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Stig Björkman’s Joyce Carol Oates: A Body in the Service of Mind, produced by Stina Gardell, to open the Hamptons Doc Fest (pictured Joyce Carol Oates with the late Stephen Sondheim) Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

In the first installment with Artistic Director Karen Arikian we discussed the Hamptons Doc Fest Awards and Stina Gardell’s Movie Man star and director of the Opening Night film, Joyce Carol Oates: A Body in the Service of Mind, Stig Björkman. Dawn Porter following an introduction by Chris Hegedus will receive the Pennebaker Career Achievement Award from Lana Jokel on that evening with screenings of Bree Wayy: Promise, Witness, Remembrance and a work-in-progress excerpt of Cirque du Soleil.

Hamptons Doc Fest Artistic Director Karen Arikian with Anne-Katrin Titze on Joyce Carol Oates: “We would welcome her with open arms.”

On Saturday, Sam Pollard and Rex Miller will receive the Human Rights Award for Citizen Ashe...

The 2019-2020 movie awards season got underway on Monday night, December 2, with the presentation of the Gotham Awards for independent film. Presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp), these prizes are decided by juries of industry peers and have honored Oscar winners like “Sideways” (2004), “Capote” (2005), “The Hurt Locker” (2009), “Spotlight” (2015) and “Moonlight” (2016). So who took top honors this year? Scroll down for the complete list in all 10 categories, updated live as they were announced.

“Marriage Story,” “The Farewell” and “Uncut Gems” led the nominations with three apiece. Those three films were up for Best Feature along with “Hustlers” and “Waves.”

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“Marriage Story” was the highest-profile Oscar contender among those nominees, but did that mean it was a surefire winner? The jury voting process opens the door for underdogs and left-field choices like last year’s champ “The Rider,” which beat Oscar...

Exclusive: Cinema Eye Honors said that Eyes on the Prize, the landmark civil rights docuseries that first aired on public television in 1987, will receive the group’s 2019 Legacy Award. The honor will be bestowed January 10 during the 12th annual Cinema Eye Honors awards ceremony in New York.

“For me and so many others, Eyes on the Prize was a transformational cinematic experience, artfully crafting the history of a nation into an unforgettable story,” Cinema Eye board co-chair Dawn Porter said Thursday. “Countless filmmakers have been inspired by this elegant body of work.”

Created and by the late Henry Hampton’s Blackside, the 14-part Eyes on the Prize is considered the definitive documentary record of the American civil rights era, tracing the country’s long and brutal march toward equality and the fight to end decades of discrimination and segregation. It aired in two parts, the first covering the years 1954–1965 and...

Fox Digital Studio, Heavy Metal Media and 4th Row Films are in development on a documentary feature film about the sci-fi fantasy magazine Heavy Metal with director Douglas Tirola attached.

Tirola has directed six feature documentaries including A&E IndieFilms’ “Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead” about the story of the National Lampoon, and “Brewmaster,” which had its World Premiere at SXSW and is being released by The Orchard. Tirola has produced over a dozen films, most recently the 2018 Sundance film “Bisbee ‘17.”

The influence and culture surrounding Heavy Metal magazine helped popularize high art comics fans when it premiered in 1977 as a publisher of science fiction, fantasy and horror illustrations from around the world. In 1981, the animation from the magazine was used to create the Ivan Reitman film “Heavy Metal,” and its prominence helped create the music genre phrase “heavy metal.” It’s also been cited as an inspiration for filmmakers including Ridley Scott,...

The Cinema Eye Honors, which annually presents awards to “celebrate outstanding artistry and craft in nonfiction film,” has revealed its nominees in 10 categories, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature and Outstanding Nonfiction Short. Multiple nominees include Robert Greene’s ​”Bisbee ‘17,” Sandi Tan’s “Shirkers,” and RaMell Ross’ ​”Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” with five nods each. While Greene is a Cinema Eye Honors vet, both Tan and Ross are first-time filmmakers.

Another first-time filmmaker on the rise: Bing Liu, whose autobiographical skateboarding doc “Minding the Gap,” leads the nominees with a total of seven nominations. That’s good enough to put the newbie filmmaker into rarefied territory, tying his film with lauded documentaries like Louie Psihoyos’ ​”The Cove​​,” Lixin Fan’s ​”Last Train Home​,”​ and Ari Folman’s “​Waltz With Bashir​​” for most Cinema Eye Honors nods ever. As Liu is a named nominee for six of those awards, he’s...

“Minding the Gap,” a documentary that mixes stories of skateboarding teens with a dark family story, led all films in nominations for the Cinema Eye Honors, one of the top awards devoted to all facets of nonfiction filmmaking.

Bing Liu’s highly personal film tied a Cinema Eye record by receiving seven nominations overall, one in a previously announced category and six in the 10 categories that Cinema Eye announced on Thursday. Those included nominations for directing, editing, cinematography and music, as well as one in the marquee category, Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking.

Other nominees in that category were Robert Greene’s “Bisbee ’17,” RaMell Ross’ “Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” Talal Derki’s “Of Fathers and Son,” Tim Wardle’s “Three Identical Strangers” and the 12th highest-grossing documentary of all time, Morgan Neville’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

Also Read: 'Minding the Gap' Film Review: Powerful...

Special jury award goes to Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz for ensemble performance in The Favourite.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, Josephine Decker’s Madeline’s Madeline, and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk are among best picture nominees in the running for honours at the 28th annual Ifp Gotham Awards, while Paul Schrader’s First Reformed leads the pack on three nods overall.

First Reformed and Chloé Zhao’s The Rider are also in contention for best picture following Thursday’s (18) announcement, with First Reformed earning additional recognition for best screenplay and best actor for Ethan Hawke.

Roma was a notable absentee,...

We may still have two months left in the year, but considering nearly all independent films have already made their debuts, it’s time for the 2018 Gotham Awards to reveal their nominations. Leading the pack are Paul Schrader’s First Reformed and Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, both picked up a trio of nominations.

Rounding out the Best Feature nominations are Madeline’s Madeline, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Rider. Other highlights include Minding the Gap, Hale County This Morning, This Evening, and Bisbee ’17 earning Best Documentary nominations, while Roma‘s Yalitza Aparicio, Sorry to Bother You‘s Lakeith Stanfield, Support the Girl‘s Regina Hall, Hereditary‘s Toni Collette, and more.

Presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project, the 2018 Gotham Awards will take place on November 26. See the nominations below.

Best Feature

“The Favourite”

Yorgos Lanthimos, director; Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Yorgos Lanthimos, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

“First Reformed”

Paul Schrader,...

First Reformed, The Favourite and Eighth Grade were among the most-recognized films in the 28th annual Gotham Awards nominations, which were announced this morning.

First Reformed, from writer-director Paul Schrader, is up for Best Feature, Best Screenplay and Best Actor (Ethan Hawke). Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, which won the Golden Lion at Venice, captured noms for Best Feature and Best Screenplay as well as a special ensemble acting citation from the jury for the trio of Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. Sundance breakout Eighth Grade got a nod for Breakthrough Director (Bo Burnham) as well as Breakthrough Actor (Elsie Fisher).

See the full list of nominees below.

The noms for the indie-heavy honors from the Independent Filmmaker Project are considered the unofficial kickoff to the annual film awards season, beginning this year’s accelerated sprint to the Oscars, which are set for February 24.

This year’s Gotham winners...

Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite,” Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Joseph Decker’s “Madeline’s Madeline” and Chloe Zhao’s “The Rider” have been nominated for the top award at the Ifp Gotham Awards, the Independent Filmmaker Project announced on Thursday.

In nominations that were evenly distributed among 19 independent movies, “First Reformed” led all films with three nominations – one for the film, one for lead actor Ethan Hawke and one for Schrader’s screenplay about a pastor tortured by the death of his son in Iraq.

“The Favourite,” a twisted period piece set in early 18th century England, received nominations for film and screenplay, as well as a special Gotham Awards voted to its three leading actresses: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz.

Also Read: 'First Reformed' Film Review: Paul Schrader and Ethan Hawke Channel Robert Bresson

Other films with multiple nominations included “Beale Street,...

Exclusive: The Orchard has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Brewmaster, Douglas Tirola’s documentary about the craft beer movement and the community that makes it flow. The film, which had its premiere at SXSW this year, will open in theaters October 19 followed by a digital bow November 20.

Tirola’s documentary follows an ambitious young New York lawyer who struggles to chase his American dream of becoming a brewmaster and a Milwaukee-based professional beer educator attempting to become a Master Cicerone (like a sommelier for beer). Along the way are insights on the craft culture and industry from the likes of Brooklyn Brewery (and James Beard-winning) brewmaster Garrett Oliver, Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch, Pilsner Urquell brewmaster Vaclav Berka, the Cicerone program founder Ray Daniels, Dogfish Head Brewery founder Sam Calagione and author Randy Mosher.

The film is produced by Grasshopper + Marks Productions and Tirola’s 4th Row Films,...

Omar Broadway, the co-director and subject of the 2008 HBO documentary “An Omar Broadway Film,” killed himself earlier this month as police were attempting to arrest him for the murder of his 18-year-old nephew. The 35-year-old Broadway shot himself in the basement of an Essex County, New Jersey residence as authorities surrounded the house. Police are still looking for Kenneth Durant, 36, another subject in the May 4 murder of Najee Broadway.

Read More: Sundance Institute Announces 8 Projects for Annual Documentary Edit and Story Lab

Omar Broadway made the transition from incarcerated gang member to filmmaker after arranging for a camera to be smuggled into a state prison and surreptitiously shooting footage for roughly six months, capturing everything from the boredom of life behind bars to corruption among the prison guards, some of whom would use excessive force and physically abuse inmates. Broadway had hoped that getting the tapes out of prison and...

As the definition of an independent film has shifted with the ever-expanding budget divide in American filmmaking — particularly Hollywood cutting back on its mid-range projects — when it comes time for awards season, it’s often only the highest profile of “indie films” that get recognized. While we do our best to recognize the films that often get unfortunately, a new awards has launched that honors the best of truly independent American cinema, featuring films all under a $1 million budget.

Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...

Screen Masculinity

Dark Horizons regular and good friend Blake Howard today continues his and my column exploring masculinity in movies. His truly stellar second piece which just went online explores the relationships of fathers and sons in "Superman" and "The Judge" and how his own personal experiences come into play in his assessment. Check out the feature by clicking here.

Sharone Stone

Last month came word that Sharon Stone would appear in an upcoming Marvel movie with several outlets speculating it would be as Janet Van Dyne in "Ant-Man and the Wasp".

Stone couldn't confirm though, saying that along with having already signed the contract, she also had to sign an Nda. In a new interview this week though, she offered two brief clues - revealing that her secret power is heat and the character is a hero. [Source: Aarp]

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead

A+E Studios is developing "Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead,...

Exclusive: Documentary revolves around a news reporter who killed herself live on-air in 1974.

Documentary Kate Plays Christine, which screens at Berlin Film Festival tonight (Feb 15), has been snapped up for international sales and UK distribution by Dogwoof.

The film, which won director Robert Greene the Us Documentary Award for Writing at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, was secured by in a deal with New York-based production company 4th Row Films.

UK-based Dogwoof will present the film to buyers at the European Film Market (Efm) this week. The agreement excludes North America.

Described as a “blend of documentary and psychological thriller”, the film follows actress Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to portray the role of Christine Chubbuck, a real-life news reporter who killed herself on national television in 1974.

Producers are Susan Bedusa and Douglas Tirola for 4thRow Films and executive producer is Christos V. Konstantakopoulos.

Oli Harbottle, head of distribution at Dogwoof, said: “[link...

Is Sundance big enough for two Christines? It certainly would be a ballsy festival move and a trip as a cinephile to see, compare and admire two filmmakers’ perspectives and unique prisms on Miss Chubbuck. After Kati with an I (2010), Fake It So Real (2012) and Actress (2014), Robert Greene continues to tweak how we come to relate with the nonfiction form. Presented at the Sheffield Doc/Fest last April, Tribeca Film Institute and Cph:forum, Kate Plays Christine is likely going to see indie actress Kate Lyn Sheil morph into something special.

Gist: This film follows actor Kate Lyn Sheil preparing to play the role of Christine Chubbuck, a Florida television host who committed suicide on air in 1974.

Production Co./Producers: Susan Bedusa and Douglas Tirola (Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon).

Prediction: U.S Documentary section.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic). Tbd (international)

More 2016 Sundance...

It’s been a couple months since the last edition of What’s Up Doc? placed Michael Moore’s surprise world premiere of Where To Invade Next at the top of this list and in the meantime much shuffling has taken place and much time has been spent on various new endeavors (namely my Buffalo-based film series, Cultivate Cinema Circle). Finally taking its rightful place at the top, D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hagedus’ Unlocking the Cage is in the midst of being scored by composer James Lavino, according to Lavino’s own personal site. Though the project has been taking shape at its own leisurely pace, I’d expect to see the film making its festival debut in early 2016.

Right behind, the American direct cinema masters is a Texan soon to make his non-fiction debut with Voyage of Time. Just two weeks ago indieWIRE reported that Ennio Morricone, who scored...

The fall festival rush is upon us. Locarno is currently ramping up. Venice has released their line-up and Thom Powers and the Toronto International Film Festival team have dropped a bomb with a previously unannounced new feature from powerhouse docu-provocateur Michael Moore. It is truly a miracle that the production of a film such as Moore’s upcoming Where To Invade Next (see still above) managed to go completely undetected by the filmmaking community until it was literally announced to world premiere at one of the largest film festivals in the world. Programmed as a one of the key films in the Special Presentations section at Tiff, the film sees Moore telling “the Pentagon to ‘stand down’ — he will do the invading for America from now on.” Also announced to premiere at Tiff was Avi Lewis’ This Changes Everything, which has slowly been rising up this list, as well as...

The deal for Sundance 2015 selection Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story Of The National Lampoon excludes television rights.

Douglas Tirola’s documentary charts the rise and fall of the iconic comedy magazine that ran from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. Tirola and Mark Monroe wrote the film.

History Films in association with Sky financed and produced Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story Of The National Lampoon, while Tirola and his 4th Row Films partner Susan Bedusa served as individual producers.

Molly Thompson, Dirk Hoogstra, John Battsek and Celia Taylor served as executive producers.

Magnolia brokered the deal with Cinetic Media, which is in talks with buyers for TV rights.

Neil Armfield.s Holding the Man, Simon Stone.s The Daughter, Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and Jen Peedom.s feature doc Sherpa will have their world premieres at the Sydney Film Festival.

The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.

Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.

Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.

As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...

Films include a collaboration between Sing Sing prison inmates and a leading contemporary dance company from Turner Prize nominated visual artist Phil Collins.

Scroll down for full list of projects

Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10) has revealed the titles that will pitch for funding at its MeetMarket initiative, celebrating 10 years in 2015.

A total of 64 filmmaker teams from 19 countries will pitch to international and UK decision makers for research, development and production funding

At Crossover Market, which includes digital titles, a further 26 interactive projects from 12 countries will pitch in one-to-one meetings to a range of specialist decision makers.

Among the Crossover projects being pitched are the latest from Oscar Raby who won last year’s Interactive Audience Award with Assent; and Ram Devineni who attracted funding at last year’s Crossover Market and Tribeca New Media Fund for Priya’s Shakti.

New pitch opportunities this year include a BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra Stories commission for young filmmakers, the Guardian...

The holidays are winding down and that means we at Ioncinema.com are gearing up for our annual pilgrimage to Park City where an A-list of documentaries is now set to premiere. Earlier this month Tabitha Jackson and the Sundance doc programming team let the cats out of the bag, unsurprisingly announcing much anticipated Us Doc Competition titles such as the Ross Brothers’ Western, Louie Psihoyos’ Racing Extinction, Marc Silver’s 3 1/2 Minutes and Lyric Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s (T)Error, along with some surprises like Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel’s bizarro Kickstarted doc Finders Keepers (see trailer below). Having been produced by the fine folks behind The King of Kong and Undefeated, the film bears all the markings of its well regarded pedigree, yet appears to be of even odder ilk, following the story that unfolded when a severed human foot was discovered in a grill bought at a North Carolina auction.

As we head into December, awards season is well under way, and though we’ll have to wait until the spring for really big fish like the Oscars and the Golden Globes, this month has a respectable number of ceremonies of its own. Last night, celebrities gathered at Cipriani Wall Street in New York for the 2014 Gotham Independent Film Awards.

It was a long, casual ceremony for those in attendance, but when the night finally wrapped up, few could argue with the results. Birdman spread its wings and took home Best Feature, while Michael Keaton nabbed Best Actor for his revelatory role in the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed film. Meanwhile, Julianne Moore continued her unstoppable march to the Oscars, receiving Best Actress for her devastating work as an Alzheimer’s-afflicted linguistics professor in Still Alice. And Laura Poitras was awarded Best Documentary Feature for her eye-opening Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour.

Honored...

On Screen Off Record from The Act of Killing producer Signe Byrge Sørensen.

On Screen Off Record, directed by Rami Farah and Lyana Saleh and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen of Final Cut For Real, has won the second annual Eurimages Co-Production Development Award of €15,000 at Cph:forum - Cph:dox’s international financing and co-production event.

The jury said this project, reflective on the Syrian conflict in a media-saturated world, was awarded because of “the way familiar footage was presented, allowing deeper understanding of the complexities of the conflict that affects us on so many levels, for the quality of the project and the team, and the organic co-production structure.”

The film, now in development, will be a production between Syria, Denmark and France. There will be 55-minute and 90-minute versions.The story is about several young people in Syria who became citizen journalists and have filmed the turmoil since the beginning, putting their lives...

On Screen Off Record from The Act of Killing producer Signe Byrge Sørensen.

On Screen Off Record, directed by Rami Farah and Lyana Saleh and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen of Final Cut For Real, has won the second annual Eurimages Co-Production Development Award of €15,000 at Cph:forum - Cph:dox’s international financing and co-production event.

The jury said this project, reflective on the Syrian conflict in a media-saturated world, was awarded because of “the way familiar footage was presented, allowing deeper understanding of the complexities of the conflict that affects us on so many levels, for the quality of the project and the team, and the organic co-production structure.”

The film, now in development, will be a production between Syria, Denmark and France. There will be 55-minute and 90-minute versions.The story is about several young people in Syria who became citizen journalists and filmed the turmoil since the beginning, putting their lives...

The 2014 fall awards season is off to a strong start with the unveiling of the nominees for this year’s Gotham Independent Film Awards. Though not as recognizable as the Oscars or Golden Globes, the Gotham Awards typically mark the start of awards season, honoring the best and brightest in independent cinema. Additionally, many of the films highlighted by the Gotham Awards go on to become Oscar frontrunners – last year’s most nominated film was eventual Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave, and past winners have included Inside Llewyn Davis, Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Hurt Locker.

This year looks to be no different, with assumed Oscar contenders like Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s technically dazzling Birdman and Richard Linklater’s ambitious 12-year project Boyhood in the mix. Excitingly, Wes Anderson’s brilliant The Grand Budapest Hotel, released way back in March, also made the cut, meaning that its...

The independent film industry is hotter than ever, and the 2014 Gotham Independent Film Awards nominees have just been announced.

Leading the way with an impressive four nods (including Best Feature) is Richard Linklater’s critically-acclaimed “Boyhood.”

Additionally, Tilda Swinton, Bennett Miller and Ted Sarandos will all be honored with special tributes at the December 1st ceremony, slated to be held at Cipriani Wall Street.

The complete list of nominees for the 2014 Gotham Independent Film Awards is:

Best Feature

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, director; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Boyhood

Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, producers (IFC Films)

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Love Is Strange

Ira Sachs, director; Lucas Joaquin, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen,...

Gotham Awards 2014 nominations: Julianne Moore, Michael Keaton among famous names shortlisted Best Feature Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Alejandro G. Iñárritu, director; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Boyhood Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, producers (IFC Films) The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Love Is Strange Ira Sachs, director; Lucas Joaquin, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, producers (Sony Pictures Classics) Under the Skin Jonathan Glazer, director; Nick Wechsler, James Wilson, producers (A24 Films) Best Actress Patricia Arquette in Boyhood (IFC Films) Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Beyond the Lights (Relativity Media) Julianne Moore in Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics) Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin (A24 Films) Mia Wasikowska in Tracks (The Weinstein Company) Best Actor Bill Hader...

Richard Linklater’s drama that follows the life of a boy from five to 18 is in contention for four prizes at the 24th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards by Ifp.

In addition to the competitive awards, Gotham Award Tributes will be given as previously announced to Tilda Swinton, Bennett Miller and Industry Tribute recipient Ted Sarandos of Netflix.

The nominating committee for the best actor category has voted a special jury award to Foxcatcher’s Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum for their ensemble work.

Voting will take place online from November 19-26. The winner of the Audience Award will be announced at the Gotham Awards Ceremony in New York on December 1.

“We congratulate this year’s nominees, from the master film artists to the talented newcomers, a true representation of the rich and diverse range of today’s independent filmmaking,” said Ifp and Made In NY Media Center executive director Joana Vicente.

“We are grateful...

And the Oscar season is off and running! Nominees for the 24th annual Gotham Independent Film Awards have been unleased and Richard Linklater's fantastic "Boyhood" led the pack with four nods including Best Feature, Best Actor for Ethan Hawke, Best Actress for Patricia Arquette, and Breakthrough Actor for Ellar Coltrane.

We'll find out the winners of the 2014 Gotham Awards on December 1st! Here's the complete list of nominees:

Best Feature

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, director; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Boyhood

Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, producers (IFC Films)

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Love Is Strange

Ira Sachs, director; Lucas Joaquin, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, producers (Sony Pictures Classics...

Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Love Is Strange and Under The Skin are up for the Best Feature prize in the 24th annual Gotham Independent Film Awards. The Independent Filmmaker Project calls this the “kickoff to the film awards season,” and highlights “worthy independent films.” The collection includes 15 films nominated for Best Feature, Best Documentary, and the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award. Ifp members can vote online from November 19-26. The ceremony will be held on December 1 in NYC. Here are the nominees:

Best Feature

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, director; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Boyhood

Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, producers (IFC Films)

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Love Is Strange

Ira Sachs,...

The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) announced Thursday morning the nominees for the 24th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards. Highlighting the best of the year’s independent film, the Gotham Awards give an early bump to the smaller films that could get lost in the studio shuffle. For 2014, the seven competitive awards include Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress (presenting sponsor euphoria Calvin Klein), Breakthrough Actor, the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director award, and the Gotham Audience Award. In addition to the competitive awards, Tilda Swinton, director Bennett Miller, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos will be honored with tributes. 24 films received nominations this year, not including a special award handed bestowed to Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum for their ensemble work in “Foxcatcher.” Voting for the primary awards begins on Nov. 19th at 12:01 Am Est and concludes on November 26th at 5:00 Pm Est. “Each year the Gotham...

Haim Saban’s nascent distributor led by Bill Bromiley has struck up a one-off partnership with Roadside Attractions on the Cannes competition entry as the parties plot an awards run.

Tommy Lee Jones’ second outing as feature director will open on November 7 and stars Jones and Hilary Swank alongside Meryl Streep, Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, Sonja Richter, Hailee Steinfeld and James Spader.

Saban Films will manage sales across all other Us distribution platforms, pursuant to what is believed to be its long-term focus of digital rights exploitation and day-and-date releases. EuropaCorp handles international sales.

Bromiley and his team are in talks with a studio partner to handle North American theatrical distribution going forward on an anticipated annual slate of eight to 10 films.

The Homesman marked Saban Films’ first acquisition and took place on the Croisette. Saban Films will put up the P&A and Roadside will take care of the disitrbution logistics and consult with Saban on marketing...

Haim Saban’s nascent distributor led by Bill Bromiley has struck up a one-off partnership with Roadside Attractions on Cannes competition entry The Homesman as the parties plot an awards run.

The Homesman, Tommy Lee Jones’ second outing as feature director, will open on November 7 and stars Jones and Hilary Swank alongside Meryl Streep, Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, Sonja Richter, Hailee Steinfeld and James Spader.

Saban Films will manage sales across all other Us distribution platforms, pursuant to what is believed to be its long-term focus of digital rights exploitation and day-and-date releases. EuropaCorp handles international sales.

Bromiley and his team are in talks with a studio partner to handle North American theatrical distribution going forward on an anticipated annual slate of eight to 10 films.

The Homesman marked Saban Films’ first acquisition and took place on the Croisette. Saban Films will put up the P&A and Roadside will take care of the disitrbution logistics and consult...

4th Row Films will release “All In: The Poker Movie” nationally on April 24, 2012 via digital retailers including Amazon and iTunes, with a DVD release to follow in July 2012. The opportunity to pre-order the film is available at www.allinthepokermovie.com, along with a limited edition poster and “All In: The Poker Movie”. playing cards. This release will follow a 40 market theatrical release in late March, including the Cinema Village in New York City and Laemmle 4 in Los Angeles.

A look at the story of poker from the underground clubs of New York City to the global boom and the recent online scandal, “All In: The Poker Movie”. is garnering unprecedented support across the country, with poker players participating in post-screening discussions during many of the theatrical runs either in person or via satellite.

Wamg is giving you the chance to enter for a chance to win:

1. All In: The Poker Movie...

Check out the trailer for the documentary All In – The Poker Movie set to be released nationally on April 24th.

The movie features Matt Damon, Star of .Rounders., Frank Deford: Peabody Award-Winning Sports, Journalist, Ira Glass: Host of National Public Radio.s .This American Life,. Doris Kearns Goodwin: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Writer and Historian, Kenny Rogers: Grammy Award-Winning Entertainer, Bert Sugar: Sports Writer and Historian.

4th Row Films will release .All In . The Poker Movie. nationally on April 24, 2012 via digital retailers including Amazon and iTunes, with a DVD release to follow in July 2012. The opportunity to pre-order the film is available at www.allinthepokermovie.com, along with a limited edition poster and .All In . The Poker Movie. playing cards. This release will follow a 40 market theatrical release in late March, including the Cinema Village in New York City and Laemmle 4 in Los Angeles. A look at...

With a little help from Tfi's Tribeca All Access program - and a kickoff in Tribeca - Crayton Robey's doc about the seminal The Boys in the Band opens in theaters! Susan Bedusa, Carson Kressley, Crayton Robey, Beth Janson, Tamir Muhammad, Douglas Tirola Director Crayton Robey and producers Douglas Tirola and Susan Bedusa of 4th Row Films met through the Tribeca Film Institute's Tribeca All Access program during the Tribeca Film Festival a few years ago. Today, their collaboration, Making the Boys, has its theatrical premiere in New York City. The film, which is being distributed by First Run Features, then opens in Los Angeles on March 18 before rolling out nationwide. Making the Boys tells the story of the groundbreaking play and 1970 film The Boys in the Band. Before Prop 8, Milk or Will and Grace, before the AIDS epidemic, gay pride parades or the Stonewall uprising, The Boys in the Band changed everything.

What was once a Sundance darling is now a Gothams Award winner! Debra Granik's "Winter's Bone" won big at the 20th Gotham Independent Film Awards taking home the Best Feature and the Best Ensemble Performance awards.

It's safe to say that "Winter's Bone," which earned two Sundance prizes last January including Best Drama Film and Screenwriting, is on its way to the Academy Awards. ("Winter's Bone" Movie Review)

"The Hurt Locker" started its ascend to Oscar victory last year with its two-punch Best Feature and Best Ensemble Gotham Awards.

Here's the complete list of winners and nominees of the 20th Gotham Independent Film Awards: (Winners are highlighted)

Best Feature

Black Swan -- Darren Aronofsky, director; Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Blue Valentine -- Derek Cianfrance, director; Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky, producers (The Weinstein Company)

The Kids Are All Right -- Lisa Cholodenko,...

Big congrats goes to the producers Frederick Thornton, Laura Ragsdale, Sierra Leoni and helmer Mike Ott whose Littlerock - a film that played at the San Francisco, Torino, Vienna and AFI Fest festivals receives a pretty sweet upstart package: a one week showing at the Cinema Village, and other cash prizes including some theatrical release strategy help from the fine folks at Donna Daniels PR.  Other Noms: Kati with an i Robert Greene, director; Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa, producers On Coal River Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Wood, directors; Jillian Elizabeth, Adams Wood, Francine Cavanaugh, producers Summer Pasture Lynn True and Nelson Walker, directors/producers; Tsering Perlo, co-director/co-producer The Wolf Knife Laurel Nakadate, director/producer Previous Winners 2009: Ry Russo-Young's You Won't Miss Me 2008: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues 2007: Ronald Bronstein's Frownland 2006: Steve Barron's Choking Man...

Over at the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Bennett chats with Robert Greene, the director of the low-budget indie documentary "Kati With An I," one of the nominees in the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You category of the Gotham Awards, which take place tonight. Greene shares that his journey toward making the film, which follows his half-sister as she approaches her high school graduation in Alabama. It turns out the late, lamented Kim's Video in the East Village played a significant role in the film getting made.

The Kim's staffer who hired Mr. Greene to work in the now shuttered St. Mark's Place store was future "Kati With and I" principal photographer and co-producer (along with Mr. Greene, Susan Bedusa and Douglas Tirola) Sean Price Williams. "I walked in and made a [iconic French filmmaker] Jean Eustache reference, and Sean pretty much hired me on the spot," Mr. Greene said.

So how do you define “independent” again?

The nominees for Ifp’s 20th annual Gotham Independent Film Awards (which some refer to as the official start to awards season) were announced moments ago.

The Gotham Awards will be held on November 29th. More here: http://gotham.ifp.org.

Here’s the list of “Independent Film” nominees:

Best Feature

Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky, director; Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Blue Valentine

Derek Cianfrance, director; Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky, producers (The Weinstein Company)

The Kids Are All Right

Lisa Cholodenko, director; Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, Jordan Horowitz, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Philippe Hellmann, producers (Focus Features)

Let Me In

Matt Reeves, director; Simon Oakes, Alex Brunner, Guy East, Tobin Armbrust, Donna Gigliotti, John Nording, Carl Molinder, producers (Overture Films)

Winter’s Bone

Debra Granik, director; Anne Rosellini, Alix Madigan-Yorkin, producers (Roadside Attractions...

The nominees for the 2010 Gotham Independent Film Awards were announced today by the Independent Filmmaker Project. Twenty-six films were nominated across six categories. The selections were chosen by 20 film critics, journalists, and curators. The awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 29 in Manhattan. Previous winners for Best Feature include "The Hurt Locker" (2009), "Into the Wild" (2007), and "Capote" (2005).In addition to the film awards, career tributes will be given to actors Robert Duvall and Hilary Swank, director Darren Aronofsky, and Focus Features CEO James Schamus. The nominees are as follow:Best Feature "Black Swan"Darren Aronofsky, director; Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures)"Blue Valentine"Derek Cianfrance, director; Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky, producers (The Weinstein Company)"The Kids Are All Right"Lisa Cholodenko, director;  Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, Jordan Horowitz, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Philippe Hellmann, producers (Focus Features)"Let Me In"Matt Reeves,...

Posters for Centurion, The Girl Who Played with Fire, Secretariat.

Some downright bizarre set photos of the production design employed in the $100 million Chinese epic Empires of the Deep and the first shots of Rosie Hungtinton-Whitley on the set of Transformers 3.

More Licensing Expo artwork is out, this time logos for Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor.

"The first trailer for the Seth Rogen-led comedy "The Green Hornet" will have its debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live on June 21st..." (full details)

"The first trailer for Disney's animated Rapunzel feature "Tangled" will air on the Disney Channel during "Sonny with a Chance" on Sunday night. A few seconds of footage are already available...." (full details)

"20th Century Fox will apparently label the fifth entry "Die Hard" film series "Die Hard 24/7", while the reboot of the Fantastic 4 will be a "complete reboot" and be called "Fantastic Four Reborn...

Before National Lampoon became synonymous with piddling, amateurish direct-to-video trifles marketed with former Playboy models on the DVD cover, they made a couple of bona fide classic comedies (Animal House, Vacation), and before that, they made a magazine that many during its heyday considered their source for cutting edge satire. That history is now set to become a movie of its own, from documentary filmmakers Douglas Tirola and Susan Bedusa.

"Our goal is to tell the story of National Lampoon in a way that takes audiences back to an era with all of the laughs and tragedies that came along with it," Tirola told The Hollywood Reporter. I wouldn't consider the production of stuff like Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj a "tragedy", exactly, but I get it -- National Lampoon had its ups and downs, especially during its healthy 28-year magazine run (1970-1998). If the film is a success,...

HollywoodNews.com: Producers Douglas Tirola and Susan Bedusa of 4th Row Films have optioned the exclusive rights to the story of the National Lampoon and its archive for the purposes of a feature documentary to be directed by Tirola. The film will be Tirola’s third documentary feature, following “All In – The Poker Movie” winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2009 Cinevegas Film Festival and “An Omar Broadway Film” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and will premiere on HBO in July, 2010. Featuring rare and never seen before footage, the film will tell the complete story of National Lampoon, from its beginnings as the Harvard Lampoon, through its days as a publishing sensation and Hollywood heavyweight, to its eventual downfall and into its upcoming rebirth. Lampoon produced entertainment, including Lemmings, Animal House and Vacation, gave way to some of the most important comedic talent of our time.

The story of seminal humor magazine National Lampoon will get the documentary treatment from producer Douglas Tirola and Susan Bedusa of 4th Row Films.

The duo behind the award-winning docs "All In: The Poker Movie" and "An Omar Broadway Film" have optioned the rights to the story of Lampoon as well as its archive for a feature film to be directed by Tirola.

The film will tell the story of National Lampoon from its beginnings as the Harvard Lampoon, through its days as a publishing sensation and Hollywood heavyweight, to its eventual downfall and into its rebirth and refocus as a multimedia company.

During its heyday in the 1970s, the magazine was responsible for launching comic and writing talents such as John Hughes while its stage and radio show gave a spotlight to actors such as John Belushi and Chevy Chase. Articles led to movies such as "National Lampoon's Vacation" and "National Lampoon's Animal House.