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It’s a fairly packed month on Hulu this February thanks to the addition of some interesting TV shows from FX and ABC. While the streamer’s own original content is somewhat limited – Life + Beth is returning for season 2 – you can also catch the new series of Feud this month. The new installment in Ryan Murphy’s juicy anthology show is based on the bestseller Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer, and tells the story of Truman Capote’s betrayal and fall-out with New York’s most glamorous socialites. The cast is absolutely stacked, with Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny and Calista Flockhart all swearing delicious revenge on Tom Hollander’s Capote.

Also via Hulu in February comes the third season of Abbott Elementary, along with new episodes of The Connors, The Good Doctor, Will Trent,...

Now a week into the new year, Max is, like many of us, cleaning house. The streamer is ushering in a new month of library additions and new originals, and, like usual, we have to give to get.

While the streamer has lost a few titles already this month, including 2018’s “The Nun,” nearly all of Max’s departures will make their exit during the final week of the month, including “Birdman,” “Barbarian,” and more!

Before January comes to an end, check out The Streamable’s top picks of what to watch before they’re gone, and see the full list of what’s leaving Max throughout the rest of the month!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Max in January 2024? “Barbarian” | Wednesday, Jan. 24

Georgina Campbell leads the horror-thriller as Tess, a young woman who books a rental home only to...

August is heating up on Max, with “90 Day: The Last Resort” premiering on the streamer Aug. 15 (one day after it airs on TLC).

Five fan-favorite couples from “90 Day Fiance” have reached their breaking points. In a final attempt to salvage their relationships, each couple will participate in a couples retreat to determine whether or not they can heal old wounds. Alongside a team of professionals, they’ll actively navigate issues with trust, sex, jealousy, anger and intimacy. Explosive group therapies, intense couples sessions, past life regressions, unique on-and-off-resort activities and so much more ensue. At the end of the retreat, each couple must decide if they will stay together or move on separately.

Fans of dating and relationship shows may also be interested in “Kim vs Kayne: The Divorce” on August 7, which chronicles the split between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. There’s also Season 18 of “Sister Wives,...

Summer isn’t over yet but HBO and its streaming arm Max are already moving on to fall. With its list of new releases for August 2023, Max is focusing on football! The American kind, mind you, not the actually footy kind.

August 2023 sees the release of two major football documentaries on HBO and Max. The first is the premiere of Hard Knocks on Aug. 10. The new season of long-running NFL training camp docuseries will center on the New York Jets, new employers of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On Aug. 23, Max will air the aptly named Bs High. The doc tells the stranger-than-fiction story of high school football team Bishop Sycamore, which pulled off one of the more notable sports scams you’re likely to ever hear about.

Not of the football variety but in keeping with the North American sports theme will be season 2 of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on Aug.

DeVaughn Nixon, Quincy Isaiah, and Delante Desouza in ‘Winning Time’ season 2 (Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO)

Hard Knock‘s new season focusing on the New York Jets and the second season of the original drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty join Max’s August 2023 lineup, along with Tracy Morgan’s latest comedy special. August’s schedule also includes the season finales of And Just Like That… and Warrior.

Rap Sh!t season two premieres on August 10th, and the new half-hour young adult animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake arrives on August 31st.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In August 2023:

August 1

A Hologram for the King (2016)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child...

It’s last call for a number of great movies leaving HBO and HBO Max in March. Fortunately, the month is also packed with new movies and shows, but if you were planning to revisit any of the films below, now’s your chance.

The good news is you won’t have to squeeze in any binge-watching – there are no series leaving HBO Max this month, just films. Expiring titles of note include Sam Raimi’s definitive horror films “The Evil Dead” and “Evil Dead 2,” Wes Anderson’s charming coming-of-age romance “Moonrise Kingdom,” the Charlize Theron-led dramedy “Tully,” Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island” starring Pete Davidson, and the musical drama “Dreamgirls,” starring Jennifer Hudson in the role that earned her the Oscar.

There are also several comedy favorites expiring in March, including both “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey,...

It’s always a monumental task to deliver an American Civil Rights movie, but when it’s done right it’s a safe bet that you’re onto a damn good thing. That’s exactly what we get with Judas and the Black Messiah, without quite reaching the spectacular.

Receiving high praise at the recent Sundance Festival, it was singled out for its acting, direction and timely themes. Quite right, too, although you can’t help wondering if the latter held it back just a little.

But more of that later. Set in late-60s Chicago, here we have the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), Chairman of the Black Panther Party, and fellow comrade William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), who led a double-life as an FBI informant.

Kaluuya received a Golden Globe best supporting nod, and it’s easy to see why. Playing Hampton with the firebrand energy that was a trademark of such figureheads,...

The Paley Center for Media today announced that it will pay tribute to the extraordinary Kerry Washington with the special program Celebrating Kerry Washington: Conversation & Exclusive Preview Screening of Little Fires Everywhere.

The program will take place on Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 pm.

“I’m truly honored to be returning to the Paley Center stage for this look back at my work,” said Kerry Washington. “And I’m thrilled to be previewing Little Fires Everywhere, as part of this extraordinary evening.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome back Kerry Washington to the Paley Center,” said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center President & CEO. “Ms. Washington is a tremendous talent and we look forward to celebrating her remarkable career and to hosting the exclusive New York premiere of Little Fires Everywhere.”

Kerry Washington is among the most respected and influential talents in television today. A New York native, this versatile talent has...

Ava DuVernay returns to Own: Oprah Winfrey Network for what will be her second project for the cabler, the romantic anthology series “Cherish the Day,” which is set for a February 2020 premiere. Each season will document the ups and downs of a relationship between a single couple, capturing the everyday and the extraordinary, with each episode spanning 24 hours.

Chapter One stars Xosha Roquemore (“The Mindy Project”) as Gently James and Alano Miller (“Underground”) as Evan Fisher, a young couple who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles. The first season will span five years and unfold over eight episodes.

The legendary Cicely Tyson joins Roquemore and Miller as Miss Luma Lee Langston, a renowned star of stage and screen of decades past. Gently James is Miss Langston’s live-in assistant and is encouraged by her wise employer to enter into a romance with Evan Fisher.

Additional cast members in recurring roles include Michael Beach,...

Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.

Metrograph

Five of John Ford’s best pictures play in a special edition of “Welcome to Metrograph.”

Filmmaker Tanya Hamilton will present her feature Night Catches Us on Sunday.

Quad Cinema

The series “Four Play” and “Further Research” offer films by Coppola, Kubrick, Mel Brooks and more.

The Lina Wertmüller series continues.

Film Forum

A Jean-Pierre Melville series is underway.

On March 1, Ava DuVernay’s independent film distribution company Array kicked off Women’s History Month the right way: by hosting a 12-hour Twitter take-over that united female filmmakers for a day of awesome, virtual interaction.

More than 30 filmmakers participated in the third “Rebel-a-Thon,” including DuVernay, Amma Asante, Julie Dash, Gina Price-Bythewood, and Mira Nair, with actor Kerry Washington adding her voice in support of the Twitter gathering. Array’s mission is to amplify the voices and visibility of underrepresented filmmakers. Spotlighted during the take-over was the company’s newest acquisition, Egyptian-American director Heidi Saman’s newest film “Namour,” which hits Netflix on March 15.

DuVernay, busy at work on her “A Wrinkle in Time” adaptation, checked in with nothing but positive vibes.

Checking in on @ArrayNow's Rebel-a-Thon from the set of Wrinkle In Time. 30+ women directors tweeting up a storm via #ArrayToday! Yes! pic.twitter.com/2NT45K5NO5

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 2, 2017

Yes!

Slate magazine has drawn up an interesting list of great black films, the twist being that they have to have been directed by a black person rather than about the black experience so out go Old Hollywood musicals like Carmen Jones or Cabin in the Sky or Oscar favorites like Sounder.  In the wake of recent conversations about Hollywood's power structures and overwhelming whiteness, Slate assembled a field of critics and filmmakers and scholars to produce the list.

Eve's Bayou

I need to get cracking on my gaps in knowledge from this list, especially because of the titles I've seen from this list several were great and the ones I didn't personally connect to were still interesting (Night Catches Us) or memorable (Eve's Bayou - I've been meaning to give that another shot now that I'm older). Unsurprisingly Spike Lee has the most titles with six. Curiously, though I've seen...

Lousy Smarch is almost here and the debut schedules for all the movies and series that will be hitting Netflix in March have arrived. We also have the Amazon Prime folks covered as well! The second season of Marvel’s Daredevil and the premieres of the fourth season of House of Cards and the first season of the new comedy Flaked, with Will Arnett hit the small screen. Did you forget about the premiere of the Judd Apatow-produced Pee-wee’s Big Holiday? We didn’t.

On the Amazon Prime front, check out below to see what you’ll be able to stream for free and what’s going to have a cost. Let’s watch!

All Title Dates are Subject to Change

Netflix U.S. Release Dates Only

Available 3/1

Adult Beginners (2015)

Ahora o Nunca (2015)

Aldnoah.Zero: Season 2

American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007)

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile...

March 2016 is a sad month for some Netflix subscribers.

Say goodbye to '90s films "American Pie" (1999), "Hackers" (1995), Mel Gibson's "Hamlet" (1990), "Indecent Proposal" (1993) and "Jumanji" (1995) in March. Also disappearing: Will Smith movies "Hitch" (2005) and "Men in Black II" (2002), as well as oodles of TEDTalks that are all expiring next month.

Here's the complete list of what's leaving Netflix streaming in March.

Leaving March 1, 2016

"Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman" (2000)

"American Pie" (1999)

"American Wedding" (2003)

"Atlantis: The Lost Empire" (2001)

"The Babysitters" (2007)

"The Chosen One" (2010)

"Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986)

"Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights" (1992)

"Gone in 60 Seconds" (2000)

"Hackers" (1995)

"Hamlet" (1990)

"Hannie Caulder" (1971)

"Hardball" (2001)

"Hart's War" (2002)

"Hitch" (2005)

"Indecent Proposal" (1993)

"Johnny Dangerously" (1984)

"Jumanji" (1995)

"Masters of the Universe" (1987)

"Men in Black II" (2002)

"The Monster Squad" (1987)

"Not Another Teen Movie" (2001)

"Paycheck" (2003)

"Switchmas" (2013)

"The United States of Leland" (2003)

"Wings" (1927)

Leaving March 2, 2016

"Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams" (2013)

Leaving March 3, 2016

"Night Catches Us" (2010)

Leaving March 4, 2016

"Getting...

Affonso Gonçalves with this Ace win for editing True Detective (2014)Affonso Gonçalves is a man that every actress lover ought to both thank and envy. Over the course of his career in TV and film he has been privvy to a consisently vivid series of strong and sometimes downright iconic performances by several of our greatest actress. He's helped shape the way we see them, too.

His career began in earnest with as an assisant editor on Todd Solondz's cult hit about a nerdy teenager Dawn Weiner in Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) and soon thereafter he was editing multiple films for Ira Sachs and other independent minded directors. In the 20 years since his debut he's edited performances by Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive), Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce), Kerry Washington (Night Catches Us), Michelle Williams (The Hawk is Dying), Kim Basinger (The Door in the Floor), and  Patricia Clarkson...

A Hard Knock Life: Bettany’s Naive Debut Exudes Good Intentions

Actor Paul Bettany makes his directorial debut with Shelter, meant to be a glimpse into the terrible degradation of the homeless population in New York. Glossy casting and a certain ignorance conveyed in its melodramatic narrative sensationalizes subject matter meant to be sobering, and thus opens up the simple title to all kinds of ironic interpretations of Bettany’s privileged, arguably clueless perspective about a human predicament otherwise passionately presented.

At the end credits, the film is dedicated ‘to the homeless couple who lived outside of my building,’ and there’s something incredibly moving about Bettany’s accomplishment, even if we are aware of a certain naiveté in every single frame and the possibility the director/screenwriter did not engage with his subjects directly for a prolonged period. Bettany uneasily unites sordid realism with tropes we’re accustomed to...

The American Film Festival is building families. The 6th edition (October 20-25, 2015) of the Wroclaw, Poland film fest was better than any of the previous four I have attended as a jury member for the Us in Progress section. Networking with the USiP filmmakers, past participants Matt Sobel (“Take Me to the River”),Leah Meyerhoff (“I Believe in Unicorns”),Reza Sixo Safai (“A Girl Walks Home at Night Alone”) and whose present project “ The Loner” (he produced and stars in it, Daniel Grove directed) won at USiP, etc. mingled with Indie Star Awardees David Gordon Green and Hal Hartley and other filmmakers like Jenner Furst ("Welcome to Leith") invited to present their films and to eat and party together over five days and four nights which lasted until the wee hours of the morning.

African American Women's classics also showed for the first time ever to appreciative Polish audiences. Though luckily for them, but a sad miss for the audiences, every one of the filmmakers was too busy with other work to attend. The selected films brought rarely before scenes of life in America to a new public.

You can be sure Ava DuVernay was invited, and you can be equally certain that she was very busy with multiple projects.

When I was in Trinidad, I heard from the film's distributor, Michelle Materre, a well known lecturer and film curator whose film series and discussion group, Creatively Speaking, takes place at the N.Y. Film Society’s Lincoln Center and in L.A. that Julie Dash was busy working on a TV series or a doc. I hope one of you reading this will email me a more news of her, because since her film “Daughters of the Dust” premiered at Sundance in 1991, her fan base has grown and eagerly awaits more stories from her. For those who missed her instant classic at Sundance, "Daughters of the Dust" presents a transgenerational saga set on the fictitious island of Ibo's Landing in 1902 about a young woman's quest for identity. Guichees, or Gullahs, aka the Georgia Sea Islanders are U.S.'s most African community still living today off the Georgia and South Carolina coast. The film was presented to the audience as a radical feminist manifesto and landmark of independent American cinema.

Other films included in the series, curated by Ula Sniegowsk and a young film academic Ewa Drygalska, included Katherine Collins' (who tragically died of cancer at age 46) 1982 film "Losing Ground", Tanya Hamilton's "Night Catches Us", the popular and fabulous " The Secret Life of Bees" another Sundance premiering film, by Gina Prince-Blythewood (2008), Dee Rees' 2012 Sundance film "Pariah" and her recent HBO (who incidentally is an important sponsor of the festival with a showcase of its own films) fictional doc "Bessie" starring the one and only Queen Latifah, and Ava DuVernay's "Middle of Nowhere" and "Selma".

While we're on the subject of African American movies, the Spike Lee mentored new talent Michael Larnell, was here with my favorite "Next" generation film " Cronies".

Us in Progress had two out of six selected films about African Americans, the Four Award winning "Alaska Is a Drag" directed by former L.A. and Sundance Festival worker, debuting director Shaz Bennett, produced by Melanie Miller and Diane Becker; and "The Alchemist Cookbook" written and directed by Joel Potrykus. Other films included "Dope", documentarians' Albert Maysles' " In Transit", Nick Broomfield's "Tales of the Grim Sleeper" and Frederick Wiseman's "In Jackson Heights", Mark Silver's "3 ½ Minutes, Ten Bullets", sleeper hit "Tangerine" by Sean Baker, "Field Niggas" a nocturnal portrait of Harlem by Khalik Allah, David Gordon Green's “George Washington", and last, but by no means least, Clint Eastwood's "Bird" as part of his extensive retrospective.

This festival is held in the largest Arthouse multiplex in Europe, built and owned (as is the festival itself, along with New Horizons Film Festival in July and several others) by arthouse film distributor and entrepreneur Roman Gutek.

Fabulous. Written by Sydney Levine in her hotel room at The Monopole where an opera rehearsal wafts through the morning air of a sunny, dry 50*F metropolis mixing with the sound of the streetcar. This has been a fabulous experience topped off by a fabulous tour of the city and today a visit to Europe's most fabulous zoo and aquarium.

Despite the numerous opportunities out there, most aspiring filmmakers looking for support and mentorship know that the Sundance Institute’s January Screenwriters Lab and June Directing Lab have been two of the most important talent development initiatives in the independent film world for over 30 years. The great quality of the projects that have been workshopped and propelled through these programs have given us some of the most iconic films and filmmakers in recent memory.

But the institute’s commitment to provide opportunities for new voices that represent an eclectic array of background and experiences goes even further with other, lesser known, initiatives that have the potential to become turning points in the artists' careers. Of these, one of the most exciting programs is the Screenwriters Intensive, which is part the Sundance Institute's Diversity Initiative. This is of course a resource that is not only valuable, but crucial as we try to become a more inclusive society that is appreciative and welcoming of stories that exist beyond the mainstream, homogenous noise.

The Screenwriters Intensive is a 1 1/2 day workshop for writers whose work has been encountered by the institute as part of their outreach for the Labs and which they find especially promising. The writers of 10 projects take part in a program whose elements include a hands-on writing workshop led by creative advisor Joan Tewkesbury (“Nashville”), a screening of a recent Sundance film followed by a candid conversation with the filmmaker, a reception with Sundance staff and the extended Sundance community, and one-on-one meetings with two creative advisors to get feedback on their script. With the Intensive, the Sundance Institute aims to present participants with creative tools that they can take back to their own work, provide a space for dialogue and information sharing about the creative process of making a film (and all of the joys and challenges therein), and foster community among storytellers and an ongoing connection with Sundance.

This year the film screened was Rick Famuyiwa’s “Dope,” which premiered earlier this year in Park City and won a Special Jury Prize for Editing. Following the screening Famuyiwa shared anecdotes about the film’s production and the perseverance needed to stand by the core values of his project in spite of outside opposition. Later that evening, during a casual and highly interactive reception, the fellows had the chance to discuss their latest breakthroughs and newly found questions regarding their personal projects with the institute’s staff and other members of the independent film community. Chatting with them, and having witnessed some of the poignant exercises Ms. Tewkesbury uses in the past, there is not doubt in my mind that this was a groundbreaking experience for the entire group.

The following morning the fellows returned to the institute’s L.A offices to have on-on-one conversations with two advisors from a group of talented and achieved professionals that included Kyle Patrick Alvarez (“The Stanford Prison Expriemnt”), Patricia Cardoso (“Real Women Have Curves“),the aforementioned director Rick Famuyiwa (“Dope”), Deena Goldstone (“Identity Theft”), Tanya Hamilton (“Night Catches Us”), Felicia Henderson (“Gossip Girl”), Elgin James (“Little Birds”), Craig Johnson (“The Skeleton Twins”), Kyle Killen (“The Beaver”), Adam Bhala Lough (“Bomb the System”), Joan Tewkesbury herself, and Ligiah Villalobos (“Under the Same Moon”).

The Screenwriters Intensive fellows come from uniquely different backgrounds, and their projects bring original stories that are sure to showcase new and inventive perspectives on the world. Get to know them and their stories as they are on their way to giving us a great batch of new independent films.

To learn more about the Sundance Institute's programs visit Here

Tara Anaise

Project: "Bombay Stories"

Tara Anaïse is an award-winning writer/director whose first feature, "Dark Mountain," was released by Gravitas Ventures in August of 2014. Other recent work includes the upcoming thriller "Housekeeping," on which she’s a producer, and which is set to be released by Lions Gate in late March of 2015. Her short films have screened at festivals worldwide. Tara is currently developing several new projects, including a post-apocalyptic road movie with a female lead who drives a muscle car and kicks a**, and a romantic drama set in Mumbai in both 1968 and the present day that’s loosely based on her own family’s history. She holds an Mfa in film production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She can make a mean pumpkin mezcal cocktail and according to an Amazonian curandero, her spirit animal is the black jaguar. She lives and works in Los Angeles

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Bombay Stories" is a drama centered around an Indian man returning to the city of his birth after decades of living abroad. When tragedy strikes, he recalls the summer of 1968—at that time, he was twenty-one and having a heartbreaking affair with a married woman right before leaving Bombay, and his entire family, behind for his new home in New York. It’s a story about the complexities of familial relationships and the question of whether or not it’s possible to return home.

It’s very loosely inspired by my own family’s history—my father’s side fled Sindh during the Partition of India in 1947 and rebuilt their lives in Mumbai (which at the time was called Bombay). Then my father left Mumbai (of his own volition) for the U.S. And then I fled the east coast for Los Angeles. I like to say I come from a long line of fleers.

The project is in the development stage. Currently working on a rewrite of the script and I’m planning on directing.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

Don’t take the easy way out. There are certain things I know about my characters and I can write them easily and I can write them well. But the most interesting aspects of a character come from the places we know the least. Don’t be afraid to go down the path that’s half in shadow, this is the kind of exploration that leads to the heart of the thing. I’ll definitely be using Joan’s writing exercises to further develop all of my characters. I’ve never done anything like what we did during her seminar. She had us make lists of things drawn from our own personal experiences – three times in your life you’ve known something was wrong but did it anyway, three places to which you never want to return, three times you’ve felt lost, and so on—and then take one item from each list, put the items on our protagonist, and quickly write a short story about the whole thing. It’s a concrete way to use instances from one’s own life to get to the root of the character.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Going into day two was exciting but nerve-wracking. I woke up at 5am wondering how my advisors were going to react to my script (I tend to expect the worst.) Luckily, no one ripped my script up into tiny pieces and threw it back at me. Adam and Tanya were both really great. They had good things to say about the script, along with insightful suggestions for improving it, which I’m going to explore in the next draft. We talked about the writing process. We talked about production. We talked about navigating the industry. Getting advice from two talented, experienced filmmakers who’d been through this many times before was incredibly helpful, not just for this project, but for my career as a filmmaker as well.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

The first thing I’m going to do is take some time to really get at the heart of each and every character. Then I’ll tackle the rewrite and when the script is ready, I’ll reach out to producers.

Shelby Farrell

Project: "Deidra and Laney Rob A Train"

Shelby Farrell is a screenwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. She is a graduate of Emory University where she was awarded the Kikag screenwriter award and the American Film Institute Conservatory where she finished an Mfa in screenwriting. She was recently featured in the Tracking Board's 2014 Young and Hungry List. She currently writes interactive games for Pocket Gems and is in preproduction for her feature "Deidra and Laney Rob A Train." She is repped by Gersh and Principato-Young.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Deidra and Laney Rob A Train" is a dramedy about two teenage sisters who start robbing freight trains to support their family after their mother goes to jail. This script was my thesis screenplay for AFI and was featured on the Tracking Board's 2014 Young and Hungry List. Sydney Freeland (Sundance Alumni, "Drunktown's Finest") is attached to direct. Currently our reps are approaching select producers with the project, and we are really excited to see where it goes from here.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

All of the writers and I were pushed to find inspiration from our own past experiences during writing exercises. Through this process, I think we all realized that our screenplays are more autobiographical than we perhaps wanted to believe. Not that I've ever robbed a train, but I could.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Having professional advisors is always a blessing. Their feedback was especially useful in this stage because so many people I work with have read multiple drafts. Having fresh eyes on the script really gave me a new perspective. Also since the advisors are independent filmmakers and Sundance alums they really know what we are going through at this stage of development. I also got great advice on what's coming in the next few months as we get this story off the page.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

As far as this project goes, I feel like the script is in a really good place, but I also know that rewrites never end, and I'm excited to use the notes I received for future drafts. I'm also planning on using the writing exercises we learned in Joan Tewkesbury's workshop as I develop my newer projects. Joan taught us some character development tools that can be applied to any project in any stage.

Jared Frieder

Project: "Three Months"

Jared Frieder is a graduate of the Columbia University fiction writing program and his stories can be found in The Collective Press and The Newer York. His screenplay, "Three Months," has taken the top screenwriting prizes at the Austin Film Festival, the Screencraft Comedy Screenplay Contest, and the Big Bear International Film Festival Screenplay Contest. "Three Months" was also chosen for the 2014 Outfest Screenwriting Lab and was the featured script on The Black List online last November. He is currently developing his animated half-hour pilot, "Marathoners," with Bento Box Entertainment. He was accepted to USC’s Screenwriting Mfa on the Edward Volpe Endowed Scholarship before leaving to work on the ABC Family drama, "Chasing Life."

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My project, "Three Months," tells the coming-of-age story of Caleb Kahn, a queer Ziggy Stardust-loving teenager from Miami who is exposed to HIV the weekend of his high school graduation and has to wait three months to be tested for the disease. It's a comedy, it's a love story, it's a tale of resilience, and it's a deconstruction of how people in crisis sludge through great periods of waiting. The screenplay has been a passion project of mine and I am very grateful to the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, the Screencraft Comedy Screenplay Contest, and the Big Bear International Film Festival Screenplay Contest for awarding "Three Months" their respective grand prizes. I've also been spoiled by the Outfest Screenwriting Lab and the Sundance Intensive for allowing the script to be workshopped with their brilliant advisors (and some of my all-time heroes.)

After Austin, one of the festival judges (screenwriting phenom, producing master, and all around baller, Oren Uziel) came on board to help bring the script to the screen, along with my management company, Haven Entertainment. We're in the beginning stages of seeing this story come alive and it's pretty much the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The most important lesson I learned from the Intensive's first day is that Joan Tewkesbury is my spirit animal. The second most important lesson I learned from Ms. Tewkesbury (sweetly nicknamed Tewks by the generous souls of Sundance) is that I tend to use jokes as a means of concealing truth and authenticity (something my protagonist does as well. Let's just say I was channeling.) She helped me crack the comedy facade and delve deeper into character, getting in touch with Caleb's fears, insecurities, and dreams. I'm confident that Tewk's direction will not only take Caleb and "Three Months" to the next level, but also elevate my storytelling in the future. And for that, I will forever be in Ms. Tewkesbury's debt.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Sitting down with Kyle Killen was intimidating at first (he's a certifiable story genius who wrote "The Beaver" and created shows like "Lone Star.") But Kyle tapped into my protagonist in ways that previous advisors couldn't. He helped me dissect Caleb, bringing out deeper layers of his character. We then discussed and determined the most effective way of braiding these emotional undercurrents into the narrative. It's safe to say that my mind was blown.

Kyle Alvarez (esteemed director and fast friend) took a different approach and guided me through "Three Months" from a director's perspective, helping me think about casting, locations, and how aspects of the script would translate on screen. Having mentors come at the project from different angles was really enlightening. Again, I feel incredibly spoiled and grateful.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

Post-Intensive, I'm taking another pass at "Three Months" (because apparently you're never done writing, or that's what they keep telling me.) I'm stoked to take my Sundance notes and weave them through the script where I see fit. Then it's off to the producers for feedback and hopefully the hunt for a director and cast will commence. Also, there will be thank you notes. Lots and lots of thank you notes: to Sundance, to Tewks, to the Kyles, and to the universe for giving me this opportunity.

David J. Lee

Project: "Found"

David J. Lee spent years as an It professional who dreamed of becoming a performer. He finally made the leap and began working as a professional actor who curiously kept getting offers to direct. Finally he gave in, dropped it all, and proceeded to pursue his Mfa in Film Production at USC where, of course, everyone became more interested in his writing. Dave received USC’s First Film Screenwriting Award in 2013, and his thesis script, "Found," was a top 50 Academy Nicholl semi-finalist. His university-produced short, "Paulie," directed by Andrew Nackman, went on to win the Best Film, Audience Award, and Best Writer prizes at the 2014 NBC Universal Short Cuts Festival. Dave was a 2014 Cape New Writers Fellow; he is working on the feature version of "Paulie" while making eyes at the TV world.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My feature film script is a crime thriller called “Found”. It’s the story of a night worker at a storage facility whose odd, illicit habit of breaking into storage lockers – and her talent for understanding people's lives through their belongings – force her into action when she discovers evidence of a child abduction in one of the units.

“Found" was my thesis script at USC and was a top-50 Nicholl semi-finalist in 2013. Prior to being accepted into the 2015 Sundance Intensive, it had been selected for the 2014 Cape New Writers Fellowship.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

Obviously, at this point I'm many drafts into my script, which means that I'm in a much different mindset than I was when I was originally coming up with the story. It’s a very analytical, left-brain process. Joan Tewkesbury led us through a series of writing exercises which brought me back to that original creative place, which helped me get a new perspective on my characters.

I guess if you’re looking for a specific lesson, it would be, “If you need a fresh perspective, don’t be afraid to put your characters in seemingly irrelevant situations, just to see how they play out, because you’ll be surprised at the relevant places you end up. At the very least, you often end up learning something new about your characters."

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

I was amazed and honored at how much time each advisor had put into their notes. Time is gold for these folks, and they gave us so much of it. It seemed that most of them had received tremendous support from the Sundance Labs or from programs similar to them when they were younger, so they were all there that day out of a desire to give back.

It’s valuable to receive notes from professionals in that these are folks who have more experience than you and a valuable perspective from having worked within the system, and I received some fantastic, insightful feedback that day. At the same time, they’re only perspectives. A note from a working professional may warrant extra consideration, but ultimately, if it doesn’t resonate with you, then it just doesn’t. In the end you weigh those comments against all the other feedback you’ve received over time.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

Keep writing. I’m encouraged by the attention this script has received. When I get it to a place where I’m happy with, then I’ll start looking into getting it made.

Channing Godfrey Peoples

Project: "Miss Juneteenth"

Channing Godfrey Peoples received her Mfa from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Originally from Texas, she spent her childhood in community theater and has been storytelling ever since. Her films are character driven stories that focus on the resilience of the human spirit, often featuring African-American women at a turning point in their lives. At USC, Channing was awarded funding to direct her documentary, “Carry Me Home”, about the celebratory aspects of African-American Funeral Traditions.

Her narrative Thesis Film, “Red”, is a King Family Foundation Recipient, Jury Award Winner for Directing at the Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards, Panavision New Filmmakers Grant Recipient and nominated for Best Short at Pan African Film Festival and the Africa Movie Academy Awards. Channing won “Best Director” at the Nevada International Film Festival and was honored at the Lois Weber Film Festival in Texas. She wrote, directed and starred in “Red”, which is currently on the festival circuit, most recently screening at Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris, France. Channing served as a Time Warner Artist-in-Residence at Howard University in Washington DC. She believes in community involvement and mentors children interested in the arts. Channing is developing her first feature film, “Miss Juneteenth."

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

In Texas, slaves were informed they were free, two long years after 1863's Emancipation Proclamation declared American slaves free. That day was June 19 th, 1865, also known as “Juneteenth”. Today, many communities celebrate the Juneteenth holiday with beauty pageants acknowledging young African-American women who are the descendants of slaves. My story, "Miss Juneteenth," is about one of these women.

Turquoise Jones is a former beauty queen, “Miss Juneteenth 1999”, who lost her pageant's top prize of a college scholarship when an unplanned pregnancy lands her back home tending bar at an aging juke joint. Today, she is a single mother to a teenage girl, who she struggles to keep from going down the same wrong path that she took. She has enrolled her disinterested daughter in this year’s Miss Juneteenth pageant and is fighting to keep her in it.

The project is in development and is based in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Neil Creque Williams ("David’s Reverie") is attached as Producer.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

On our first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab, Joan Tewkesbury lead an incredible writing workshop that challenged me to look deeper into the emotional journey of my story. I was seeking a way to take my script to a deeper emotional level and the workshop certainly aided that endeavor. The lesson for me was to connect to my characters through personal experience and emotion and not be resistant to other possibilities for my story.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

The advisors were incredible and I am in awe of their insight and accomplishments. I was delighted to receive feedback from professionals whose work I have long admired. They provided constructive feedback and challenged me to think of the script in new ways. I also enjoyed exchanging ideas with the other fellows at the Intensive and I was delighted to be surrounded by such diverse talent.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

I am now revisiting the script with a renewed intensity. I will be directing my film, "Miss Juneteenth," so my producer, Neil Creque Williams and I have identified our locations and begun preliminary casting. Our next step is crowdfunding and to continue to apply for support.

Maya Perez

Project: "Umwana"

Maya Perez is a screenwriter and fiction writer. She is a consulting producer for the Emmy Award- winning television series "On Story: Presented by Austin Film Festival," now entering its fifth season on PBS, and co-editor of the book On Story: Screenwriters and Their Craft (University of Texas Press, October 2013). She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College and is a Michener fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Kenya, Zambia, and the United States and lives in Austin, Texas.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My project is a feature script, "Umwana," a domestic drama about an American teen who goes to rural Zambia to meet and live with her father and his family. More foreign to her than the cultural differences is the experience of being a member of a family.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

It was great to be reminded of the importance of specificity when depicting characters, and also, how to pull from personal experience without making your characters reflections of yourself. In the workshop we were assigned numerous writing exercises and, though initially intimidating, it was stimulating to be assured there's no limit to the new stories we can quickly craft from scratch. We often think of time as the enemy, in that we don't have enough of it in which to do the work. But sometimes I think I give myself too much time. Some of my better, more visceral writing has been generated under the gun, so to speak.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

One of my advisors hit me with a barrage of questions as soon as I sat down - What is Cassie feeling here? What does Joseph look like? Is it what she expected? What if this happened? What if that happened? So many questions that I started doubting the story's weight altogether. But she kept on and wouldn't let up, so I just wrote them all down until I finally had an answer and then another and eventually realized I know exactly what this story and these characters are about. I had to be sort of beaten down and thrown off balance in order to find the railing. It was terrific. Another advisor - who fortunately came right after - grabbed my shoulders and said he would stalk me until I made this film. He offered to make introductions to agents, managers, producers, and to be there for every draft and question I might have along the way. It was an invaluable experience, to sit down with these talented, professional writers who had read my script so closely and had such constructive questions and encouragement. It felt as though they were as invested in its success as I am.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

My proposed new opening to the script was met with enthusiasm, so I'll make that change, do another revision on the script, and then submit it for the Screenwriters Lab. It was a finalist last year, so hopefully it will go through this year and I'll be able to take advantage of a full week at the Lab to prepare it for production. One of my advisors generously sent me the look book he's using for his current project, and I'm making one of those for "Umwana" as well as researching what shooting on location in Zambia will entail.

Rodrigo Reyes

Project: "Charlie"

Rodrigo Reyes was born in Mexico City in 1983. Supported by the Mexican Ministry of Film, his acclaimed 2012 feature documentary "Purgatorio" featured visceral and intimate portraits of the Us- Mexico border. The film premiered in competition at the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival and Guadalajara International Film Festival, touring more than 40 festivals including MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight, and winning several jury prizes including the Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. "Purgatorio" has been released theatrically on over 100 screens throughout Mexico, touring Latin America, Spain, and over 30 American cities. In 2013 Filmmaker Magazine named Rodrigo one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film, and in 2014 he was awarded the Tribeca Film Institute Heineken Voices Grant for his upcoming documentary "Sanson And Me," as well as the Canon Filmmaker Award for his hybrid peach picker portrait "Lupe Under The Sun," currently in post-production. Rodrigo attended Uc San Diego, as well as colleges in Madrid and Mexico City, earning a degree in International Studies. He currently lives in California’s Central Valley where he works as an interpreter in the California Superior Court.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Charlie" is a story about a mother and son living in the heartland of America, who hide a dark secret that is tearing them apart, threatening them with destruction. It’s a twisted, existential fairy-tale that tackles estrangement, loneliness and violence in a unique way. Aside from Sundance, the film has received the support of Nalip’s Latino Media Market.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

I was surprised by some of the tools used in the labs. There was an element of tapping into the subconscious using semi-dada techniques that really clicked with me. The key was coming in with an open mind.

Before the Labs, I felt the project was close to a final draft. That has since been atomized and torn apart at the hinges, which is fantastic, actually. The Intensive helped me pull away from the rut I didn’t know I was in and look at my script with a naked, honest perspective.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Often as independent filmmakers we feel threatened by the industry, their perspectives are senses as criticisms instead of critiques. The Lab did a great job of inviting you to a conversation, not a lecture or a dictate. I felt I could take the advice that honestly connected with me and integrate it with my script, while also fielding key questions to the advisors in a safe space.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

It’s all in my hands now. I have to integrate the conversations, critiques and perspectives gleaned from this process into a new draft.

Luke Uriah Slendebroek

Project: “Sophia/Gordita”

Luke Uriah Slendebroek is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television Mfa directing program. While at UCLA, Luke's films have been awarded The Hollywood Foreign Press Award, The Four Sister’s Award, The Carroll Sax Award in Motion Picture and Television Production, the Edie and Lew Wasserman Film Production Fellowship, and two Motion Picture Association of America Awards. Luke has directed a short documentary for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and he has directed a short film for the Oscar-winning producer and director Robert "Bobby" Moresco as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration at UCLA. He has also directed a number of industrial films for Fortune 500 companies. Luke's films favor the underdogs, involve fantastical worlds, and tend to explore that brief period between childhood and adulthood.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

“Sophia/Gordita” is a coming of age western based on the incredible true story of teenage madam that served the migrant farming communities of the midwest.

Aleksandar Marinovich has stepped on board to help produce the film. Currently we are raising money to finance the film with a goal of shooting in September, 2016.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The Sundance Intensive was an amazing and immersive experience. The writing techniques I learned during the two days will be crucial as I dive into the next draft of my screenplay entitled “Sophia/Gordita”. Through this workshop, I feel confident to tackle the issues of my screenplay and to dig deeper into motivations that drive my lead character, Sophia.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Patricia Cardoso and Ligiah Villalobos were incredibly generous to offer their guidence and direction on my screenplay “Sophia/Gordita”. Their feedback, although at times challenging, pushed me to dig deeper into the character of Sophia. What really drives her to make the choices in act one that sends her life into a downward spiral during the subsequent acts? As I work through these issues, the outcome will hopefully be a character that no one has ever seen before on the screen, an anti-hero for a new generation.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

I plan on doing another rewrite utilizing the tools and techniques I learned from the Intensive. After the next draft, I will get more feedback from my producer and my film collective, Vices of Reason. Once I get a draft that I’m comfortable with, I’m going to get the script in the hands of anyone that’s willing to read it as well as continue to raise money to finance the film.

Vivian Tse

Project: "These Animals"

Vivian Tse is a filmmaker making both narrative and documentary films. She was a Colonist at the 2013 Nantucket Screenwriting Colony with her feature script "Joe Boy," which was also selected for the 2014 Ifp Transatlantic Partners Program. Tse participated in the 2014 Pov Hackathon with the transmedia documentary film "The Angola Project." Originally from San Francisco, she graduated from the University of Southern California.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"These Animals" is the story of an astronaut's last year on Earth after she agrees to crew a one-way mission to Mars. It's about what the last year of someone's life would be like if she made a decision with stakes that high, what happens to her family and the people around her, the people she loves and who love her.

We're currently in the development stage, trying to put the financing together. Sundance and the A3 foundation was kind enough to give us a grant. And we're in post on a short version of the project which we shot late last year.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

It took a bit of processing but the most rewarding lesson, or at least the one that stuck with me most, was using yourself to dig deeper into your character's journey. Which sounds obvious and certainly its something you're already doing as a writer with everything you write, but you can always go deeper. learning that there is always more to dig up, more of you to add, which is horrifying and invigorating at the same time.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

The advisors were amazing. They're very passionate - it's great. i found it invaluable, even when I didn't agree with the notes. it lets you know how people are reading, understanding and thinking about your story. their perspective was so helpful and it helps to look at my characters and my story in a new way. writing can be very isolating so it's always great to talk to someone who is doing what you're doing. and they share their war stories, telling you to reimagine a scene because they did something similar and it went to shit so don't forget to think about this or that, or that space ships are expensive so maybe try to stay out of a ship as a location. i don't have any space ships in the film but you get my point.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

A re-write for one, casting, financing the rest of the film. Keep pushing forward, hustling, like everyone does, until you make your film.

Diego Velasco & Carolina Paiz

Project: "Los Invadidos"

Diego Velasco and Carolina Paiz, a husband and wife writing team, are currently working on "Los Invadidos," a thriller which Velasco will also direct.

Writer/director Diego Velasco was born in the Us and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Diego’s short, "Cédula Ciudadano," got him invited into the Fox Searchlab program after winning the Los Angeles Latino Film Festival. In 2003, Diego moved to Los Angeles and formed Open Studios with his wife, a production company meant to make the films they wanted to see in the world. In 2010, Diego made his feature debut with "La Hora Cero" (The Zero Hour). Set in Caracas during the 24-hours of a controversial medical strike, the film followed La Parca, a tattooed hit-man, as he takes an elite hospital hostage in an attempt to save his wounded girlfriend and her child. The film became the highest grossing Venezuelan film of its time. It has won over 35 awards at International festivals and secured distribution in five continents. Currently it has been optioned for an English language remake. In November of 2011, Diego was featured as one the Ten Mover and Reshapers of Latin American Cinema by Variety Magazine.

Growing up in Guatemala during the civil war, Carolina Paiz spent much of her time indoors, reading and watching television, escapes which later provided the foundation for her career as a writer for film and TV. At 15, she left Guatemala for Kent, a boarding school in Connecticut, where she was the first non- native English speaker to be awarded the Robert S. Hillyard award for her achievements in creative writing. Carolina went on to study English and Latin American Studies at Tulane University. The short stories she wrote there were later published by the Caribbean Writer. One of these, Sleep Comes Suddenly, was honored with the Canute A. Brodhurst Award. In 2006, she landed a position as a staff writer on ABC’s "Grey’s Anatomy." She later went on to write on NBC’s "Lipstick Jungle," CBS’s "The Defenders," Fox’s "Gang Related" and currently, Fox’s "Runner." She also developed a series for Fox, "Queen Of the South," based on the hugely successful Spanish novel. Between television projects, Carolina co- wrote and produced the Venezuelan feature "La Hora Cero," the highest grossing Venezuelan film in history.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

The film follows a couple that has just lost their only child and now find themselves on different sides of the spiritual debate. They’re forced to face their problems when they inherit a remote farm in the Venezuelan plains. Hoping for a new start, they soon learn the farm has been invaded by squatters and that there’s more to reality than what you can see…

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The first day was revelatory. By doing exhaustive and highly personal writing exercises that we then shared with the entire class, we both realized that we hadn't fully tapped into our own fears and desires in writing the characters in our feature. We realized there was far more of us in these characters than we'd anticipated and that embracing that would actually deepen them. Rewriting the script now, the characters have come to life by simply putting ourselves in their shoes.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Our advisors were completely different and had very different points of view on the script, yet both sets of notes complimented each other quite well at the end of the day. Their points of view were enlightening. We had exhausted our resources by asking for notes from every trusted friend and colleague that we knew, and we'd gotten to the point we were afraid they'd stop taking our calls for fear that we'd make them read the script again. We were desperate for fresh eyes from people that didn't know us, didn't know the project, and had no emotional stake in any of it. But what made it truly amazing was the fact that we got to dive in with such skilled writers, and such generous people, and that they truly took the time to give us deep and insightful notes.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

We are currently rewriting the script as per what we've learned and hope to begin our search for financing soon!

The ActNow Foundation, Inc. is now accepting feature and short film submissions for the 5th installment of Brooklyn's premier black film festival and showcase New Voices in Black Cinema. The Festival will take place March 26-29, 2015 in partnership with BAMcinématek. The festival, in the recent past, has screened acclaimed independent films to sold out audiences, including Tommy Oliver's "1982" (starring Hill Harper and Wayne Brady), Tanya Hamiton's "Night Catches Us" years back (starring Kerry Washington & Anthony Mackie) , Ava DuVernay's fictional feature film debut "I Will Follow," and many more,...

The ActNow Foundation, Inc. is now accepting feature and short film submissions for the 5th installment of Brooklyn's premier black film festival and showcase New Voices in Black Cinema. The Festival will take place March 26-29, 2015 in partnership with BAMcinématek. The festival, in the recent past, has screened acclaimed independent films to sold out audiences, including Tommy Oliver's "1982" (starring Hill Harper and Wayne Brady), Tanya Hamiton's "Night Catches Us" years back (starring Kerry Washington & Anthony Mackie) , Ava DuVernay's fictional feature film debut "I Will Follow," and many more,...

The recipient of the 2014 St. Louis International Film Festival’s Women in Film Award is producer Katie Mustard.

Mustard has two feature films screening at Sliff – Growing Up And Other Lies and I Believe In Unicorns.

She joins previous Women in Film Award winners Yvonne Welbon, Barbara Hammer, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Marsha Hunt, Ry Russo-Young, Pamela Yates, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, and Nina Davenport.

Directors Darren Grodsky & Danny Jacobs Growing Up And Other Lies stars Adam Brody (The O.C.), Josh Lawson (House of Lies), Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show), Amber Tamblyn (Two and a Half Men). After living for years as a struggling artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him retrace their greatest adventure together: a walk down the entire length of Manhattan. The film shows Sat.

Margaret Brown's documentary The Great Invisible stands as a Very Important Film, and not just because of its impressive pedigree. Collectively, the creative team behind Invisible is responsible for the films The Order of Myths, God Loves Uganda, Night Catches Us, Food Inc., and dozens more socially conscious works. Invisible traces the history behind and fallout from British Petroleum's incalculably devastating rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Unfortunately, given both its content and the media's collective failure to fully report the (ongoing) story, the film only intermittently has a pulse. It's meant to be a multi-layered look at the issue, focusing on several rig workers who survived the blast, an elderly African...

Variety is reporting that Anthony Mackie is in talks to join John Hillcoat’s upcoming, star-studded cop drama Triple Nine. If he signs on, he’ll join an extremely impressive cast that boasts Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Gal Gadot, Woody Harrelson and Teresa Palmer.

Named after the police code that’s used when an officer requires “immediate assistance,” the film will follow a corrupt group of cops who plan on carrying out a major heist for the Russian mafia that requires they kill a rookie officer. Of course, things don’t go according to plan and complications ensue.

No word yet on which role Mackie is up for but hopefully it’s a big one. The actor has really proven himself over the last couple of years with strong turns in films like Pain & Gain, Night Catches Us, The Adjustment Bureau and of course, the upcoming Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

As mainstream Hollywood looks back at race relations circa the Civil Rights Movement in films like The Butler and 42, independent films like 2010’s Night Catches Us and Katherine Nero’s new film, For the Cause, turn their gaze towards a very different faction of the Civil Rights struggle. Making its west coast premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles last Friday, For the Cause is a project 12 years in the making. Shot in a little over a week on location in Chicago, the film tells the story of emerging attorney Mirai Scott (Charlette Speigner), as she takes on the most difficult case of her young career—that of defending Rolly (Eugene Parker), her...

The name SimonSays Entertainment may not immediately register with you, but I'm sure film titles like Night Catches Us, Gun Hill Road, Blue Caprice, and Mother Of George, most certainly will - at least one of them, especially if you've been a reader of this blog over the last 2 years, as we've celebrated every single one of those titles. It's quite an impressive resume, and one that I think most independent production houses would envy - well-directed dramas, telling well-written stories about a diverse body of interesting characters, brought to life by a selection of strong actors. A critically-acclaimed library of positively challenging projects, with the icing on the cake being that...

SimonSays Entertainment, the blossoming production house behind critical hits like Night Catches Us, Gun Hill Road, and the upcoming Blue Caprice, and Mother Of George, has announced a summer call for screenplays. As an aside, I interviewed the company's principals - Ron Simons (founder and president of the company) and Producing Associate, April Yvette Thompson - in February, and you're encouraged to read that interview Here if you missed it. It was an extensive piece profiling the company. Here are the details of their call for summer script submissions: SimonSays Entertainment only considers scripts that have been submitted via our...

The last few years have offered a small diversity of films featuring African-Americans: Arbitrage, Armored, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Call, Constellation, Dead Man Down, Django Unchained, Fighting, Flight, I Will Follow, Just Wright, Kings of the Evening, Lakeside Terrace, Luv, Middle of Nowhere, Night Catches Us, Olympus Has Fallen, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Precious, Red Hook Summer, Red Tails, and, among others, Think Like A Man and Won’t Back Down. Some of the films have inspired enthusiasm and intelligent talk; some laughter; and some outrage—and some boredom. Did Arbitrage exploit skepticism of black male character before submitting an image of ...

For you folks in Philly, an event you may be interested in, taking place on Mondayt, April 22, at 7Pm:cinedelphia Film Festival & Reelblack present Early Work A compilation of student films by Philly-based filmmakers of color, curated by Reelblack at PhilaMOCA 531 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19123 Advance tix are $8: http://cffreelblack.brownpapertickets.com || Facebook event page. Early Work features films by Reelblack Founder Mike D (Philly Boy), Chinonye Chukwu (AlaskaLand), Rel Dowdell (Changing The Game), Tanya Hamilton (Night Catches Us) and Nadine Patterson (Tango Macbeth). All have gone on to make feature films and will be on hand to discuss how...

Yesterday, Jordan M. Smith, Nicholas Bell and I highlighted our Top 10 New Faces (strictly in the acting domain) of 2013′s Sundance Film Festival and while that list was pretty much a consensus, our Top 20 New Voices (fiction/non-fiction/short scribes, directors and full-out filmmakers/producers) was an amicably, yet hard fought deliberation process and then ranking of who we think the future will shine most bright…in other words, if these people were Wall Street stock options — we’d put our money behind them. Enjoy the mini profiles and adjoined praise.

#20. Sophie Goyette

Part of the pair of Canadian-based, female auteurs to make a pit stop in Park City (the other being Sarah Polley) French-Canadian filmmaker Sophie Goyette and her 2012 Tiff showcased short film Le Futur Proche demonstrates that there is plenty more raw talent and a pulse from Quebec. Here we find a pilot dealing with loss, suppressing his...

It was a longer process than we had anticipated, but post Sundance, Jordan M. Smith, Nicholas Bell and I weighed in on the best of the fest (tomorrow we launch our Top 20 New Voices) and after defining what constitutes a “new face”, we ranked our top performances from relatively new folk, pushed into the forefront of their films and within the sphere of independent cinema. Here are our Top 1o New Faces for Sundance 2013.

#10. Gina Piersanti (It Felt Like Love)

NYC-based indie film casting folk will take notice if Eliza Hittman’s gem of a debut film breaks out beyond the film fest circuit. Not unlike the faces we found in Larry Clark’s Kids, newbie teenage actress Gina Piersanti will be the latest poster-child of innocence lost. With only a handful of short film experiences, the teenage actress gives low-key, self-contained bulldozing performance — every step, and misstep her naive...

The name SimonSays Entertainment may not immediately register with you, but I'm sure film titles like Night Catches Us, Gun Hill Road, Blue Caprice, and Mother Of George, most certainly will - at least one of them, especially if you've been a reader of this blog over the last 2 years, as we've celebrated every single one of those titles. It's quite an impressive resume, and one that I think most independent production houses would envy - well-directed dramas, telling well-written stories about a diverse body of interesting characters, brought to life by a selection of strong actors. A critically-acclaimed library of positively challenging projects, with the icing on the...

Still accepting feature and short film submissions until tomorrow for its 3rd annual film festival is Brooklyn's premier Black film festival and showcase New Voices in Black Cinema. Details after the jump. Programmed by ActNow Foundation, it all takes place February 15th-18th 2013 at BAMcinématek (the movie wing of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the nations oldest ongoing performance center); the festival which in the past has played independent films like Tanya Hamiton's Night Catches Us (starring Kerry Washington & Anthony Mackie) , Ava DuVernay's I Will Follow, the Aunjanue Ellis starring The Tested, as well as compelling documentaries such as Infiltrating...

Email I received says deadline is this Friday, November 16, so you don't have much time! One past participant whose name you'd recognize is Nekisa Cooper (Pariah); also Jason Orans for Tanya Hamilton's Night Catches Us. Through its long-standing partnership with CineMart, Ifp annually selects two producers to participate in the Rotterdam Lab, which runs concurrently with the CineMart co-production market, January 27-30, 2013. The Fellowship is open to producers with at least one narrative feature producing credit who are current Ifp Members at any level. The Rotterdam Lab, a four-day training workshop for producers, is designed to build up their international...

Still accepting submissions for its 3rd annual film festival is Brooklyn's premier Black film showcase, ActNow Foundation's New Voices in Black Cinema. The extra-affordable earlybird deadline is in 20 days -  Wednesday, October 31st (a date that's difficult to forget since it is Halloween). Programmed and produced by ActNow Foundation and hosted by BAMcinématek (the movie wing of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the nations oldest ongoing performance center), it all takes place February 15-18, 2013.  The festival, which in the past has showcased independent films like Tanya Hamiton's Night Catches Us (starring Kerry Washington & Anthony Mackie) , Ava...

Just released is the line-up for this year’s Independent Film Week, which will take place next month in New York, from September 16 to 20 at Lincoln Center. Announced today for Ifp’s centerpiece event of the year are both the industry events and the 165 projects which have been invited to participate in 2012′s Project Forum. A complete list of the projects can be found here, while on the industry side there are such new initiatives as the Ifp Producer of Marketing & Distribution Labs and a joint event of Ifp and Filmmaker magazine, “Reinvent: Media Arts for the 21st Century.”

Ifp’s Executive Director Joana Vicente said, “Ifp is proud to present this year’s Independent Film Week, which includes a truly original, exciting, and diverse slate of U.S. and international projects that are sure to pique the interest of our attending industry friends. Not only does Film Week remain...

Now accepting submissions for its 3rd annual film festival is Brooklyn's premier Black film showcase the ActNow: New Voices in Black Cinema Festival. Programmed by ActNow Foundation, it all takes place February 15th-18th 2013 at BAMcinématek (the movie wing of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the nations oldest ongoing performance center); the festival which in the past has played independent films like Tanya Hamiton's Night Catches Us (starring Kerry Washington & Anthony Mackie) , Ava DuVernay's I Will Follow, the Aunjanue Ellis starring The Tested, as well as compelling documentaries such as Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise & Fall of the Spook Who Sat By The Door,...

Anthony Mackie recently told HitFix that given the chance, he would take a swipe at playing T’Challa in Black Panther, Marvel’s upcoming superhero film that is set for release in 2014.

In a joint interview with Benjamin Walker to promote Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Mackie was asked if he has been contacted by Marvel about the comic book adaptation. Although he admits that he hasn’t, he states that it is one of his dreams to play an action hero and expresses interest in the role. Co-star Benjamin Walker voices support, and says he “would watch the hell out of that.”

My sentiments exactly, Mr. Walker. With the explosion of iconic Marvel characters on the big screen, a film depicting the first black superhero is well deserved. So far, the Black Panther has been seen in numerous animated shows, including the currently running series The Avengers: Earth’s Mightest Heroes.

Chicago – Shonda Rhimes has made waves on network TV with her unique, stylized approach to characters on hit shows “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice.” She occassionally has a gift for pulpy TV and her latest, “Scandal” sometimes hits that nerve that wants an escapist soap opera after a long day at work. More often, it feels over-done, like someone trying to stir controversy with outlandish, unbelievable behavior. It’s a tough show to review. If you approach it with even an ounce of sincerity, you’ll likely laugh it off. But if you approach it knowing that this is a daytime soap opera that just happens to be in primetime and can appreciate the fearless ludicrousness of it all, it just might be your favorite way to turn off your mind.

TV Rating: 2.5/5.0

Kerry Washington plays Olivia Pope (which wins the award for best TV name of the year…...

Following on from the Top 10 Screenwriting Tips from Script to Screen post, I thought I’d write a companion piece on pitching, as Saturday’s Script to Screen conference also featured “Pitch Intermission” sessions in which a panel of experts fielded pitches and then offered advice on how the screenwriters could hone their spiel. The industry figures giving their insider expertise were: Ron Simons, the producer of Gun Hill Road and Night Catches Us; Dana O’Keefe, a sales agent at Cinetic; Dia Sokol, a producer of both MTV reality shows and Mumblecore movies; and David Young, head writer at CollegeHumor.com. Below are the best 10 bits of advice that were handed out.

1. Wear your heart on your sleeve. “Put across why you’re passionate about in your project,” said Ron Simons, “because that will help us be passionate about it too.”

2. Keep it loose. “Try and be personal and conversational,...

The Independent Feature Project is now accepting applications for two of its international programs.

The Cannes Producer’s Network, a week-long immersion program, runs concurrently with the Cannes International Film Festival in May. The program is specifically designed for experienced producers looking to build their international networks and share expertise on the international production, financing, and packaging marketplace. Recent participants have included Howard Gertler (Shortbus), Anita Onadine & Lance Weiler (Head Trauma, Pandemic), Mike Ryan (Choke), Susan Stover (Laurel Canyon), and Ron Simons (Gun Hill Road, Night Catches Us).

To apply, please send a resume and one-page letter of interest to John Sylva ([email protected]), by Tuesday, March 6th. Five producers

will be selected to attend the Producers Network and two emerging producers will attend the Producer’s Lab. All applicants must be

Ifp members at any level to be considered for the program.

Applications are also open for the 2012 Trans Atlantic Partners Fellowship,...

The Golden Globes feted a sanitised story about black domestic workers but ignored an authentic coming-of-age tale of a young black lesbian. Let's hope the Academy is not as colour blind

Octavia Spencer won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her role in the hit film The Help, and I couldn't be more conflicted. Spencer is a talented veteran actress deserving of many accolades – but how I wish it were for another film. The Golden Globes are a strong predictor for the Oscars, and The Help will surely mirror its Globes success there, likely garnering nominations for best picture, best supporting actress for Spencer, and best actress for Viola Davis. It will further validate, for some, the portrayal of black life seen in this movie.

Meanwhile, the Oscar buzz for Pariah, the magnificent coming-of-age story about a young black lesbian in Brooklyn, fails to rise about a muzzled hum.

I recently attended a QandA session with Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, The Adjustment Bureau) as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. The actor, who was receiving an honor for his artistic achievements, mentioned how he felt Hollywood was lacking a leading man of color under the age of 40 and that he was hoping to fill that void. I've recognized this void for some time, but it means much more when supported by a statement from someone like Mackie. But why has Hollywood failed so miserably to groom new stars to replace aging headliners like Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Samuel L. Jackson? It's clear to me the void doesn't exist for lack of talented contenders. But is Mackie our best bet to fill that void? He certainly has been on fire lately, landing roles in Real Steel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Gangster Squad, just to name a few.

By Sean O’Connell

hollywoodnews.com: Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale will announce the nominees for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 8 a.m. at The London West Hollywood Hotel, it was revealed today by Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

As previously announced, the 27th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held at the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The premiere broadcast of the ceremony will air later that evening at 10 p.m. Et/Pt on IFC.

Bios on each actor, from a release:

Anthony Mackie was classically trained at the Julliard School of Drama and was discovered playing Tupac Shakur in the off-Broadway play “Up Against the Wind.” He made his film debut in Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile and proceeded to garner roles in Spike Lee’s Sucker Free City and She Hate Me,...

#43. The Normals - Kevin Patrick Connors I've lost count of how many items Jess Weixler is attached to in my predictions list - but here is another indie comedy with actor Bryan Greenberg in the lead, a supporting perf from indie stalwart John Sayles and with a newbie filmmaker in the driver's seat. Kevin Patrick Connors' has been to Park City before as an Executive Producer on Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, and The Normals will be his big coming out party. If accepted, this book adaptation will be part of the Premieres line-up. Gist: Based on the novel by David Gilbert, written by Chris Ciancimino, with a debt collector hot on his trail, Harvard graduate Billy Schine (Greenberg) enrolls in a clinical drug trial to make a quick buck. Carted out of New York City in a shuttle full of oddball characters, Billy and the rest of the guinea pigs,...

#26. The Great Invisible - Margaret Brown For the record I'm horrible at predicting what docs show up Sundance, but we're hopeful that after showing The Order of Myths in 2008 that Margaret Brown will be back spilling her third doc into the U.S Docu Comp. section. The Great Invisible received a production grant through the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program and recently received some love from the Cinereach folks. Gist: The Great Invisible looks at the global oil economy through the lens of characters that work in the oil and fishing industries on the Gulf Coast. This look into the personal stories behind the tragic 2010 Bp Oil Spill and uncovers how government and corporate interests respond in the wake of an environmental crisis, and the way this affects a region and culture so rooted in nature. Producer: Jason Orans (Goodbye Solo, Dare, Night Catches Us)(Ioncinema.com Preview Page // IMDb...

Independent Film Week, the first day.

Clearly I should have gotten more sleep last night. But to be honest, the insomnia wasn’t my fault. I was indeed in bed by 10pm but the Sandman refused to pay a visit so after a few hours of work, you can’t blame me for joining my fellow Transatlantic Partners for a nightcap in the hospitality suite. The morning came quickly as my flight from Halifax to Newark was at 8am. Unfortunately the flight was delayed two hours and I had to go directly to Manhattan for Ifp industry meetings upon arrival.

I’d arranged to meet with my writer/director of Salvage, Ari Issler, to exchange business cards and one pagers for our project for use in industry meetings within Ifp’s Emerging Narrative program. I also met with Lanre Olabisi and Nick Huston, the writer/director and fellow producer of...

I am Ron Simons, an independent film producer based in NYC.

I haven’t been a producer very long, having come into the role not quite by accident but certainly not as a childhood dream either. In fact, if you’d asked me five years to define the role of a film producer I would have been hard pressed to come up with a response that included half of what I presently do.

By way of background, I’m an actor by training having spent a few years at University of Washington earning an Mfa in acting from the Professional Actor Training Program. Before that I was a marketing executive at Microsoft marketing electronic mail (before the days of ubiquitous systems such as AOL). And before that I was a Knowledge Engineer developing Artificial Intelligence systems for F500 companies. That, in turn, was proceeded by my working for the software...

Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to the worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we focus on Contagion, Warrior and Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975.

This Friday in theaters is all about fighting. Whether it be fighting a world-rattling outbreak, fighting in the ring, or fighting the powers that be, movie protagonists will be engaging in the battles of their life for your viewing pleasure. And if you want to take the fight home, we’ve got a list of movies now available online full of stars, struggle and striking revelations.

Steven Soderbergh directs this star-studded and shocking disaster-thriller about a deadly outbreak. Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard and John Hawkes co-star.

For more disaster flicks full of stars and scares, check out this trio:

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979) This sequel is as star-studded as its source,...

Amid the flurry of stories confirming yesterday that Jamie Foxx is probably the star of Quentin Tarantino's next film Django Unchained, it was easy to miss one intriguing detail in Variety. They report that Kerry Washington has met with Tarantino, and is one of the top contenders to play Broomhilda, the wife of the titular character Django who's been kidnapped by her owner, to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio. There aren't a ton of African American actresses as famous as Foxx, DiCaprio or co-star Christoph Waltz , or in the right age range to play Foxx's wife, so it makes sense that Washington would pop up on the list. And yet, it's also really exciting to see her in contention. Washington is one of those actresses who's ridiculously talented but who flies so often under the radar, thanks to strong performances in underseen movies like Mother and Child, Night Catches Us...

The simple fact is that I hold African-American films to a different standard. It might not be fair, but I want and expect more from them. We kick out so many awful, insulting movies every year that there really isn't any other way for me to look at them. There's a desire to find the hidden gem, the Night Catches Us amongst a sea of Next Day Airs. Even Tyler Perry movies are met with a critical...