John Wildman

Greg Carey and Wade Jackson’s WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY Opens Sound Unseen previews 19th edition of Minneapolis-based music doc fest with some of this year’s film fest faves

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The Sound Unseen Film/Music/Art Festival (November 14-18) previewed this year’s 19th edition of the film festival today with an announcement of 7 initial selections. Led by the Midwest premiere of Greg Carey and Wade Jackson’s WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY, the list includes the return of a Sound Unseen favorite and a handful of films that will be screening for Minneapolis audiences for the first time after seeing much success on the film festival circuit.

Jonnie Stapleton ‘s FUNKY BUTT wines big! Louisiana Film Prize 2018 presents $50,000 check to winner of this year’s competition

By John Wildman 8 years ago

“This was, by far, our most exciting year – more films entered in the competition, continued growth in the overall quality of filmmaking, and with a majority of female filmmakers among the 20 finalists,” said Gregory Kallenberg, Founder and Executive Director of the Film Prize Foundation. “It was also a year with our largest audience and our closest vote, so Jonnie Stapleton and his cast and crew from ‘Funky Butt’ should be very, very proud of this win.”

FILM FESTIVAL PHOTO GALLERY: GLORIA’s Camille Schmoutz highlighted among The 2018 Louisiana Film Prize’s filmmakers were also competing for attention on the Red Carpet this weekend

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The 2018 Louisiana Film Prize includes filmmakers from 20 film finalists competing for a $50,000 grand prize. Well, that competitive spirit could also be found on the red carpet as everyone turned out for the Shreveport photographers and video crews looking to catch the next big winner(s) at this year’s fest!

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Martin Starr named First Soaring Talent; Tallgrass International Film Festival Announces Recipient and Official Short Film Selections

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The 16th Annual Tallgrass International Film Festival presented by Consolidated Equities Trust (October 17-21) announced that Martin Starr (Silicon Valley, Party Down, Freaks and Geeks) will be the recipient of the film festival’s inaugural Soaring Talent Award. Tallgrass also announced the official short film selections for this year’s edition of the film festival.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Peter Farrelly’s GREEN BOOK added at Heartland International Film Festival Dives Into Awards Season by Adding High Profile Titles and Best Foreign Film Contenders

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The Heartland International Film Festival announced at last week’s VIPS & SIPS event, held at Daniel’s Vineyard, three high profile feature films that have been added to this year’s lineup. Those films – each on awards prognosticators “watch” lists – include Joel Edgerton’s BOY ERASED, Peter Farrelly’s GREEN BOOK, and Paul Dano’s WILDLIFE. It has also been confirmed that local luminary, WCW-WWE pro-wrestler/actor Bishop Stevens, would be in attendance this year.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Melora Walters’s WATERLILY JAGUAR leads awards at 1st Niagara Falls International Film Festival Announces Filmmaker Awards

By John Wildman 8 years ago

Following the Closing Night presentation of Matthew J Weiss’s MAN IN RED BANDANA at the historic Riviera Theater (67 Webster Street) on Saturday, September 29, the Niagara Falls International Film Festival (NFIFF) announced the award winners for the 1st edition of the film festival.

Melora Walters’s WATERLILY JAGUAR took home the award for Best Narrative Film, Nanni Zedda’s BLIND VISION was given the nod for Best Documentary, Javier Zevallos and Francisco D’ Eufemia’s ESCAPE FROM PATAGONIA was named Best Foreign Film, and Weiss’s MAN IN RED BANDANA took the People’s Choice Prize.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Dava Whisenant’s BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY Opens The 2018 Tallgrass International Film Festival Announces Film Lineup with an emphasis on the Indie Documentary

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The 16th Annual Tallgrass International Film Festival presented by Consolidated Equities Trust (October 17-21) today announced the feature film lineup for this year’s edition with a full roster of Gala selections including; Dava Whisenant’s BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY (Opening Night Gala), John Alexander’s THIS IS LOVE (Centerpiece Gala), and Theo Love’s WHITE TIDE: THE LEGEND OF CULEBRA (Closing Night Gala). Those films are joined by Sahra Mani’s A THOUSAND GIRLS LIKE ME, which is Tallgrass’s DOXX Spotlight winner, and Sara Radle’s ELEVEN HUNDRED TO LUBBOCK, which is this year’s Stubbornly Independent Gala Selection.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard’s MR. SOUL opens The 2018 Heartland Film Festival Announces Film Lineup, with 18 films making World and U.S. Premieres, and $80,000 in prize money in the offing

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The Heartland International Film Festival today announced the official selections for the film festival’s 27th edition. Documentaries will be spotlighted to bookend one of the major (and potentially, most lucrative) stops for filmmakers on the regional film festival circuit, with Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard’s award-winning MR. SOUL! chosen as the Opening Night Gala film, and Julie Getz’s feel good doc CARE TO LAUGH, will make its world premiere as the Closing Night Gala selection. Kendall Goldberg’s WHEN JEFF TRIED TO SAVE THE WORLD is set to be the Centerpiece Screening, and Elizabeth Chomko’s star-studded drama WHAT THEY HAD will be the Spotlight Screening. Television legend Hal Linden was also announced to receive the Heartland’s Pioneering Spirit: Lifetime Achievement Award.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Naoko Ogigami’s CLOSE-KNIT leads awards as aGLIFF announces filmmaker awards as the fest wraps up its 31st edition

By John Wildman 8 years ago

On Saturday, September 8, the All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) announced the competition award winners for the 31st edition of the film festival at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – South Lamar. Naoko Ogigami’s CLOSE-KNIT took home the award for Best Narrative Feature, and Melissa Haizlip’s MR. SOUL! was named Best Documentary Feature. Sunday evening, it was announced that Ondi Timoner’s MAPPLETHORPE’s was the Audience Award winner for Narrative Film, with Haizlip adding to her aGLIFF trophy collection by earning the Audience Award, as well.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Honoring Mark Bridges, Craig Barron: Niagara Falls International Film Festival to honor two Academy Award film artists in fest’s debut (September 26-29)

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The Niagara Falls International Film Festival (NFIFF) today announced the film and events lineup for its debut, September 26-29. NFIFF will open with a Red Carpet Gala on Wednesday, September 26 at The Rapids Theatre (1711 Main Street) celebrating Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Mark Bridges (THE ARTIST, PHANTOM THREAD) and Visual Effects Artist Craig Barron (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON).