John Wildman

Holger Borggrefe, Stefan Hering’s Two is a Magic Number leads awards at Festival of Cinema NYC 2021 — return to in-person screenings in Queens with Filmmaker Awards

By John Wildman 4 years ago

er and Executive Director Jayson Simba, said, “In a year filled with so many challenges, I’m incredibly proud of the staff and crew that helped put together an amazing event. Many ‘first’s’ this year included our first ever in-theater moderated presentation, as well as the festival’s first ever REALD 3D film screening. It was great to have over 50 films, out of the roughly 120, represented by attending cast and crew. Filmmakers and audience members were clearly both thrilled to be back in the theater watching their films on the big screen, and we could not have been more thrilled for it all to happen here in Forest Hills.

Gravitas Ventures picks up Dorie Barton’s WELCOME TO THE SHOW and targets November 23 release

By John Wildman 4 years ago

“Barton’s film is a great addition to the cannon of classic college movies. While the rabbit hole the characters fall deeper and deeper into is both hilarious and absurd, the acting and complex relationships keep it grounded and very relatable for anyone who has gone through a transitorily period and is unsure of what happens next. We cannot wait for audiences to see for themselves what “The Show” is truly about!” – David Sullivan, Gravitas Ventures’ Sales and Acquisitions Manager.

Sound Unseen 2021 plays in-person in both Austin and Minneapolis doubling down on last year’s virtual run in Minnesota and Texas

By John Wildman 4 years ago

placed us, like most film festivals due to the pandemic. Rather than retreating, we actually opened up our reach to the audiences that love the melding of music and film by branching out into Texas and all of Minnesota virtually. This year, we’ll keep our virtual approach in those states as we happily return to theaters in Minneapolis and theaters in Austin, as well. It will be exciting to add Sound Unseen’s in-person footprint to that music and film-rich city.”

2021 Naples International Film Festival celebrates the Art of the Short Film with this year’s lineup

By John Wildman 4 years ago

Artis—Naples announced the film lineup for the 13th annual Naples International Film Festival (NIFF) to be held October 21-24, 2021, featuring a return to in-person screenings. A central theme of this year’s edition of NIFF will be a celebration of the art of making the short film, including the first time the festival has showcased a specially curated shorts program for its Opening Night Film experience. The film festival will close with a special presentation of Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future featuring a live performance of John Williams’ classic score by the Naples Philharmonic, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.

Citizen Ashe Opens the 2021 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, with films and honorees for 30th Anniversary edition

By John Wildman 4 years ago

“Our thirtieth anniversary program reflects the values we aspire to as a festival. We’re moving into the next thirty years with a renewed vision of documentary creation and the impact documentary filmmaking can have on our world,” said HSDFF Executive Director, Jennifer Gerber. “There is always a heightened energy and anticipation during anniversary years and this year’s films, our stellar trio of honorees, and the panels, events, activities, parties, and more that our staff has put together point to a truly exceptional film festival.”

Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee among films in Atlanta’s Out on Film and GLAAD Festival

By John Wildman 4 years ago

the production and presentation details for both our in-theater and online virtual screenings, we also continue to work to ensure that we have left no stone unturned when it comes to the films we offer each year. When you have an opportunity to add one of the year’s top award winners, an anniversary of a signature film, another film with a true icon of cinema front and center, and another world premiere, then you just have to do it. Add to that, being able to join forces with an organization like GLAAD on behalf of a truly special film like Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Story? Well, that can’t help but add an amazing exclamation point on everything!

Tallgrass International Film Festival 2021 Announces Films for 19th edition of fest

By John Wildman 4 years ago

“With our procurement of a grant called Reimagined Spaces, we took the idea to heart, reimagining a lot of the festival this year as we continue in year two of the pandemic,” said Executive Director Melanie Addington. “At the core of Tallgrass, we remain a festival focused on filmmakers finding their audience and creating community around film. Movies are the great bridge-builder that unites us as people. The 19th annual Tallgrass may look different but the core remains always the same.”

The Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival expands programming for October fest in Washington DC

By John Wildman 4 years ago

“The outpouring of work by filmmakers and journalists who reside at the intersection between both cultures has never been more prolific, nor more creative” said Sky Sitney, festival co-creator and co-director. “Whether excavating a dormant archive, meticulously piecing together citizen-created content, turning to animation as both a storytelling device and a protective measure, or boldly entering the frontlines of an ICU during a pandemic or forests ablaze with fire, the filmmakers and journalists featured in this year’s program are reaching extraordinary new heights with their craft, and telling vital stories that go well beyond headline news.”

Dorie Barton’s WELCOME TO THE SHOW brings the show back home to the Richmond Film Festival

By John Wildman 4 years ago

Well, the film and the filmmakers all returned to the scene of the…scenes..? Part of a Virginia and Richmond-specific Opening Night presentation, Barton and her team literally brought “The Show” to the Richmond Film Festival’s audiences by taping invitations under random seats in the theater for “lucky” patrons to participate in the immersive experience paralleling what the main characters in the film experience, and also saw the Andrew Bonieskie and Dillon Douglasson perform music from the film’s soundtrack live later that week.

Big Bear Film Summit’s first in-person fest brought filmmakers up to the mountains

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Film festivals always take their personality from the people in charge and in this case, the Big Bear Film Summit was one of the friendliest, most supportive film festivals at its core that you could ever hope to experience. You can always streamline, increase budgets, perfect systems, but you just can’t buy that underlying feeling of getting the big cosmic hug. For that reason alone, the Big Bear Film Summit holds A LOT of promise as a destination fest going forward, because who doesn’t want to get a big cosmic hug while having their film screened in a prime vacation (and location) spot.