Davis Guggenheim, a former TV director who brought together Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, U2’s the Edge and Jack White of the White Stripes for It Might Get Loud, got "grilled" by The Wrap over his new rocking film. (OK, getting "grilled" is just their Q&A format, but you get the idea.)

The man behind An Inconvenient Truth talked about his time spent with the three legends individually and then together for an amazing summit in Los Angeles that explores the role of the guitarist, artistry behind the music and more.

Wanna find out the answers to questions such how this filming process compared to the process of An Inconvenient Truth, more guitarists who Guggenheim would've added to the mix and more? Well, just get reading at The Wrap.

The movie is released in Los Angeles and New York today. 

DOCUWEEKS™ WEEK 3 SCREENINGS BEGIN IN LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK

Week 3 of IDA's 13th Annual DocuWeeks begins today with six films screening daily at the ArcLight Hollywood and the IFC Center in New York.

The Los Angeles lineup for August 14th through August 20th includes: YES MADAM, SIR, Racing Dreams, Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie, Garbage Dreams, Hunting Down Memory and Living In Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders.

Films screening through August 20th at the IFC Center in New York include: Living In Emergency: Stories Of Doctors Without Borders, Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie, The Sari Soldiers, Rock Prophecies, Sweet Crude and Kimjongilia.

Various filmmakers are scheduled to attend the following DocuWeeks week 3 screenings for post-screening Q&As and other events (subject to change without notice):

DocuWeeks™ Los Angeles Post-Screening Q&As

YES MADAM, SIR: Aug. 15 at 7:40 PM, Aug. 16 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 18 at 7:40 PM, Aug. 19 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 20 at 9:45 PM

Garbage Dreams: Aug. 14 at 7:45 PM, Aug. 15 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 16 at 5:40 PM

Living In Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders: Aug. 14 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 17 at 9:45 PM

Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie: Aug. 18 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 19 at 5:50 PM

DocuWeeks™ New York Post-Screening Q&As

Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie: Aug. 14 at 5:10 PM, Aug. 15 at 7:35 PM, Aug. 16 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 17 at 5:10 PM, Aug. 18 at 7:35 PM, Aug. 19 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 20 at 9:45 PM

The Sari Soldiers: Aug. 14 at 7:25 PM, Aug. 15 at 9:50 PM, Aug. 16 at 5:25 PM

Rock Prophecies: Aug. 14 at 7:40 PM

Kimjongilia: Aug. 14 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 16 at 7:45 PM, Aug. 17 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 19 at 7:45 PM, Aug. 20 at 7:45 PM

Sweet Crude: Aug. 14 at 9:50 PM, Aug. 15 at 5:15 PM, Aug. 16 at 7:15 PM, Aug. 17 at 9:50 PM, Aug. 18 at 5:15 PM, Aug. 19 at 7:15 PM, Aug. 20 at 7:15 PM

Living In Emergency: Stories Of Doctors Without Borders: Aug. 15 at 7:30 PM, Aug. 16 at 9:35 PM, Aug. 18 at 7:30 PM, Aug. 19 at 9:35 PM, Aug. 20 at 9:35 PM

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Friday, August 7th, DocuWeeks kicked off its second week with a bang! Rock Prophecies, John Chester's wonderful film about legendary rock photographer Robert Knight, played to a packed house at the Arclight. This was the first public showing of the film outside of film festivals.

It's a testament to the filmmaking that someone such as myself, who is musically illiterate, so thoroughly enjoyed the film despite not always realizing the significance of the rock stars Knight was photographing. FYI, "musically illiterate" is the technical term for someone whose music collection consists of two dozen musical theater soundtracks and doesn't particularly like the Beatles. Go ahead, make fun.

In addition to Knight's entertaining anecdotes about everyone from Keith Richards to Elton John (I do know who they are), the film also delves into Knight's efforts to take care of his Alzheimer's afflicted mother, his attempts to foster new music talent and his concerns about staying relevant in a field where he is now an elder statesman. It would have been fascinating enough for audiences to just watch Knight talk about the experiences of shooting people like Jeff Beck and Slash, but his openness in expressing his thoughts about these larger life issues give the film depth and heart, making it resonant to guitar and non-guitar fans alike.

Knight was in attendance at the screening, and while we were in line waiting to validate our parking tickets, I took the opportunity to chat with him about the film. Knight is used to being behind the camera; I asked him it had been like switching sides as the subject of a documentary. He said that the two years during which they shot were very difficult for him.

I also asked him about why he believes a single image is still significant at a time when people are showered with a plethora of images, both moving and still, from YouTube to Flickr to billboards. Said Knight, "A single still image is important because it captures a single moment in time that will be there for years to come – IF it's done right!"

Director John Chester and producer Tim Kaiser were also in attendance at the screening, along with special guest Tyler Dow Bryant, the young blues guitarist that Knight champions in the film. Bryant wowed the audience at the Arclight with an acoustic performance following the film, and hung out with the crowd at the Samsung-sponsored after-party. Musical guests in the audience included Steve Lukather from Toto, John 5 from Mansion and Zombie , and Orianthi Panagaris, the young female guitar player who, according to Knight's blog post, landed the coveted gig as Michael Jackson’s new guitar player for the 50 show run of concerts he was about to start in London.

Editor's Note: Saint Misbehavin' opened December 3 in theaters in San Francisco and Berkeley, December 8 in New York, and, appropriately enough, will open December 10 in Woodstock, NY.  Here's an interview with director/producer Michelle Esrick that we conducted in conjunction with the film's participation in DocuWeeks 2009.

Over the past few weeks, we at IDA have been introducing our community to the filmmakers whose work is represented in the DocuWeeks^TM Theatrical Documentary Showcase, currently running through August 20 in New York City and Los Angeles. We asked the filmmakers to share the stories behind their films--the inspirations, the challenges and obstacles, the goals and objectives, the reactions to their films so far.

So, to continue this series of conversations, here is Michelle Esrick, director/producer of Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie..

Synopsis: Saint Misbehavin' tells the true story of cultural phenomenon Wavy Gravy, a man whose commitment to making the world a better place has never wavered. Wavy Gravy is known as the MC of the Woodstock Festival, a hippie icon, a clown and even a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor. In Saint Misbehavin' we meet a true servant to humanity, who carries his message through humor and compassion. The film weaves together intimate vérité footage, reflections from an array of cultural and counter-cultural peers, and never-before-seen archival footage to tell a story that is bigger than the man himself.

IDA: How did you get started in documentary filmmaking?

Michelle Esrick: I had a lot of friends who were documentary filmmakers, and I helped out on their projects over the years. I have always been a huge fan of documentaries and have been inspired by people like DA Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple, the Maysles Brothers, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinoksky, and Errol Morris, just to name a few. I love people and the human experience, and a good documentary can connect you to people and communities around the globe that you would most likely never be able to know so intimately. I have been in the arts my entire life, as an actress, painter and poet, and I never really thought I would make a documentary myself. But then I met Wavy Gravy and felt this huge calling to properly introduce him to the world.

IDA:   What inspired you to make Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie?

ME: I met Wavy Gravy in 1992. A friend of mine was interviewing him for a book and I went along for the interview. It was over lunch and I was inspired immediately by him. We connected and stayed in touch, and then in 1996 I started doing some benefit work for some of his causes, including a children's camp he runs called Camp Winnarainbow. We did a lot of press interviews over the years and I heard him tell these amazing stories about his life, that I was constantly "wowed" by. I could not believe there was not a film about him!

But there was also something else going on for me on another level. I felt inspired by the way he looked at the world. He was, and is, in each and every moment, doing service. He is like a walking celebration of service and optimism! And the guy deals with some very serious issues and causes, and yet finds a way to keep his sense of humor and put a smile and giggle on all who are around him. He is all about the solution and gets a huge buzz out of helping and being useful wherever he can. He also does it to a great soundtrack! He loves music and is always calling upon his famous musician friends to help him bring awareness to causes--mostly the Seva Foundation, which he founded with Dr. Larry Brilliant and Ram Dass, among others.

I also noticed that whoever got to hang around Wavy for any period of time felt inspired by him and realized that we can change the world and have a good time doing it. So, I thought, hmmmmm....If I can capture his message and his magic and put it on screen and then put him in front of as many people as possible through the movie, everyone will feel inspired to help the world! Wavy is always saying, "Put your good where it will do the most," so I poured every ounce of my "good" into this film in order to spread his message.  

IDA: What were some of the challenges and obstacles in making this film, and how did you overcome them?

ME: Well, to have a passionate calling to do something that you have never done before is a HUGE challenge. The film took me ten years to complete, and I was pretty upset about the calling for the first four years. I used to say, "Scorsese should be making this film about this great man!" I just had to show up and ask for help from my filmmaker friends. People started coming into my life and giving me the help and guidance that I needed, and I could feel that the universe wanted me to do this. I also was told by Wavy's friend Dr. Larry Brilliant that Wavy and his wife had been approached by filmmakers over the years about doing a documentary, and for some reason they wanted me to do the film. He said, "They trust you." So, I felt a deep obligation to honor their trust and make a great film.

Then I met DA Pennebaker, and we connected on many levels; he became my mentor and eventually my executive producer. If Pennebaker had my back, I knew all would be OK. Also, meeting my producer, David Becker, was a giant support and relief! David started working on the film three years ago.

The other challenging part for me was raising the money. I had to grow a thick skin and learn to love the word "No!" But after every ten or eleven "No"s, you'll hear a "Yes," and that is a glorious sound!

The other challenging thing was finding the story. I did not want to make a biography; I wanted to cover his life but focus on his message, which he has lived out his entire life. This is what interested me. We had so much incredible vérité footage and archival footage, and his stories are endlessly interesting. So the edit was challenging; we were in the edit room for almost two years sculpting away at this piece of art. Making a film is challenging and rewarding, all at the same time. I could not have done it without my incredible team and all their support of my vision.       

IDA:  How did your vision for the film change over the course of the pre-production, production and post-production processes? 

ME: My vision never changed. I always wanted to share his message and his magical way of inspiring people; I just did not know what form it would take.

I did not want to script it out. I wanted to organically find it in the edit room. I also always envisioned using Wavy's song "Basic Human Needs" in the film as part of the score, which my composer, Emory Joseph, did a brilliant job at incorporating. I envisioned Wavy's musician friends singing it and getting the whole world singing it. Emory produced a gospel blues arrangement and a track with Jackson Browne, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldaur, Steve Earle, Bob Weir, Buffy Sainte-Marie and more. It's incredible!

IDA:  As you've screened Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie-whether on the festival circuit, or in screening rooms, or in living rooms-how have audiences reacted to the film?  What has been most surprising or unexpected about their reactions?

ME: I am currently writing to you from Michael Moore's film festival, which is our seventh festival since we premiered at SXSW last March. Audiences rise to their feet at the end of every screening and they sing and clap along to "Basic Human Needs." The Q & A's are so powerful and moving. To hear how inspired people feel to make the world better is so affirming. The one thing I could have never predicted is what it feels like to watch this film with an audience in a movie theater. The film is so entertaining and Wavy is so funny, which I believe we captured really well. It's a wonderful balance of humor and heart, and to feel that collective experience with an audience is so awesome! People love this film and are truly altered by it. They leave the theater wanting to go help somebody and make the world better-- and know we can have fun doing it!

Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie will be screening at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinema in Los Angeles and the IFC Center in New York City.

To download the DocuWeeks^TM program in Los Angeles, click here.

To purchase tickets for DocuWeeks^TM in Los Angeles, click here.

To download the DocuWeeks^TM program in New York, click here.

To purchase tickets for DocuWeeks^TM in New York, click here.

 

 

Editor's note: Mark Hopkins' Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders opens in theaters June 4 through Truly Indie. What follows is an interview we conducted with Hopkins last summer when the film was featured as part of IDA's DocuWeeks Theatrical Documentary Showcase.

Over the past few weeks, we at IDA have been introducing our community to the filmmakers whose work is represented in the DocuWeeks^TM Theatrical Documentary Showcase, currently running through August 20 in New York City and Los Angeles. We asked the filmmakers to share the stories behind their films--the inspirations, the challenges and obstacles, the goals and objectives, the reactions to their films so far.

So, to continue this series of conversations, here is Mark N. Hopkins, director/producer of Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders..

Synopsis: For the first time in its history, a film crew has been allowed access to the field operations of the world largest medical NGO--Doctors Without Borders. Filmed in the war zones of Liberia and Congo, Living in Emergency follows four volunteer doctors as they struggle to provide emergency care in extreme conditions. Amidst the chaos, each volunteer must confront the severe challenges of the work, the tough choices and the limits of their own idealism.

 

 

IDA: How did you get started in documentary filmmaking?

Mark N. Hopkins: I first made the connection in Hanoi, where I was studying in 1994. The place was transforming in front of us, a friend had a camera, and it just seemed like the natural thing to do, to get out there and start shooting.

IDA: What inspired you to make Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders?

MNH: I'd been thinking about third-world myths, and how they are propagated. And one of the more persistent myths is the idea of the humanitarian hero who solves all. I think this makes us feel better about our world, the idea that someone is out there making it all OK, or at least makes us feel less guilty about our own good fortune. But this false hope is, I think, quite damaging; it hides the reality under simple ideas of "We Shall Overcome." Doctors Without Borders presented a great vehicle through which to unravel this particular myth, while delving into an intense and fascinating world--inadvertently contrasting the "do-gooder" assumption through an immersion into the lives of the real people actually on the humanitarian frontlines, aware of their limits, the limits of their work, and the overwhelming challenges they face.

IDA: What were some of the challenges and obstacles in making this film, and how did you overcome them?

MNH: I think the overriding challenge was living up to the responsibility: Something like 25 companies had tried to gain access to make an independent film on the organization. Given the seriousness of their mandate--apolitical medical care to the world's most adversely affected populations--being the first filmmakers with unfettered access was a huge responsibility. We had to live up to what we said we'd do: distill and capture the essence of the Doctors Without Borders experience, warts and all. How do you capture an experience that is consistently described as one you must live to understand? It was an all-consuming challenge that we spent next two-and-a-half years attempting to meet.

IDA: How did your vision for the film change over the course of the pre-production, production and post-production processes?

MNH: We had drawn up a fairly detailed structure going in: a narrative framework based not on individual character arcs, but constructed from multiple characters embodying different stages of the overriding story arc of a field mission. The idea was to experience the changing perception of life in the field that's undergone by a first mission: They start out with a surface understanding and gradually absorb the greater complexities of field existence as time goes on. It's the audience's symbolic first mission, as it were. Within this structure, the veteran characters serve as a contrast, providing an experienced voice that helps move the understanding of the first-timer forward. We had expected these voices to still have at least a veneer of the "do-gooder hero" myth, but there was none. Without exception, anyone with a decent amount of field experience had a completely unvarnished understanding of their work and its overall significance. In hindsight, it seems fairly obvious--the people picking up the bodies in the face of overwhelming need will be the least delusioned about their role--but at the time it came as a surprise. It meant this veteran voice provided even greater contrast and complexity to the first-mission experience.

IDA: As you've screened Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders-whether on the festival circuit, or in screening rooms, or in living rooms-how have audiences reacted to the film?  What has been most surprising or unexpected about their reactions?

MNH: It's been a humbling experience, from our opening in Venice to the most recent festival in Munich. As described above, the structure of the film is built around the conceptual journey of a mission, and is designed to immerse an audience in the field. It would be disingenuous to this field reality if this experience were not something of a challenge, and it's extremely rewarding to see the audience rise to the occasion--moved, engaged, compelled, thinking through the ideas.

I would never underestimate an audience, but it's also been very reaffirming to see the quality and variety of substantial thoughts generated--much like those generated by people going through actual first missions, with strong interactions at all sorts of differing conceptual levels. Most surprising has been the number of people that go to the toughest idea, that while you might be asked to readjust your expectations for hope, in itself, the film is symbolically hopeful. Individual actions have positive outcomes: Doctors in the worst circumstances feel passionate and rewarded in their work, and their patients fully appreciate the care. We are not winning the war on global health, so what is truly hopeful is that the people who realize this the most--the doctors on the frontlines of global health--continue to work, individual by individual, in the face of insurmountable need.

IDA: What docs or docmakers have served as inspirations for you?

MNH: Mark Harris, an insightful and tremendous mentor to this film; Deborah Dickson, always illuminating; Werner Herzog, with his innate curiosity; Errol Morris...the list goes on. And films: One Day in September; Capturing The Friedmans; General Idi Amin Dada; The Fog of War; Hearts of Darkness...again, too many to list.

Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders will be screening at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinema in Los Angeles and the IFC Center in New York City.

To download the DocuWeeks^TM program in Los Angeles, click here.

To purchase tickets for DocuWeeks^TM in Los Angeles, click here.

To download the DocuWeeks^TM program in New York, click here.

To purchase tickets for DocuWeeks^TM in New York, click here.

 

In the continually spinning turnstile that is the festival circuit, Rachel Rosen is leaving Los Angeles Film Festival and its parent company, Film Independent, after eight years as its head of programming to assume the title of Director of Programming at the San Francisco Film Society, which oversees the San Francisco International Film Festival. Rosen had served as associate director of the society from 1994 to 2001 before moving to Los Angeles.

"We're thrilled to welcome Rachel back to a leadership role in the organization after her extraordinarily successful tenure in Los Angeles," said Graham Leggat, the society's executive director, in a prepared statement. "Her intelligence, flair for innovation and keen eye for exciting new work are just what we need as we enter our next phase."

Rosen made a considerable impact during her tenure, with festival attendance more than doubling, from 35,000 to over 80,000. She also dramatically increased the number and scope of international films presented at LAFF and instituted a special international sidebar that examined independent films from Argentina and China, as well as rare and lesser-known international animation, the work of Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani and documentaries from Mexico's Ambulante Film Festival, among other highlights. "Rachel's discerning eye, dazzling knowledge of film and support of independent filmmakers have been essential to the festival's success during her years at Film Independent," said Film Independent's Executive Director Dawn Hudson in a statement. "I so appreciate Rachel's extraordinary talents and her unstinting commitment to the organization, and we wish her the best as she enters this new phase in her career."

Rosen steps in to fill the post recently vacated by Linda Blackaby, who also served eight years. "One of the most respected film programmers on the international scene, Linda has played a primary role in the expansion and success of the Film Society in recent years," said Leggat. "She leaves behind many friends and admirers. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

"I think what Graham and the Film Society team have accomplished in the past few years with both the San Francisco International Film Festival and year-round programming is incredibly exciting," said Rosen in a statement. "I'm grateful to have a chance to be a part of it. I'm thrilled to be returning to an organization and a city that love great cinema."

Prior to her first stint in San Francisco, Rosen began her career in New York where she worked as a publicist in the film industry for five years. In 1988, she enrolled in Stanford University's prestigious documentary film program in the department of communication. While completing her thesis film, Rosen worked for the New York Film Festival as directors liaison and for SFFS in addition to working in various capacities on student and professional film productions.

In 1993, Rosen moved back to New York for a year to accept a position as programming and publicity associate at Film Forum. Her short documentary on tornado chasers, Serious Weather, was shown at the San Francisco and Vancouver International Film Festivals and the British Short Film Festival. Rosen was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature from Brown University.

During her eight-year tenure, Blackaby oversaw Film Society festivals and other public exhibitions, maintaining a high level of curatorial quality as SFFS dramatically expanded its calendar to include year-round offerings. The 2009 San Francisco International Film Festival, her most recent program, received critical and audience acclaim and enjoyed record attendance. Previously, Blackaby programmed the Hamptons International Film Festival on Long Island and was founding director of the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema. She came to the Bay Area in 1997 to advise the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. She is currently chair of the Princess Grace Foundation film panel in New York City.

"Getting to know and working with the San Francisco film community has been very meaningful to me," said Blackaby. "There is so much talent and expertise here, and such passion for good cinema, that it has been particularly gratifying to have contributed to the growth of the Festival and SFFS."

DocuWeeks 2009 Week 2 kicked off with tons of great docs, multiple filmmaker Q&As and discussions and one rocking VIP reception over the weekend. There's still time to be involved. Don't miss out, get the lowdown on the Week 2 docs and particpating filmmakers right here. Check out these shots, and see many more pictures from DocuWeeks 2009 at the IDA's Flickr Photostream.

Rock Prophecies acoustic performance by blues guitarist Tyler Dow Bryant at IDA DocuWeeks 2009. Photo by René Lego.

Benjamin Charbit (executive producer) and Kristian Fraga (director/producer/editor) discuss their film Severe Clear at IDA DocuWeeks 2009. Photo by René Lego.

Filmmakers Robert and and N.C. Heikin prior to screening their film Kimjongilia at IDA DocuWeeks 2009. Photo by René Lego.

Q&A with Tapped production team at IDA DocuWeeks 2009. Photo by René Lego.

See many more pictures from DocuWeeks 2009 at the IDA's Flickr Photostream.

Adobe's MAX 2009 Conference comes to Los Angeles Oct 4-7. This is the place were the Adobe developer and designer community comes together to learn and share best practices, and see emerging technologies. The conference is packed with sessions on cross-media workflows, prototyping, standards-based web design, user interface design, online advertising, interactive games, accessibility, motion graphics, video encoding, video creation, and much more. Choose from hundreds of sessions found at http://max.adobe.com/sessions/ to create an agenda that meets your needs.

Every year, MAX attendees learn tricks for designing more productively and discover new skills for creating engaging experiences. They get sneak peeks of upcoming software and network with some of the top designers in the world. At the end of the four day conference, they're inspired to create next-generation experiences, with heads chock-full of the know-how to make it happen. Here are just a few reasons why MAX is a "must-attend" conference

• See how to create compelling applications, content, and video and deliver it on screens of every size, across operating systems, accessible from anywhere at any time.
• Learn how to take ideas to market faster through design and development workflows that support iterative development by attending hands-on labs and learning from real-world case studies.
• All MAX sessions and labs are taught by the best of the best—the kind of people you don't just run into every day. They can share their years of experience regarding what works and what doesn't.
• MAX attendees come from organizations all over the world, from small businesses to Fortune 1000 companies and local nonprofits to large government agencies. You can exchange ideas and build one-on-one relationships with people who have dealt with challenges similar to yours.
• Expose yourself to new ways of thinking by seeing some of the coolest, boundary-pushing, experimental work out there. In previous years, 94% of past attendees said they left MAX inspired to innovate.
• The majority of attendees of MAX 2008 said the event exceeded their expectations at providing opportunities for learning tips, tricks, and the latest industry trends.

There are several ways to experience MAX2009. Please write IDA in the "referred by" or "source" field so the IDA is recognized for its importance by the MAX team. Here are the prices:

Full MAX Conference Pass is $1295 if purchased before August 31

Individual Day Pass is regularly $595. IDA gets a $100 discount to $495 by using the promotion code DAY941 and purchasing before September 18. Day Two is a great day with an opening keynote, sessions and labs, sneak peaks, awards, party, and all the Community Pavilion listed above.

Expo only pass is $200 for the entire conference. You get access to the Expo, the Community Pavilion, BOFs at lunch, and "unconferences" which are mini conferences held in the Community Pavilion area http://max.adobe.com/agenda/community/

To register, see all pricing structures, get deadlines and other information go to http://max.adobe.com/registration/

Also, check out tons of filmmaker testimonials about Adobe Creative Suite 4 and tutorials on its various programs under the Tutorials section of our video gallery.

Update August 10, 2009: The Canadian filmmakers' movie is getting some buzz (check out these pieces on CNN and the National Post) and now Variety is reporting that the film picked up distribution with Alliance Films of Montreal with a U.S. deal just around the corner.

John Hughes, the director who perfectly expressed teen angst in the '80s with films such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off died on August 6 at the age of 59 of a sudden heart attack during a morning walk in Manhattan.

Later in his life, Hughes left Hollywood, but his impact will never be forgotten.

The documentary Don't You Forget About Me talks to the actors that brought many of Hughes' films to life, including Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson and Andrew McCarthy. However, Toronto director Matt Austin-Sadowski and producers Kari Hollend, Mike Facciolo and Lenny Panzer never interviewed the man himself, so they set out to in 2008 to learn about him by taking a trip to his hometown.

You can find out more at the official website www.dontyouforgetaboutmethemovie.com and get the most recent updates on the movie's blog.

See a trailer for the film, which is now dedicated to John Hughes' memory.