brooklyn's ethnic and cultural diversity. It also gives audiences an opportunity to get acquainted with the artists who live in their borough, and a chance to see non-commercial films locally.
RULES:
Films to be screened in the flagship spring series are to be submitted no later than January 11, 2010. Films submitted prior to that date will be considered for the spring program, as well as for the seasonal screenings at BAC Gallery and elsewhere. Submissions received after the deadline will be considered for the seasonal screenings only.
ELIGIBILITY:
Please read carefully. Brooklyn Arts Council will only consider films that meet the following qualifications:
- Films by film and media artists (director, producer, or screenwriter), who are based in Brooklyn are eligible (all subject areas).
- Films shot in or about Brooklyn by non-Brooklyn residents will also be accepted (all subject areas).
- To reiterate - Only films by Brooklyn based filmmakers (director, producer or screenwriter) or films shot in Brooklyn or about the borough will be considered. Films shot elsewhere by non-Brooklyn residents will not be considered and no refunds will be given.
FOR ALL APPLICANTS
Entries must be complete works no longer than 120 minutes in length. They must have been completed on or after June 1, 2008. Industrial or instructional works and those previously submitted to the Film Festival are not eligible. All films and videos in a language other than English must be subtitled in English for Festival presentation. All entrants must complete the online application form and mail or hand-deliver a DVD for jury screening.
There is no limit to the number of entries each applicant may submit. Please submit a separate entry form and a separate DVD for each entry. Do not include multiple films on one DVD.
LABELING
All tapes must be labeled with the following information:
1. Film Title, total running time, and category (narrative; experimental; documentary; animation.)
2. Shipper's name and telephone number.
3. Withoutbox tracking number.
Entries may be disqualified if they are not properly labeled.
PACKAGING
Films and videotapes must be shipped in a padded envelope.
RETURN OF ENTRIES
Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like us to return your DVD. Be sure to indicate that you would like your preview screener returned; we will not do so unless you indicate for us to do so on your application form.
JUDGING AND NOTIFICATION
Judging will take place January - March 2010 by a jury of film industry professionals working in the New York metropolitan area.
Notification will happen no later than March 30th 2010.
Wednesday, January 13 - 8:00PM 
The Newport Beach Film Festival is now open for submissions. Accepting both feature and short documentary films, submit early and save! NBFF is the largest film event in Orange County, showing over 350 films in several different categories including Narrative, Documentary, Family, Action Sports and Youth films. The festival runs from April 22-April 29, 2010.
