The 17th annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) concluded on Sunday with a red carpet and gala that featured the world premiere of director Megha Ramaswamy’s “The Odds”, a coming-of-age tale about two teens who skip school on an important exam day and go on a fantastical journey through Mumbai. The evening also featured the presentation of the festival’s Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards presented by HBO.
Iffla is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. The festival took place April 11-14, 2019 at Regal L.A. Live: A Barco Innovation Center in Los Angeles, California with the gala presentations at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills. This year’s lineup boasted 5 world premieres, 2 North American premieres, 2 U.S. premieres and 11 Los Angeles Premieres, with films presented in 9 different languages, and 50% of the lineup coming from female directors.
Director Praveen Morchhale...
Iffla is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. The festival took place April 11-14, 2019 at Regal L.A. Live: A Barco Innovation Center in Los Angeles, California with the gala presentations at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills. This year’s lineup boasted 5 world premieres, 2 North American premieres, 2 U.S. premieres and 11 Los Angeles Premieres, with films presented in 9 different languages, and 50% of the lineup coming from female directors.
Director Praveen Morchhale...
- 4/17/2019
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
![Faye Tsakas](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDIwYWM3YWQtZjc1ZS00MTZkLWFiMGUtOTg1YTczODQ4ZWQ4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA3ODE2ODY2._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,61,500,281_.jpg)
Former FilmRise director of acquisitions Faye Tsakas has been hired as VP Development and Production at Passage Pictures, the indie production company behind films including Marjorie Prime and the upcoming biopic Tesla starring Ethan Hawke. She will work with CEO Uri Singer to develop and produce new film and TV projects and be based in Los Angeles.
At FilmRise, Tsakas oversaw new release acquisitions and helped secure films including Marjorie Prime, Michael Almereyda and Passage’s sci-fi drama starring Lois Smith and John Hamm that won the Alfred P. Sloan prize at Sundance in 2017. She was also involved in deals for The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Boy Downstairs, Manifesto, Who We Are Now and Dayveon.
Tsakas will be on board for Tesla, written and directed by Almereyda, which begins shooting in New York in the spring.
Passage Pictures’ slate also includes I Am Rose Fatou, penned by Ted Melfi; The King Of Oil,...
At FilmRise, Tsakas oversaw new release acquisitions and helped secure films including Marjorie Prime, Michael Almereyda and Passage’s sci-fi drama starring Lois Smith and John Hamm that won the Alfred P. Sloan prize at Sundance in 2017. She was also involved in deals for The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Boy Downstairs, Manifesto, Who We Are Now and Dayveon.
Tsakas will be on board for Tesla, written and directed by Almereyda, which begins shooting in New York in the spring.
Passage Pictures’ slate also includes I Am Rose Fatou, penned by Ted Melfi; The King Of Oil,...
- 2/20/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
What's new on home video? For those of us interested in watching indie and foreign films and/or documentaries and/or grindhouse titles and/or classic cinema and/or television shows, the answer is easy: plenty! Here's our guide to the latest and greatest. New Indie You may well have missed Dayveon (FilmRise/Mvd) during its all-too-brief theatrical run in 2017, but it’s a drama that packs a real punch. Amman Abbasi’s directorial debut follows its 13-year-old lead character through a long, hot summer in Arkansas in which the young man finds himself inexorably drawn into gang life. Populated with a cast of newcomers, the film has a neorealist feel that makes the drama that much more powerful. A powerful film from a new cinematic voice. Also available: Director...
- 6/13/2018
- by Alonso Duralde
- Movies.com
![Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDk3NTEwNjc0MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzYxNTMwMzI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDk3NTEwNjc0MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzYxNTMwMzI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Winners of the 2018 Independent Spirit Awards were revealed on March 3, one day before the Oscars. Many of the leading Academy Awards contenders were in the running here first, including “Call Me By Your Name,” “which reaped a leading six nominations, five-time nominee “Get Out,” and four-time contender “Lady Bird.” While “Three Billboards Outside, Ebbing Missouri” only reaped three bids here and was snubbed in the top race, it is the frontrunner to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Its closest rival there, “The Shape of Water,” was shut out of these precursor prizes.
See 2018 Independent Spirit Awards live blog
American feature film nominees, culled from entries with budgets of under $20 million, were determined by a committee of an unknown number drawn from “writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals.” Compare that to the selection process for winners in which the entire membership of Film Independent,...
See 2018 Independent Spirit Awards live blog
American feature film nominees, culled from entries with budgets of under $20 million, were determined by a committee of an unknown number drawn from “writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals.” Compare that to the selection process for winners in which the entire membership of Film Independent,...
- 3/3/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
![Brooklynn Prince](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmJkYjY5MTYtMTM1ZC00MDQ3LWIzMDctZTI3MzAwNWRiYjZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjM3MDkwOTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Brooklynn Prince](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmJkYjY5MTYtMTM1ZC00MDQ3LWIzMDctZTI3MzAwNWRiYjZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjM3MDkwOTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
It’s a paradox: Acting without artifice is so often the aim, but the craft of performance is typically enhanced by study and training. In short, being a good actor isn’t easy, but making it look easy is key. It’s a sink-or-swim proposition for all new actors, but especially those who enter into the field without formal training or are tossed into their first feature before even tacitly deciding that they even want to be actors. But the rewards can be huge, and this year has proven that in spades, from star turns from newcomers like Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite in Sean Baker’s festival favorite (and major awards contender) “The Florida Project” to rodeo rider Brady Jandreau, cast as himself in Chloe Zhao’s Cannes breakout “The Rider.”
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
But Prince,...
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
But Prince,...
- 10/3/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“with a film like this it’s not so much the dialogue, but the emotion of these characters” – Amman Abbasi
Technically the opening American indie film of Sundance 2017 edition, micro indie Amman Abbasi’s Dayveon received its NY/La release via FilmRise on September 13th.
Continue reading...
Technically the opening American indie film of Sundance 2017 edition, micro indie Amman Abbasi’s Dayveon received its NY/La release via FilmRise on September 13th.
Continue reading...
- 9/19/2017
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
First films are a mixed bag. Some feature debuts are inspired pieces of fully formed cinematic vision, while others seem like they could have come straight from a laboratory. However, not all have names like David Gordon Green and James Schamus attached, and even fewer have the type of buzz following it out of prestigious festivals such as Sundance or Berlin the way that Amman Abbassi’s premiere picture does.
Entitled Dayveon, Abbassi’s film is one of extreme specificity, and yet profound humanity. Devin Blackmon stars as the titular lead, a young 13-year-old who is doing his best to cope with the recent death of his older brother, gunned down in an act of devastating violence. With his home life shattered, despite the genuine attempts made by his sister and her boyfriend Bryan to bring some semblance of normalcy and balance to it, Dayveon slowly floats into the circle of a local gang.
Entitled Dayveon, Abbassi’s film is one of extreme specificity, and yet profound humanity. Devin Blackmon stars as the titular lead, a young 13-year-old who is doing his best to cope with the recent death of his older brother, gunned down in an act of devastating violence. With his home life shattered, despite the genuine attempts made by his sister and her boyfriend Bryan to bring some semblance of normalcy and balance to it, Dayveon slowly floats into the circle of a local gang.
- 9/15/2017
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Devin Blackmon, as Dayveon, making his first appearance on camera, brings reservoirs of pain, anger and vulnerability to his role.
- 9/13/2017
- by Christopher Llewellyn Reed
- Hammer to Nail
Throughout cinema’s history, gangster life has often been depicted in glamorous fashion with an endless access to drugs, guns, women, sports cars, and mansions. Even if these lives are short-lived, filmmakers have long venerated their excess, and one glance at popular culture confirms audiences have reciprocated the fascination. For the characters of Dayveon, however, this way of life is grounded in economic necessity. With the ensemble of mostly non-actors never less than utterly convincing, Amman Abbasi’s debut drama is captivating in its immediacy. Ahead of a release this week, we’re pleased to debut an exclusive clip thanks to FilmRise.
“Utilizing a 4:3 ratio, cinematographer Dustin Lane takes a page from the Robbie Ryan handbook with his symmetrical framing and vibrant color palette reminiscent of the films of Andrea Arnold, finding beauty in both the Arkansas skyline and the black bodies that command the frame,” I said in my review.
“Utilizing a 4:3 ratio, cinematographer Dustin Lane takes a page from the Robbie Ryan handbook with his symmetrical framing and vibrant color palette reminiscent of the films of Andrea Arnold, finding beauty in both the Arkansas skyline and the black bodies that command the frame,” I said in my review.
- 9/12/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
“Everything stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.” That’s the first thought we hear from Dayveon (Devin Blackmon), the 13-year-old protagonist of Amman Abbasi’s heartfelt debut. And it’s hard to argue with him. Dayveon is suffering from so much senseless sadness, he may as well be literally mired in the backroads mud surrounding his Arkansas home. He lives in a bare, isolated cabin with his sister Kim (Chasity Moore), who loves him but is focused on finding work and raising her toddler (Lachion Buckingham Jr). Dayveon’s father is absent, in seemingly every way. His mother is gone too, perhaps driven mad by grief.
- 9/11/2017
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
Dayveon Director: Amman Abbasi Written by: Amman Abbasi, Steven Reneau Cast: Davin Blackmon, Dontrell Bright, Kordell “Kd” Johnson, Chasity Moore, Lachion Buckingham, Marquell Manning Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 8/26/17 Opens: September 13, 2017 A recent issue of the leftist online magazine Counterpunch advises that we are not living in a post-racial society. Never mind […]
The post Dayveon Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Dayveon Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/7/2017
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
It’s not easy to get your feature film debut out in the world, and sometimes you have take a lot of the work on your shoulders. That didn’t stop Amman Abbasi, who wrote, directed, edited, produced, and composed music for “Dayveon,” which earned the support of David Gordon Green, who signed up as an executive producer. Not too bad at all. Now, after a debut at the Sundance Film Festival, the drama is getting ready to open in cinemas.
Continue reading ‘Dayveon’ Trailer: David Gordon Green Introduces A New Cinematic Voice at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Dayveon’ Trailer: David Gordon Green Introduces A New Cinematic Voice at The Playlist.
- 8/16/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
"You in this now, ain't no turning back." FilmRise has unveiled the first official trailer for the indie drama Dayveon, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Dayveon is written and directed by filmmaker Amman Abbasi, who also produced, edited and composed the music for the film. Set in a small rural town in Arkansas, the story follows a boy named Dayveon struggling with his older brother’s death. With no parents and few role models, he soon falls in with the local gang. Despite attempts to pull him out, he ends up being pulled further into this world. The cast includes newcomer Devin Blackmon as Dayveon, as well as Kordell "Kd" Johnson, Dontrell Bright, Chasity Moore, Lachion Buckingham, and Marquell Manning. This had some good buzz coming out of Sundance, looks like it could be a solid film. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Amman Abbasi's Dayveon,...
- 8/16/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Throughout cinema’s history, gangster life has often been depicted in glamorous fashion with an endless access to drugs, guns, women, sports cars, and mansions. Even if these lives are short-lived, filmmakers have long venerated their excess, and one glance at popular culture confirms audiences have reciprocated the fascination. For the characters of Dayveon, however, this way of life is grounded in economic necessity. With the ensemble of mostly non-actors never less than utterly convincing, Amman Abbasi’s debut drama is captivating in its immediacy, despite a script that doesn’t feel fully formed Ahead of a release this fall, the first trailer has now landed.
“Utilizing a 4:3 ratio, cinematographer Dustin Lane takes a page from the Robbie Ryan handbook with his symmetrical framing and vibrant color palette reminiscent of the films of Andrea Arnold, finding beauty in both the Arkansas skyline and the black bodies that command the frame,...
“Utilizing a 4:3 ratio, cinematographer Dustin Lane takes a page from the Robbie Ryan handbook with his symmetrical framing and vibrant color palette reminiscent of the films of Andrea Arnold, finding beauty in both the Arkansas skyline and the black bodies that command the frame,...
- 8/15/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
![Amman Abbasi](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzg0ODA5ODk5Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDk1MTAyMTI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,2,140,207_.jpg)
![Amman Abbasi](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzg0ODA5ODk5Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDk1MTAyMTI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,2,140,207_.jpg)
The son of Pakistani immigrants, filmmaker Amman Abbasi grew up in Arkansas, where he still lives and works and which became the set for his debut feature. Departing from the details of his own adolescence, “Dayveon” follows a black teenager over one sweltering summer when he falls in with a local gang. Searching for community in the wake of his older brother’s death, he is drawn to the sense of belonging and violence of his new comrades.
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
“Executive produced by David Gordon Green, this poetic rural drama is graced with the same humanist shine that defined ‘George Washington,'” wrote IndieWire’s David Ehrlich in his review out of Sundance earlier this year. “Amman Abbasi’s debut feature revitalizes a familiar coming-of-age story by telling it with a rare sense of truth…...
Read More:‘The Florida Project’ First Trailer: Sean Baker and Willem Dafoe Deliver One of the Year’s Best Indies
“Executive produced by David Gordon Green, this poetic rural drama is graced with the same humanist shine that defined ‘George Washington,'” wrote IndieWire’s David Ehrlich in his review out of Sundance earlier this year. “Amman Abbasi’s debut feature revitalizes a familiar coming-of-age story by telling it with a rare sense of truth…...
- 8/14/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
![Bijou Abas in Cold November (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGJhZTBkZDctNDUwNi00YTRkLTk0MmQtMjM5MTljOThkZjdmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDk3OTE2NA@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR5,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Bijou Abas in Cold November (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGJhZTBkZDctNDUwNi00YTRkLTk0MmQtMjM5MTljOThkZjdmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDk3OTE2NA@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR5,0,140,207_.jpg)
Excusive: Ira prison break drama to get private screening on Croisette.
Visit Films heads to Cannes with a sales slate that includes Ira thriller Maze, SXSW selections M.F.A. and Flesh And Blood, and Us coming-of-age drama Cold November.
Ryan Kampe will also be talking up recent Sundance and Rotterdam selections Family Life and Columbus, and Sundance and Berlinale selection Dayveon.
Kampe has scheduled a private buyers’ screening for Maze starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, and Martin McCann. Lionsgate will distributes in the UK and a number of territories are pre-sold.
The thriller chronicles the mass break-out in 1983 of 38 prisoners from the Maze high security prison.
The film focuses on Larry Marley, the chief architect of the escape, who strikes up a complex friendship with Gordon, a prison warden.
Stephen Burke directs and Jane Doolan of Mammoth Films and Brendan J. Byrne of Cyprus Avenue Films serve as producers. The Irish Film Board, Film Väst, Rte...
Visit Films heads to Cannes with a sales slate that includes Ira thriller Maze, SXSW selections M.F.A. and Flesh And Blood, and Us coming-of-age drama Cold November.
Ryan Kampe will also be talking up recent Sundance and Rotterdam selections Family Life and Columbus, and Sundance and Berlinale selection Dayveon.
Kampe has scheduled a private buyers’ screening for Maze starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, and Martin McCann. Lionsgate will distributes in the UK and a number of territories are pre-sold.
The thriller chronicles the mass break-out in 1983 of 38 prisoners from the Maze high security prison.
The film focuses on Larry Marley, the chief architect of the escape, who strikes up a complex friendship with Gordon, a prison warden.
Stephen Burke directs and Jane Doolan of Mammoth Films and Brendan J. Byrne of Cyprus Avenue Films serve as producers. The Irish Film Board, Film Väst, Rte...
- 5/12/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
![Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zoe Kazan, Adeel Akhtar, Zenobia Shroff, and Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjc1YzExMzYtNzVkZC00ODc3LTkxNzktMDI5YWZmMDQ2NTQ2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA4NjE0NjEy._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zoe Kazan, Adeel Akhtar, Zenobia Shroff, and Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjc1YzExMzYtNzVkZC00ODc3LTkxNzktMDI5YWZmMDQ2NTQ2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA4NjE0NjEy._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Rooftop Films has announced its lineup for the 2017 Summer Series. This year’s series will feature more than 45 outdoor screenings in more than 10 venues, including films like Michael Showalter’s Sundance hit “The Big Sick” Ana Lily Amirpour’s “The Bad Batch,” (dates still Tbd).
The series kicks off on Friday, May 19 with “This is What We Mean by Short Films,” a collection of some of the most innovative, new short films of the past year. The screening will take place on the roof of The Old American Can Factory, in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The following night, Saturday, May 20, Rooftop will present a sneak preview screening of Zoe Lister-Jones’ 2017 Sundance entry, “Band Aid,” free and outdoors at House of Vans in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The entire lineup so far is below. Tickets are already for sale.
Friday, May 19
“This is What We Mean by Short Films”
Saturday, May 20
“Band Aid” (Zoe Lister-Jones)
Saturday,...
The series kicks off on Friday, May 19 with “This is What We Mean by Short Films,” a collection of some of the most innovative, new short films of the past year. The screening will take place on the roof of The Old American Can Factory, in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The following night, Saturday, May 20, Rooftop will present a sneak preview screening of Zoe Lister-Jones’ 2017 Sundance entry, “Band Aid,” free and outdoors at House of Vans in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The entire lineup so far is below. Tickets are already for sale.
Friday, May 19
“This is What We Mean by Short Films”
Saturday, May 20
“Band Aid” (Zoe Lister-Jones)
Saturday,...
- 5/5/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
![Columbus (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWJiNzBlNjAtYjgwOC00YjZmLWI0YzItNTI1MzY4NmE4ZGI1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Columbus (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWJiNzBlNjAtYjgwOC00YjZmLWI0YzItNTI1MzY4NmE4ZGI1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Exclusive: Ryan Kampe and his team have closed multiple territories on a raft of recent festival picks.
Shanghai Jushi Films has acquired Chinese rights to Sundance and Rotterdam selection Columbus, Sundance and Berlinale selection Dayveon, SXSW and Rotterdam documentary Rat Film, Rotterdam and Toronto selection X500, and Tribeca award winner Kicks.
Kogonda’s comedy Columbus starring John Cho, Parker Posey, and Haley Lu Richardson, has also gone to Front Row for the Middle East, while FilmRise has picked up North American rights to Amman Abbasi’s Arkansas-set rites-of-passage drama Dayveon.
Binci / Lemon Tree Media has acquired Chinese rights to a slew of titles, including Sundance and Rotterdam selection Family Life directed by Alicia Scherson and Cristián Jiménez, and SXSW and Champs-Élysées award winner From Nowhere by Matthew Newton.
The distributor has also picked up two titles in post-production: Ira prison escape drama Maze starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, and Martin McCann, and thriller...
Shanghai Jushi Films has acquired Chinese rights to Sundance and Rotterdam selection Columbus, Sundance and Berlinale selection Dayveon, SXSW and Rotterdam documentary Rat Film, Rotterdam and Toronto selection X500, and Tribeca award winner Kicks.
Kogonda’s comedy Columbus starring John Cho, Parker Posey, and Haley Lu Richardson, has also gone to Front Row for the Middle East, while FilmRise has picked up North American rights to Amman Abbasi’s Arkansas-set rites-of-passage drama Dayveon.
Binci / Lemon Tree Media has acquired Chinese rights to a slew of titles, including Sundance and Rotterdam selection Family Life directed by Alicia Scherson and Cristián Jiménez, and SXSW and Champs-Élysées award winner From Nowhere by Matthew Newton.
The distributor has also picked up two titles in post-production: Ira prison escape drama Maze starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, and Martin McCann, and thriller...
- 3/20/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
![Jesse Wakeman in Donald Cried (2016)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUyNjU2MzMzMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTUwNTcxMTI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Jesse Wakeman in Donald Cried (2016)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUyNjU2MzMzMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTUwNTcxMTI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Audiences may not realize it, but Rough House Pictures has been a pivotal force in American filmmaking over the past decade.
People know Danny McBride as the snarky, self-aggrandizing star of HBO’s “Eastbound and Down” and “Vice Principals,” shows he created with fellow North Carolina School of the Arts alumni Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. But while McBride’s is the most public face, all three men have become influential figures in the film industry.
Green and McBride are writing the Blumhouse reboot of “Halloween,” while Hill is finishing his third film, a comedy starring Josh Brolin. Green has oscillated from the quiet, Southern gothic tales of “George Washington” and “All the Real Girls” to boisterous comedies like “Pineapple Express.” Hill’s debut, “Foot Fist Way,” got the attention of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who launched Hill’s TV career and gave him the momentum to direct his first studio film,...
People know Danny McBride as the snarky, self-aggrandizing star of HBO’s “Eastbound and Down” and “Vice Principals,” shows he created with fellow North Carolina School of the Arts alumni Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. But while McBride’s is the most public face, all three men have become influential figures in the film industry.
Green and McBride are writing the Blumhouse reboot of “Halloween,” while Hill is finishing his third film, a comedy starring Josh Brolin. Green has oscillated from the quiet, Southern gothic tales of “George Washington” and “All the Real Girls” to boisterous comedies like “Pineapple Express.” Hill’s debut, “Foot Fist Way,” got the attention of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who launched Hill’s TV career and gave him the momentum to direct his first studio film,...
- 3/3/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
![John Carpenter](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTAzMzgwNDgzODBeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDA2OTk2NDEx._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![John Carpenter](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTAzMzgwNDgzODBeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDA2OTk2NDEx._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
If there’s one thing missing from the glut of horror movies these days, it’s a modern take on the classic man-with-a-knife-on-the-loose slasher movie.
Read More: John Carpenter Producing New ‘Halloween’ With ‘Eastbound & Down’ Team
Few directors have exploited this premise as brilliantly as John Carpenter’s “Halloween” in 1978, which is why fans of the franchise were thrilled last week when Carpenter announced via his Facebook page that writer-director David Gordon Green and actor-producer Danny McBride were collaborating on a new installment of the franchise. McBride recently shared some details on the project with CinemaBlend:
“You know, it’s not a remake…It’s gonna continue the story of Michael Myers in a really grounded way. And for our mythology, we’re focusing mainly on the first two movies and what that sets up and then where the story can go from there.”
Carpenter will executive produce the film,...
Read More: John Carpenter Producing New ‘Halloween’ With ‘Eastbound & Down’ Team
Few directors have exploited this premise as brilliantly as John Carpenter’s “Halloween” in 1978, which is why fans of the franchise were thrilled last week when Carpenter announced via his Facebook page that writer-director David Gordon Green and actor-producer Danny McBride were collaborating on a new installment of the franchise. McBride recently shared some details on the project with CinemaBlend:
“You know, it’s not a remake…It’s gonna continue the story of Michael Myers in a really grounded way. And for our mythology, we’re focusing mainly on the first two movies and what that sets up and then where the story can go from there.”
Carpenter will executive produce the film,...
- 2/13/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
![Sandy Ratcliff in Family Life (1971)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDc1NjhjMDQtMzI4OC00YzI1LTliNjAtMWE2OGNhOTEwMjY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzYxODE3NTQ@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Sandy Ratcliff in Family Life (1971)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDc1NjhjMDQtMzI4OC00YzI1LTliNjAtMWE2OGNhOTEwMjY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzYxODE3NTQ@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
Exclusive: Ryan Kampe arrives at the Efm with a sales roster that includes Sundance premieres Family Life and Columbus, Rotterdam entries X500 and Rat Film, and Oscar-nominated Tanna.
Kevin Ford, Smriti Keshari, and Eric Schlosser’s Berlinale Special selection documentary the bomb screens on Friday and explores the power and fascination of nuclear weapons. the bomb premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year as a multimedia installation.
Amman Abbasi’s feature directorial debut Dayveon premiered at Sundance last month and screens in Forum on Friday. Newcomer Devin Blackmon plays the eponymous 13-year-old grieving the loss of his older brother who falls in with a local gang. FilmRise acquired North American rights after the premiere in Park City.
Alicia Scherson and Cristián Jiménez’s Family Life premiered at Sundance before going to the Rotterdam Film Festival. Jorge Becker, Gabriela Arancibia, Blanca Lewin and Cristián Carvajal star in the story of a lonely fabulist who concocts a tale...
Kevin Ford, Smriti Keshari, and Eric Schlosser’s Berlinale Special selection documentary the bomb screens on Friday and explores the power and fascination of nuclear weapons. the bomb premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year as a multimedia installation.
Amman Abbasi’s feature directorial debut Dayveon premiered at Sundance last month and screens in Forum on Friday. Newcomer Devin Blackmon plays the eponymous 13-year-old grieving the loss of his older brother who falls in with a local gang. FilmRise acquired North American rights after the premiere in Park City.
Alicia Scherson and Cristián Jiménez’s Family Life premiered at Sundance before going to the Rotterdam Film Festival. Jorge Becker, Gabriela Arancibia, Blanca Lewin and Cristián Carvajal star in the story of a lonely fabulist who concocts a tale...
- 2/8/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
So far it’s a solid mix of narratives and documentaries.Step
It’s safe to say that the ultimate Sundance dream is to sell a film (second to Ava DuVernay casually walking by you, of course). Filmmakers want to sell their films so that their work can reach more audiences and they can hopefully go on to make bigger and better films. Studios want to buy films so that they can compete in the industry. Patrons especially want sales so that when their friends later ask if they want to see this new indie film that just came out they can casually go, “Is that finally out? It seems like Ages since I saw it at Sundance. Also did I tell you that Ava DuVernay walked by me this year? I did? Okay.”
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is entering closing weekend with a decent number of those dream sales already under its belt. As...
It’s safe to say that the ultimate Sundance dream is to sell a film (second to Ava DuVernay casually walking by you, of course). Filmmakers want to sell their films so that their work can reach more audiences and they can hopefully go on to make bigger and better films. Studios want to buy films so that they can compete in the industry. Patrons especially want sales so that when their friends later ask if they want to see this new indie film that just came out they can casually go, “Is that finally out? It seems like Ages since I saw it at Sundance. Also did I tell you that Ava DuVernay walked by me this year? I did? Okay.”
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is entering closing weekend with a decent number of those dream sales already under its belt. As...
- 1/30/2017
- by Siân Melton
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Dominic Laperriere has edited three feature films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: Fishing without Nets (2014), The Free World (2016) and, this year, Dayveon. From first-time director Amman Abbasi, Dayveon tells the story of a 13-year-old boy’s coming-of-age after the violent death of his big brother. Laperriere co-edited the film with Michael Carter. Below, he speaks with Filmmaker about how he got into editing and finding the right balance between moving a plot forward and letting an audience savor the moment. Dayveon premiered at Sundance last week in the Next lineup. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of […]...
- 1/29/2017
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
From working with non-professionals to writing roles for specific actors to hiring a top casting director, there is no one way to find a great cast for an independent film. IndieWire checked in with the Dramatic Competition and Next directors of Sundance 2017 to find out their secrets.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline” Jenny Slate was attached from the beginning. I wrote the role of Donna in “Obvious Child” for Jenny, and when sitting down to write the next project it was a no-brainer to write another role for her. We then built the family around her with the help of two incredible casting directors, Doug Aibel and Stephanie Holbrook.
Zoe Lister-Jones, “Band Aid” Almost all the actors in the film were either friends or people I had personal connections to, so it was a relatively easy process.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline” Jenny Slate was attached from the beginning. I wrote the role of Donna in “Obvious Child” for Jenny, and when sitting down to write the next project it was a no-brainer to write another role for her. We then built the family around her with the help of two incredible casting directors, Doug Aibel and Stephanie Holbrook.
Zoe Lister-Jones, “Band Aid” Almost all the actors in the film were either friends or people I had personal connections to, so it was a relatively easy process.
- 1/28/2017
- by Annakeara Stinson and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
The Park City deals continued to roll in on Wednesday.
IFC Midnight has picked up Us rights from Films Distribution to Midnight selection Killing Ground.
Damien Power’s directorial debut follows a couple on a weekend getaway who discover an empty tent and a lone toddler.
Aaron Pedersen, Ian Meadows, Harriet Dyer and Aaron Glenane star. Joe Weatherstone and Lisa Shaunessy produced.
Meanwhile FilmRise has picked up North American rights from Visit Films to Dayveon and plans a late spring theatrical release slated.
Arkansas-based filmmaker Amman Abbasi makes his feature directorial debut on the Next drama, which stars newcomer Devin Blackmon as a 13-year-old mourning the death of his older brother who falls in with a local gang.
Abbasi produced alongside Lachion Buckingham and Alexander Uhlmann. Executive producers are David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Brandon James, Lisa Muskat, James Schamus, Joe Pirro, Todd Remis, Isaiah Smallman, and Barlow Jacobs.
IFC Midnight has picked up Us rights from Films Distribution to Midnight selection Killing Ground.
Damien Power’s directorial debut follows a couple on a weekend getaway who discover an empty tent and a lone toddler.
Aaron Pedersen, Ian Meadows, Harriet Dyer and Aaron Glenane star. Joe Weatherstone and Lisa Shaunessy produced.
Meanwhile FilmRise has picked up North American rights from Visit Films to Dayveon and plans a late spring theatrical release slated.
Arkansas-based filmmaker Amman Abbasi makes his feature directorial debut on the Next drama, which stars newcomer Devin Blackmon as a 13-year-old mourning the death of his older brother who falls in with a local gang.
Abbasi produced alongside Lachion Buckingham and Alexander Uhlmann. Executive producers are David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Brandon James, Lisa Muskat, James Schamus, Joe Pirro, Todd Remis, Isaiah Smallman, and Barlow Jacobs.
- 1/25/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
FilmRise has acquired the North American rights to the rural drama “Dayveon,” which premiered last Friday in the Sundance Film Festival’s Next section. The film marks the feature debut for Arkansas-based filmmaker Amman Abbasi.
Read More: ‘Dayveon’ Review: Amman Abbasi’s Debut Pulls A Powerful Coming-Of-Age Story From The Rural Heart Of Arkansas
“Dayveon” follows a 13-year-old boy (newcomer Devin Blackmon) who is mourning the death of his older brother and spends his days roaming around his Arkansas town. After falling in with a local gang, he becomes attracted to the camaraderie and violence of their existence.
The film was produced by Abbasi, Lachion Buckingham, and Alexander Uhlmann and executive produced by David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Brandon James, Lisa Muskat, James Schamus, Joe Pirro, Todd Remis, Isaiah Smallman, and Barlow Jacobs.
“I feel privileged to have been able to share ‘Dayveon’ with audiences in Sundance and...
Read More: ‘Dayveon’ Review: Amman Abbasi’s Debut Pulls A Powerful Coming-Of-Age Story From The Rural Heart Of Arkansas
“Dayveon” follows a 13-year-old boy (newcomer Devin Blackmon) who is mourning the death of his older brother and spends his days roaming around his Arkansas town. After falling in with a local gang, he becomes attracted to the camaraderie and violence of their existence.
The film was produced by Abbasi, Lachion Buckingham, and Alexander Uhlmann and executive produced by David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Brandon James, Lisa Muskat, James Schamus, Joe Pirro, Todd Remis, Isaiah Smallman, and Barlow Jacobs.
“I feel privileged to have been able to share ‘Dayveon’ with audiences in Sundance and...
- 1/25/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
FilmRise has acquired North American rights to Dayveon , the feature-film debut of writer-director Amman Abbasi. This is coming off its world premiere as the opening film at the Sundance Film Festival’s Next sidebar. A spring theatrical release is planned. The pic centers on 13-year-old Dayveon (newcomer Devin Blackmon), who is mourning the death of his older brother and spends his days roaming around his rural Arkansas town. When Dayveon falls in with a local gang, he…...
- 1/25/2017
- Deadline
![Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, and Connie Britton in Beatriz at Dinner (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDU3M2EwZWEtMGQxZS00NmFjLTlhMDItMDU5NGU1MGUyZmVmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU2NTMxOTg@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, and Connie Britton in Beatriz at Dinner (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDU3M2EwZWEtMGQxZS00NmFjLTlhMDItMDU5NGU1MGUyZmVmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU2NTMxOTg@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
The dinner party is fertile ground for movies about a handful of characters whose unspoken biases bubble to the surface. From “The Exterminating Angel” to “The Celebration,” this longstanding subgenre is a precise means of examining society at large. In the hands of regular collaborators Miguel Arteta and Mike White, it’s a window into the oppressive forces of wealth and privilege, uniquely suited for our troubled times.
So it goes “Beatriz at Dinner,” an engaging if at times heavy-handed drama about characters from vastly different sociopolitical backgrounds facing their differences. As directed by Arteta from White’s screenplay, its appeal largely stems from a nuanced turn by Salma Hayek as a Mexican immigrant confronting an avaricious hotel mogul (John Lithgow), whose corporate mindset and scandal-ridden career make him an unsubtle avatar for Donald Trump. But Arteta and White handle this incendiary material with a gentle touch, and the result...
So it goes “Beatriz at Dinner,” an engaging if at times heavy-handed drama about characters from vastly different sociopolitical backgrounds facing their differences. As directed by Arteta from White’s screenplay, its appeal largely stems from a nuanced turn by Salma Hayek as a Mexican immigrant confronting an avaricious hotel mogul (John Lithgow), whose corporate mindset and scandal-ridden career make him an unsubtle avatar for Donald Trump. But Arteta and White handle this incendiary material with a gentle touch, and the result...
- 1/25/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
IndieWire reached out to the filmmakers behind the feature-length narrative and documentary films premiering this week to find out what cameras they used and why they chose them. Here are their responses.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Dramatic Competition & Next
Cory Finley, “Thoroughbred”
Arri Alexa Mini. Panavision G-Series lenses.
The Dp, Lyle Vincent, was very particular about getting a hold of both. They gave us flexibility in shooting and helped create the very precise, high-contrast, and slightly dreamy look we were going for.
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline”
Arri Alexa with some vintage lenses
“Landline” takes place in 1990’s Manhattan. My Dp Chris Teague and I talked a lot about what shooting a period movie from a recent period would look and feel like. Unfortunately, we were not able to shoot on film, and added a texture of LiveGrain during color...
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
Dramatic Competition & Next
Cory Finley, “Thoroughbred”
Arri Alexa Mini. Panavision G-Series lenses.
The Dp, Lyle Vincent, was very particular about getting a hold of both. They gave us flexibility in shooting and helped create the very precise, high-contrast, and slightly dreamy look we were going for.
Gillian Robespierre, “Landline”
Arri Alexa with some vintage lenses
“Landline” takes place in 1990’s Manhattan. My Dp Chris Teague and I talked a lot about what shooting a period movie from a recent period would look and feel like. Unfortunately, we were not able to shoot on film, and added a texture of LiveGrain during color...
- 1/25/2017
- by Annakeara Stinson and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
![Step (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjAxNjY0MTk2MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTU2NDEwMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Step (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjAxNjY0MTk2MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTU2NDEwMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Fox Searchlight has acquired the worldwide rights to the documentary “Step,” which premiered last Saturday in the Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Documentary Competition section. The price tag for the deal was more than $4 million, Deadline reports.
The directorial debut for Tony Award–winning producer Amanda Lipitz, “Step” follows three high school seniors in inner-city Baltimore and their step dance team, “Lethal Ladies.” Members of the founding class of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, the dancers are determined to live up to their school’s founding mandate of sending every graduate to college.
Fox Searchlight also bought the remake rights to the movie, which is a co-production between Stick Figure Productions, in association with Impact Partners, Vulcan Productions and Scott Rudin Productions. The film was produced by Steven Cantor and Lipitz and executive produced by Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, Jeny Raskin, Scott Rudin, Paul G. Allen, Carole Tomko,...
The directorial debut for Tony Award–winning producer Amanda Lipitz, “Step” follows three high school seniors in inner-city Baltimore and their step dance team, “Lethal Ladies.” Members of the founding class of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, the dancers are determined to live up to their school’s founding mandate of sending every graduate to college.
Fox Searchlight also bought the remake rights to the movie, which is a co-production between Stick Figure Productions, in association with Impact Partners, Vulcan Productions and Scott Rudin Productions. The film was produced by Steven Cantor and Lipitz and executive produced by Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, Jeny Raskin, Scott Rudin, Paul G. Allen, Carole Tomko,...
- 1/25/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
![Newness (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzExZTFiM2EtN2QyYS00YWZiLWFlOTMtZGYzMWI4MTNkZGYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzk3NjQ1MTc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Newness (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzExZTFiM2EtN2QyYS00YWZiLWFlOTMtZGYzMWI4MTNkZGYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzk3NjQ1MTc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Have you guys heard about millennials? Well, Drake Doremus has — he’s one of them! — and he’s got some thoughts about all that random sex they’re having. Doremus, who won Sundance with 2011’s sensitively simple “Like Crazy,” has never met a flimsy romantic premise he couldn’t populate with beautiful people and banal observations. It was only a matter of time before this prolific indie auteur turned his eye toward the hedonistic thunderdome of dating apps.
Set in contemporary Los Angeles, “Newness” tells the story of two horny (but also sad) twentysomethings who mysteriously regain their feelings and fall in love, causing tensions between themselves and their society. This is not to be confused with Doremus’ last film, the sci-fi slog “Equals,” which was set in an emotionless utopia where two horny (but also sad) twentysomethings mysteriously regain their feelings and fall in love, causing tensions between them and their society.
Set in contemporary Los Angeles, “Newness” tells the story of two horny (but also sad) twentysomethings who mysteriously regain their feelings and fall in love, causing tensions between themselves and their society. This is not to be confused with Doremus’ last film, the sci-fi slog “Equals,” which was set in an emotionless utopia where two horny (but also sad) twentysomethings mysteriously regain their feelings and fall in love, causing tensions between them and their society.
- 1/24/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The world inhabited by Dayveon (Devin Blackmon) is filled with the wild, raw beauty of the South, the barely existent convenience stores in derelict shopping strips that prop up the grim economy of rural neighborhoods, and the beat up clapboard houses where everyone struggles to make ends meet. To this thirteen year-old teenager, everything around him is “stupid” as he intones in the opening voiceover of the low-key “Dayveon,” the debut film from Amman Abbasi which acts as a calling card for strong directorial talents that are first displayed here, but are sure flourish even more powerfully in future efforts.
Continue reading Director Amman Abbasi Displays A Compelling Cinematic Voice With The Lyrical ‘Dayveon’ [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Director Amman Abbasi Displays A Compelling Cinematic Voice With The Lyrical ‘Dayveon’ [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.
- 1/23/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Throughout cinema’s history, gangster life has often been depicted in glamorous fashion with an endless access to drugs, guns, women, sports cars, and mansions. Even if these lives are short-lived, filmmakers have long venerated their excess, and one glance at popular culture confirms audiences have reciprocated the fascination. For the characters of Dayveon, however, this way of life is grounded in economic necessity. With the ensemble of mostly non-actors never less than utterly convincing, Amman Abbasi’s debut drama is captivating in its immediacy, despite a script that doesn’t feel fully formed.
Following the gang-related death of his brother, the 13-year-old Dayveon (Devin Blackmon) is feeling like a lost soul, not wanting his sister Kim’s (Chasity Moore) live-in boyfriend, Bryan (Dontrell Bright) to replace his recently deceased family member.”Everything stupid,” our lead remarks in the opening scene as he bikes through his decaying Arkansas town. Although he’s quick to smile,...
Following the gang-related death of his brother, the 13-year-old Dayveon (Devin Blackmon) is feeling like a lost soul, not wanting his sister Kim’s (Chasity Moore) live-in boyfriend, Bryan (Dontrell Bright) to replace his recently deceased family member.”Everything stupid,” our lead remarks in the opening scene as he bikes through his decaying Arkansas town. Although he’s quick to smile,...
- 1/21/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
![Happy Family (2010)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTBhZjViYjgtZjljZC00ZGU1LTlkNTYtMjIwMDFhZjgzMDUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQ0MDE5OTI@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR2,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Happy Family (2010)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTBhZjViYjgtZjljZC00ZGU1LTlkNTYtMjIwMDFhZjgzMDUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQ0MDE5OTI@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR2,0,140,207_.jpg)
The World Dramatic section at the Sundance Film Festival features films from around the globe by filmmakers with fresh, dynamic perspectives, such as the new Georgian film “My Happy Family.” The film follows Manana (Ia Shugliashvili) who announces to her family and family on the eve of her 52nd birthday that she plans to leave home. A wife of 25 years to a good husband, Manana has lived under one roof and co-existed with three generations of family, but suddenly she decides to break from tradition and live on her own in a new apartment. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
The film was directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross. They previously directed the film “In Bloom,” about two friends living in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in 1992 who wand to escape society and their families,...
Read More: Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
The film was directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross. They previously directed the film “In Bloom,” about two friends living in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in 1992 who wand to escape society and their families,...
- 1/20/2017
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
![Jessica Williams in The Incredible Jessica James (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUxODczMTQ2Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDI1ODA5MjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Jessica Williams in The Incredible Jessica James (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUxODczMTQ2Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDI1ODA5MjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Who wouldn’t want to build an entire film around the breakout charms of Jessica Williams? That must have been the thought that crossed filmmaker Jim Strouse’s mind when he cast her in his 2015 Sundance premiere “People Places Things,” in which the former “Daily Show” correspondent stole every single scene she appeared in (no small feat, considering the film afforded Williams her biggest role yet, and she was cast alongside other charmers like Jemaine Clement and Regina Hall). For Strouse’s next feature, he’s — quite smartly — turned his full attention to Williams, who makes a bold bid for movie stardom as the centerpiece of “The Incredible Jessica James.”
The film will likely feel familiar to fans of Strouse’s brand of quirky humor, the kind that doesn’t shy away from using big problems — divorce, infidelity, professional failure — to earn both its laughs and relatability. But it’s...
The film will likely feel familiar to fans of Strouse’s brand of quirky humor, the kind that doesn’t shy away from using big problems — divorce, infidelity, professional failure — to earn both its laughs and relatability. But it’s...
- 1/20/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
![Donald Trump](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYWJmZmE1YWItYjBjYi00ODU4LTg2MDUtOTQyNWY2NjFlOGM5L2ltYWdlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTExNDQ2MTI@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Donald Trump](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYWJmZmE1YWItYjBjYi00ODU4LTg2MDUtOTQyNWY2NjFlOGM5L2ltYWdlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTExNDQ2MTI@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
The journey to Sundance is an all-consuming endeavor and most filmmakers don’t lift their heads until they land in Park City with their Dcp in hand.
For some filmmakers, this year was different. The election of Donald Trump, which snapped so many into a new reality they hadn’t imagined, came just two weeks before most Sundance directors received their golden ticket to the festival. So we asked this year’s directors: Did the election change how you thought about your film, and your career as a filmmaker?
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
John Trengove, “The Wound:” The Us election was a big reason why we chose to premiere in Sundance. With race and Lgbt rights being such heated issues in the Us, we thought it would be meaningful to bring a queer film from South Africa, together...
For some filmmakers, this year was different. The election of Donald Trump, which snapped so many into a new reality they hadn’t imagined, came just two weeks before most Sundance directors received their golden ticket to the festival. So we asked this year’s directors: Did the election change how you thought about your film, and your career as a filmmaker?
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible – Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
John Trengove, “The Wound:” The Us election was a big reason why we chose to premiere in Sundance. With race and Lgbt rights being such heated issues in the Us, we thought it would be meaningful to bring a queer film from South Africa, together...
- 1/20/2017
- by Annakeara Stinson and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
“Look at that stupid house. Stupid tree. Stupid rock. Stupid concrete. Stupid people.” The voiceover continues like that in a low mumble as a 13-year-old black teen wheels his pink bike through the economically depressed Arkansas town that he calls home. “Everything stupid.”
A little movie about a little man with a huge hole in his heart, “Dayveon” gives its young title character (Devin Blackmon) plenty of reason to be frustrated with the world. His older brother, memorialized by the airbrushed portrait that hangs on Dayveon’s bedroom wall, was shot and killed in 2014, presumably as a result of some business involving the local sect of Bloods who hang out down the street. His name was Trevor, and a loaded handgun is the only thing he left behind. When he’s alone in the house, Dayveon dives into his shoebox of secret stuff and holds the weapon in his hands,...
A little movie about a little man with a huge hole in his heart, “Dayveon” gives its young title character (Devin Blackmon) plenty of reason to be frustrated with the world. His older brother, memorialized by the airbrushed portrait that hangs on Dayveon’s bedroom wall, was shot and killed in 2014, presumably as a result of some business involving the local sect of Bloods who hang out down the street. His name was Trevor, and a loaded handgun is the only thing he left behind. When he’s alone in the house, Dayveon dives into his shoebox of secret stuff and holds the weapon in his hands,...
- 1/20/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
![An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTkzNTQ0MzA3Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzg4OTcyMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,6,140,207_.jpg)
![An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTkzNTQ0MzA3Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzg4OTcyMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,6,140,207_.jpg)
This year’s Sundance Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night in Park City, Utah with its traditionally packed opening night offerings on full display — four double features playing at different venues around the festival — but the hottest ticket was unquestionably the world premiere of Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk’s “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” which bowed at the Eccles Theatre to a packed crowd, picking up a standing ovation at its conclusion.
The late surprise entry to the festival picks up a ten years after Davis Guggenheim’s Oscar-winning “An Inconvenient Truth,” which saw former U.S. vice president Al Gore getting brutally honest with audiences, aided by photos, charts and scores of of data that illuminated the impacts of the global climate crisis, the sequel finds a mostly upbeat Gore continuing to work on his mission to spread information about the issue.
Read More: Sundance...
The late surprise entry to the festival picks up a ten years after Davis Guggenheim’s Oscar-winning “An Inconvenient Truth,” which saw former U.S. vice president Al Gore getting brutally honest with audiences, aided by photos, charts and scores of of data that illuminated the impacts of the global climate crisis, the sequel finds a mostly upbeat Gore continuing to work on his mission to spread information about the issue.
Read More: Sundance...
- 1/20/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
![An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTkzNTQ0MzA3Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzg4OTcyMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,6,140,207_.jpg)
![An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTkzNTQ0MzA3Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzg4OTcyMjI@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,6,140,207_.jpg)
It’s hard to imagine “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” having a happy ending. The follow-up to 2006’s Oscar-winning climate change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” includes Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election, a result that some environmentalists view as disastrous for the future of the planet.
Read More: Sundance 2017: Check Out the Full Lineup, Including Competition Titles, Premieres and Shorts
But 10 years after former U.S. vice president Al Gore frightened audiences with his slideshow of photos, charts and reams of data bluntly displaying the impacts of the global climate crisis, “An Inconvenient Sequel” finds a surprisingly optimistic Gore working tirelessly on his mission of spreading awareness about both the impacts of global warming and the concrete solutions humans can take to avert disaster.
“It’s just astounding how both absolutely devastating it is in terms of where we are with the environment,...
Read More: Sundance 2017: Check Out the Full Lineup, Including Competition Titles, Premieres and Shorts
But 10 years after former U.S. vice president Al Gore frightened audiences with his slideshow of photos, charts and reams of data bluntly displaying the impacts of the global climate crisis, “An Inconvenient Sequel” finds a surprisingly optimistic Gore working tirelessly on his mission of spreading awareness about both the impacts of global warming and the concrete solutions humans can take to avert disaster.
“It’s just astounding how both absolutely devastating it is in terms of where we are with the environment,...
- 1/20/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
![Robert Redford](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTk1Nzc5MzQyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjQ5OTA0Mg@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR5,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Robert Redford](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTk1Nzc5MzQyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjQ5OTA0Mg@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR5,0,140,207_.jpg)
Robert Redford officially kicked off the 2017 Sundance Film Festival Thursday by defining the festival’s role under the incoming Trump administration. During the fest’s opening day press conference, held at the Egyptian Theater, Redford stated that Sundance doesn’t “play advocacy” and tries to stick to the stories.
Read More: Amazon Video Direct: Here’s What the Deal Really Means for Sundance Filmmakers
“The idea is that presidents come and go. The pendulum swings back and forth…so we don’t occupy ourselves with politics,” Redford said. “The idea of us being involved in politics is just not so. We stay away from that because we feel that it’s far more important to support the storytellers and let them tell the stories. If politics comes up in their stories, that’s fine, but we do not take a position.”
At the same time, Redford voiced his strong support...
Read More: Amazon Video Direct: Here’s What the Deal Really Means for Sundance Filmmakers
“The idea is that presidents come and go. The pendulum swings back and forth…so we don’t occupy ourselves with politics,” Redford said. “The idea of us being involved in politics is just not so. We stay away from that because we feel that it’s far more important to support the storytellers and let them tell the stories. If politics comes up in their stories, that’s fine, but we do not take a position.”
At the same time, Redford voiced his strong support...
- 1/19/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Hailed one of Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces in 2016, Amman Abbasi makes his Sundance and feature film debut with Dayveon. The film stars Devin Blackmon as a 13-year-old kid coping with the violent death of his older brother in small-town Arkansas. Given the setting, age of the characters and Abbasi’s lyrical approach to the story, the film has strong echoes of George Washington by David Gordon Green, who served as an executive producer here. Below, Filmmaker speaks with Dayveon Dp Dustin Lane about his connection to the American South, shooting in a small town and his visual approach to this story. Filmmaker: How […]...
- 1/19/2017
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
![Lolita Chammah and Themis Pauwels in Barrage (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjBhNjMyMGMtYTM4Ni00NDdlLTlkMTUtMjg4YjdlZTFlZjk5L2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTM4OTQ0NTU@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR4,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Lolita Chammah and Themis Pauwels in Barrage (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjBhNjMyMGMtYTM4Ni00NDdlLTlkMTUtMjg4YjdlZTFlZjk5L2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTM4OTQ0NTU@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR4,0,140,207_.jpg)
World premieres include Barrage, starring Isabelle Huppert and her daughter Lolita Chammah.Scroll down for full list
This year’s Forum programme at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), which highlights avant garde and experimental works, will feature 47 films, including 29 world premieres.
These include the premiere of Laura Schroeder’s Barrage, which stars Isabelle Huppert alongside her daughter Lolita Chammah in the story of a young woman who returns to Luxembourg after a 10-year absence to spend time with her estranged child. Huppert plays the grandmother, who has fostered the young girl during that absence.
Read: ‘Barrage’, starring Isabelle Huppert and daughter Lolita, finds sales home
Having its international premiere at Forum this year will be Golden Exits, the new feature from American filmmaker Alex Ross Perry. His previous credits include Queen Of Earth, which premiered at Berlin in 2015. His latest tells the story of a young Australian woman who comes to New York for a few months...
This year’s Forum programme at the Berlin Film Festival (Feb 9-19), which highlights avant garde and experimental works, will feature 47 films, including 29 world premieres.
These include the premiere of Laura Schroeder’s Barrage, which stars Isabelle Huppert alongside her daughter Lolita Chammah in the story of a young woman who returns to Luxembourg after a 10-year absence to spend time with her estranged child. Huppert plays the grandmother, who has fostered the young girl during that absence.
Read: ‘Barrage’, starring Isabelle Huppert and daughter Lolita, finds sales home
Having its international premiere at Forum this year will be Golden Exits, the new feature from American filmmaker Alex Ross Perry. His previous credits include Queen Of Earth, which premiered at Berlin in 2015. His latest tells the story of a young Australian woman who comes to New York for a few months...
- 1/19/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
FilmRise has acquired North American rights to coming-of-age story Dayveon.
Amman Abbasi, 28-year-old Pakistani-American writer-director from Little Rock, Ark., makes his feature directorial debut with the film. The story centers on 13-year-old Dayveon (newcomer Devin Blackmon), who is mourning the death of his older brother and spends his days roaming around his rural Arkansas town. When Dayveon falls in with a local gang, he becomes increasingly drawn to the camaraderie and violence of their world.
"I feel privileged to have been able to share Dayveon with audiences in Sundance and am now excited for the next step of the...
Amman Abbasi, 28-year-old Pakistani-American writer-director from Little Rock, Ark., makes his feature directorial debut with the film. The story centers on 13-year-old Dayveon (newcomer Devin Blackmon), who is mourning the death of his older brother and spends his days roaming around his rural Arkansas town. When Dayveon falls in with a local gang, he becomes increasingly drawn to the camaraderie and violence of their world.
"I feel privileged to have been able to share Dayveon with audiences in Sundance and am now excited for the next step of the...
- 1/19/2017
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
![Heinz Emigholz in Loos Ornamental (2008)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDlmZjY1YmYtMDg0OC00MTMxLWE4MDktZjkyMDc3MjkwZGE4L2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDkzNTM2ODg@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,25,500,281_.jpg)
The 67th Berlin International Film Festival announced 43 additions to its 2017 roster today, including Alex Ross Perry’s “Golden Exits,” Joshua Z. Weinstein’s “Menashe,” and Amman Abbasi’s “Dayveon,” and rounding out much of the festival’s main line-up.
Read More: Berlinale 2017 Will Premiere ‘Logan,’ ‘Trainspotting: T2,’ and Hong Sangsoo’s Latest
Known for its robust variety of programming, the festival previously announced new films from Aki Kaurismaki, Oren Moverman, Sally Potter, Agnieszka Holland, and Sebastian Lelio. More commercial fare includes the international premiere of Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting” sequel, and the world premiere of James Mangold’s addition to the Wolverine franchise, “Logan.”
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The films of the 47th Forum are:
2 + 2 = 22 [The Alphabet] by Heinz Emigholz, Germany – Wp
Adiós entusiasmo (So Long Enthusiasm) of Vladimir Durán, Argentina / Colombia – Wp
At Elske Pia (Pia Loving) by Daniel Joseph Borgmann, Denmark – Wp...
Read More: Berlinale 2017 Will Premiere ‘Logan,’ ‘Trainspotting: T2,’ and Hong Sangsoo’s Latest
Known for its robust variety of programming, the festival previously announced new films from Aki Kaurismaki, Oren Moverman, Sally Potter, Agnieszka Holland, and Sebastian Lelio. More commercial fare includes the international premiere of Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting” sequel, and the world premiere of James Mangold’s addition to the Wolverine franchise, “Logan.”
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The films of the 47th Forum are:
2 + 2 = 22 [The Alphabet] by Heinz Emigholz, Germany – Wp
Adiós entusiasmo (So Long Enthusiasm) of Vladimir Durán, Argentina / Colombia – Wp
At Elske Pia (Pia Loving) by Daniel Joseph Borgmann, Denmark – Wp...
- 1/18/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Dayveon (2017)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2YwZTI3YzItNzczNi00ZWY1LWEzMGUtYWIyZGI2YjM3ODMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjk1Njg5NTA@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
Exclusive: Amman Abbasi’s Dayveon is making its world premiere as the opening-night film of the Sundance Film Festival’s Next sidebar. It’s Abbasi’s first feature, and he’s flanked by executive producers David Gordon Green and James Schamus who backing the play of Abbasi, a Little Rock, Ar native who wrote, directed, edited and composed the music for the movie. The pic centers on 13-year-old Dayveon (Devin Blackmon) who is initiated into a local gang of Bloods in his…...
- 1/17/2017
- Deadline
Here’s the first lineup for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, with more to come in the days ahead regarding Special Presentations, Midnight Madness et al. Some highlights from the group below: new films by Alex Ross Perry (Golden Exits), Gillian Robespierre (Landline), and David Lowery’s recently revealed “secret feature” (A Ghost Story). Also: the sophomore feature from Dustin Guy Defa (Person to Person), Dayveon, the first feature by one of our 25 New Faces of Film, Amman Abbasi, and the documentary Casting JonBenet, on which Filmmaker‘s editor Scott Macaulay is a producer. U.S. Dramatic Competition Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, […]...
- 11/30/2016
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
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