Film Festival News

Reporting on film festivals

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

By John Wildman 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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).

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Jake Graf Honored at aGLIFF 2018’s Full Lineup includes the fest’s first Breakthrough Honoree, and a diverse schedule of films befitting the festival’s dedication (and title change) to the true definition of inclusiveness

By John Wildman 8 years ago

The All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) announced the official selections for the film festival’s 31st edition. Screening exclusively at Alamo Drafthouse Lamar (1120 S. Lamar Blvd.) in Austin, Texas on September 6-9, aGLIFF will open with the previously announced CALL HER GANDA, directed by PJ RAVAL, with Ondi Timoner’s MAPPLETHORPE, starring Matt Smith, set to make its Texas Premiere as the Closing Night selection.

FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: Laura Somers’s RICH KIDS leads winners at Women Texas Film Festival (WTxFF) 2018

By John Wildman 8 years ago

Women Texas Film Festival Founder and Artistic Director Justina Walford said, “Our decision to update the naming of our awards came out of the fact that we wanted to honor filmmakers based on why we program these films: for their leadership, storytelling and vision. From the beginning we wanted to not simply screen films envisioned and created by women, but to push forward the risk takers. Taking those risks makes us stronger filmmakers and it should be lauded at every turn.”