Notícias

Exclusive: Cora Olson and Michael Diamond, a pair of well-respected industry vets, have joined management and production company Range as Partners, we can reveal.

The pair join from Mgmt Entertainment, where they co-ran the lit division, representing writers, creators, filmmakers and producers.

Olson also has a robust talent business and works with numerous multi-hyphenates, both behind and in front of the camera, and between them, the duo will continue to represent a top-flight list of clients. The list includes Dan Levy, co-creator and star of the record-breaking, Emmy-winning comedy Schitt’s Creek; Michael Sarnoski, writer-director of Neon’s critically acclaimed Pig and Paramount’s hit horror prequel A Quiet Place: Day One; Emmy-winning actress, director and producer Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer); French writer-director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre (The Mustang); writer Chris Kekaniokalani Bright (Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake); Golden Globe-nominated actor and filmmaker Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins); writers Jeff Kaplan...

Exclusive: Professional basketball player and producer Jarnell Stokes has signed with Babette Perry at Innovative Artists, who will rep him for both on-camera and production deals.

Stokes is currently developing two drama series examining the ruthless intersection of sports, music and street culture in his hometown of Memphis.

The first, Break the Cycle, follows the struggles of twin 16-year-old orphan brothers as they each seek a piece of the American dream. Stokes is co-creating the series with writer-producer Taylor Materne (Hustle), with Chris Pavoni (Supergirl) on board to produce alongside Walk Like A Duck Entertainment. The second series, collegiate sports drama Rocky Top College, centers on an institution of the same name that harbors a dark secret. When the school’s newest recruit joins the team, full of promise and hope for a better life, they set him up on a regimen to dominate on the court. But as waves of anxiety and hallucinations surface,...

"We're good at what we do... because we use alternative methods of recovery." Vertical Ent has released an official trailer for an indie crime thriller titled Collection, the latest feature made by indie writer / director Marianna Palka. Recently known for her role on the Emmy winning & SAG nominated Netflix series Glow, she previously directed Egg (2018), starring Christina Hendricks and Anna Camp, which first premiered at Tribeca to rave reviews. This is her seventh film since her premiere film, Good Dick. Collection tells of a grieving father who grapples with the seedy, manipulative world of high stakes debt collection while also struggling to shed the tragedies of his past. He'll find himself pitted against his best friend, his prodigy and his love. Collection stars Alex Pettyfer, Mike Vogel, Breeda Wool, Willam Belli, Shakira Barrera, Joseph Julian Soria, and Paige Howard. This looks as dull and forgettable as the title, not much to see.

Exclusive: Marianna Palka, the Glow actress and filmmaker behind 2018 Tribeca title Egg and Sundance pics Bitch and Good Dick, has set cast on her next feature Collection.

Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four), Mike Vogel (The Help), Jacques Colimon (The Society) and Shakira Barrera (Glow) are onboard for the drama, which is set in the seedy world of high-stakes debt collecting and follows a grieving father who struggles to shed the tragedies of his past. Todd Friedman wrote the screenplay.

Producers on the project are the Warner Davis Company with Pettyfer’s Dark Dreams Entertainment.

Alongside her work as an actress in the likes of Netflix series Glow with Alison Brie, Marianna Palka has steadily established herself in the indie filmmaking space since her 2008 debut Good Dick, starring Palka with Jason Ritter that premiered at Sundance.

Her credits behind the camera also include the 2017 comedy-drama Bitch, which again featured Ritter...

Exclusive: Rising actresses Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool) and Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse) are attached to star in female buddy comedy Girls Night, written by Cristina Kinon (Bravo’s Adulting) and to be directed by multi-hyphenate Marianna Palka (G.L.O.W).

Pic follows unlikely best friends, college seniors, Alex (Condor) and Tina (Hildebrand), and their adventures over the course of Halloween Night in New York City as they try and track down a lost one-night stand – and figure out what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives.

Producing are Shaun Redick (BlacKkKlansman) and Yvette Yates (Malicious) of Impossible Dream Entertainment. Executive producers are Mickey Gooch of Delray Village Ent, Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green of Bankside Films and Priya Amritraj, and Addison Mehr. Ashok Amritraj will also produce. Bankside handles international sales and will co-rep U.S. with Impossible Dream.

Production is slated for late summer in...

When the Sundance Film Festival kicks off next week, the annual event will flood Park City, Utah with plenty of high-powered talent, and it seems that this year’s jury members might offer up as much notoriety and star power as the people on the big screen. The Sundance Institute has announced the “20 celebrated and revered expert voices across film, art, culture, and science” who will make up this year’s juries, designed to award feature-length and short films shown at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival with 12 prizes. Those names include filmmakers Jane Campion, Damien Chazelle, Yance Ford, Rachel Grady, Ciro Guerra; screenwriters Phyllis Nagy and Sev Ohanian; actors Tessa Thompson, Sheila Vand, and Corey Stoll; and many more.

All this year’s winners, save for the short film awardees (which are announced at a separate ceremony on January 29), will be announced at a ceremony on February 2 that will be lives​treamed at ​sundance.

It’s a fascinating thing to watch a director’s work evolve over a 10-year period, particularly if the director is a woman moving from her 20s to her 30s, the pressing concerns changing with every year. Marianna Palka debuted in 2008 with her film “Good Dick,” exploring the relationship between a dysfunctional young video-store clerk and a man who rents his porn from her. It’s a darkly comic film obsessed with the desperation of youth and the desire for connection, themes that found its way into her next two films, “I’m the Same” and “Always Worthy.”

But something has shifted in Palka’s work in the past few years, a change marked with 2017’s “Bitch,” about a stay-at-home mom who snaps and begins acting like a rabid dog. This is a film searching to examine the deficiencies of traditional gender dynamics in marriage and family, poking holes in...

Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to Egg, the satire on motherhood helmed by Marianna Palka the premiered this year at the Tribeca Film Festival. Christina Hendricks, Alysia Reiner and Anna Camp star in the comedy, which will now hit theaters January 18 day-and-date with a digital release.

Penned by Risa Mickenberg, the plot centers on fearless conceptual artist Tina (Reiner) and her passive-aggressive feminist husband (Gbenga Akinnagbe), who invite her 8-months-pregnant art school rival (Hendricks) and her power hungry, new money husband (David Alan Basche) to their Bushwick loft. They surprise them with Tina’s new work-in-progress: a radical alternative to motherhood. But when their sensuous, non-traditional surrogate (Camp) arrives, the truth outs, and they all must face their own ridiculous and sometimes heartbreaking shortcomings.

Former Comedy Central president Michele Ganeless, Reiner and Basche are producers.

“We are excited to continue our relationship with director Marianna Palka in...

With this sharp satire, director Marianna Palka continues poking and prodding at the various phases of women’s lives. In her 2008 directorial debut “Good Dick,” she took aim at dating with its anti-romantic comedy approach. Her 2017 pitch-black offering “Bitch” explored the life of a stay-at-home mother and wife who is so fed up with her treatment by her cheating husband and misbehaving kids that she begins acting like a vicious dog.

Setting up a cultural clash between two 40-something college pals, their partners, and a surrogate, Marianna Palka’s black comedy Egg, like her previous horror/comedy Bitch, sets its aim squarely on the patriarchy and the norms of motherhood. Written by Risa Mickenberg and mostly set entirely within the walls of a Brooklyn loft, Egg uses the traditional form of the sitcom to explore the life choices of free spirit artist Tina (Alysia Reiner) and Karen (Christina Hendricks), the wife of a business woman who isn’t as prepared to engage with “motherhood” as a political statement as her friend. Karen’s partner is a sports-obsessed alpha male, Don (David Alan Basche), a real estate developer who’s uncomfortable in this un-gentrified corner of Brooklyn. Tina’s husband Wayne (Gbenga Akinnagbe) is a freelancer comfortable rocking a “patriarchy is a bitch” t-shirt while biking around with Tina.

Starting as fodder...

Filmmaker Marianna Palka has spent the past decade of her career dipping into various genres and finding the space to tell intimate stories in each, from her debut dramatic romance “Good Dick” to last year’s biting midnight offering “Bitch,” and her latest film only continues that trend. “Egg” shows the Scottish actor-director’s continuing ability to ground her films with strong character work and a buoyant sense of humor.

Written by first-time screenwriter Risa Mickenberg, the movie follows a pair of mismatched pals whose conflicting ideas about motherhood screw up an ordinary dinner party in unexpected ways. Starring Christina Hendricks and Alysia Reiner (who also produced the film) as old friends from art school whose paths diverged, the actresses maintain the uneasy chemistry of two people who used to know each other very well, and aren’t quite sure how to rekindle their bond. Tina (Reiner) has stayed in the art world,...

Marianna Palka has endured a bumpy decade: The filmmaker and actress was a Sundance breakout whose career was nearly derailed by the prospects of a life-threatening disease. She makes challenging movies that don’t face easy commercial prospects. And yet, over the past year, she has entered a whole new chapter of her career — premiering her daring new movie “Bitch” in Sundance’s Midnight section, acting on a popular new Netflix series, and heading straight into the biggest production of her directing life.

The actor-director is getting used to a busier routine. In the last half of 2016, she not only completed her fourth feature; she also found the time to appear in several episodes the Netflix hit “Glow,” as female wrestler Reggie Walsh. She called it “the best year, yeah, of my entire work life, it’s like the best year ever, it’s just beautiful.” That sentiment is especially...

Marianna Palka is the sort of indie auteur whose confrontational nature has long prevented her from breaking into the mainstream. She came out the gate in 2008 with the abrasive “Good Dick,” starring herself and Jason Ritter, a film whose title and subject matter likely stunted any potential for mainstream indie popularity (I should note that it’s an excellent film). Since then, her directorial output has been slightly less in-your-face, with titles like “Always Worthy” (lesser Palka) and “I’m the Same” (I must confess to never having seen this one).

Continue reading Wildly Original ‘Bitch’ Will Hopefully Put Marianna Palka On The Map [Review] at The Playlist.

Domestication: It’s not for everyone. In Marianna Palka’s latest film, “Bitch,” the concept of the domestic drama is gleefully upended, thanks to a natty twist on what it means to be expected to act a certain way. The filmmaker and actress stars in the film as beleaguered housewife Jill Hart, who snaps after her suburban existence is ruined by revelations that her dum-dum husband (Jason Ritter, playing hilariously against type) is cheating on her, all while their kids run roughshod over her.

Jill takes this domestication thing to crazy ends, literally assuming the psyche of a vicious dog, one who doesn’t care — and doesn’t have to — about the demands of her thankless life. While Bill and the kids attempt to manage this entirely unforeseen situation, Jill basically runs wild in the basement, finally free to give into her own worst impulses and be the bitch she’s always wanted to be.

When Greta Gerwig’s already-lauded “Lady Bird” hits limited release later this week, the actress-writer-director will join a long line of other female filmmakers who used their directorial debut (this one is Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, just for clarity’s sake) to not only launch their careers, but make a huge mark while doing it. Gerwig’s Saoirse Ronan-starring coming-of-age tale is an instant classic, and one that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has enjoyed Gerwig’s charming work as a screenwriter in recent years, bolstered by her ear for dialogue and her love of complicated and complex leading ladies.

While Hollywood still lags when it comes to offering up opportunities to its most talented female filmmakers, many of them have overcome the dismal stats to deliver compelling, interesting, and unique first features. In short, they’re good filmmakers who made good movies,...

"Maybe Jill is doing you a favor? Maybe it's the life you're supposed to be living..." The official trailer has debuted for a bizarre dark comedy film titled Bitch, from indie writer/director Marianna Palka (Always Worthy, Good Dick), who also co-stars in the film. The film is about a woman who assumes the psyche of a vicious dog as her checked-out, philandering husband attempts to keep the family together. Palka stars as Jill, and Jason Ritter stars as her husband (the same duo who co-starred in Palka's Good Dick in 2008, though I don't think these are shared universes). The cast includes Jaime King and Brighton Sharbino, with appearances by Sol Rodriguez, Roger Guenveur Smith, Eric Edelstein, and Martin Starr. This looks totally wacky and biting (no pun intended) and comedic in the weirdest of ways. Worth a quick look. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Marianna Palka's Bitch,...

All this week, IndieWire will be rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including the very best indie cinema has to offer, all the awards contenders you need to know about, and even blockbuster fare that seems poised to please the most discerning tastes, all with an eye towards introducing you to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up.

Finally: 10 new features from female filmmakers. From first-time directors to bonafide superstars, personal stories to historical epics, this season has something for everyone, and all from women.

“Viceroy’s House” (September 1)

After investigating her own heritage during the filming of an episode of BBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?,” “Bend It Like Beckham” filmmaker...

Dark comedy set to shoot in New York later this summer.

Production company Over Easy has castChristina Hendricks, Alysia Reiner, and Anna Camp as the leads in Egg.

The story centres on a conceptual artist and her passive-aggressive husband who invite a pregnant art school rival and her power-hungry husband to their loft in the Bronx for dinner, and surprise their guests with the artist’s work-in-progress – a radical alternative to motherhood. David Alan Basche and Gbenga Akinnagbe will also star.

Marianna Palka will direct the comedy from a script written by Risa Mickenberg, author of Taxi Driver Wisdom. Palka is a four time Sundance Film Festival alumnus whose directorial debut Good Dick premiered in 2008.

Hendricks is best known for Mad Men and recently starred in The Neon Demon. She was just announced as a lead in the upcoming NBC series Good Girls. Upcoming films include Candy Jar, for Netflix, with [link=nm...

Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Bitch has been acquired by Mpi Media Group and Dark Sky Films, with a Us release planned for later this year.

Press Release: New York (May 9, 2017) - Mpi Media Group announced today that it has acquired multi-territory rights to Bitch, a dark and unsettling dramedy from writer-director Marianna Palka, who also stars alongside Jason Ritter. The film, which premiered to critical raves at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, is one of the boldest in the growing body of work by new female directors. Mpi Media Group will be handling international territory sales of the film in Cannes and will release Bitch domestically under the company's Dark Sky Films banner later this year.

The distribution agreement was negotiated by Nicola Goelzhaeuser, VP of Digital and International Sales at Mpi along with Giles Edwards, Mpi's Head of Acquisitions and Development, Mpi Europe and

Peter Van Steemburg...

Elijah reconnects with his dreams, Hannah reconnects with her baby's father, and Marnie reconnects with an inkling of self-awareness on Girls Season 6 Episode 7.

"The Bounce" was enjoyably Elijah-heavy, fulfilling all of my hopes from past reviews that we'd finally see Hannah's Bff get an actual arc to close out Girls Season 6 before the show's final bow.

The primary story followed Elijah's hilarious journey through auditioning for a role in the new musical "White Men Can't Jump" (based on the 1992 movie).

Of course, there isn't a "White Men Can't Jump" musical in real life (yet, anyway), but the potential for hilarity was spot-on with Andrew Rannells having to dribble-dance with basketballs.

It was easily the zaniest the show's ever been – they typically don't do that sort of borderline-slapstick humor, but it made me laugh out loud every time.

Particularly when he hit the other guy in the face with the basketball...

One of the more emotionally taxing features to earn the classification of “midnight movie” — at least in this year’s Sundance program — fearless writer-director-actress Marianna Palka has crafted an bold, dark domestic comedy with Bitch. Based upon a strange case in her native Scotland, it centers on a woman who channels her spirit animal into a radical transformation.

Palka plays housewife Jill, a suicidal introvert raising four children seemingly alone in a generic suburbia. Her husband Bill (Jason Ritter), an empty suit at an unnamed firm, offers little help, spending time with a sexy co-worker Annabelle (Sol Rodriguez), ignoring his work and family obligations. To add insult to injury the kids seem love their absentee dad while torturing Jill with a daily crisis, from getting dressed to bed wetting accidents.

Haunted by a barking dog reminiscent of Summer of Sam, Jill undergoes a Kafka-esque metamorphosis, hiding in the basement, rolling around in her own feces,...

From writer/director Marianna Palka and producer Elijah Wood’s Spectrevision, Bitch is a film shaking up Sundance’s Midnight audiences like none other. Marking Palka’s return to the festival following 2008’s Good Dick—featuring an earlier collaboration with Jason Ritter—Bitch follows a trapped housewife and mother (Palka)’s descent into insanity. Ignored by her philandering executive husband Bill (Ritter), Palka’s Jill finally breaks down, assuming a vicious canine…...

There are plenty of stories about domestic housewives who grow tired of their oppressive routines, but none quite like Marianna Palka’s vicious feminist satire “Bitch,” in which the writer-director-star plays a woman who takes on the identity of a wild dog. It’s a blunt metaphor, but Palka transforms an absurd premise into a chilling look at the destruction of the nuclear family with a vivid, snarling vision driven by the propulsive energy of its biting critique.

Inspired by a real-life case study documented by psychologist R.D. Lang, “Bitch” follows the plight of afflicted matriarch Jill (Palka) and her clueless husband Bill (Palka regular Jason Ritter). The usually sweet-natured Ritter boldly plays against type, initially coming across as an “American Psycho”-like creep who sleeps with his secretary and buries himself in the office, leaving the care of his three young children to his clearly unstable wife. When she snaps,...

Writer/director/actor Marianna Palka has appeared at Sundance to present a feature (2008’s Good Dick), a documentary short (2014’s The Lion’s Mouth Opens) and to serve as a Sloan Juror. She returns to Park City in 2017 with Bitch, her surreal new film on the crumbling of a nuclear family. Palka hired Dp Armando Salas to shoot the film, which stars Jason Ritter, Jaime King and Palka herself. Ahead of the film’s premiere, Salas spoke with Filmmaker about the film’s seriocomic tone, visual influences and its toughest scene to shoot. The film will screen four times at Sundance this year. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind […]...

Katherine Waterston isn’t a believer in big breaks. The “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” star has been working steadily on stage and screen since the early aughts, but had long ago given up the idea that she was suddenly going to become some big star.

“I basically never believed that I was a commercial actor, Waterston recently told IndieWire. “Just because of the outcome of many auditions over time. No one hired me.”

That’s changed, and with the J.K. Rowling-penned series now set to span a whopping five films (all the better to keep still-rabid “Harry Potter” fans happy), Waterston seems to have the kind of job security that any actor would kill to get.

Read More: ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Review: The ‘Harry Potter’ Prequel Is One of the Best Blockbusters of the Year

In the film, she plays Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein,...

SpectreVision partners actor Elijah Wood, directors Daniel Noah and Josh C. Waller and CEO Lisa Whalen have formed a new production entity, Company X, which will produce a diverse array of projects with no limitations on genre or budget. SpectreVision will remain intact, with Company X to become its parent company.

Read More: SpectreVision and Cinefamily Host SpectreFest 2015

“Expansion has always been our goal, but we waited until we had a slate of projects we couldn’t pass up,” states Whalen. “SpectreVision exists in a very specific and unique area in the indie genre space. We’re often approached with projects that we love, that aren’t right for SpectreVision’s indie, genre space. Now we can engage with those projects, without stretching the SpectreVision brand. Company X is any genre, at any budget, and allows us to connect with wider and more diverse audiences.”

Under this new arrangement, the...

Exclusive: MarVista Entertainment and SpectreVision have set indie genre-blending drama Bitch, starring Hart Of Dixie‘s Jaime King and Jason Ritter (Parenthood), as the first film under their four-picture financing and co-production deal. Written, directed, and co-starring Marianna Palka (Good Dick), Bitch, which recently wrapped production, is a provocative tale of a woman (Palka) who snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. Her…...

Continuing their support for women directors, Horizon Award co-founding producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell Taylor, and Christine Vachon, announced the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. Academy Award nominee Chloë Sevigny will bestow up-and-coming filmmakers Macarena Gaona, Juliette Gosselin, Shanice Malakai Johnson, and Florence Pelletier with the Horizon Award at a reception in Park City, Utah, with creative talent, producers, entertainment executives and media in attendance to celebrate these rising women directors and their achievements in independent filmmaking.

The Horizon Award ceremony and reception will take place on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the WireImage Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift (825 Main Street, Park City), co-hosted by Jeff Vespa.

The Horizon Award is an annual award that seeks to identify and mentor talented, up-and-coming female directors – the primary goal being to support women directors early enough in their development to help them overcome the hurdles in advancing their learning curve and careers.

In addition to the Horizon Award, the four winners will receive grants from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Foundation supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers through a series of grants that reflect Adrienne Shelly’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and her own successful transition from actress to filmmaker.

This year’s winners are:

Horizon Award First Place

Juliette Gosselin (University of Quebec in Montreal) & Florence Pelletier (Concordia University, Montreal)

Co-directors of "Mes Anges à Tête Noire"

Horizon Award Runners-Up

Macarena (Macqui) Gaona (New York University) Director of "Channel 999 and Channel 1000"

Shanice Malakai Johnson (Scottsdale Community College) Director of "End to the Suffering"

On making the announcement, Cassian Elwes said: “I’m so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. This year’s overwhelming number of submissions and caliber of work made it very hard indeed to pick just one winner – the jury identified one grand prize winner, and two runners-up. Additionally, we have added new partners to our already formidable team – proving that not only is the move towards gender equality in the zeitgeist, but that there are very real advocates amongst our peers. After the recent summit for systemic change (hosted by Sundance and Women in Film), I am more convinced than ever that we can make a difference and that history is on our side. I remain steadfastly committed to the idea that, one day soon, women will have exactly the same opportunities as men to direct movies.”

Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List and one of the award’s original advocates added: “We are passionate supporters of this award that recognizes fresh voices and perspectives in storytelling. This effort mirrors our own effort – the Black List's 500 Feminist Films project, created by our Director of Community, Kate Hagen. We look forward to mentoring the winners in the year to come.”

The jury was comprised of 38 influential directors, producers, and executives from the filmmaking community who viewed 483 short film submissions from over 200 colleges and universities world-wide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, India, China, South Africa, Scotland, France, Mexico, Portugal, Columbia, Brazil, Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, and more. This year, submissions increased by over one hundred from last year, with additional countries and universities participating. Submissions were received from Nyu, USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, Penn State, Loyola Marymount, University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, Syracuse, Tcu, Ryerson (Toronto), Oxford, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Delhi, and more.

Now in its second year, the Horizon Award provides an all-expense-paid trip for the winning female college students to the Sundance Film Festival, where they will have the opportunity to present their films to some of the industry’s most influential names. The winners receive mentorship, festival access, and important introductions by Elwes, Howell, and Vachon to agents, producers, executives, festival staff, and other influencers throughout the Sundance Film Festival.

The Horizon Award was founded by producer, Cassian Elwes ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club"), and Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, in response to a Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles study that revealed that only 4.2% of the top 100 films each year from 2002-2013 were directed by women. Elwes partnered with Howell ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes," "The Place Beyond the Pines:), and Vachon ( "Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven"), to create the award as an opportunity for young female directors to have mentorship and networking opportunities in conjunction with Sundance, the home of American Independent film.

You can see links for more info on the study:

Phase I and II

Phase III

Sponsors and Partners for the 2016 Horizon Award are: The Black List, CreativeFuture, The Creative Mind Group, Done To Your Taste Catering, FilmLA, Indiegogo, Mprm Communications, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Sundance Institute, Twitter, Verge, Vimeo, WireImage, Adina Design, and Women in Film. This impressive group has come together to support an award that they hope will continue to identify, nurture, and launch the careers of future female directors for years to come.

Full List of Jurors:

Stephanie Allain Producer ("Dear White People," "Hustle & Flow")

Dori Begley Magnolia Pictures (Svp, Acquisitions)

Amy Berg Director ("Janis: Little Girl Blue," "Deliver Us From Evil," "Prophet’s Prey")

Arianna Bocco IFC Films (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)

Robbie Brenner The Firm (Partner, President of Film)

Susan Carter Hall Painter

Amal ElWardi Zeal Media Company (Producer)

Cassian Elwes Producer ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club")

Janet Grillo Director ("Jack of the Red Hearts," "Fly Away")

Poppy Hanks Macro Venture (Svp, Development & Production)

Catherine Hardwicke Director ("Miss You Already," "Red Riding Hood," "Twilight")

Lynette Howell Taylor Producer ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes")

Liza Johnson Director ("Elvis & Nixon," "Return," "Hateship Loveship," "In the Air")

Eda Kowan Lionsgate (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)

Gina Kwon Amazon Studios (Executive, Comedy)

Helen Lee-Kim Good Universe (Partner, Head of International)

Laura Lewis CAA (Agent, Film Finance)

Alix Madigan Broad Green Pictures (Head, Creative)

Marianna Palka Actress/Director ("I’m the Same,""Always Worthy," "Good Dick")

Bruna Papandrea Pacific Standard (Producer/Partner)

Keri Putnam Sundance Institute (Executive Director)

Dee Rees Director ("Bessie," “Empire”)

Laura Rister Untitled Entertainment (Head of Production)

Rena Ronson UTA (Partner)

Michelle Satter Sundance Institute (Director, Feature Film Program)

Cathy Schulman Stx Entertainment (President & Chief Content Officer)

Lauren Selig Shake and Bake Productions (Executive Producer)

Mary Jane Skalski Producer ("The Visitor," "Mysterious Skin," "The Station Agent")

Lara Thompson E1 Entertainment (Svp, Worldwide Acquisitions)

Christine Vachon Producer ("Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry")

Ruth Vitale CreativeFuture (CEO)

Angie Wang Director ("Cardinal X")

Hanna Weg Producer ("Septembers of Shiraz")

Tanya Wexler Director ("Hysteria," "Finding North," "Ball in the House")

Joanne Wiles ICM (Partner/Agent, Motion Picture Talent)

Pam Williams Pam Williams Productions ("Lee Daniels’ The Butler," "Fail Safe")

Lisa Wilson The Solution Entertainment (Co-Founder/Partner)

So Yong Kim Director ("Love Song," "For Ellen," "In Between Days")...

A flesh-eating virus tightens its grip on a man desperate for answers and low on time in Contracted: Phase 2. With the sequel hitting home media next Tuesday from Scream Factory, we've been provided with three Blu-ray / DVD combo packs to give away.

------------

Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray / DVD combo pack copy of Contracted: Phase 2.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email [email protected] with the subject "Contracted: Phase 2 Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on January 14th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

------------

Contracted: Phase II Blu-ray: "Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, this riveting sequel follows Riley (Matt Mercer,...

Every second is precious for Riley, a man infected with a flesh-eating virus in Contracted: Phase 2. With the horror sequel hitting home media next Tuesday, we have Blu-ray clips and a trailer from the upcoming release.

Contracted: Phase II Blu-ray: "Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, this riveting sequel follows Riley (Matt Mercer, Contracted), now infected and running out of time, as he attempts to find out more about the virus and its mysterious host. As he digs deeper into its origins, Riley attracts the attention of a detective (Marianna Palka, Good Dick) who doubts his innocence, and Bj (Morgan Peter Brown, Absentia), who holds the key to the virus – and perhaps the destruction of mankind as we know it – leading to a blood-soaked finale you have to see to believe. Hang on to your barf bags, buckle up, and get ready for the genre ride of the year!

Always remember that the truth is out there and you should trust no one. The two-night season premiere of The X-Files event series begins on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 on Fox. Also in this round-up: details on Contracted: Phase II on Blu-ray / DVD and a special DVD contest for The Vatican Tapes and Z For Zachariah.

The X-Files Event: "David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their iconic roles as Agent Fox Mulder and Agent Dana Scully in the upcoming event series which will encompass a mixture of stand-alone investigative episodes and those that further the original show’s seminal mythology. In the opening episode, Mulder and Scully take on a case of a possible alien abductee. The all-new episodes will feature appearances by guest stars, including Joel McHale (“Community”), Robbie Amell (“The Flash”), Lauren Ambrose (“Dig,” “Six Feet Under”), Annabeth Gish (“The Bridge”), Annet Mahendru (“The Americans”), Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Conchords...

You can tell we’re getting close to Halloween as the month of September has a myriad of great films arriving on VOD platforms that should help get everyone in the ‘spirit’ for every horror fan’s favorite upcoming holiday. The highly anticipated horror comedy Cooties starring Rainn Wilson, Elijah Wood, Leigh Whannell and Alison Pill is finally getting released on September 18th and Scream Factory is kicking off the month with a horror comedy too, the hilarious Bloodsucking Bastards, which arrives on VOD on September 4th.

On September 1st, The Curse of Downers Grove is coming to VOD courtesy of Anchor Bay and on the very same day, Dark Sky Films is releasing the psychological thriller Para Elisa as well. Other notable films hitting VOD in September include Hellions, Contracted Phase II, Some Kind of Hate and Run, Hide, Die.

Blood Moon (Uncork’d Entertainment/Jinga Films)- September...

“Big Bang Theory” star Simon Helberg and his wife Jocelyn Towne have closed an exclusive pod deal with Warner Bros. Television, the studio announced Thursday. Under the terms of the two-year deal, Helberg and Towne will develop series for the studio via their new production banner, Wildline Entertainment. The duo has brought in former movie producer Cora Olson to head development and supervise projects for the studio. Hailing from the independent film world, Olson has produced six features including the Sundance hit “Good Dick.” Olson, Towne and Helberg previously worked together when they made Towne’s debut feature “I Am I.

Whether you are a filmmaker, or one of the Sundance programmers whose task it is to identify the films that make up a line-up, it is indeed the most wonderful, panic-filled and nerve racking time of the year. The 31st edition of the Sundance Film Festival kicks off on January 22nd with Park City and Salt Lake City playing host to some of the more innovative, thought-provoking narrative and non-fiction films of 2015. Last year, a Jenga tall order of 4,057 features and 8,161 shorts were submitted. Now let’s think about those numbers for a second.

Twenty years ago, Terry Zwigoff’s Crumb claimed the Grand Jury Prize Documentary award, Living in Oblivion‘s Tom Dicillo was honored with the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, and Edward Burns’ micro-budgeted The Brothers McMullen (there is a read-worthy, lively, eleventh hour account on how it was submitted to the fest in Ted Hope’s “Hope...

Best Documentary Short Films Oscar 2015: Illness and death are top subjects (photo: 'White Earth' by J. Christian Jensen) Eight films — most of them featuring illness and/or death as their focus — remain in the running for the 2015 Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced. Of those eight semi-finalists, three to five titles will be shortlisted for the 87th Academy Awards. (Scroll down to vote in our Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar 2015 poll.) The remaining eight Oscar 2015 contenders are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their directors and, in parentheses, their production companies: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent (Perry Films) Joanna, directed by Aneta Kopacz (Wajda Studio). Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace, directed by Jeff Dupre (Show of Force) The Lion's Mouth Opens, directed by Lucy Walker (Tree Tree Tree) One Child,...

Ifp announced its 2014 slate of 133 new films in development and works in progress selected for its esteemed Project Forum at Independent Film Week. This one-of-a-kind event brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new projects by nurturing the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers. Through the Project Forum, creatives connect with financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. Under the curatorial leadership of Deputy Director/Head of Programming Amy Dotson & Senior Director of Programming Milton Tabbot, this one-of-a-kind event takes place September 14-18, 2014 at Lincoln Center supporting bold new content from a wide variety of domestic and international artists.

“As we set to embark on our 36th Independent Film Week, we are impressed by the outstanding slate of both U.S. and international projects selected for this year’s Project Forum,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of Ifp. “We know that the industry will be as excited as we are with the accomplished storytellers and their diverse and boundary pushing films.”

Featured works at the 2014 Independent Film Week include filmmakers and content creators from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. From documentarians Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How To Nail A Dictator"), and Penny Lane ("Our Nixon") to Michelangelo Frammartino ("Quattro Volte") and Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), as well as new work from critically acclaimed artists and directors Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"), Travis Matthews ("Interior. Leather. Bar") and Yen Tan ("Pit Stop").

Independent Film Week brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new documentary and narrative works-in-progress and support the future of storytelling. The program nurtures the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers through the facilitation of over 3,500+ custom, one-to-one meetings with the financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. In recent years, it has also played a vital role in launching the first films of many of today’s rising stars on the independent scene including Rama Burshtein ("Fill The Void"), Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine"), Marshall Curry ("If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth LIberation Front"), Laura Poitras ("The Oath"), Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") and Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild").

For the full 2014 Project Forum slate visit Here

New For 2014

Evenly split between documentary and narrative features, selected projects hail from throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada, as well Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. New this year, Ifp will be including web series in it programming, as well as spotlighting Latin & Central American artists and content with 15 projects featured across all programs in the Forum.

In a joint effort to recognize the importance of career and creative sustainability, Ifp and Durga Entertainment have partnered on a new $20,000 filmmaker grant for an alumnus of Ifp. The grant is intended for active, working filmmakers who are also balancing a filmmaking career with parenting. The grant provides a $20,000 unrestricted prize to encourage the recipient to continue on her or his career path of making quality independent films. American directors or screenwriters working in narrative film who have participated in the Ifp Filmmaker Labs or Ifp Independent Film Week's Emerging Storytellers or No-Borders International Co-Production market are encouraged to apply by the deadline of August 8, 2014.

Narrative Feature Highlights

Narrative features and webseries in Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers and No Borders International Co-Production Market sections highlight new work from top emerging and established creative visionaries on the U.S. and international independent scene.

This year’s slate includes new feature scripts featuring directors Dev Benegal ("Road, Movie"), Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin ("Now, Forager"), Michelangelo Frammartino ("Le Quattro Volte"),Terry George ("Hotel Rwanda"), Rashaad Ernesto Green ("Gun Hill Road"), Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita Y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"),Alison Klayman ("Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry"), Travis Mathews ("Interior. Leather Bar"), Stacie Passon ("Concussion"), Yen Tan ("Pit Stop"), as well as up-an-coming actor/directors Karrie Crouse ("Land Ho!") and Peter Vack ("Fort Tilden""I Believe in Unicorns").

Producers and executive producers of note attached to participating projects include Jennifer Dubin and Cora Olson ("Good Dick"), Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams ("Hellion"),Laura Heberton ("Gayby"), Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Kishori Rajan ("Gimme the Loot"), Adele Romanski ("The Myth of the American Sleepover"), Kim Sherman ("A Teacher"), Susan Stover ("High Art"), and Alicia Van Couvering ("Tiny Furniture").

Web Storytellers Highlights

For the first time this year, Ifp presents a dedicated spotlight within the Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers program for creators developing episodic content for digital platforms. The inaugural slate for the Web Storytellers spotlight includes new works from filmmakers Desiree Akhavan ("Appropriate Behavior", HBO’s Girls), Calvin Reeder ("The Rambler"), and Gregory Bayne ("Person of Interest"), as well as producers Elisabeth Holm ("Obvious Child"), Susan Leber ( "Down to the Bone"), and Amanda Warman ("The Outs,"Whatever This Is"). Two of the series participating are currently in post-production, and will be making their online debut in the coming months – Rachel Morgan’s Middle Americans, starring Scott Thompson, Carlen Altman, and Alex Rennie, and Daniel Zimbler and Elisabeth Gray’s Understudies, starring Richard Kind and David Rasche. [p Spotlight On Documentaries Highlights

The documentary selection includes new work from seasoned non-fiction directors such as Emmy winners Robert Bahar andAlmudena Carracedo ("Made in La"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How to Nail a Dictator"),Ramona Diaz ("Imelda," "Don’t Stop Believin’") Gini Reticker ("Pray the Devil Back to Hell") Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"); from producers such as Court 13’s Benh Zeitlin and Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Liran Atzmor ("The Law in These Parts"), Tim Williams ("Once In A Lifetime") and Hilla Medalia ("Web Junkie"), and follow-up second features from recent doc world “breakouts”Steve Hoover ("Blood Brother") Penny Lane ("Our Nixon"), Michael Collins ("Give Up Tomorrow"), and Michael Nichols and Christopher Walker ("Flex is Kings").

Exciting new work from debut documentary directors previously known for fiction films include Alex Sichel ("All over Me") with her personal doc The Movie about Anna, Lisa Cortés (producer, "Precious") with "Mothership: The Untold Story of Women and Hip Hop," and Daniel Patrick Carbone ("Hide Your Smiling Faces") with Phantom Cowboys.

Sponsors

Independent Film Week’s Premier sponsors are Royal Bank of Canada (Rbc) and HBO. Gold sponsors are A&E IndieFilms and SAGIndie. Silver sponsors are Durga Entertainment, Eastman Kodak Company, National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa and Telefilm Canada. Official Independent Film Week Partner is Film Society of Lincoln Center. Independent Film Week is supported, in part, by funds provided by the Ford Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council for the Arts and Time Warner Foundation.

About Ifp

The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by Ifp, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Ifp represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 35-year history, Ifp has supported over 8,000 projects and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, including Debra Granik, Miranda July, Michael Moore, Dee Rees, and Benh Zeitlin. More info at www.ifp.org.

Though HBO’s Lena Dunham-led comedy series Girls won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series for its first season, the show has largely faded in the eyes of critics over time. Though the show’s third season was a marked improvement over its decidedly unfunny second, Girls hasn’t been seen as an awards darling since its premiere. Perhaps that will change next season, when Dunham and company are joined by some extremely talented guest stars. We previously reported that Community alum Gillian Jacobs would appear, and now Parenthood‘s Jason Ritter has booked a guest spot as well.

Details about Ritter’s character are being kept largely under wraps, as was the way with Jacobs’ character, but we do know that his character is named Scott and will appear on the currently unnamed sixth episode of Girls‘ fourth season. Unlike Jacobs’ character, named Mimi-Rose Howard, Ritter...

Sometimes there’s a little bit of legwork involved in being a Jason Ritter fan. With a career that’s toggled between interesting character roles in limited-release movies (2005’s Happy Endings, 2008’s Good Dick) and bigger parts in short-lived TV shows (Joan of Arcadia, The Class, The Event), his always-nuanced performances can often prove hard to catch. That changes today with the Vimeo On Demand release of I Am I, a Kickstarter-funded movie about a woman posing as her recently deceased mother in order to get to know her long-lost father, who is suffering from memory loss. The actor co-stars with Jocelyn Towne, who also wrote and directed the film, and her husband The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg, who has been a friend of Ritter’s since high school. Next week will see the release of The Big Ask, another indie Ritter shot with a cast of TV thespians,...

Something remarkable about Lucy Walker’s short documentary film “The Lion’s Mouth Opens,” which premiered at Sundance, is that in its mere fifteen minute running time a stage is set for a story that will unfold over years -- a lifetime.The title of the film, which evokes the unlocking of a terrifying, unknowable abyss, is appropriate. The main subject is 32-year-old Marianna Palka, a Scottish actress and indie filmmaker, who herself took a feature film to Sundance in 2008, “Good Dick.” We learn that Palka’s father suffers from Huntington’s Disease, the neurodegenerative disorder that effects both the mind and body (at a certain point in the film it’s ominously described as a cross between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s). When the film cuts in, we find Palka on the eve of learning whether or not she too has inherited the gene mutation.“The Lion’s Mouth...

The Spaa Fringe, a two day film, television and new media conference held by the Screen Producers Association of Australia will this year run during the inaugural Cockatoo Island Film Festival. The festival runs from 26 and 27 October.

The announcement:

Screen Producers Association of Australia (Spaa) has announced the return of the original format Spaa Fringe, an inspirational two-day film television and new media conference from 26th to 27th October 2012 hosted during the inaugural Cockatoo Island Film Festival on Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour.

The inaugural Cockatoo Island Film Festival, 24th to 28th October, will feature the largest competitive film program in Australia and will showcase films to the Australian and International screen industry professionals and festival-goers.

Now in its 14th year, Spaa Fringe is aimed at those who are serious about building a career in the Australian screen industry, giving attendees the unique opportunity to meet and learn from established screen...

This year's Tribeca Film Festival carries one of its strongest line-ups in years. In addition to films from Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance and Berlin circuit, there's also a wealth of U.S. premieres or lesser-known festival movies in the line-up that look just as promising this time around; after a relatively weak SXSW, it looks like the East Coast is getting some of the good stuff.

Below, you'll find 15 films that seem among the most intriguing Tribeca has to offer this year. Of course, we can't speak for their quality as yet, but they certainly look promising at this point at time. And for the record, we haven't included the high-profile opening and closing films -- "The Five-Year Engagement" and "The Avengers" -- partly because they're getting more than enough attention elsewhere, and partly because we've already seen both (although can't review them just yet -- keep your eyes peeled...

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,...

Drake Doremus‘ Sundance Grand Prize winner Like Crazy will be the opening night film for the 7th annual Film Independent Forum, according to the non-profit.

Taking place Oct. 21-23 at the Director Guild of America in L.A., Like Crazy (which Paramount Vantage opens on Oct. 28) will kick off the the three-day forum for emerging and established independent filmmakers that covers production, distribution, documentary and new media.

Speakers for the 2011 Film Independent Forum include:

Sara Bernstein, HBO Documentary Films

Laura Bickford, producer, Duplicity, Che

Josh Braun, Submarine

Lisa Callif, Donaldson & Callif, Llp

Juan Devis, Kcet Public Media

Arthur Dong, director, Hollywood Chinese

Jennifer Dubin, producer, The Perfect Family, Good Dick

Craig Emanuel, Loeb & Loeb

Christian Gaines, withoutabox.com and imdb.com

Matthew Greenfield, Fox Searchlight

Azazel Jacobs, director, Terri

Patty Jenkins, director, Monster, The Killing

Gina Kwon, producer, The Future

Greg Laemmle, Laemmle Theatres

Lisa Leeman, director, One Lucky Elephant

David Magdael,...

See new movie clips from The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll, starring Kevin Zegers and Jason Ritter. The Scott D. Rosenbaum-directed and written film opens via Entertainment One on August 5th. Also in The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll are Taryn Manning, Lukas Haas, Peter Fonda, Lauren Holly, Kelly Lynch and Aimee Teegarden. According to rock ‘n’ roll lore, age 27 is a fateful milestone. From Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison to Kurt Cobain, all stars we lost at this very age. World famous rock star Spyder (Kevin Zegers – Transamerica, Frozen) has achieved fame and fortune with a smash hit debut album. This blinding success however, is built on the Faustian pact that capitalized on the genius of his long lost childhood best friend and band mate, Eric Genson (Jason Ritter – NBC’s The Event, Good Dick).

See new movie clips from The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll, starring Kevin Zegers and Jason Ritter. The Scott D. Rosenbaum-directed and written film opens via Entertainment One on August 5th. Also in The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll are Taryn Manning, Lukas Haas, Peter Fonda, Lauren Holly, Kelly Lynch and Aimee Teegarden. According to rock ‘n’ roll lore, age 27 is a fateful milestone. From Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison to Kurt Cobain, all stars we lost at this very age. World famous rock star Spyder (Kevin Zegers – Transamerica, Frozen) has achieved fame and fortune with a smash hit debut album. This blinding success however, is built on the Faustian pact that capitalized on the genius of his long lost childhood best friend and band mate, Eric Genson (Jason Ritter – NBC’s The Event, Good Dick).

See new movie clips from The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll, starring Kevin Zegers and Jason Ritter. The Scott D. Rosenbaum-directed and written film opens via Entertainment One on August 5th. Also in The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll are Taryn Manning, Lukas Haas, Peter Fonda, Lauren Holly, Kelly Lynch and Aimee Teegarden. According to rock ‘n’ roll lore, age 27 is a fateful milestone. From Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison to Kurt Cobain, all stars we lost at this very age. World famous rock star Spyder (Kevin Zegers – Transamerica, Frozen) has achieved fame and fortune with a smash hit debut album. This blinding success however, is built on the Faustian pact that capitalized on the genius of his long lost childhood best friend and band mate, Eric Genson (Jason Ritter – NBC’s The Event, Good Dick).

We received a press release for director Scott D. Rosenbaum’s The Perfect Age of Rock ‘N Roll, a new film starring Lukas Haas, Kelly Lynch, Lauren Holly, Ruby Dee, Billy Dee Williams, Michael K. Williams, James Ransone and Aimee Teegarden.

Here’s the plot: “According to rock ‘n’ roll lore, age 27 is a fateful milestone. From Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison to Kurt Cobain, all stars we lost at this very age.

World famous rock star Spyder (Kevin Zegers – Transamerica, Frozen) has achieved fame and fortune with a smash hit debut album. This blinding success however, is built on the Faustian pact that capitalized on the genius of his long lost childhood best friend and band mate, Eric Genson (Jason Ritter – NBC’s The Event, Good Dick). Now Spyder retreats to his small hometown after his sophomore effort flops. Reconnecting with Eric after a seven year estrangement,...

By Annlee Ellingson

(March 2011)

Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Cinequest Film Festival has merged film and technology for two decades. The event was an early adopter of digital capture and exhibition as well as distribution across all platforms from the big screen to DVD to TV to the Internet to handheld devices.

The tradition continues in the festival’s 21st edition with a program that includes 3-D programming and panels, including the world premiere of the stereo version of “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” two 3-D shorts programs and seminars on the art and science of stereo filmmaking.

Meanwhile, Cinequest is screening 173 films this year from 41 countries — 75 of which are U.S., North American or world premieres. Audiences are expected to near 100,000, with more than 700 artists slated to attend.

This evening’s opening-night film is “Passione,” John Turturro’s musical love poem to the city of Naples.

By Annlee Ellingson

(March 2011)

Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Cinequest Film Festival has merged film and technology for two decades. The event was an early adopter of digital capture and exhibition as well as distribution across all platforms from the big screen to DVD to TV to the Internet to handheld devices.

The tradition continues in the festival’s 21st edition with a program that includes 3-D programming and panels, including the world premiere of the stereo version of “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” two 3-D shorts programs and seminars on the art and science of stereo filmmaking.

Meanwhile, Cinequest is screening 173 films this year from 41 countries — 75 of which are U.S., North American or world premieres. Audiences are expected to near 100,000, with more than 700 artists slated to attend.

This evening’s opening-night film is “Passione,” John Turturro’s musical love poem to the city of Naples.

Jason Ritter got his first taste of acting when he was a hyperactive toddler with a predilection for set-crashing. The overalls-clad youngster was observing the filming of a credits sequence for dad John's hit show "Three's Company" when he got bored, wriggled free from his mother's grasp, and inserted himself into the shot."They were at the zoo filming all of these little vignettes, and they were shooting Joyce DeWitt with a goat," he recalls. "I just wrenched myself out of my mom's grip and went over to pet the goat and essentially ruined what they were trying to do. But I guess Joyce DeWitt laughed so hard at that, and there was, like, a really sweet moment, so they just kept it in there."Ritter bemusedly notes that he apparently developed quite the diva complex about his initial brush with fame. He says with a laugh, "I just saw...