ACADEMY INVITES 276 TO MEMBERSHIP

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 276 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy's membership in 2013.

"These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today," said Academy President Hawk Koch. "Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy."

The 2013 invitees are:

Actors
Jason Bateman – "Up in the Air," "Juno"
Miriam Colon – "City of Hope," "Scarface"
Rosario Dawson – "Rent," "Frank Miller's Sin City"
Kimberly Elise – "For Colored Girls," "Beloved"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – "Lincoln," "The Dark Knight Rises"
Charles Grodin – "Midnight Run," "The Heartbreak Kid"
Rebecca Hall – "Iron Man 3," "The Town"
Lance Henriksen – "Aliens," "The Terminator"
Jack Huston – "Not Fade Away," "Factory Girl"
Milla Jovovich – "Resident Evil," "Chaplin"
Lucy Liu – "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," "Chicago"
Jennifer Lopez – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Selena"
Alma Martinez – "Born in East L.A.," "Under Fire"
Emily Mortimer – "Hugo," "Lars and the Real Girl"
Sandra Oh – "Rabbit Hole," "Sideways"
Paula Patton – "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Michael Peña – "End of Watch," "Crash"
Emmanuelle Riva – "Amour," "Hiroshima, Mon Amour"
Jason Schwartzman – "Moonrise Kingdom," "Rushmore"
Geno Silva – "Mulholland Drive," "Amistad"
Danny Trejo – "Machete," "Heat"
Chris Tucker – "Silver Linings Playbook," "Rush Hour"

Cinematographers
Luca Bigazzi – "This Must Be the Place," "Certified Copy"
Benoît Delhomme – "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," "The Proposition"
Simon Duggan – "The Great Gatsby," "Killer Elite"
Greig Fraser – "Zero Dark Thirty," "Snow White and the Huntsman"
Jonathan Freeman – "Remember Me," "Fifty Dead Men Walking"
Greg Gardiner – "Race to Witch Mountain," "Elf"
Eric Gautier – "Into the Wild," "The Motorcycle Diaries"
Agnès Godard – "Sister," "Beau Travail"
Eduard Grau – "Buried," "A Single Man"
Jess Hall – "The Spectacular Now," "Brideshead Revisited"
Fred Kelemen – "The Turin Horse," "The Man from London"
Mark Lee Ping Bing – "Norwegian Wood," "In the Mood for Love"
Reed Morano – "Little Birds," "Frozen River"
Oleg Mutu – "Beyond the Hills," "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days"
Alex Nepomniaschy – "Narc," "Safe"
Christian Sebaldt – "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," "Race to Space"
Ben Seresin – "World War Z," "Unstoppable"
Adam Stone – "Mud," "Take Shelter"
Checco Varese – "Girl in Progress," "The Aura"
Ken Zunder – "Bending the Rules," "That's What I Am"

Costume Designers
Paco Delgado – "Les Misérables," "Biutiful"
Sophie de Rakoff – "This Means War," "Legally Blonde"
Carlo Poggioli – "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," "Cold Mountain"

Designers
Lori Balton – "Argo," "The Dark Knight Rises"
Judy Becker – "Silver Linings Playbook," "The Fighter"
Simon Bright – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Avatar"
Martin T. Charles – "Marvel's The Avengers," "The Artist"
David M. Crank – "The Master," "Lincoln"
Stefan Paul Dechant – "Oz The Great and Powerful," "True Grit"
Tracey A. Doyle – "The Muppets," "21"
Anna Lynch-Robinson – "Les Misérables," "An Education"
Maria Nay – "Identity Thief," "Ray"
David Smith – "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," "The Holiday"

Directors
Nikolaj Arcel – "A Royal Affair," "Truth about Men"
Ava DuVernay* – "Middle of Nowhere," "I Will Follow"
Paul Feig – "The Heat," "Bridesmaids"
Catherine Hardwicke – "Twilight," "Thirteen"
Kirk Jones – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Waking Ned Devine"
Ken Kwapis – "Big Miracle," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"
Pablo Larraín – "No," "Tony Manero"
Steve McQueen – "Shame," "Hunger"
Kim Nguyen – "War Witch (Rebelle)," "City of Shadows"
Jafar Panahi* – "This Is Not a Film," "The Circle"
Todd Phillips – "The Hangover," "Old School"
Joachim Rønning – "Kon-Tiki," "Max Manus"
Espen Sandberg – "Kon-Tiki," "Max Manus"
Tim Story – "Think Like a Man," "Fantastic Four"
Benh Zeitlin – "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Glory at Sea"

Documentary
Orlando Bagwell – "Citizen King," "Malcolm X: Make It Plain"
Rebecca Cammisa – "God Is the Bigger Elvis," "Which Way Home"
Yung Chang – "China Heavyweight," "Up the Yangtze"
Michael Chin – "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple," "In the Shadow of the Stars"
Christine Choy – "In the Name of the Emperor," "Who Killed Vincent Chin?"
Bonni Cohen – "The Island President," "Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic"
Eduardo Coutinho – "As Canções," "Cabra Marcado Para Morrer (Twenty Years Later)"
Miriam Cutler – "Kings Point," "Ethel"
Andrea Nix Fine – "Inocente," "War/Dance"
Sean Fine – "Inocente," "War/Dance"
Robert Frank – "Cocksucker Blues," "Pull My Daisy"
William Greaves – "Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey," "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One"
Lauren Greenfield – "The Queen of Versailles," "Thin"
Patricio Guzmán – "Nostalgia for the Light," "The Battle of Chile"
Vivien Hillgrove – "Symphony of the Soil," "In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee"
Heddy Honigmann – "El Olvido (Oblivion)," "Crazy"
Vikram Jayanti – "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector," "Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine"
Peter Kinoy – "Poverty Outlaw," "When the Mountains Tremble"
Claude Lanzmann – "Le Rapport Karski (The Karski Report)," "Shoah"
Kim Longinotto – "Rough Aunties," "Sisters in Law"
Stanley Nelson – "Freedom Riders," "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple"
Jehane Noujaim – "Control Room," "Startup.com"
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – "Transgenders: Pakistan's Open Secret," "Saving Face"
Marcel Ophuls – "Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie," "The Sorrow and the Pity"
José Padilha – "Secrets of the Tribe," "Bus 174 (Ônibus 174)"
Jafar Panahi* – "This Is Not a Film," "The Circle"
Elise Pearlstein – "Last Call at the Oasis," "Food, Inc."
Raoul Peck – "Fatal Assistance (Assistance Mortelle)," "Lumumba: La Mort du Prophète"
Kevin Rafferty – "Harvard Beats Yale 29-29," "The Atomic Cafe"
J. Ralph* – "Chasing Ice," "Man on Wire"
Bob Richman – "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," "Waiting for 'Superman'"
T. Woody Richman – "How to Survive a Plague," "Fahrenheit 9/11"
Veronica Selver – "Berkeley in the Sixties," "You Got to Move: Stories of Change in the South"
Jon Shenk – "The Island President," "Lost Boys of Sudan"
Ricki Stern – "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work," "The Devil Came on Horseback"
Robert Stone – "Earth Days," "Radio Bikini"
Annie Sundberg – "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work," "The Devil Came on Horseback"
Renee Tajima-Pena – "Who Killed Vincent Chin?," "My America (Or Honk If You Love Buddha)"
Agnès Varda – "The Beaches of Agnès," "The Gleaners and I"
Roger Ross Williams – "God Loves Uganda," "Music by Prudence"
Pamela Yates – "Granito: How to Nail a Dictator," "The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court"
Amy Ziering – "The Invisible War," "Derrida"

Executives
Holly Bario
Jeb Brody
Eric d'Arbeloff
Dean C. Hallett
Lynn Harris
Jeff Ivers
Jonathan King
Robert Kirby
Dylan Leiner
Nick Meyer
Andrew Millstein
Hannah Minghella
Angela Morrison
Brian Roberts
Mark Roybal
Tucker Tooley
Kevin Tsujihara

Film Editors
Michael Berenbaum – "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Sex and the City"
Jeff Freeman – "Ted," "Cruel Intentions"
James Haygood – "Where the Wild Things Are," "Fight Club"
Stuart Levy – "Savages," "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Mary Jo Markey – "Star Trek Into Darkness," "Super 8"

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Luisa Abel – "The Dark Knight Rises," "Inception"
Anne Aulenta-Spira – "The Place beyond the Pines," "Drive"
Terry Baliel – "The Dark Knight Rises," "J. Edgar"
Thomas Floutz – "The Call," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
Kay Georgiou – "Promised Land," "Lincoln"
Bernadette Mazur – "Men in Black 3," "The Campaign"
Kim Santantonio – "Gangster Squad," "Frost/Nixon"
Lisa Tomblin – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1"
Kelvin R. Trahan – "Argo," "Memoirs of a Geisha"
Lisa Westcott – "Les Misérables," "Shakespeare in Love"

Members-at-Large
Victoria Alonso
Fred Baron
Ben Bray
Pieter Jan Brugge
Jackie Burch
Leo Davis
Susie Figgis
Lori Furie
Glenn S. Gainor
Joe Gareri
Lance Gilbert
Andy Gill
Mindy Marin
Laray Mayfield
Jeanne McCarthy
Neil Meron
Gary Powell
Ned Price
Michelle Satter
Stefan Sonnenfeld
Cindy Tolan
Brent Woolsey

Music
Ramiro Belgardt – "Star Trek Into Darkness," "Lincoln"
Ramin Djawadi – "Safe House," "Iron Man"
Jennifer Dunnington – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Hugo"
Siedah Garrett – "Rio," "Dreamgirls"
Joe Hisaishi – "Ponyo," "Spirited Away"
Henry Jackman – "This Is the End," "Wreck-It Ralph"
Cliff Martinez – "Drive," "Traffic"
Prince – "Purple Rain," "Happy Feet"
J. Ralph* – "Chasing Ice," "Man on Wire"
Aaron Lael Zigman – "Peeples," "Sex and the City"

Producers
Stefan Arndt – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Jason Blum – "The Purge," "Paranormal Activity"
Finola Dwyer – "Quartet," "An Education"
Jack Giarraputo – "Anger Management," "The Wedding Singer"
Veit Heiduschka – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Lloyd Levin – "Green Zone," "Watchmen"
Julie Lynn – "Albert Nobbs," "Nine Lives"
Margaret Menegoz – "Amour," "The White Ribbon"
Andrea Sperling – "Smashed," "Like Crazy"

Public Relations
Rachel Cadden
Theresa Cross
Jeff S. Elefterion
Julie Fontaine
Jackson George
Anne Globe
Michael Lawson
Dennis O'Connor
Blair Rich
John G. Sabel

Short Films and Feature Animation
Marc Bertrand – "Gloria Victoria," "Hollow Land"
Bryan Buckley – "Asad," "The Wake-Up Caller"
Shawn Christensen – "Curfew," "Brink"
Eric Darnell – "Madagascar," "Shrek"
John C. Donkin – "Ice Age Continental Drift," "Gone Nutty"
Ken Duncan – "9," "Shark Tale"
Danielle Feinberg – "Brave," "WALL-E"
Sam Fell – "ParaNorman," "The Tale of Despereaux"
Matt Groening – "Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare,'" "The Simpsons Movie"
Vicky Jenson – "Shark Tale," "Shrek"
Travis Knight – "ParaNorman," "Coraline"
Steve May – "Brave," "Up"
Rich Moore – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!"
Robert Neuman – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Tangled"
Brandon Oldenburg – "Rise of the Guardians," "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
PES – "Fresh Guacamole," "Western Spaghetti"
Steve Pilcher – "Brave," "Shrek the Third"
Normand Roger – "Hollow Land," "The Banquet of the Concubine"
Clark Spencer – "Wreck-It Ralph," "Bolt"

Sound
Bobbi Banks – "The Call," "Hustle & Flow"
Jose Antonio Garcia – "Argo," "Babel"
Simon Hayes – "Les Misérables," "X-Men: First Class"
Edward J. Hernandez – "Real Steel," "Basic Instinct"
Daniel S. Irwin – "Prometheus," "Little Children"
Drew Kunin – "Life of Pi," "Lost in Translation"
Michael W. Mitchell – "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Matrix Reloaded"
Tom Ozanich – "Project X," "Kill Bill: Vol. 2"
Mark Paterson – "Les Misérables," "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
Richard Pryke – "127 Hours," "Slumdog Millionaire"
Erin Michael Rettig – "A Good Day to Die Hard," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
Ann Scibelli – "Prometheus," "Inglourious Basterds"
Brian T. Slack – "Chéri," "Crossover"
Bruce Tanis – "Gangster Squad," "X-Men: First Class"
F. Elmo Weber – "Identity Thief," "The Kids Are All Right"
Christopher T. Welch – "Silver Linings Playbook," "(500) Days of Summer"
Dave Whitehead – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "District 9"
Stuart Wilson – "Skyfall," "War Horse"

Visual Effects
Jason Bayever – "Life of Pi," "The Wolfman"
Mark Breakspear – "The Great Gatsby," "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Brennan – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "Minority Report"
Tony Clark – "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
David Clayton – "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Avatar"
Michael Dawson – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Devil's Double"
Erik-Jan De Boer – "Life of Pi," "Night at the Museum"
Donald R. Elliott – "Life of Pi," "Seabiscuit"
John Goodson – "Red Tails," "Marvel's The Avengers"
Charley Henley – "Prometheus," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
John McLeod – "Django Unchained," "The Aviator"
Mark Noel – "Oz The Great and Powerful," "Transformers"
David Prescott – "Transformers," "X-Men"
Guillaume Rocheron – "Life of Pi," "Sucker Punch"
Wendy Rogers – "Puss in Boots," "Shrek"
David Alexander Smith – "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Matrix Reloaded"
Wayne Stables – "The Adventures of Tintin," "Avatar"
Richard Stammers – "Prometheus," "Angels & Demons"
Richard Stutsman – "Zero Dark Thirty," "Independence Day"
Christopher Townsend – "Captain America: The First Avenger," "The Day after Tomorrow"
Stephan Trojansky – "Marvel's The Avengers," "Hereafter"
David Watkins – "Ali," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"
Jeff White – "Marvel's The Avengers," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
Trevor Wood – "Prometheus," "The Golden Compass"

Writers
Jessica Bendinger – "Aquamarine," "Bring It On"
Reggie Rock Bythewood – "Notorious," "Get on the Bus"
Tina Gordon Chism – "Peeples," "Drumline"
Julie Delpy – "Before Midnight," "2 Days in Paris"
Lena Dunham – "Nobody Walks," "Tiny Furniture"
Ava DuVernay* – "Middle of Nowhere," "I Will Follow"
John Gatins – "Flight," "Coach Carter"
John Hamburg – "I Love You, Man," "Meet the Parents"
John Lee Hancock – "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Blind Side"
Rian Johnson – "Looper," "Brick"
Jeff Nichols – "Mud," "Take Shelter"
Sarah Polley – "Take This Waltz," "Away from Her"
Chris Terrio – "Argo," "Heights"

Associates
Lorrie Bartlett
Paul Bronfman
Markham L. Goldstein
Robert Harvey
Gregory S. Laemmle
Sandra Marsh
Adam Schweitzer
Kimberly Snyder
Matthew L. Snyder
Les Zellan

Three individuals (noted above by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches. These individuals must select one branch upon accepting membership.

Each year Academy members may sponsor one candidate for membership within their branch. New member application reviews take place in the spring. Applications for the coming year must be received by March 20, 2014.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.

LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2013

Janis Nords’ Mother, I Love You and Ryan McGarry’s Code Black Win Jury Awards

Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12, Grace Lee’s  American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs and  Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda Win Audience Awards

Best Performance, Short Film and Music Video Award Winners Also Revealed

Sloan Fast Track Grant and Millennium Entertainment Fellowship  Given out in Part of Film Independent’s Fast Track Program

LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2013) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, announced the jury and audience award winners for the 2013 Festival at the Awards Brunch, hosted by CHAYA Downtown for the fourth year. Actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead was on hand to present the awards. The LA Film Fest, presented by Film Independent, in conjunction with Presenting Media Sponsor Los Angeles Times, Host Partner L.A. LIVE and Premier Sponsors DIRECTV and American Airlines, ran from Thursday, June 13 to Sunday, June 23 in downtown Los Angeles.

“Every single film in the Festival rocks and I love that an international film and a local film received kudos today. They represent the breadth of our programming and our commitment to supporting unique voices around the world,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain.

The two top juried awards of the Los Angeles Film Festival are the DIRECTV Narrative Award and DIRECTV Documentary Award, each carrying an unrestricted $10,000 cash prize, funded by DIRECTV, for the winning film’s director. The awards were established by the Festival to encourage independent filmmakers to pursue their artistic ambitions.

“Our jurors had hard choices to make this year and their discussions were at an incredibly high level. I thank them for their thoughtful work and salute the winners. I think we had a banner crop of competition films at the festival. All our filmmakers are winners in my book,” said Artistic Director David Ansen.

The DIRECTV Narrative Award recognizes the finest narrative film in competition at the Festival and went to Janis Nords for Mother, I Love You, which made its United States premiere at the Festival. The DIRECTV Documentary Award recognizes the finest documentary film in competition at the Festival and went to Ryan McGarry for Code Black, which made its world premiere at the Festival.

The award for Best Performance in the Narrative Competition went to Geetanjali Thapa for her performance in Kamal K.M’s I.D., which made its North American premiere at the Festival. Given to an actor or actors from an official selection in the Narrative Competition, this is the tenth year the award has been given at the Festival.

The LA Film Fest also awarded an unrestricted $1,500 cash prize to each short film category. The recipient for the Honolulu Film Office Award for Best Narrative Short Film went to Walker, directed by Tsai Ming-Liang. The recipient for the Honolulu Film Office Award for Best Documentary Short Film went to Kevin Jerome Everson for Stone. Emma De Sweaf and Marc James Roels’ Oh Willy… won the Honolulu Film Office Award for Best Animated or Experimental Short Film.

The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Short Term 12 directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature went to American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs, directed by Grace Lee. Wadjda, a Sony Pictures Classics release directed by Haifaa Al Mansour won the Audience Award for Best International Feature.

The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to Grandpa and Me and a Helicopter to Heaven, directed by Åsa Blanck and Johan Palmgren. Katachi, directed by Kijek/Adamski with music by Shugo Tokumaru won the Audience Award for Best Music Video.

The DIRECTV Narrative Feature Competition jury was comprised of Film Independent Spirit Award-winning producer Gina Kwon (Me and You and Everyone We Know, Chuck & Buck), Spirit Award-nominated director Sean Baker (Starlet, Take Out, Prince of Broadway) and actor-producer Harry Lennix (Man of Steel, Titus, the upcoming NBC series The Blacklist). The DIRECTV Documentary Feature Competition jury was comprised of the 2010 LA Film Fest Grand Jury award-winning director Clay Tweel (Make Believe), award-winning producer Lesley Chilcott (Waiting For Superman, An Inconvenient Truth), and New York Times contributing culture writer and former film and television critic Carina Chocano. The Honolulu Film Office Award Shorts Competition Jury was comprised of Los Angeles Film Critics Association Vice President Tim Grierson, author Sandi Tan (The Black Isle) and Film Independent Spirit Award-nominated writer and director David Fenster (Trona, Pincus).

Also announced at the festival were the Fast Track grants winners which Film Independent selects and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Millennium Entertainment sponsor. The Fast Track program is an intensive, three-day film-financing market that connects participants with established financiers, production companies, agents, managers and other film industry professionals who can move their current projects forward. Writer/director/producer Christopher Munch’s film Frank’s World: And Tales of the Fearless Brothers O won the Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $15,000 production grant. The $10,000 Millennium Entertainment Fellowship grant was awarded to Vincent Harris and Amy Hobby for their film Third Girl from the Left.

Now in its nineteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival, supported by L.A. LIVE and the Los Angeles Times, showcases the best in new American and international cinema and provides the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world. The 2013 Festival screened nearly 200 feature films, shorts and music videos, representing more than 30 countries.

The LA Film Fest kicked off on Thursday, June 13 with the North American premiere of Pedro Almodovar’s I’m So Excited, sponsored by American Airlines, and will close tonight with the world premiere of Oscar® winners Nat Faxon and Jim Faxon’s The Way, Way Back, sponsored by DIRECTV. Gala Screenings included the world premiere of Doug Pray’s Levitated Mass: The Story of Michael Heizer’s Monolithic Sculpture, the North American premiere of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives and the Los Angeles premiere of Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station. 2013 Guest Director and recipient of this year’s Spirit of Independence Award was David O. Russell and Artists in Residences were actress Maya Rudolph and composer Gustavo Santaolalla.

DIRECTV is proud to be a first-year partner with the LA Film Festival as sponsor of the Festival’s Closing Night, Narrative and Documentary Competitions and Jury Prizes, reflecting its commitment to supporting established and emerging filmmakers. DIRECTV Cinema’s premium pay-per-view movie service for DIRECTV customers offers access to exclusive new releases before they premiere in theaters, a library with thousands of movies to watch instantly with DIRECTV On Demand, and the most movies available in 1080p HD. DIRECTV the world’s leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering an unparalleled video experience through state-of-the-art technology and unmatched programming to more than 35 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America.

Stunning locations, great crews and generous tax credits are why Honolulu and Oahu are known as ‘Production Center of the Tropics.’  Host to countless feature films, television series and new media projects including Jurassic Park, The Descendants, LOST and Hawaii Five-0, 2013 marks 100 years of film production in Hawaii.  To celebrate, the Honolulu Film Office has enhanced their tax credits. (www.filmhonolulu.com)

CHAYA restaurants have remained one of the city’s most beloved and iconic dining destinations for 30 years.   Lead by Corporate Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe—the creator of the original tuna tartare, CHAYA restaurants are renowned for their modern Euro-Asian cuisine and influence on the Los Angeles dining scene.  Chef Tachibe creates an inspired menu by infusing exotic ingredients and honored culinary traditions from his native Japanese roots.   All CHAYA restaurants, including three locations in Los Angeles and one in San Francisco, highlight their menu with local and sustainable ingredients fresh from the farmers’ market with seasonal menus.” (www.thechaya.com)

For more information and specifics on Winning Submissions from the Los Angeles Film Festival 2013, visit http://www.lafilmfest.com/winners-announced-for-2013/.

FIRST Red Carpet Event of the Summer for the 2014 Artists In Music Awards: “The Breakthrough Series”

AIMusicAwards (Hollywood, CA), July 7, 2013— We cordially invite you to attend the FIRST Red Carpet Event of the Summer for the 2014 Artists In Music Awards: “The Breakthrough Series” at The Joint benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital!

FURTHER DETAILS OF EVENT:

Where:
The Joint, 8771 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

When: July 7, 2013
4pm: Red Carpet Arrivals
Time: 5-10pm

LIVE PERFORMANCES BY:
Above Seclusion
Gravity Hill
Diamante
This Boy That Girl

With special guest performers
Torrey Mercer
and
Matt Ryan King

Price: $5 (recommended donation) at the door. We will also accept higher donations at the door, which will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Many celebrities, 2014 AIMA Nominees, and AIMA alumni will also be in attendance.

About St. Jude:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded in 1962 and is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases.

About the Artists In Music Awards:
The Artists In Music Awards is a privately held organization established for music artists and entertainers. Our mission is to entertain and give recognition to the finest emerging artists. Each artist we work with is not a product, but a valued partner. We are committed to providing an engaging and rewarding environment through live entertainment events including award shows, showcases, Red Carpet, and press events.
For more information, visit our website at www.aimusicawards.com for the latest updates and artist profiles!

Thank you to our sponsors Arts Seen & Heard PR, KGUP 106.5FM “The Emerge Radio Networks”, MusicSUBMIT, & 101Distribution, and a big thank you to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

RSVP to attend: www.facebook.com/events/610379705652918
For Press inquires email info@aimusicawards.com
NOTE: For online ticket purchases, you will be required to show printed receipt for proof of purchase at the door.

The Academy Announces Submission Dates For 2013 Oscars®

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced category submission deadlines for 86th Academy Awards® consideration.

The dates are as follows:

Scientific and Technical Awards	Friday, July 12
Documentary Short Subject	Tuesday, September 3
Documentary Feature	Monday, September 23
Live Action Short Film	Tuesday, October 1
Animated Short Film	Tuesday, October 1
Foreign Language Film	Tuesday, October 1
Animated Feature Film	Friday, November 1
Original Score	Monday, December 2
Original Song	Monday, December 2
Official Screen Credits Form	Monday, December 2
All submissions are due by 5 p.m. PT

For the entire list of key dates and all rules, please visit Academy Awards Rules.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

ACADEMY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL SELECTS STUDENTS FOR 2013 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Positions at the Tech Council, Dolby Laboratories, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected five students to participate in its 2013 summer internship program, with placements at the Tech Council, Dolby Laboratories, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios. The only one of its kind, the Academy-sponsored program is designed to nurture the next generation of motion picture technologists by providing real-world experience to students interested in careers in motion picture technology and scientific research.

The 2013 Science and Technology Council summer interns and their internship hosts are:

• Victor Mateevitsi, University of Illinois at Chicago – Pixar Animation Studios
• Ritvik Menon, University of Pennsylvania – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Jaclyn Pytlarz, Rochester Institute of Technology – Science and Technology Council
• Wei Wang, Texas A&M University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Xi Xu, University of Illinois at Chicago – Dolby Laboratories

These five students were selected from among applicants who underwent a rigorous vetting process by a distinguished panel of Tech Council members. The applicants submitted demo reels of their work, which were reviewed and evaluated for technical aptitude, innovation, creativity and originality.

Now in its seventh year, the summer internship program provides a 10- to 12-week hands-on experience that helps students gain a deeper understanding of advanced motion picture technologies. During the internships, the students will also attend several Academy-related events in Southern California and the Bay Area, including meet-and-greets with industry experts.

"Our hope is that these extraordinary young innovators will lead in the development and deployment of next-generation motion picture technology. This group of highly skilled interns from diverse backgrounds will spur advancements in creativity and fuel new toolsets for artists. Their work will spark the imagination of audiences worldwide," said Elizabeth Cohen, Ph.D., the Tech Council's internship program chair.

Established in 2003 by the Academy's Board of Governors, the Science and Technology Council provides a forum for the exchange of information, promotes cooperation among diverse technological interests within the industry, sponsors publications, fosters educational activities, and preserves the history of the science and technology of motion pictures.

INDIEWIRE UNVEILS INAUGURAL INDIEWIRE INFLUENCERS

INDIEWIRE UNVEILS INAUGURAL INDIEWIRE INFLUENCERS

List contains 40 people and companies that are helping define the future of independent film

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 17, 2013) Indiewire announced today its inaugural list of Indiewire Influencers, a bicoastal celebration of the creators, distributors, producers, exhibitors and curators who are pointing the way forward for independent film. 

Indiewire Influencers profiles 40 of the creative minds who are having an impact on the rapidly changing world of independent film, documenting them with a special section on the Indiewire site (www.indiewire.com/influencers) that includes profiles, statistics, video and original portraits.

 

The Influencers will kick off with a panel moderated by Dana Harris, Editor in Chief of Indiewire, at the Los Angeles Film Festival this evening at the DIRECTV Theater, followed by a private reception on the roof of L.A. Live.  Panelists include Tugg co-founder Nicolas Gonda, Slated chairman Stephan Paternot, Seed&Spark founder Emily Best, Sundance Institute Artist Services director Chris Horton and “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” producer Jay Van Hoy.

 

DIRECTV is the online launch sponsor for Indiewire Influencers; Loyola Marymount University is sponsoring the LAFF event in partnership with DIRECTV.

 

Indiewire plans to make Indiewire Influencers an annual event to recognize many of the people who are seeking creative solutions to resolve issues that face the independent film world.

 

Indiewire asked representatives across the independent film industry for the people and companies they thought were influencing business now. The emphasis was not always the most successful or established entities, but the ones whose work they admired or made them pay attention to what they did next.

 

"Independent film is in a state of full-on upheaval," said Indiewire Editor in Chief Dana Harris. "It's never been easy, but now that's true for everyone. No movie star or genre can guarantee box-office and we're living in a time where a movie's viability may live or die by a title's placement in the alphabet. The good news is we're living in a time where disruption has become as desirable as good manners. So we're planning on making Indiewire Influencers an annual event, a bicoastal -- eventually, perhaps even global -- celebration of the people who are trying to get it right -- or even daring to get it wrong."

 

To view original portraits shot by photographer Daniel Bergeron in New York, Los Angeles and Austin go to

http://www.indiewire.com/article/welcome-to-the-2013-indiewire-infuencers

The 2013 Indiewire Influencers are:

THE BROKERS

Cinetic - John Sloss 
 Gravitas Ventures
 - Nolan Gallagher
Preferred Content - Kevin Iwashina
RADiUS-TWC
 - Jason Janego, Tom Quinn
 Submarine - Dan Braun, Josh Braun 

 Tugg - Nicolas Gonda
 VHX TV - Casey Pugh, Jamie Wilkinson

THE CREATORS
 Annapurna - Megan Ellison
Court 13 - Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn
The Duplass Brothers - Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
 "Indie Game: The Movie"
 - Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky 
 Parts and Labor - Lars Knudson, Jay Van Hoy
 Joe Swanberg
 Vice - Eddy Moretti
Lance Weiler

THE CURATORS

 Alamo Drafthouse - Tim League
Art House Convergence - Russ Collins
 Cinefamily - Hadrian Belove
 Cinereach - Philipp Engelhorn, Paul Mezey, Mike Raisler
 LACMA/FIND
 - Stephanie Allain, Elvis Mitchell
 Rooftop Films - Dan Nuxoll, Mark Elijah Rosenberg
SXSW Film Festival - Janet Pierson 

 True/False - Paul Sturtz and David Wilson
THE EARLY ADOPTERS

 HitRECord
 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Kickstarter 
- Elisabeth Holm
 Laforet Visuals - Vincent Laforet
 Seed&Spark - Emily Best
 Slated - Duncan Cork, Stephan Paternot
 Sundance Institute - Joe Beyer, Chris Horton, Keri Putnam
 Tribeca Institute - Geoff Gilmore, Ingrid Kopp, Jon Patricof
 “Veronica Mars” - Kristen Bell, Rob Thomas
 Vimeo - Jeremy Boxer, Dea Mellencamp, Kerry Trainor

THE SHAPESHIFTERS
 AFFRM/DVA - Ava DuVernay
BOND Strategy and Influence
 - Marc Schiller
Edward Burns
 Michael Cuesta

 El Rey - Robert Rodriguez
 Mirada
 - Mathew Cullen, Guillermo del Toro, Javier Jimenez, Guillermo Navarro
 San Francisco Film Society - Ted Hope 

 Forest Whitaker

For more on this FREE event, visit filmguide.lafilmfest.com.

About Indiewire
The Indiewire Blog Network is the leading news, information, and networking site for independent-minded filmmakers, the industry and moviegoers alike.  Indiewire is a two-time Webby Award Winner for “Best Movie and Film Website.”
Indiewire is owned by SnagFilms, Inc. which also counts the SnagFilms social viewing platform and SnagReleasing among its integrated business units. Co-founded in 2008 by Ted Leonsis and Rick Allen, SnagFilms, Inc. was honored as one of Red Herring’s 2013 Top 100 Technology Companies in North America.  SnagFilms, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has offices in New York and Los Angeles.

About DIRECTV
DIRECTV is proud to be the presenting sponsor for Indiewire Influencers as it celebrates the people and companies who are bending technology to their creative wills and providing filmmakers and film lovers with the tools that allow the best content to be created and discovered in the 21st century.

DIRECTV Cinema's premium pay-per-view movie service for DIRECTV customers offers access to exclusive new releases before they premiere in theaters, a library with thousands of movies to watch instantly with DIRECTV On Demand, and the most movies available in 1080p HD. For more information on the wide variety of films available on DIRECTV Cinema please visit directv.com/cinema.

GASLAND PART II, JOSH FOX'S FOLLOW-UP TO HIS OSCAR®-NOMINATED DOCUMENTARY, DEBUTS JULY 8, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

Film Reveals How Stakes Have Been Raised On All Sides In One Of The Most Important Environmental Issues Facing The Nation Today

 

In the explosive follow-up to his Oscar®-nominated documentary "Gasland," filmmaker Josh Fox uses his trademark dark humor to take a deeper, broader look at the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial method of extracting natural gas and oil, now occurring on a global level (in 32 countries worldwide).

Debuting MONDAY, JULY 8 (9:00-11:15 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, GASLAND PART II shows how the stakes have been raised on all sides in one of the most important environmental issues facing the nation today. The film argues that the gas industry's portrayal of natural gas as a clean and safe alternative to oil is a myth, and that fracked wells inevitably leak over time, contaminating water and air, hurting families, and endangering the earth's climate with the potent greenhouse gas, methane. In addition, the film looks at how the powerful oil and gas industries are, in Fox's words, "contaminating our democracy." The timely documentary premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.

Other HBO playdates: July 8 (4:55 a.m.), 11 (8:15 a.m., 4:15 p.m.), 14 (3:15 p.m.), 17 (1:45 p.m., midnight) and 20 (9:10 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: July 10 (8:00 p.m.) and 25 (3:50 a.m.)

HBO Documentary Films presents another weekly series this summer, debuting provocative new specials every Monday through August 12. Other July films include: "Gideon's Army" (July 1); "The Crash Reel" (July 15); "The Cheshire Murders" (July 24); and "First Comes Love" (July 29).

Ever since theater director-turned-filmmaker Josh Fox was approached five years ago with an unexpected offer of $100,000 for the natural gas drilling rights to his property in the Delaware River Basin, on the border of New York and Pennsylvania, he has been on a mission to investigate and expose the environmental risks of hydraulic facturing. His first film, "Gasland," debuted at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize, and made its HBO debut later that year. The film was subsequently shown in more than 30 countries to an estimated 50 million viewers. In addition to an Oscar® nomination for Best Documentary Feature, "Gasland" won an Emmy® for Best Nonfiction Directing and was nominated for three other Emmys®. As a result of his activism, Fox was awarded the 2010 Lennon Ono Grant for Peace by Yoko Ono.

GASLAND PART II begins with the 2012 State of the Union Address, in which President Obama declares his support for the safe development of natural gas production, something Fox and the anti-fracking community believe is impossible. Beneath the continental U.S., some contend, lies a vast underground ocean of natural gas waiting to be harvested, with the potential to supply energy to millions of Americans.

However, as Fox explained in "Gasland," the drilling process, called hydraulic fracturing or fracking, is exempted by the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy Act of 2005 from the United States' most basic environmental regulations, including the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act, and poses many environmental threats to water and air.

In "Gasland," Fox discovered tap water so contaminated it could be set on fire right out of the tap, chronically ill residents with similar symptoms in drilling areas across the country, and huge pools of toxic waste that kill livestock and vegetation. In GASLAND PART ll, he revisits families whose lives have been upended from living near fracking wells and introduces new characters. Fox interviews politicians who have been trying to stop fracking and help the people affected by it, as well as experts who support Fox's concerns about the dangers of fracking and the urgent need for a shift to truly clean renewable energy.

Fox returns to Dimock, Pa., Pavilion, Wyo., and Dish, Tex. to see how the residents are faring in their fight to secure clean water from local governments and the E.P.A., and ventures to Australia to see what is happening outside the U.S. as fracking becomes a global practice.

In order to understand the potential dangers of fracking, Fox interviews Tony Ingraffea, Professor of Engineering, Cornell University, a former researcher for the gas industry. Ingraffea, who was named one of Time magazine's People Who Matter in 2011, explains why in his opinion, fracking can never be done safely. He illustrates how cement in wells can be vulnerable to cracking and that once it has cracked, methane gas can migrate into any underground source of drinking water.

In GASLAND PART ll, Fox also argues that new choices must be made about where the nation gets its energy. He talks to Stanford professor Mark Jacobson, who argues that the U.S. could stop drilling for coal, oil and natural gas altogether and bundle together the renewable resources of wind, high-concentrated solar power, geothermal power, hydroelectric power and tidal power to handle the country's current energy needs.

But Fox's biggest concern in GASLAND PART ll is perhaps his belief that "the enormously powerful oil and gas industry has not only contaminated our water, air and land, but also our democracy."

Towards the film's conclusion, Fox is arrested trying to film a congressional hearing regarding the E.P.A. results in Pavilion. But as the fight to protect the earth from extreme energy development seems even more challenging, Fox remains determined and undeterred.

GASLAND PART II is directed and produced by Josh Fox; produced by Trish Adlesic; produced by Deborah Wallace; co-producer, Matthew Sanchez; cinematography, Josh Fox and Matthew Sanchez; editor, Matthew Sanchez. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

ACADEMY ANNOUNCES MEDAL PLACEMENTS FOR 2013 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Sixteen students from colleges and universities around the world were honored tonight (June 8) as winners at the 40th Student Academy Awards ceremony at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The medal placements were announced at the ceremony hosted by writer-director and 1978 Student Academy Award® winner Bob Saget. Writer-director Kimberly Peirce and actors Clark Gregg, Jason Schwartzman and Quvenzhané Wallis presented the awards.

The winners are:
Alternative
Gold Medal: “Bottled Up,” Rafael Cortina, Occidental College
Silver Medal: “Zug,” Perry Janes, University of Michigan
Bronze Medal: “The Compositor,” John Mattiuzzi, School of Visual Arts

Animation
Gold Medal: “Dia de los Muertos,” Lindsey St. Pierre and Ashley Graham, Ringling College of Art and Design
Silver Medal: “Will,” Eusong Lee, California Institute of the Arts
Bronze Medal: “Peck Pocketed,” Kevin Herron, Ringling College of Art and Design

Documentary
Gold Medal: “A Second Chance,” David Aristizabal, University of Southern California
Silver Medal: “Every Tuesday: A Portrait of The New Yorker Cartoonists,” Rachel Loube, School of Visual Arts
Bronze Medal: “Win or Lose,” Daniel Koehler, Elon University

Narrative
Gold Medal: “Ol’ Daddy,” Brian Schwarz, University of Texas at Austin
Silver Medal: “Josephine and the Roach,” Jonathan Langager, University of Southern California
Bronze Medal: “Un Mundo para Raúl (A World for Raúl),” Mauro Mueller, Columbia University

Foreign Film
Gold Medal: “Miss Todd,” Kristina Yee, National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
Silver Medal: “Parvaneh,” Talkhon Hamzavi, Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland
Bronze Medal: “Tweesprong (Crossroads),” Wouter Bouvijn, RITS School of Arts, Erasmus University College Brussels, Belgium

This year saw first-time honors go to Elon University, Occidental College and the University of Michigan in the U.S. competition, as well as to Zurich University of the Arts and RITS School of Arts, Erasmus University College Brussels, in the foreign competition.

The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared eight awards. The roster includes such distinguished filmmakers as John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker and Spike Lee.

GIDEON'S ARMY, AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THROUGH THE EYES of IDEALISTIC YOUNG PUBLIC DEFENDERS IN THE SOUTH, DEBUTS JULY 1 ON HBO

Documentary Won 2013 Sundance Editing Award

In 1961, Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for stealing soda and a few dollars from a pool hall. Unable to afford an attorney, he was convicted after representing himself at trial. Gideon appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously that the right to counsel in a criminal case is fundamental to the American system of justice.

More than 12 million people are arrested in the United States each year. Fifty years after the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright case, most of them will be represented by one of the United States' 15,000 public defenders.

Directed by attorney Dawn Porter and winner of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Editing Award for U.S. Documentary Competition, GIDEON'S ARMY follows a group of idealistic young public defenders in the Deep South, where lawyers face particularly difficult challenges due to high bonds, minimum mandatory sentencing and a culture that is traditionally "tough on crime." The thought-provoking film debuts MONDAY, JULY 1 (9:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: July 1 (5:20 a.m.), 7 (1:05 p.m.), 9 (4:00 p.m., 12:15 a.m.), 13 (9:45 a.m.) and 19 (8:15 a.m.)

HBO2 playdate: July 3 (11:15 a.m., 8:00 p.m.)

HBO Documentary Films presents another weekly series this summer, debuting provocative new specials every Monday through August 12. Other July films include: "Gasland Part II" (July 8); "The Crash Reel" (July 15); "The Cheshire Murders" (July 24); and "First Comes Love" (July 29).

Brandy Alexander, Travis Williams and June Hardwick have dedicated themselves to defending those who otherwise would not receive representation, contending with a day-to-day life of low pay, long hours and staggering caseloads. Despite these obstacles, with the help of the Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC), these young professionals are inspired to take on this unique challenge in the name of public service.

Travis Williams is a Gainesville, Ga. lawyer whose client, Branden Lee Mullin, has been accused of armed robbery and faces a minimum of ten years to a maximum of life in prison. Brandy Alexander has served as a public defender in both Georgia and Florida and is preparing to go to trial on behalf of her client, Demontes Regary Wright, a young man also charged with armed robbery.

The demands on these public defenders can be overwhelming: The average caseload for a public defender in Miami Dade County, Fla. is 500 felonies and 225 misdemeanors. Not surprisingly, many public defender offices across the nation have an incredibly high turnover rate. The pace is exhausting, and the legal wrangling intense, but these young public defenders persevere. Knowing the stakes are high - and their clients' lives will be deeply affected by what they do, or fail to do - they push themselves to the limit over and over again.

Does their work have to be this difficult? Experts cite the nation's approach to criminal justice to explain the dire state of indigent defense. In many southern states, bonds for misdemeanor crimes are exorbitantly high, as much as $40,000 for misdemeanor crimes like shoplifting, which most defendants cannot afford. This leads to a high rate of pretrial detention for indigent clients, with many serving months or even years in prison without a trial. Another factor is the rate of plea bargaining intended simply to end pretrial detention. Notes Brett Willis, a senior public defender featured in the film, "The reality is 90% or 95% of the people who get charged with something plead guilty...because the system is designed to force them to plead guilty and it punishes their failure to comply."

In addition to lengthy prison sentences, clients found guilty can face severe civil sanctions, which can result in such extreme punishments as: losing eligibility for public benefits, such as federal student loans; losing the ability to live in public housing with one's family; losing the right to vote; and, in some regions, losing the right to hold a driver's license, which can be a severe obstacle to finding post-incarceration employment.

Along with the perilous circumstances facing the accused, public defenders typically face a multitude of trying professional and personal circumstances, for which no amount of training can prepare them. Notes Travis Williams, "I have huge student loan debt. After I pay my student loans and my rent, all I have left is probably $300 a month to pay extra bills like gas and the car, all that kind of stuff, groceries. But I don't see how you can do this work for any period of time and not begin to love it. If you don't, then it'll just drive you insane."

These committed attorneys are backed by mentor Jonathan Rapping,the dynamic leader of the Atlanta-based Southern Public Defender Training Center (SPDTC), designed to fill a void in the training currently available to young public defenders. The center offers a comprehensive curriculum designed specifically for public defenders and geared toward the improvement of indigent defense representation and raising the standard of practice in jurisdictions nationwide. The group often provides emotional support, in addition to practical instruction, as the young public defenders talk about their work and empathize over similar situations.

As Rapping states in one of their seminars, "This will be a battle that will be won, and your children will look back on this struggle to save people from this unjust, cruel, inhumane criminal justice system. And you all will be the foot soldiers, you will be the ones who brought that about."

The U.S. incarcerates more citizens annually than any other industrialized nation. At the beginning of 2008, 2.3 million Americans were behind bars, followed by China with 1.5 million. Director Dawn Porter explains, "Americans are fascinated with crime, and yet few know the truth about how the criminal justice system really works. GIDEON'S ARMY presents a rare true look at the criminal justice system from the vantage point of the accused. I wanted to be sure the inspiring, challenging nature of the work these public defenders do, which involves a tremendous amount of personal sacrifice in service to our constitutional rights, was given the attention it deserved."

The film is produced in association with the Ford Foundation.

For more information on the documentary, visit: Facebook: facebook.com/hbodocs; and Twitter: @HBODocs #GideonsArmy.

GIDEON'S ARMY is directed and produced by Dawn Porter; producer, Julie Goldman; editor, Matthew Hamachek; co-producer, Summer Damon; original music, Paul Brill. For HBO: senior producers, Nancy Abraham and Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

LA FILM FEST ‘COFFEE TALKS’ FEATURING SHANE BLACK, VIRGINIA MADSEN & MORE

FILM INDEPENDENT ANNOUNCES LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL’S ANNUAL ‘COFFEE TALKS’ FEATURING SHANE BLACK, VIRGINIA MADSEN, JOE MANGANIELLO, DREW PEARCE, KAREN MCCULLAH AND MORE

KCRW’s The Treatment Announces Festival Edition
With Host/Film Independent At LACMA Curator Elvis Mitchell and Filmmaker Justin Lin
 

Film Independent’s Project Involve To Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary
With The World Premiere Of Life Of A King
 

Film Independent and The Blackouse Foundation Unveil Diversity Speaks Panels
 

Future Filmmakers Luncheon With Keynote Speaker Jon M. Chu,
Meet Indiewire’s Influencers and Casting By Conversation Panel With John Lithgow Also Scheduled

LOS ANGELES (June 4, 2013) – Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by Film Independent, in conjunction with Presenting Media Sponsor the Los Angeles Times and Host Partner L.A. LIVE, announced its annual Sunday “Coffee Talks” programming for June 16. The four talks will take place over the course of one day and feature Directors, Actors, Composers and Screenwriters, including Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Hell on Wheels), Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike), Drew Pearce (Pacific Rim, Iron Man 3), Karen McCullah (Legally Blonde, The Ugly Truth), Atticus Ross (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network) and more.

Additionally, the Festival announced KCRW’s The Treatment at the Los Angeles Film Festival will take place on June 19 with Host/Film Independent at LACMA Curator Elvis Mitchell and filmmaker Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6, Better Luck Tomorrow). The Festival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Film Independent’s Project Involve, which will include the world premiere of Life of a King, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. on June 22. Scheduled for June 15 are the Diversity Speaks Panels, which bring together network executives, independent filmmakers, rising Internet sensations and aspiring artists to discuss an array of topics in an effort to further promote inclusivity in the industry. The Festival will also feature a host of other annual events and panels, including the Future Filmmakers Luncheon with keynote speaker Jon M. Chu (Project Involve 2012), Meet Indiewire’s Influencers and a Casting By Conversation. For more information on general ticketing/programming, please visit lafilmfest.com.

“At the Festival, one of our goals is to connect our audience with the most innovative artists and craftspeople working today,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain. “In every conversation, Coffee Talk or panel there is an electric exchange that recharges both artist and audience.”

“The Festival provides a great opportunity for us at Film Independent to share what we do year-round for filmmakers with a broader audience: going behind the scenes of the movie making process and celebrating the art of filmmaking at every level,” said Director of Education Maria Bozzi.

On Sunday June 16 the Los Angeles Film Festival will hold its annual Sunday “Coffee Talks.” The Festival’s popular series returns with four sessions featuring some of today’s most interesting film figures discussing their craft with their peers in fun and freewheeling conversations:

Directors
Sponsored by Directors Guild of America
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Panelists include: Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), other panelists TBA.

Actors
Sponsored by SAGindie
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Panelists include: Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Hell on Wheels) and Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike), other panelists TBA.

Composers
Sponsored by BMI
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Panelists include: Atticus Ross (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network), Brian Tyler (Iron Man 3, John Dies at the End), David Sardy (End of Watch, Zombieland), other panelists TBA.

Screenwriters
Sponsored by Writers Guild of America, West
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Panelists include: Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim), Karen McCullah (Legally Blonde, The Ugly Truth), other panelists TBA.

Film Independent at LACMA Curator Elvis Mitchell will host a special episode of his radio show KCRW’s The Treatment in front of a live audience as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival. A “treatment,” in Hollywood parlance, is a concise overview of a screenplay. On KCRW’s The Treatment, Mitchell turns the tables and gives the “treatment” to some of the most influential and innovative forces creating movies and popular art and entertainment. KCRW’s The Treatment at the Los Angeles Film Festival will take place on June 19 at the DIRECTV Theatre Regal 9 and will feature a conversation with filmmaker Justin Lin, director of four of the six Fast & Furious movies, including the recently released Fast & Furious 6. Following the event, the discussion will air as an episode of The Treatment on KCRW (89.9 FM).

One of Film Independent’s signature programs is Project Involve, a program dedicated to cultivating the careers of filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the industry. This year it celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Project Involve and on June 22 at 7:00pm the Los Angeles Film Festival will commemorate this milestone with the world premiere of Life of a King, produced by Jim Young (Fellow Producers Lab 2008) and co-produced by Steak House (Fellow Producers Lab 2008, Fast Track 2008). In this compelling drama inspired by true events, Oscar-winning® actor Cuba Gooding Jr. leads an ensemble of new talent and established greats like Dennis Haysbert and Lisa Gay Hamilton. After being incarcerated for eighteen years, Eugene Brown made an unexpected move. He established a Chess Club for inner-city high school students in Washington D.C. where, amidst dwindling educational resources, over-policing and a looming drug economy, it can be near impossible for youth to find their way to a whole and happy adulthood. Brown resolved to teach young people the fundamentals of chess but it was never just a game for them. For Brown and his students, chess became a matter of survival. “Always think before you move,” says Brown.

At the Diversity Speaks Panels, taking place at The Conga Room at L.A. LIVE, content creators of color who embody innovation will discuss how they manage to combine their passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship and their cultural identities into success stories. Kicking off the day is “Inside HBO: A Conversation With HBO Development Executives” which takes place on June 15 at 1:00 pm. HBO’s critically acclaimed and award-winning programming is unwavering in its ability to engage multicultural audiences with irreverence and excellence. Senior-level original programming executives will host a conversation on what makes a program right for their groundbreaking network. “Computer Love: Color Adjustment on the Web,” sponsored by BET, takes place on June 15 at 2:30 pm and highlights storytellers and content creators of color who have taken the Internet by storm. Panelists include Dennis Dortch & Numa Perrier (The Couple, The Number), Asha Kamali May (Milk + Honey), Issa Rae (Awkward Black Girl, The “F” Word) and Al Thompson (Johnny B Homeless, Lenox Avenue). The “New American” Independent Cinema panel, sponsored by HBO, takes place on June 15 at 4:00 pm. As an increasing number of independent filmmakers are exploring what it truly means to be “American,” comprehensive depictions of American life are becoming more visible. In this panel, filmmakers will discuss race, social alienation, sexuality, and the intricacies of drawing an American identity outside of the margins. Panelists include Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), Ava DuVernay (Middle of Nowhere) and Grace Lee (American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs). All events are free and open to the public.

The Future Filmmakers Luncheon, sponsored by PBS SoCaL will take place on June 15 at 12:30 pm and features filmmaker Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, Never Say Never, Step Up 2) as the keynote speaker. The Luncheon is an annual Festival event where we honor the talented high school students with films in the festival. A celebration of the art of storytelling from the youngest voices of our creative community, Chu will pass on words of wisdom to empower and inspire the young filmmakers as they pursue a career in the industry.

On June 17 at 5:00 pm the Festival, along with moderator Dana Harris, Indiewire’s editor-in-chief, unveils the Meet Indiewire’s Influencers list of the smartest, most innovative and forward-thinking filmmakers, content producers, distributors, financiers and curators who are turning the creative world on its head. Sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television, Indiewire will celebrate the people and companies who are bending technology to their creative wills, and, in turn, providing filmmakers and film lovers with the tools that allow the best content to be created and discovered in the 21st century. We gather some of these great minds at the Festival to share their vision, insight and innovations in a freewheeling roundtable discussion. The Meet Indiewire’s Influencers roundtable will include Duncan Cork, CEO of film financing platform SLATED; Nicolas Gonda, co-founder of theatrical on-demand platform TUGG; filmmaker/transmedia artist Lance Weiler (Head Trauma, Pandemic), and others TBA.

The film Casting By will be screening as part of the Festival’s Summer Showcase section and as such we’ll be highlighting the film with a Casting By Conversation panel on June 15 directly following the 5:30 pm screening of the film, which will include a panel discussion with director Tom Donahue, actor John Lithgow, casting director icon Lynn Stalmaster and moderated by Richard Hicks, President of the Casting Society of America. The documentary Casting By follows the career of Marion Dougherty, the legendary casting director who revolutionized the casting in movies and TV. This revelatory, star-studded tribute illuminates the secrets of a little understood trade.

The 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival, which returns to downtown Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE for a fourth year and runs from Thursday, June 13 to Sunday, June 23, will screen a diverse slate of nearly 200 feature films, shorts and music videos, representing more than 40 countries, along with signature programs such as the Filmmaker Retreat, Music in Film Nights at The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE, Master Classes and more. Opening the Festival will be the North American premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s I’m So Excited! and closing the Festival will be The Way, Way Back from Oscar® winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash and starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Annasophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph and Liam James. Visit lafilmfest.com for the most up-to-date schedule of films and programming.

The Los Angeles Film Festival’s FAMILY DAY, a public event, will be held at Nokia Plaza at L.A. LIVE on Saturday, June 15 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm and is made possible by the sponsorship of Hasbro Studios. FAMILY DAY will feature an exciting lineup of activities inspired by the popular My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Kaijudo, Transformers Rescue Bots, Transformers Prime and Littlest Pet Shop animated programs produced by Hasbro Studios. A day of fun for the entire family will feature character appearances, a digital gaming area, a photo booth, a Play-Doh creativity station, balloon animals, face painting, and an entertainment lounge. Kids can also enjoy a real fire truck and police car interactive experience, as well as a “Ponyfication Station” fashion experience. Following FAMILY DAY, the Los Angeles Film Festival will premiere, My Little Pony Equestria Girls, a brand new full-length feature by Hasbro Studios which will introduce a whole new dimension into the world of My Little Pony. The screening will take place at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14.

Previously announced was the official 2013 Festival lineup, as well as Guest Director David O. Russell, who will receive the Spirit of Independence Award. Also confirmed was a Master Class with Maya Rudolph, “An Evening With Costa-Gavras,” including the US premiere of his new film Capital, a discussion with Spike Jonze, an “In Conversation” with playwright/filmmaker David Mamet and actor/stage magician/author Ricky Jay, a pre-Festival screening of Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel, and the addition of Disney•Pixar’s Monsters University to the Festival lineup. Also announced was Family Day which will feature the world premiere of My Little Pony Equestria Girls, the Gala world premiere at LACMA of Doug Pray’s documentary Levitated Mass: The Story of Michael Heizer’s Monolithic Scultpture, the free Community Screenings of Brasslands and the 20th Anniversary screening of Dazed and Confused at FIGat7th and a Dance-A-Long screening of John Waters’ Hairspray at Grand Park in honor of its 25th Anniversary. The Festival’s Music in Film Nights at The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE also slated an evening with the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble hosted by KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox.

Passes are currently on sale to Film Independent members and the general public. In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the Filmmaker Lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. All Access, Fast, Industry and Cinema Pass holders have access to sold out events. General admission tickets to individual films go on sale beginning May 21. Contact the Ticket Office for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345.6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com.

For the eighth year, the Los Angeles Times will serve as the Festival’s Presenting Media Sponsor and will produce the Official Film Guide, the comprehensive source for all movie info, screenings, locations and related special events. The Film Guide will top the paper on Sunday, June 9 in Los Angeles and Orange County, and will be made available throughout downtown Los Angeles during the ten-day event.

The Los Angeles Film Festival is presented in conjunction with Presenting Media Sponsor the Los Angeles Times, Premier and Closing Night Sponsor DIRECTV, Premier Sponsor American Airlines, Principal and Family Day sponsor Hasbro Studios and Platinum sponsors Stella Artois, Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, EFILM, HBO, Volkswagen of America, Canon U.S.A., Inc. and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Special support is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Official Screening Venue is Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14. Stella Artois is the official beer. Renwood Winery is the official wine provider. Shellback Caribbean Rum is the official spirit. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is the Official Host Hotel. WireImage is the Official Photography Agency and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.

ADDITIONAL FILMS & PROGRAMMING

Programming:
• Casting By Conversation – June 15
• Future Filmmakers Luncheon – June 15
• Diversity Speaks Panels – June 15
• “Coffee Talks” Directors/Actors/Screenwriters/Composers – June 16
• Spotlight on the Craft: Canon Celebrates Storytellers: Life of a King Case Study – June 16
• Spotlight on the Craft: Kodak Focus: Robert D. Yeoman – June 16
• Meet Indiewire’s Influencers – June 17
• KCRW’s The Treatment at the Los Angeles Film Festival – June 19
• 20th Anniversary of Project Involve/Life of a King Premiere – June 22
• Spotlight on the Craft: Dolby’s The Sound of Your Story – June 22

PLEASE REFERENCE THE ADDENDUM FOR ALL FILM TITLES, SYNOPSES, CAST AND CREDITS FOR ALL FEATURE FILMS.

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL
Now in its nineteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival, supported by L.A. LIVE and the Los Angeles Times, showcases the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.

The Festival features unique signature programs including the Filmmaker Retreat, Music in Film Nights at the Grammy Museum, Poolside Chats, Master Classes and more. Additionally, the Festival screens short films created by high school students and has a special section devoted to music videos.

Over 200 features, shorts and music videos, representing more than 30 countries, make up the main body of the Festival.

The DIRECTV Narrative and Documentary Grand Jury Prizes are cash awards for best narrative and documentary features selected by an esteemed panel of jurors each year. The Festival also hosts best narrative, documentary and animated short film jury awards as well as a jury award for best performance in the narrative competition. Audience awards are also presented to best documentary, narrative and international feature, short film and music video.

The Los Angeles Film Festival is presented in conjunction with Presenting Media Sponsor the Los Angeles Times, Premier and Closing Night Sponsor DIRECTV, Premier Sponsor American Airlines, Principal and Family Day sponsor Hasbro Studios and Platinum sponsors Stella Artois, Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14, EFILM, HBO, Volkswagen of America, and Canon U.S.A., Inc. Special support is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Official Screening Venue is Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14. Stella Artois is the official beer. Renwood Winery is the official wine provider. Shellback Caribbean Rum is the official spirit. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is the Official Host Hotel. WireImage is the Official Photography Agency and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.

More information can be found at LAFilmFest.com

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents, is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional, or a film lover.

Film Independent produces the Spirit Awards, the annual celebration honoring artist-driven films and recognizing the finest achievements of American independent filmmakers. Film Independent also produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, showcasing the best of American and international cinema and the Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent’s Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year-round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

ABOUT LOS ANGELES TIMES
The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.5 million and 2.6 million on Sunday, more than 23 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.1 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 131 years.

The Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG) businesses and affiliates also include The Envelope, Times Community News, and Hoy Los Angeles which, combined with the flagship Los Angeles Times, reach approximately 5.2 million or 39% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace. LATMG also owns California Community News, LLC, operates Tribune Direct LA, and is part of Tribune Company, one of the country’s leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information is available at http://latimes.com/aboutus

ABOUT L.A. LIVE
L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports & entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center featuring Club Nokia, a 2,300 capacity live music venue, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, a 7,100-seat live theatre, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – The Ritz Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE – all in a single tower), The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE, the 14-screen Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 theatre, “broadcast” facilities for ESPN along with entertainment, residential, restaurant and office space. Visit L.A. LIVE today at www.lalive.com

CLARK GREGG, KIMBERLY PEIRCE, JASON SCHWARTZMAN AND QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS TO PRESENT 2013 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS®

Bob Saget to Host Awards Ceremony

 

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Actors Clark Gregg, Jason Schwartzman and Quvenzhané Wallis and director Kimberly Peirce have been tapped to present at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 40th Student Academy Awards on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Hosted by 1978 Student Academy Award® winner Bob Saget, the awards ceremony is the culmination of a week of industry activities that the Academy is hosting for the 16 student filmmakers from the U.S. and abroad who have been selected as winners this year.

Gregg will next be seen in Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado about Nothing,” opening Friday. Gregg’s other credits include “The Avengers,” “Iron Man” and “Trust Me,” which he also wrote and directed. He will be reprising his role as Agent Coulson in Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” premiering this fall on ABC.

Schwartzman was most recently seen in the 2012 feature “Moonrise Kingdom.” His other acting credits include “The Darjeeling Limited” and “Rushmore.” He will next be seen in “Saving Mr. Banks,” directed by John Lee Hancock, scheduled to be released later this year.

Wallis earned a 2012 Oscar® nomination for Actress in a Leading Role for “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Her upcoming projects include the title role in the remake of “Annie,” scheduled to be released in 2014.

Peirce has written and directed such films as “Stop-Loss” and “Boys Don’t Cry.” Her next film is the remake of “Carrie,” due out later this year.

A complete list of this year’s Student Academy Award winners can be found at: oscars.org/awards/saa/2013/index.html

While all winners know they will each receive an award, their placement – Gold, Silver or Bronze – will not be revealed until the June 8 ceremony. Gold Medal award winners receive cash grants of $5,000, Silver Medal award winners receive $3,000 and Bronze Medal award winners receive $2,000.

To follow the journey of the 2013 Student Academy Award winners, visit oscars.org/awards/saa/

The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar nominations and have won or shared eight awards. The roster includes such distinguished filmmakers as John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker and Spike Lee.

The 40th Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 8 is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required. Tickets are sold out, however, a standby line will form on the day of the event, and standby numbers will be assigned starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit oscars.org