In the few weeks since the Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced that it would significantly scale back its longstanding and well-respected film program after 40 years due to allegations of declining attendance and revenue, a legion of fans, including Martin Scorsese, Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the grassroots coalition Save Film at LACMA, has worked to try to reverse this decision.
In a partial reprieve, LACMA announced that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Time Warner Cable have committed $75,000 each to extend the program through next summer. In addition Time Warner Cable and Ovation TV have made an in-kind contribution of over $1.5 million to market the film program across their multiple media platforms, both locally and nationally.
Next week LACMA Director Michael Govan will meet with members of Save Film at LACMA. In a statement, he said, "LACMA's goals for its future film program include securing sustainable philanthropic support that provides a larger and more appropriate budget and affords more outreach and events to create broader awareness for the program overall. However, most importantly, the museum also intends to create a Film Department within the curatorial sphere of the museum that will be charged with critical thinking about the history and future of film as art as well as film's increasing importance in the larger narrative of art history."
IDA Throws End-of-Summer Mixer
I have no voice. Not in the "I can't find my voice, I don't have a message" type of way. But after Wednesday night's conversations and mixing and general good times with fellow IDA members and supporters, I've lost my voice. Gone.
My work colleagues thank you, IDA.
The successful and just-ended three-week run for DocuWeeks didn't keep filmmakers and other doc pros from coming out again to swank East 3rd Street for more mixing and meeting as IDA's August Mixer ("Smoky So.Cal Nights" edition) was in full swing.
Spotted early on were IDA Exec. Dir. Michael Lumpkin, getting things started...Board member Steven Reich, freshly returned from a months-long writing gig in Maine, holding court and doing a fine job, judging from those assembled around him...fellow Board member Pi Ware, across a sea of people near the couches...and Board member Adam Chapnick--are you following him on Twitter, too?--looking in full effect.
A highlight was introducing some of the producers behind the current documentary hit, The Cove. Larry David Eudene and Charles Hambleton spoke briefly to those in attendance about their self-described, real-life eco-thriller that is in theaters now; the challenges docs face in the marketplace; and the perils of using the word "documentary." While the last point can be debated, the producers' passion for the project and documentaries in general was clear, and they received a warm reception, mixing with fellow filmmakers well into the night afterwards.
These monthly events are always a great discovery. Among so many others, I met John Woehrle (Pride of Lions), who was talking about the exciting developments with his film about Sierra Leone (an IDA fiscal sponsorship project).
In attendance and enjoying the night were Debra and Bradley Carr of the film Feat.
New member and DC transplant Seana Carroll was quizzing me at the bar about my favorite football team. She produced a new doc about the Washington Redskins marching band. Great title: The Band Never Loses a Game. Even though I, with little measurable skills, never joined my school band, Seana assured me I must be good at something. That all remains to be seen.
IDA's Maria Arzola had things going smoothly, as always. She makes it look so easy.
Another fine IDA mixer in Downtown Los Angeles! We hope to get even more of you to come out when you can.
Saludos!
Moises
Holy Land Hardball, follows a diverse group of players and executives as they attempt to create the first-ever professional baseball league in the Middle East, is streaming on SnagFilms this week as the concluding installment of the online venture's SummerFest series that has been running since July. Holy Land Hardball is also available on Hulu.com, AOL.com and Fancast.com.
For SummerFest,, SnagFilms has been hosting one-week screenings of previously unreleased documentaries before they head for theatrical or television release. "Just as the Major League Baseball pennant races heat up, we're celebrating the end of our SummerFest homestand with Holy Land Hardball," said CEO Rick Allen, in a statement. "It's not just baseball fans who will warm to an unlikely cross-cultural attempt to bring America's game to a part of the world where 5,000 years of recorded history had yet to include a scorecard."
"Holy Land Hardball has been a labor of love that we are extremely proud of, said producer/directors Erik Kesten and Brett Rapkin, in the statement. "We're thrilled it was selected to be part of SnagFilms' inaugural SummerFest. This is a remarkable opportunity to bring our film to a limitless audience."
To commemorate the recent passing of Senator Edward Kennedy, HBO will air Teddy: In His Own Words, a documentary produced by Peter Kunhardt and Sheila Nevins, Tuesday, September 1, Thursday, September 3, and Friday, September 4. The film premiered on HBO earlier this summer as the kickoff of the cabler's HBO Documentary Films Summer Series.
The film combines the late Massachusetts Senator's narration-culled from past commentary, speeches and public and private sources-with archival footage from newsreels, television and home movies to tell the epic tale of a legendary public servant. Kunhardt's previous work for HBO includes JFK: In His Own Words and Bobby Kennedy: In His Own Words. His latest Kennedy profile completes the trilogy. For more information about Teddy: In His Own Words, click here.
Here's an interview on MSNBC about the documentary, with co-producer Caroline Waterlow:
Some said they had been consumed by the horrific slaughters since watching the documentary, The Cove, which exposes the annual killing of more than 23,000 dolphins in a National Park at Taiji, Wakayama in Japan.
Pressure had been mounting on the Shire of Broome to end the relationship with Taiji, where 26 dolphin hunters run a secretive operation to fill its government-sanctioned quota of 2300 dolphins, the paper reported. Broome Shire president Graeme Campbell said council’s unanimous decision was to "respectfully advise" the town of Taiji that Broome would be unable to fulfill its obligation as a sister town while the dolphin killings continued.
After the announcement, Louie Psihoyos, director of The Cove, issued the following open letter to the people of Broome, Australia:
I directed the movie The Cove, a documentary about an unlikely team of activists that come together to help former Flipper trainer Ric O'Barry penetrate and expose a secret cove in Taiji, Japan.
Over the past year, I have been amazed at people's ability to use their voice to make a difference, and the events of last week in Australia stand out as one of the greatest moments in this young film¹s history. Broome residents took a courageous stand against the actions of their Japanese sister city Taiji, and I commend them. This is a win not only for the Japanese people and the dolphins, but for the people of Broome who realized they have the power to change a horrible wrong.
The Cove exposes not just a horrific yearly hunt, but humans knowingly poisoning other humans by slipping dolphin meat into the food system. Dolphin meat is through-the-roof toxic because of high levels of mercury, the most toxic non-radioactive element in the world. Dolphins have anywhere from five to 5,000 times more mercury than allowed by law.
Despite this, the Taiji mayor and his council had a scheme in place to distribute toxic dolphin meat to school systems all over Japan. O'Barry, his organization Earth Island Institute/Save Japan Dolphins and my organization Oceanic Preservation Society had a small hand in ending that dreadful scenario through the help of two Taiji councilmen, one of whom had children in the school system. They tested the meat and found it had more than a dozen times more mercury than allowed by Japanese law. They demanded the meat be removed from the school system.
To this day, the Taiji mayor continues to allow over a thousand tons of dolphin meat to be sold throughout Japan under the guise of "scientific whale" meat. The Japanese government continues to position its argument for killing dolphins as a cultural issue and insist that we, as outsiders, should respect their tradition. But this is no tradition--the dolphin drive has only been going on since 1933. The tradition argument falls apart when human lives and health are severely threatened, and people must take a stand.
September 1st is coming up, the beginning of the yearly dolphin hunt in Taiji. With a little more pressure, we can put an end to a sad chapter in human history and create a new one where we have respect for the environment and other humans. The Cove is not just $10 and a box of popcorn--it's an attempt to use the most powerful medium in the world to inspire change. One person can make a difference, and a few like-minded people can change the world. Just like the people of Broome.
To the people of Australia, much respect, good on ya.
And to the rest of the world: the secret is out, spread the word.
Sincerely,
Louie Psihoyos
Related News and Articles:
indieWIRE News: 'Cove' On a Roll
Dolphin Confidential: Docu-Thriller 'The Cove' Exposes Slaughter
IDA Throws End-of-Summer Mixer
According to a report from the Iran Human Rights Voice website, filmmaker and IDA member Mohammad Ehsani was recently freed from the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran after serving one year. He was one of four Iranians accused of attempting to "soft-topple" the Iranian regime. Ehsani, 34, had been sentenced to three years, and he had spent two months in solitary confinement. The three other defendents--Arash Alaei, former director of the International Institute for Education and research on Pulmonary Disease and Tuberculosis; Kamyar Alaei, a Ph.D. dancidate in health science; and Sylvia Hartouian, a reproductive specialist--remain in Evin Prison.
As previous reported on IDA's website, at the time of his arrest in July 2008, Ehsani had been working on a documentary about Iranian music, and much of his previous work has dealt with social issues in Iran. He is also a member of the Iranian Documenatry Filmmakers Society.
In one of the final documents of Michael Jackson's life will be made available to fans. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment have unveiled details about the upcoming Michael Jackson film, This Is It. The movie will be released for a limited, two-week engagement worldwide on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Tickets go on sale in most cities beginning on Sunday, Sept. 27. (via The Wrap)
How many conspiracy theories can Oliver Stone fit into a ten-part doc? Find out when his Secret History of America comes to Showtime in 2010. He's working on it now. (via THR)
Do you dig the TV show Mad Men? See the real deal behind some of the most influential advertising visionaries of our time and their campaigns with Doug Pray's doc Art & Copy, opening today. Brush up with this interview on indieWIRE with Pray and our impressions of the film at Sundance.The 34th Toronto International Film Festival had added five new documentaries to its existing program, which runs September 10-19, 2009. The festival has set a newly formed Doc Conference, a full day of panels “devoted to the specific challenges and opportunities for documentary financing, distribution and ethics”; and the returning Doc Roundtables, which “create a rare chance for filmmakers to meet with industry leaders for an informal networking session.” (via indieWIRE)
Did you hear the one about the mushrooms documentary released on a USB flash drive shaped like a mushroom? Now you just did. (It's Canadian filmmaker Ron Mann's new film, Know Your Mushrooms, by the way.) (via indieWIRE)
Oh, and here's the latest trailer for Michael Moore's upcoming film Capitalism: A Love Story (via www.michaelmoore.com).
The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program announced the latest round of projects to receive grants and creative support from the Sundance Documentary Fund. Out of a record 900 applicants from 61 countries, 15 feature documentary films in either development or in production/post-production will receive awards.
The funded films reflect a range of themes: post-Soviet societies in transition, American criminal justice, the intersections between poverty and the environment, and celebrations of creativity and freedom of expression. "The films funded today reflect the Sundance Documentary Film Program's belief that documentary storytellers are 'first responders' exploring the current global realities we all face," said Cara Mertes, director of the Program, in a statement. "Documentary film is gaining momentum as an international language of cross-cultural awareness and understanding. These artists are at the forefront of the movement."
Grants are announced twice a year and submissions are judged on their excellence in storytelling, artistic treatment and innovation, global relevance and potential for social engagement. The film selection is juried by a panel of creative film professionals and human rights experts.
Development
Regarding Susan Sontag (Dir.: Nancy Kates; US)
Regarding Susan Sontag follows the life and work of the late author, critic, director, and activist.
Strong Island (Dir.: Yance Ford; US)
Strong Island is a personal investigation into the violent death of the directors'
brother and its devastating effect on her middle-class black family.
Production/Post-Production
All That Glitters (Dir.: Tomáš Kudrna; Czech Republic / Kyrgyzstan)
For villagers of a small town in Kyrgyzstan, the unexpected effects of a massive Canadian gold-mining operation complicate understandings of the fall of communism.
An American Promise (Dirs.: Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster; US)
In a 12-year study, two African-American boys come of age as they attend an elite prep school in New York City, from kindergarten to high school graduation.
Âs Nutayuneân--We Still Live Here (Working Title) (Dir.: Anne Makepeace; US)
The Wampanoag nation of southeastern Massachusetts revives their native tongue, a language that was silenced for more than 100 years.
Budrus Has a Hammer (Dir.: Julia Bacha; US/Israel/Palestinian Territories)
A Palestinian leader unites Fatah, Hamas and Israelis in an unarmed movement to save his village from destruction. Success eludes them until his 15-year-old daughter jumps into the fray.
Cesar's Last Fast (Dir.: Richard Ray Perez; US)
The private sacrifice and spiritual conviction behind Cesar Estrada Chavez's fight for justice and dignity for America's farm workers is linked to a new generation of organizers leading the charge for farm worker's rights today.
Cinema Jenin (Dirs.: Marcus Vetter, Alex Bakri; Palestinian Territories/Israel/Germany)
A Fellini-esque documentary comedy unfolds as locals launch an initiative to reopen the only cinema in the city of Jenin in the West Bank.
Cooked (Dir.: Judith Helfand; US)
Out of the most traumatic heat wave in US history--when over 730 poor, elderly and African-American Chicago residents died in a single July week in 1995--comes a story about the politics of crisis, the specter of global warming, the long-term disaster called poverty and an inspired plan to address all three at once.
Crime after Crime (Dir.: Yoav Potash; US)
A behind-bars look at women in prison and the troubled intersection of law enforcement and domestic violence.
Enemies of the People (Dirs.: Rob Lemkin, S. Thet; UK/Cambodia)
A young journalist whose family was killed by the Khmer Rouge spends a decade making friends with the men and women who directed and perpetrated the Killing Fields. He finally understands the reasons behind his country's tragedy, but the truth comes at a price.
High Tech, Low Life (Working Title) (Dir.: Stephen Maing (US/China)
A young former vegetable seller inspired by a search for truth and the potential for fame travels the countryside reporting his observations and discoveries and unexpectedly becomes one of China's
first citizen reporters.
In a Town Called Oil City (Dirs.: Joe Wilson, Dean Hamer; US)
The announcement of the filmmaker's wedding to another man leads to a plea for help from a gay teen and a quest for change in the small Pennsylvania hometown he left long ago.
Russia's Pepsi Generation (Working Title) (Dir.: Robin Hessman; US/Russia)
Communism's crossover children adjust to their post-Soviet reality in Moscow today.
The Georgian Year (Dir.: Nino Kirtadze; France/Georgia)
The Georgian Year takes an intimate look at a defining year for this young democracy, from the presidential elections in January 2008 to a state of chaos and war and the resulting aftermath.
Reps from the Sundance Doc Institute travel to the UK next month for The Good Pitch UK, held September 7 and 8 at Amnesty International's East London Auditorium. The Good Pitch, launched in 2008 at BRITDOC to bring together social issue docs-in-progress with representatives from NGOs, foundations and the media to forege alliances around the films. The Good Pitch is a partnership between the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program and Working Films UK.
The following projects will be on the table at The Good Pitch UK:
After the Apocalypse (Dir.: Antony Butts)
A Very Dangerous Man (Dir.: Lesley Katon)
How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire (Dir.: Dan Edelstyn)
Mass e Bhat (Dirs.: Hannan Majid, Richard York)
Casablanca Calling (Dir.: Rosa Rogers)
Moving to Mars (Dir.: Mat Whitecross)
Seventeen (Dir.: Morgan Matthews)
Town of Runners (Dir.: Jerry Rothwell)
Indiegogo.com, the website for film funding, promotion, and discovery, announced today a partnership with the Sausalito Film Festival (Aug. 21-23), to give select filmmakers from the IndieGoGo website an opportunity to showcase their work in front of a live festival audience.
The goal of the Tease and Screen event is to let filmmakers share their works while giving the audience an opportunity to take action, including contributing funds, joining the team, or spreading the word.
Five works-in-progress and one feature documentary were selected including:
Tease:
The Harvest (by Robin Romano, produced by Eva Longoria and the producers of War
Dance) – A documentary about the children who work to feed America.
Eloquent Graffiti (by Zak Forsman) – A story about the inability of humans to connect
in a meaningful way despite the increasing presence of social technologies designed to
do exactly that.
Tapestries of Hope (by Michaelene Christini Risly, produced by Michelle Titus) - A
documentary about two activists from two corners of the world taking on a government
and an urban myth to protect young girls from rape and abuse.
As The Dust Settles (by Arin Crumley, produced by Mike Hedge) – A participatory
film, collaboratively shot and edited about life-changing experiences, the Zeitgeist and
Burning Man.
Time to Impact (by Tom Cappello, produced by Dan Abrams and Richard Krasney) –
A documentary about Paterson, NJ. Is it possible to turn a city around in 365 days?
Screening:
Win or Lose: A Summer Camp Story (by Louis Lapat) - A character driven, personal documentary about the thrill of the win and the agony of defeat…at summer camp.
“The Tease and Screen gives filmmakers the opportunity to get the audience involved before the film is completed”, said Slava Rubin, Founder of IndieGoGo. “Like trailers in the movie theatre, the audience will get a sneak peek into five future films. But here they can take action onsite or at Indiegogo.com”.
The Sausalito Film Festival will host its inaugural event from Aug. 21-23 opening with a screening of No Impact Man and including 18 screenings in total.
“The Sausalito Film Festival’s mission is to bring world class films and new experiences to a festival audience in an amazing location” said Antonio Capretta, Founder, Sausalito Film Festival. “Partnering with IndieGoGo helps us bring a new festival experience to both the filmmakers and audience. We are excited to see what will happen next.”
Interested filmmakers can get their work featured in a future Tease and Screen event by showcasing their work on IndieGoGo and send a note to info@IndieGoGo.com
Eh, it's not a side we see much of the Academy Award-nominated German film director, screenwriter, actor--and IDA Career Achievement Award winner. Unless, well, it's totally fake.
Like with the handful of videos popping up on the Funny or Die comedy website.
Get cooking with the Grizzly Man director himself with a two-parter that purports that "in an effort to fund his award-winning films, warrior/poet Werner Herzog agreed to host an American domestic TV show. It has never aired...until now. Obsessive filmmaker Werner Herzog takes us on a quest to the jungle in search of the perfect ingredient...and he may not make it back alive. With guest star Jim Jarmusch."
Not enough? How about Herzog's alleged encounter with auto mechanics that folds in some real-life stuff for a hilarious spoof. In this one, "the mythical German filmmaker dodges snipers' gunfire and saves a celebrity's life, all in a quest for the ecstatic truth of the automobile. With guest stars Joaquin Phoenix and Klaus Kinski."