Notizie

Neon and QC Entertainment announced they have partnered to make an as-yet untitled horror film from first-time feature director Bishal Dutta.

The story is based partially on Indian legend, partially on a personal family story from Dutta’s grandfather and partially on the filmmaker’s experience being born in India and moving to and being raised in America.

QC Entertainment, the producers of “Get Out” and “BlacKkKlansman,” will co-finance the film with Raymond Mansfield and Sean McKittrick producing with Edward H. Hamm Jr. executive producing. Neon will co-finance and executive produce. Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa (“Jatt & Juliet”), Vik Sahay and Betty Gabriel (“Get Out”) will star in the original horror film. Principal photography is scheduled to start today in Vancouver, in association with British Columbia based Brightlight Pictures. Neon will distribute the film in the U.S.

Dutta’s short “Life In Color” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival...

Filming begins today in Vancouver, Canada.

Neon and BlacKkKlansman and Get Out producer QC Entertainment are partnering on an untitled horror based partly on Indian legend.

Bishal Dutta will make his feature directing debut on the story which is also inspired by a family story about Dutta’s grandfather, and partly on the filmmaker’s experience of being born in India and raised in the United States.

Production is scheduled to begin production today (October 14) in Vancouver in association with British Columbia-based Brightlight Pictures. Neon will distribute in the US.

QC Entertainment will co-finance the film with Raymond Mansfield and...

Neon and QC Entertainment (Get Out) are partnering on the debut feature from Bishal Dutta, an untitled horror that will star Megan Suri (Fresh Off the Boat), Neeru Bajwa (Jatt & Juliet 1 &2), Vik Sahay (Captain Marvel) and Betty Gabriel (Get Out).

The film starts principal photography today in Vancouver. The story is based partially on Indian legend, partially on a personal family story from Dutta’s grandfather, and partially on the filmmaker’s experience being born in India and then moving to and being raised in America.

Neon and QC will co-finance the film with Raymond Mansfield and Sean McKittrick producing and Edward H. Hamm Jr. executive producing. The project is being made in association with British Columbia-based Brightlight Pictures.

Dutta’s short Life In Color premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Emerging Filmmaker Showcase in 2018. His most recent horror short Inferno saw him sign with WME and Rain Management and...

VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race took home multiple awards and Netflix was the winningest network at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which unveiled winners Monday for its third annual edition.

The competition featured ties in three of the marquee categories: Best Competition Series (RuPaul’s Drag Race and Netflix’s The Great British Baking Show), Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety (Fox’s The Masked Singer and NBC’s The Voice) and Best Structured Series.

Netflix’s Deaf U alone took the other top category, Best Unstructured Series. The streamer, which led all platforms coming in with 22 nominations, finished with a leading six wins overall. It was HBO Max, however, that won for overall Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Programming By a Network or Streaming Platform.

Drag Race was the only show to take more than one award in the online presentation today,...

There’s little in this world more soothing than turning on a nature documentary and hearing David Attenborough’s calm, steady voice. Even as a disembodied narrator, the 94-year-old presenter has become such a ubiquitous presence that watching any nature doc without him feels strange, as if trying to put on a shoe before realizing it’s on the wrong foot. This month, in fact, Attenborough’s voice anchors two separate productions: Apple TV Plus’ documentary “The Year the Earth Changed” (out April 16) and Netflix’s “Life in Color” (out April 22). In both, he proves why he has become the go-to authority on the natural world as he highlights wonder and warnings with equal urgency.

“Life in Color” focuses mostly on the specifics of wildlife versus its place in the world at large. Making occasional appearances onscreen to marvel at a primary-colored macaw or two, Attenborough narrates the series with gentle ease,...

Ah, Netflix. The streaming service has reached a near-ubiquitous status in our current culture, finding its way into more than 200 million homes around the world and driving discussion about TV on a weekly basis. By now, it’s not a question of whether or not you have access to Netflix. It’s not even a question of if you’re going to watch Netflix. It’s merely a question of what you’re going to sample on the service this month.

In 2021, the query is growing all the more variable. Acquired staples like “The Office” and “The West Wing” are gone, forcing viewers to replace their perma-loop series, and the pandemic disrupted Netflix’s routine release of many favorite recurring originals. (When will we see “Ozark” Season 4? Not in April!) Netflix itself seems focused on new shows anyway, whether it’s the constant sampling of experimental content (like docuseries that...

Two depressed misfits with big dreams find some solace in a fleeting connection in Katharine Emmer’s affecting “Life in Color,” which she also wrote and starred in (among other duties, as per the indie filmmaking process). Emmer stars as Mary, a dour and depressed L.A. nanny, whose life is turned upside down when she shares a fateful toke with birthday clown Homer (Josh McDermitt) during one of her charges’ birthday parties. It’s quite the unconventional meet-cute, and doesn’t initially reveal itself as such until much later. Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2016 Wracked with guilt over her pot-induced firing, Homer offers her a place to stay, an offer which Mary has to reluctantly take. She’s clearly struggling, with no family or friends to turn to, and the situation forces her into the uncomfortable position of having to crash with a stranger while she searches for a job.

“The Walking Dead” may return this weekend, but AMC isn’t the only place you’ll be able to see actor Josh McDermitt. He also stars in “Life in Color,” a charming romantic comedy from writer-director Katharine Emmer that debuted this week on iTunes and Amazon — just in time for Valentine’s Day. McDermitt recently sat down with TheWrap to discuss the indie film and his turn as a pot-smoking, out-of-work birthday clown who befriends a live-in nanny (Emmer) struggling with her own problems. Emmer made the film on a shoestring budget with the money she made as a nanny,...

Napa Valley Film Festival kicked off with (what else?) a wine movie. “Somm: Into the Bottle," the second documentary exploring the Exclusive Court of Master Sommeliers. To be distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films, "Somm: Into the Bottle", as told through the eyes of the world’s greatest sommeliers and winemakers, raises the curtain on the seldom-seen world that surrounds the wine we drink and gives viewers close-up access to the most accomplished sommeliers in the world and to some of the most prestigious winemakers working today. By opening some of the world’s most rare bottles of wine, the viewer understands how a wine ages and just what happens in a cellar.

At the festival’s gala opening night party, filled with vintners pouring their wines accompanied by some of the best restaurants in the world supplying bite size hors d’oevres, Peter Goldwyn pointed out that the film is already number 22 on iTunes because of the fan base built up by Jason Wise’s previous film, “Somm” in which four sommeliers attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. As Peter circulated through the crowd of the local bourgeoisie and filmmakers like Eric Troung whose 30 minute short is also screening here, I felt right at home…I love seeing new friends and old at these events.

So far, as a jury member, I have seen one film, “Life in Color” directed, written and produced by Katherine Emmer, along with producers Jason Berman, Anne Carey, Lance Johnson and Giles Clark and starring, as a lovable slob who grows up, Josh McDermitt, Katharine Emmer herself who could play a spoiled rich girl as well as the miserably inattentive nanny she plays in this movie, Adam Lustick a really perfect button-down successful comedian buddy of Josh, Fortune Feimster and Jim O’Heir. Katharine's directorial feature film debut, “Life in Color”, world premiered at South by Southwest 2015. It won Best of Fest - The L.E.S. Prix D'Or at The Lower East Side Film Festival 2015 in New York City.

I am now about to see the second film, “Tumbledown," directed by Sean Mewshaw, produced by Aaron Gilbert, Kristin Hahn and Margo Hand, written by Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw and starring Jason Dudikis, Rebecca Hall, Blythe Danner (!), Dianna Agron, Griffin Dunne (“Dallas Buyers Club” and “After Hours”!) son of Dominick Dunne and older brother of Dominique Dunne, Joe Manganiello and Richard Masur. Starz will release the film stateside. Director-writer Sean Mewshaw was raised in Rome, Italy and spent a decade in L.A. working on film sets where he was mentored by some of his heroes. He made a short starring Frances McDomand (one of my favorite actors btw), then moved to Portland, Maine with his wife Desi (who cowrote “Tumbledown”), where he directs theater wile developing film projects. “Tumbledown is his feature debut.

End of Day One and Beginning of Day Two, signing off, Sydney Levine, working in her suite at the Embassy Suites with my partner Peter Belsito sitting on the other side of the table after he hosted a pitch session with Scott Mandille.

The 5th Annual Napa Valley Film Festival (Nvff), scheduled to take place November 11-15, has announced its Narrative and Documentary feature film line-ups for juried competition. The complete program of approximately 125 films, including special presentations, sneak previews of award season contenders, narrative and documentary shorts, and short features, as well as jury members, will be announced soon.

Directors of the Narrative and Documentary feature films in competition will participate in Nvff’s unique Artists-in-Residence Program presented in partnership with the incomparable Meadowood Napa Valley. Directors will stay at the luxury resort for six nights during the festival and are treated to special events and workshops with their competition group and industry mentors. Meadowood Napa Valley will also award $10,000 to the winning filmmakers in both the Narrative and Documentary competition categories at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 15.

“We experienced nearly a 50% jump in submissions this year, making it just that much more difficult to whittle down to our 10 narrative and 10 documentary feature films for our core competition,” said Nvff Executive & Artistic Director Marc Lhormer. “We look forward to sharing these compelling real and imagined stories with our audiences in November, and to supporting these innovative filmmakers and getting to know them during their tenure with us as Artists-in-Residence at Meadowood."

Nvff has also announced that former USA Today Chief Film Critic Claudia Puig will be joining the festival team. She will serve as a consulting programming director and industry liaison for the balance of 2015, and then take on full responsibilities of program director at the beginning of the 2016 festival planning cycle.

“After 15 years as a film critic, I became increasingly intrigued by the film festival world and what makes compelling film programming,” said Puig. “Some of the best and most original movies I’ve seen have made their debut at film festivals. Joining the Napa staff is especially exciting - only in its fifth year, the Napa Valley Film Festival is growing by leaps and bounds with its ambitious, forward-thinking and innovative programming, panels and events. The combination of film, wine and a gorgeous location made this an easy choice for my new career path, and I look forward to working with Marc, Brenda and the entire Nvff team.”

Narrative Competition Section

Films in the Narrative competition section feature actors Alexis Bledel, Jamie Chung, Eliza Dushku, Lyndsy Fonseca, Bryan Greenberg, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Jordan, Josh McDermitt, Kal Penn and Jason Sudeikis, among others. The 10 films selected include:

"Astraea" – When humanity is mysteriously wiped out, clairvoyant 14 year-old Astraea is led by her older brother through the snowy landscapes of a post-apocalyptic America. Astraea chronicles their trek to find and connect with other survivors along the way to the far northeast where their parents are believed to still be alive. Directed by Kristjan Thor.

"Honeyglue" – Morgan seeks out a new perspective and lifestyle after receiving a severe life-threatening medical diagnosis. After meeting Jordan, an artist whose avenues for personal expression far transcend her conservative and stale world, the two spend her last months on an adventurous journey of self-discovery. Directed by James Bird.

"It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong" – After a chance encounter in Hong Kong during which an ex-pat and a tourist seem to strike a romantic spark, Ruby and Josh are blessed with an equally coincidental second date. Unfortunately, the two seem to have found the perfect connections at the most inopportune times. Starring Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung. Directed by Emily Ting.

"Jane Wants a Boyfriend" – Jane, an aspiring costume designer on the autism spectrum, recruits her sister to help her find her first boyfriend. As she challenges the obstacles of her daily life in seeking a romantic connection, often failing, she also shows those closest to her that everyone deserves a chance at love. Starring Eliza Dushku. Directed by William Sullivan.

"Life in Color" – Mary, a failed nanny, and Homer, a floundering comedian, grapple with the harsh realities that preclude them from the success that appears to come so easily to others. The unlikely duo realizes that they can overcome their lack of home, job and purpose if they face defeat together. Starring Josh McDermitt and Katharine Emmer. Directed by Katharine Emmer.

"Lola’s Last Letter" – While completing her community service, a young woman continues to deal with the emotional trauma left over by the mistake that sent her to prison. As Lola’s camera captures details of her daily routine, the reason behind her resistance to moving on is revealed. Starring Valerie Brandy. Directed by Valerie Brandy.

"Moments of Clarity" – Two unlikely friends, Claire and Danielle, elude their protective parents and embark on a quest to repair an antique camera. A series of events lead to their adventure extending beyond their original plans, ultimately helping them both to better understand the worlds from which they had seemingly escaped. Starring Lyndsy Fonseca and Kristin Wallace. Directed by Stev Elam.

"Outliving Emily" – Twelve diverse actors portray the various stages of Tim and Emily’s anthologized marriage. Each pair uniquely captures the notable highs and lows that take place throughout the span of a life-long relationship, making their story highly relatable to couples everywhere. Starring Alexis Bledel, Zosia Mamet, Thomas Mann, Kal Penn, Jeremy Jordan, Phylicia Rashad and many more. Directed by Eric Weber and Sean Devaney.

"The King of New Orleans" – Larry’s story is chronicled from the passenger seat of his taxi cab. His regular commuters and new riders represent the various walks of life in the faded and haunted beauty of New Orleans. The compelling bond he creates with travelers and locals alike is forever changed by the heartbreaking effects of Hurricane Katrina. Directed by Allen Frederic.

"Tumbledown"– Hannah, the widow of an acclaimed folk musician, engages a New York professor to assist her in writing her late husband’s biography. Her emotions are thrown for a loop when he begins investigating the circumstances surrounding the untimely death. Starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis. Directed by Sean Mewshaw.

Documentary Competition Section

"A Place to Stand" – Jimmy Santiago Baca was a seventeen-year-old petty thief and drug dealer when he was sentenced to five years in Arizona State Prison, one of the deadliest prisons in America. Baca began his incarceration violent, angry and illiterate. Against all odds, he taught himself how to read and write, discovering a passion for poetry that ultimately saved his life. Directed by Daniel Glick.

"Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play" – Based on the book by anthropologist John Fox, “The Ball: Discovering the Object of the Game,” Bounce takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer the question: why do we play ball? Equal parts science, history and visual essay, the film follows the bouncing ball from animal play through professional sports to video games, exploring why we play and what play says about who we are and where we are going as a civilization. Directed by Jerome Thelia.

"Code: Debugging the Gap" –Code asks the questions: why is there a dearth of female and minority software engineers, what would society gain from having more women and people of color coding, and how do we get there? Code highlights breakthrough efforts that are producing a more diverse set of computer programmers. Directed by Robin Hauser Reynolds.

"King Georges"– Fiery French chef Georges Perrier is on a crusade to save his world-renowned 40-year-old Philadelphia restaurant, Le Bec-Fin, from closing. Times and tastes have changed – what was once cutting edge is now out of favor. "King Georges" is the story of a determined, tragi-comic figure, and his fight to keep culinary traditions alive. Directed by Erika Frankel.

"Life Under Siege: Exploring Gaza’s Secret Tunnels" – "Life Under Siege" is the story of a U.S.-Palestinian family divided by the siege on the Gaza Strip, and reunited under the cloak of the Arab Spring. Director Miriam Abu Sharkh’s travels to Gaza investigates the smuggling tunnels to Egypt, and attempts to forge relationships with her father and half siblings, whom she is only able to visit by result of monumental social movements. Directed by Miriam Abu Sharkh.

"Right Footed" – Despite being born without arms, Jessica Cox overcame both physical and emotional challenges to become fully independent. She learned to type with her toes, drive a car with her feet, and amazingly, fly an airplane. "Right Footed" follows Jessica as she transforms from a motivational speaker to a mentor, and eventually into a leading advocate for people with disability. Directed by Nick Spark.

"Romeo is Bleeding" – Donte Clark’s poetic voice was honed on the violent street corners of his struggling city of Richmond, California. Rather than succumb to the everyday pressures to just survive, Clark uses his artistic perspective – and a good dose of inspiration from the Bard – to create a personalized production of Romeo & Juliet as one man’s attempt to save his city from itself. Directed by Jason Zeldes.

"Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103" – When a terrorist-planted bomb destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988, 270 lives were ended and a heartbreaking new reality for thousands of relatives begun. Since follows the victims’ families on a 23-year quest for justice and the truth. Directed by Phil Furey.

"The Family Next Door" – He was the star Yale football player who went on to become an attorney. She was the beautiful cheerleader who became a loving, caring teacher. Their genes were perfect to start a dream family. Four children and seventeen years later, they are the family that no one wants to be: the family affected by autism, with drastically altered expectations, and yet with patience, grace, determination and unconditional love. Directed by Michael Messner and Barry Reese.

"The Uncondemned" – In 1997, a mismatched group of underdog lawyers embarked on a quixotic quest to have rape classified as an international war crime for the first time. "The Uncondemned" is the story of their fight for the first conviction and the story of the heroic Rwandan women who risked a wave of witness assassinations to testify.