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The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has set its lineup of narrative and documentary features for its 28th edition, including Jussie Smollett’s return to acting in “The Lost Holliday,” filmmaker Christine Swanson’s latest drama “Albany Road” and the acclaimed Luther Vandross doc “Never Too Much.”

This year’s festival takes place June 12-16 in Miami Beach, Fla., followed by a virtual segment June 17-24 on ABFF Play. Winners of film festival competition will be announced on June 15, during the “Best of ABFF Awards” hosted by Emmy-nominee Dondré Whitfield.

The 2024 narrative lineup includes “Albany Road,” directed and written by Swanson, starring Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lynn Whitfield and J. Alphonse Nicholson; “The Lost Holliday” directed by, co-written and starring Smollett alongside Vivica A. Fox, produced by Mona Scott-Young; “The Waterboyz,” directed by Coke Daniels and produced by Ben Crump, starring Akil McDowell, Alani “La La” Anthony and Quavo; and “Black Heat,...

Tierra Whack has dropped the surreal, dolphin-starring video for her new single “Body of Water.” She gave Rolling Stone an exclusive look behind the scenes alongside director Cat Solen.

“Body of Water” is Whack and Solen’s third time working together. Solen comments on how visionary Whack is, having very specific ideas and scenes in mind for her unique visuals. This time, Whack’s theme was love in all forms. “The main focus I would say is love,” she says. “It’s okay to love whoever you want to love.

Exclusive: Josephine Langford (Moxie), Drew Starkey (Outer Banks) and Archie Renaux (The Greatest Beer Run Ever) have signed on to star in The Other Zoey, a rom-com from Gulfstream Pictures that will head into production this month in North Carolina.

The film to be directed by Sara Zandieh (A Simple Wedding) centers on Zoey Miller (Langford), a bright college student who rejects traditional ideals of love and dating, only to have her entire perspective on romance turned upside down when another student mistakes her for his girlfriend, also named Zoey.

Matt Tabak penned the script for the pic, which is being financed by Gulfstream Pictures. Mike Karz and Bill Bindley are producing through their Gulfstream Pictures banner, alongside Tabak, Matt Luber and Lena Roklin, with Michael Cuddy and Nate Bryson exec producing.

Langford is best known for her lead role as Tessa Young in the After film series, based on the novels by Anna Todd,...

Six projects include upcoming titles produced by Jack Tarling among others.

Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has unveiled the six projects selected for its film and TV development programme, which will take place online for a second year.

The third edition of Talent Lab Connects (TLC) will run from April to December 2021 and includes script editing and mentoring support, with all workshops and mentoring taking place remotely due to pandemic restrictions.

Story editor Kate Leys will head up the group of industry mentors guiding the selected teams towards development of a feature film or serial drama project.

The six projects...

Italy’s 3zero2 shingle, which is a co-producer of Brendan Foley’s pan-European noir “Body of Water,” is ramping up and expanding into film after bringing on board producer Giuseppe Saccà who shepherded Berlin prizewinning drama “Bad Tales.”

The Milan-based outfit founded and headed by veteran TV exec Piero Crispino has been quietly gaining prominence in Italy in the kids’ space by producing shows for Disney that have travelled internationally, such as “Alex & Co” and “Penny on M.A.R.S.,” but also various types of content for local broadcasters Rai, Mediaset, Sky, Viacom and Discovery.

Now, 3zero2 is looking to grow and broaden its scope with the arrival of Saccà who in March was appointed director of content after he exited Pepito Production, the Rome-based company headed by his father, former Rai head of drama Agostino Saccà, which will be collaborating closely with 3zero2, Crispino said. Besides “Bad Tales,” by Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo,...

In his latest interview/podcast, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with writer/director Lucy Brydon about her debut feature film Body of Water.

Having just completed another round of treatment for chronic anorexia, acclaimed war photographer Stephanie (Sian Brooke) is working hard to reconnect with her family. Her mother Susan (Amanda Burton) is supportive but preoccupied by her forthcoming wedding to Annette (Kazia Pelka). Meanwhile Stephanie’s teenage daughter, competitive swimmer Pearl (Fabienne Piolini-Castle), is angry and full of resentment, refusing to give her mother a second chance. Stephanie will need all her strength to keep her head above water.

Starring Sian Brooke, Amanda Burton, Fabienne Piolini-Castle, Nick Blood and Kazia Pleka, Body of Water is out now on DVD and digital.

Links to films discussed: In My Skin: www.imdb.com/title/tt0337961 Safe: www.imdb.com/title/tt0114323...

To mark the release of Body of Water on 11th January, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on DVD.

Lucy Brydon’s critically acclaimed powerful debut feature sensitively explores the impact of an eating disorder on a family.

Having just completed another round of treatment for chronic anorexia, acclaimed war photographer Stephanie (Sian Brooke) is working hard to reconnect with her family. Her mother Susan (Amanda Burton) is supportive but preoccupied by her forthcoming wedding to Annette (Kazia Pelka). Meanwhile Stephanie’s teenage daughter, competitive swimmer Pearl (Fabienne Piolini-Castle), is angry and full of resentment, refusing to give her mother a second chance. Stephanie will need all her strength to keep her head above water.

Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only

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Body of Water – released on digital and DVD 11th January

The Small Print

Open to UK residents only The competition...

10 titles have been selected for the latest list.

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) has selected 10 titles for its Raindance Discovery Award longlist, including several that received recognition in last week’s lists.

Eva Riley’s sibling drama Perfect 10 is on the list, adding to its selections on four lists last week for debut director, debut screenwriter (both for Riley), breakthrough producer (Jacob Thomas) and twice in most promising newcomer (Frankie Box and Alfie Deegan).

Also selected on its fifth list is Rene van Pannevis’ crime drama Looted. van Pannevis was longlisted for debut director, and for debut screenwriter...

Stars of ‘Limbo’, ‘ The Secret Garden’, ‘Real’ also chosen.

Fifteen emerging actors have been longlisted for the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) 2020 most promising newcomer prize.

They include Niamh Algar, for her role as Ursula in Calm With Horses; Bukky Bakray, Kosar Ali and D’Angelo Osei Kissiedu from Rocks; and Frankie Box and Alfie Deegan from Perfect 10.

The longlist is the latest BIFA announcement this week, following the reveal of three New Talent categories yesterday. The longlists for international feature and documentary will be revealed on Thursday and Friday respectively.

The final five nominations will be announced on...

“Saint Maud,” “White Riot” and “Calm With Horses” are among the leading titles on the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) longlists announced Tuesday.

Riz Ahmed, star and co-writer of Berlin-winner “Mogul Mowgli” is on the longlist in the debut screenwriter long list, alongside Billie Piper for “Rare Beasts.”

Rose Glass, director of “Saint Maud,” which won an honorable mention at the BFI London Film Festival in 2019, makes it to the BIFA debut director and screenwriter longlist, as does producer Oliver Kassma, in the breakthrough producer category.

“White Riot” won awards at Berlin, London, Krakow and IndieLisboa, and director Rubika Shah duly makes it to the debut director list and Ed Gibbs in the breakthrough producer category.

“Calm With Horses” won at the Irish Film and Television Awards, and director Nick Rowland finds a place in the director longlist, Joseph Murtagh in the debut screenwriting category and Daniel Emmerson as breakthrough producer.

Twenty-seven films have been longlisted across three new talent categories.

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) has moved its ceremony from its traditional early December slot to February 2021 as it announces the longlists for six categories this week.

The nominations will be announced on December 9 and winners revealed “in early February”, according to BIFA. An exact date and format of the ceremony has yet to be announced.

Scroll down for the New Talent longlists

Rose Glass’ horror Saint Maud and Nick Rowland’s drama Calm With Horses are two of six films included in all three longlists for the BIFA 2020 New Talent categories.

Here’s the latest episode of the The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the ever-growing podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar, with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro budget indie films to bigger budget studio films and everything in-between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their film making experiences from directors, writers, producers, screenwriters, actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmakers Podcast #187: Writing & Directing a BFI & BBC Films backed debut movie...

Lucy Brydon’s sombre debut feature follows a mother out of rehab and into complex family life

Body of Water is a sombre, painful British movie from first-time feature director Lucy Brydon. I’m still not sure what I think about this film’s overall narrative direction, or how other people affected by the issues are going to take it – but it certainly functions as an unflinchingly forthright examination of what is at stake.

The film concerns a family dysfunction over three generations: Stephanie (Sian Brooke) is a photographer and single mum who has an eating disorder, depression and drug problems, and while she has been away in one of her many stays in rehab, her angry, troubled teen daughter Pearl (Fabienne Piolini-Castle) has been living with Stephanie’s mum Susan (Amanda Burton) who has enough to worry about with her imminent wedding to her new partner Annette (Kazia Pelka...

Studiocanal’s psychological horror film “Saint Maud” bowed in second position at the U.K. and Ireland box office, with £263,433, according to final figures released by Comscore.

Warner Bros.’ “Tenet,” directed by Christopher Nolan, stayed at pole position for the seventh consecutive weekend, collecting £296,049. The film now has a running total of £16,563,616 in the territory.

The countries’ exhibition sector has taken body blows over the past week with some cinemas in Ireland closed due to coronavirus precautions and the giant Cineworld group shuttering its 1,180 screens across both countries as a response to the postponement of James Bond film “No Time to Die,” and several other keenly anticipated blockbusters.

The sector was also hit with the Vue and Odeon chains deciding to operate several of their sites on weekends only.

The re-release of cult Japanese Manga “Akira,” released by National Amusements, drew in punters and collected £201,124 in third position.

In its sixth weekend,...

Sian Brooke was one of our very first lockdown interviews, and we’re thrilled that we’ve since had the chance to catch up, as she spoke about her role in the stirring drama Body of Water, directed by Lucy Brydon.

Brooke talks about the mental exhaustion of playing a role of this nature, and just how challenging and rewarding an experience it was for her. She also speaks candidly about her weight loss for the part, and the risk factor involved in having to lose such a significant amount of weight in such a short period of time. We also speak about the brilliance of new filmmaker Lucy Brydon, and Brooke tells us how it was this very experience collaborating with her that has since inspired her to write something of her own.

Watch the full interview with Sian Brooke below:

Synopsis

A woman with an eating disorder tries...

Verve Pictures has launched the UK trailer for Lucy Brydon’s powerful directorial debut ‘Body of Water’.

Having just completed another round of treatment for chronic anorexia, acclaimed war photographer Stephanie (Sian Brooke) is working hard to reconnect with her family. Her mother Susan (Amanda Burton) is supportive but preoccupied with her forthcoming wedding to Annette (Kazia Pelka). Meanwhile, Stephanie’s teenage daughter, competitive swimmer Pearl (Fabienne Piolini-Castle), is angry and full of resentment, refusing to give her mother a second chance. Stephanie will need all her strength to keep her head above water.

Written and directed by Lucy Brydon, the film stars Siân Brooke, Amanda Burton, Fabienne Piolini-Castle and Nick Blood.

Also in trailers – Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie star in trailer for sci-fi thriller ‘Synchronic’

The film is released in UK cinemas October 16th.

The post UK trailer drops for Lucy Brydon’s ‘Body of Water’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

"I have this picture of how perfect it was gonna be when I got out..." Verve Pictures has released an official UK trailer for an acclaimed indie drama titled Body of Water, the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Lucy Brydon. The film is described as a "powerful debut feature" that "sensitively explores the impact of an eating disorder on a family." A co-production with Film London, BFI, BBC Films, Lions Den Films Bright Shadow Films and Boudica Films, Body of Water tells the story of a renowned war photographer named Stephanie who attempts to reconnect with her family following a long battle with chronic anorexia. Starring Sian Brooke, Amanda Burton, Kazia Pelka, Fabienne Piolini-Castle, plus Nick Blood. An early fest review say this "intimate, performance-driven drama confronts uncomfortable truths about a condition which inflicts physical, emotional and mental damage on both sufferers and their families." Looks terrific. Here's the official...

Verve Pictures has debuted a new trailer for Lucy Brydon drama ‘Body of Water’.

Having just completed another round of treatment for chronic anorexia, acclaimed war photographer Stephanie (Sian Brooke) is working hard to reconnect with her family. Her mother Susan (Amanda Burton) is supportive but preoccupied with her forthcoming wedding to Annette (Kazia Pelka). Meanwhile, Stephanie’s teenage daughter, competitive swimmer Pearl (Fabienne Piolini-Castle), is angry and full of resentment, refusing to give her mother a second chance. Stephanie will need all her strength to keep her head above water.

Written & directed by Lucy Brydon, the film stars Siân Brooke, Amanda Burton, Fabienne Piolini-Castle & Nick Blood.

Also in trailers – Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill star in teaser trailer for date announcement for ‘Enola Holmes’

The film is released in cinemas and digital October 16th

The post New trailer drops for Lucy Brydon drama ‘Body of Water’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

With Radioactive making its way to DVD we marked the occasion by speaking to one of its supporting stars, Sian Brookes. We discussed with her the joy in collaborating with Rosamund Pike, and under the direction of Marjane Satrapi.

Brookes plays Marie Curie’s sister Bronislawa, and we asked if there was much out there for her to use as a reference point. She also talks about the fun learning about specific eras in time, and highlighting the educational aspect of her profession. Given the timing of our chat, we also asked the affable actress about her time spent in lockdown, and whether she’s been able to keep creative (or just enjoy being with her family). Finally we spoke about Body of Water, a fascinating feature film we can’t wait to see, as she discusses her complex role in that interesting drama.

Watch the full interview with Sian...

Germany’s Zdf Enterprises, experts in crime and the production and sales outfit behind Nordic Noir original “The Bridge” and Swedish mega-hit crime thriller “Before We Die,” is at it again. This time round, the commercial arm of German public broadcaster Zdf has greenlit “Body of Water,” an eight-part crime drama showrun and written by Brendan Foley. Production is scheduled for 2021.

A Northern Irish writer, Foley has built up Nordic Noir credentials, co-writing Lionsgate and Viaplay series “Cold Courage” and adapting Finnish crime drama “Man Who Died” for Elisa.

Production partners include Nucleus Media Rights, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Milan, Mumbai and Seoul, and Italy’s 3zero2, part of France’s Euro Media Group.

Euro Noir “Body of Water,” which Zdfe will bring onto the market, begins when the bodies of a man and woman are dredged up three years apart from the River Thames and a Venice canal,...

World premieres include Julian Jarrold’s biopic ’Sulphur And White’ and Anthony Baxter’s documentary ‘Flint’.

The Glasgow Film Festival has revealed the full programme for its 16th edition, which will run from February 26 to March 8.

The line-up features nine world premieres throughout the programme, including Julian Jarrold’s biopic Sulphur And White, starring Mark Stanley as real-life mountaineer and charity campaigner David Tait who faced long-buried childhood trauma.

The festival will also debut documentaries Flint, from Scottish director Anthony Baxter (You’ve Been Trumped) about the Michigan city’s toxic water scandal; and Robbie Fraser’s Pictures From Afghanistan,...