Attention all cinephiles of the creepy and the grotesque, the controversial and the bizarre, have I found a film for you. I recently stumbled upon the trailer for EXCISION, an official selection of the 2012 Sundance and Fantasia film festivals. Written and directed by Richard Bates, Jr. this movie looks down right out of it’s mind awesome, but it’s not one for the easily squeamish or offended, as this trailer will certainly illustrate. Speaking of which, this trailer is far from being “safe for work” so be advised. Watch and relish in the indie iridescence of in your face gore, sex, and complete teenage craziness…
Synopsis: A disturbed and delusional high school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.
Netflix has revolutionized the home viewing market for movies with their instant streaming service. Netflix Nuggets is my way of spreading the word about films of all genres worth holding a spot on your Netflix instant viewing queue. Release dates are subject to change.Continue reading Netflix Nuggets: Winter, Westerns, Weapons, Monkeys and a Mummy
The journey of an innocent whose eyes are opened after leaving his safe, familiar small town surroundings is a theme that has been in explored in literature ( Candide ) and film ( from MR DEEDS GOES TO TOWN to CROCADILE DUNDEE ). Often the naive hero is the object of ridicule until the sophisticates warm up to him. Other times the hero is liberated by the possibilities this new world offers. The new comedy CEDAR RAPIDS takes several of these themes and comes up with a great addition to the small town fish out of water genre.
Tim Lippe ( Ed Helms ) is a mid-level insurance agent in the sleepy town of Brown Valley, Wisconsin. After work he enjoys tending to his modest a home and weekly “afternoon delight ” sessions with his former 7th grade teacher Ms. Vanderhei ( Sigourney Weaver ). Tim believes they are pre-engaged while the newly single Ms. V is not really looking for any commitment. The office of the Brown Valley ASMI affiliate is readying it’s star agent to head off to the company conference in Cedar Rapids and hopefully win a third Silver Diamond sales award. That night Tim is woken up by a panicky phone call from the office owner Bill ( Stephan Root ). Seems the his golden sales boy has died ( under bizarre circumstances ) and Tim has to fill in. The next morning Tim boards his first airplane and arrives at the hotel in Cedar Rapids for the big meeting. There he must share a room with the mild-mannered Ronald ( Isiah Whitlock, Jr. ) and the boisterous party animal Dean ( John C. Reilly ). Later, at the hotel exercise room , Tim meets the alluring Joan ( Anne Heche ) and the president of ASMI, the ultra-conservative Mr. Helgesson ( Kurtwood Smith ). Over the course of the next few days Tim enjoys partying with his new friends and learns that getting the big award is not all that counts in life.
A terrific cast brings this smart script by Phil Johnston to life. In his first leading role Helms ( THE HANGOVER ) proves his can anchor a feature film. Tim Leppe and Andy Bernard ( Ed’s character on TV’s The Office ) share a few nerdy similarities, but Helms brings a lot of pathos to this role especially as he panics the morning after a wild fling with Ms. Joan. Ed’s got a lot of talented comic vets for support here. Stephan Root ( OFFICE SPACE ) scores big laughs as he berates Helms on the phone while attending his daughter’s wedding. Heche pours on the sexiness as the conflicted good-time gal. Smith ( ROBOCOP ) is menacing and smarmy as the intimidating company prez. Whitlock really stands out as the nerdy black dude who can channel his inner gangsta’ when needed. Weaver makes her ” Mrs. Robinson ” type seductress a dry-witted delight. Great support is also provided by Alia Shawkat ( TV’s Arrested Development ) as the good -hearted young hooker Bree and Rob Corddry( HOT TUB TIME MACHINE ) as a bully at a wild party. The real comedy star here may be John C. Relly ( STEP BROTHERS ) as the unbridled id named Dean Ziegler. He explodes into every room witha loud bravado and unsaiticable appetites for booze and sex. There’s no brake between his brain and mouth. Reilly attacks this role with such joyful vigor that’s we’re surprised by the depth of feeling in scenes where Dean reveals his tragic home life. The body language that Reilly uses during one pep talk scene is almost worthy of one of the great silent movie comedians. Miguel Arteta ( CHUCK AND BUCK ) is able to contrast the forced formality of the sales meetings with the terrific slapstick party sequences. It’s a well done raucous comedy involving adults acting like wild teens on the road. You may enjoy this journey as much as that babe-in-the-woods, Tim Lippe.
That’s right all you crazy boys and girls… I, your loud mouthed, movie loving smartass is bringing back my uncensored, fun-filled column SIT DOWN, SHUT UP… AND LET ME WATCH MY MOVIE! In this installment, I will be addressing an issue that apparently is popping about since Sundance.
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. DO SOME RESEARCH AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND.
I recently received word of a group that is none to happy with the lack of women in the film industry.
Now, let me preface this by saying that I fully support women in media, film, and heck, anything else that a woman wants to do… I am not sexist by any means.
The WOMEN”S MEDIA CENTER is a group dedicated to making women visible in the media. Whether it be print, television, women being interviewed etc., their goal is to make women heard. This is a reasonable, and respectable mission. However, in the below video, I found a couple of things troubling. Take a gander, and then I will explain why I am not ok with this video. Go ahead… I will wait.
Ok, boys and girls… here is where I have a problem. Well, several.
First, where did these numbers come from? I searched the site for sources, but could not find them. I am not saying whether the numbers are true or not, but I would like to know how these numbers came about. Did the WMC (Women’s Media Center) conduct a poll, pull this off of the web, did they get these numbers from one or more studies conducted by reliable, unbiased sources, was a random sample of a particular area taken,and/or is it statistically accurate? These are all things that I look at when I read figures. I could say that 90% of people find me to be AWESOME, but how did I come up with that number? I could have conducted a survey of 10 people, and asked them if I am, in fact, awesome to their faces, and only one said no. Point is, I like to know where information comes from. (FYI… 1 out of 1 Melissa’s agree that I am SUPER AWESOME! THAT’S 100 Percent!)
For just a second, let’s assume that the numbers are completely accurate. Like I said, I have no clue whether they are or not, and am certainly not about to accuse the WMC of misrepresenting the fact. If ” 77% of film critics are male”, “only 8% of film writers are female” (I am assuming that they mean script writers and not just critics, because that would be a little redundant to the previous fact. Plus, if you added those two up, what would the other 15% be? That’s a scary thought… but I really hope that dinosaurs are involved!), and “only 7% of the top films of 2009 were directed by women, then we need to look at why this is.
Let’s start with the latter. Top movies are chosen by sales, and/or because they are good, not by some secret society of “he-man woman haters”. Movie sales are driven when purchased or watched by the everyday person, not people in the film industry. People in the film industry generally don’t have to pay to see the movies that they want. It’s kind of a perk to the job. The general population, who are the ones spending money on movies, doesn’t pay attention to directors, writers or producers! How many times have you ever witnessed someone pick up a movie at a store, look at the director or writer, and put it down because it is a woman? Heck, how many people do you know that look past the list of actors or the pretty picture on the box or poster?
Now, back to the fact. In order to know the reason why films directed by women were less popular, I would need to know how many films were actually directed by women in 2009, if these films were made available to the general public and if these movies were actually good. 10,000 women could each direct a film. That doesn’t mean that any of them will be good. So, before I take this number to heart, I need more information.
On to film critics and film writers. For this one, I don’t need as many answers… because this is my sandbox. I can whole-heartedly say that I have NEVER felt any discrimination when it comes to breaking into the film industry, or experienced any other kind of hate that has prevented me from succeeding. Now, I am not disputing that it doesn’t happen, but I have never seen it, nor have I heard about it from any of the many talented women critics and writers that I know. Also, if it was, or still is industry standard, then how do women have jobs? How am I writing this? How do I know so many women in this industry that are extremely successful due to hard work? Oh, I get it… We are all in The Matrix! Duh!
Have I met a dumb male critic that has made a smart-ass comment, thinking that I wouldn’t know about horror makeup or action films? Sure have… several times… but guess what? Not only do I exercise my right to make them look stupid for making such idiotic comments, I have found that if they are dumb enough to walk around with such small minds, they are probably horrible at their craft. How can you be a successful film critic if you can’t think outside of your predisposed, judgmental, ignorant little box? If you have ever watched some of the guests on Maury, Dr. Phil or Oprah, you know that intelligent, creative bigots don’t occur too often in nature. It’s pretty hard to be successful when you are a complete moron!
In the St. Louis area alone, I know a ton of talented, successful women in film. They achieved this by putting in the work and mastering their craft. I don’t look at whether someone is a woman or a man, all I see is a talented film critic, writer, or journalist. That is the message we as a society should really be trying to convey. There is nothing wrong with having a support system for any one group. Everyone need support, and if they encourage each other to feel better or make positive life decisions, then great. The biggest problem, however, is that society always wants to blame others, and turn that blame into a crutch. When that, along with labels, name-calling and/or excuses are used rather than positive solutions, it is no longer support… for anyone! These groups are sometimes just as bad as the people that they are fighting! All this propaganda, negativity, and sometimes even anger is not only giving people an excuse to fail, but is causing a bigger fight. As Mohandas K. Gandhi once said “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”.
I wholeheartedly believe in standing up for what you believe in, but there is a difference between talking about the problem and actually getting off your ass to do something about it. For example, if this video would have included sources to their facts, as well as offer positive ways to make a change, then this would have been more effective, and I wouldn’t be writing this. Why? Because they would then be actively educating people with sourced facts, so that people could make up their own mind, and offering ways to actually make a difference. To be more clear… It’s like telling a child that he will never be able to read, but never taking the time to tell him why, or trying to teach them how.
The first steps to change are presenting unbiased, sited facts and offering positive actions to make a difference. Ultimately, we need to get out of this gender, religion, race mindset and see each other as people. Not all women are the same, and it is unfair to group us all together. We cannot blame gender, religion, or race for all of our problems. Are there still people out there with narrow thinking? Sure, but it is our job to rise above that and determine our own future. We are smart enough to do that, right? If you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, or even in film then do it. If society won’t let you, then make your own film, start your own blog, or write your own script. It is up to the individual to make their life their own. If you let something as silly as gender, skin tone, appearance, or religion stop you from being a success, then you only have yourself to blame. Survival of the fittest.
SEPTIEN, the recent film by Actor/Director/Writer Michael Tully explores themes of sexual repression, parental transference and religion. The film alludes to a variety of Freudian themes; both implicitly and explicitly, as witnessed through the lives of three, young, recently reunited brothers living on an old farm in a small community. Having said that, without a psychoanalytic degree in my back pocket, I was left feeling the way I feel after reading the writings of Freud: slightly confused, but largely disconcerted. Well, the “largely disconcerted” part happened immediately as the opening credits roll across all manner of bloody and otherwise disfigured phallic imagery. (It does not please me to say this, but after this barrage of visual imagery, even the unprecedented amount of plumber’s crack throughout the film will seem palatable.)
The story opens in the quaint mid-western home of the Rawlings brothers. But all is not calm in this home; nor does the initial dialogue make the characters appear very bright. The first few lines of dialogue feel like a bad improv show: lines sound haphazard or just plain unpracticed. For example, when Ezra, the eldest brother and wanna-be-house-mom, welcomes home his long-lost younger brother, Cornelius, his lines are so stilted and mechanical as to be comedic.
The bad improv vibe lingers into the next scene as the brothers reunite for a sit down meal. The oldest brother, Ezra, questions Cornelius as to where he has been. Cornelius stoically responds that Ezra doesn’t need to know. Ezra continues to prod by responding that he does need to know, as Cornelius has been gone for (a whopping!) eighteen years. As a result of these inquiries, Cornelius jumps up from the table and runs off screen, to be shortly followed by the sounds of breaking glass. Cornelius: prodigal son, unpredictable window smasher. End welcome home banquet scene.
While the film is slow to start, once Cornelius leaves his bed and the house, to engage with the world, funny and heart-wrenching moments ensue. Cornelius’ former athletic prowess is re-established as he challenges various strangers to games of one-on-one: wining handily each time. As a result of Amos’ reminiscing about Cornelius’ his high school athletic career, we later learn that there was a tragic reason for Cornelius’ departure from home and community — his coach sexually molested him. However, this is not revealed until the end of the film, and so Cornelius’ silent and unapproachable behavior throughout the majority of the film seems inexplicable, if not unwarranted.
After attempting to cajole details out of Cornelius regarding his High School days, Amos suddenly confesses his desire to be gay. Due to his repressed sexuality, as a result of the early fear of “Faggots” instilled in him by their father, he comments that even though he is an open-minded artist, he just can’t seem to attempt being gay. A confusing admission, it nonetheless provides a necessary glimpse into the early lives of these brothers.
While the synopsis states that Ezra is a freak for “cleanliness” and “Jesus,” the latter remains largely unsubstantiated. On-screen, the character Ezra goes to church once. And, while he does wake up his brothers to tell them he is going to church, and to invite them to join him, the claim that he is a “Jesus freak” feels a little more like a groundless gimmick than an integral part of Ezra’s character. However, in what I would consider to be one of the most disturbing scenes of the film, Ezra, after falling and cutting himself, is face to face with himself in the mirror. Noticing his cut, he rubs the blood from his wound over his lips as a makeshift replacement for lipstick. Now, where is my copy of Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality when I need it?!
However, the most bizarre intrusion into the film comes near the end when, out of nowhere, a man in a leather jacket, wearing a gaudy cross around his neck and another in his ear, looking part cult-leader part charlatan, emerges from a port-o-potty on the side of the road. While one could argue that this is all a post-modern allusion to the humble beginnings of another savior known as Jesus, there is so little within the film to explain the sudden emergence of this savior-character that, instead, it initially feels like a) a joke [with no explicit punch line] and/or b) suggestive of an 80’s music video. (“Desert Love,” by Roger Hodgson, comes to mind.)
Since the role of religion is never wholly developed within the story line, the sudden cure–all closure provided by the cultish crusader, makes the film’s ending feel all the more unresolved for the viewer. Revenge and healing is so swift and sweet that, in the end, it is the viewer who is left saddled with the remnant emotional baggage. While I appreciated the happy ending, the facile resolution left the film in pieces; pieces of stories begun and pieces of human tragedy explored.
Filmmakers from Australia, Poland, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Canada and the United States Celebrated for their Documentary and Narrative Work
The 2011 Sundance Film Festival this evening (January 25) announced the jury prizes in shorts filmmaking and gave honorable mentions based on outstanding achievement and merit. The awards were presented at a ceremony held in Park City, Utah. These award recipients will also be honored at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony hosted by Sundance Alum Tim Blake Nelson on Saturday, January 29.
The 2011 Short Film jurors are Barry Jenkins (director, writer, Medicine for Melancholy); Kim Morgan (Film and Culture writer, Sunset Gun, The Hitlist) and Sara Bernstein (Vice president, HBO Documentary films; supervising producer, Baghdad ER, White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki).
The Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking was awarded to Brick Novax pt 1 and 2 (Director and Screenwriter: Matt Piedmont)— Penniless and now living in a seedy motel with only weeks to live, international super legend Brick Novax records his amazing tales as an astronaut, movie star, corporate CEO, and famous musician to preserve his legacy as the coolest guy in the history of the world.
The Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking was given to Deeper Than Yesterday Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Ariel Kleiman) – After three months submerged underwater in a submarine, the crew have become savages. Oleg, one of the men onboard, fears that losing perspective may mean losing himself.
In addition, The Shorts Jury awarded Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking to:
Choke / Canada (Drector and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer)— Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.
Diarchy / Italy (Director and Screenwriter: Ferdinando Cito Filmomarino) – Giano and Luc are traveling through the woods when a storm breaks, forcing them to take shelter in Luc’s villa. Gradually and insidiously, a competition emerges between them, with terrible consequences.
The External World / Germany, Ireland (Director and Screenwriter: David O’Reilly) – A boy learns to play the piano.
The Legend of Beaver Dam / Canada (Director: Jerome Sable; Screenwriters: Jerome Sable and Eli Batalion) – When a ghost story around the campfire awakens an evil monster, it’s up to nerdy Danny Zigwitz to be the hero and save his fellow campers from a bloody massacre.
Out of Reach / Poland (Director and Screenwriter: Jakub Stozek) – Karolina and Natalia seek refuge from their domineering father and reminiscence about sad childhood without a mother in a basement of their block of flats.
Protoparticles / Spain (Director and Screenwriter: Chema García Ibarra) – The experiment was a success: protomatter exists.
If you are a twitter fan, like I am, one person you may like to pay close attention to is Kevin Smith. Kevin Smith has changed the way he he is going about presenting his newest film RED STATE to the public, and most people are not happy about it. Smith stated that he had planned “to pick my distributor in the room – auction style” for RED STATE and the public, as well as media ran with it, saying that he was going to auction off the film. Smith kept his word.
At last night’s screening of RED STATE, and according to plan Kevin Smith stated that he sold the movie to himself for $20 and that he would be taking the film on the road. His theory behind this… older films. Films use to open in one city at a time, almost like an event rather than the widespread releases of today. He will start with Radio City Music Hall on March 5th and eventually leading the film into theaters on October 19th, which any Smith fan knows to be the anniversary of CLERKS’.
So why all the commotion? According to MOVIELINESmith called out the movie studios as thieves and said that he would not be doing any press for the film.
Want my opinion? HE IS A GENIUS!
First off, Kevin Smith, or anyone has the rights to his or her own creative projects/creativity. If you are even the slightest it creative, you understand the attachment to your creations, and I believe that you should have the rights to do whatever you want with your work. Movie studios have the right to be upset at his statement, but that is because they are directly involved in the comment. I am not here to tell anyone how to feel. A person is going to feel whatever they feel. So, that is your own thing and this chick is going to stay out of that one,
As for all you crazy, fun-loving bloggers out there… I know you had your hearts set on getting an interview with Smith, or to get the scoop on this, but if he wants to keep this film private and doesn’t want it overly saturated in the press, then that is his prerogative. Sure, I would love to sit down with Smith and pick his brain over root beer floats (He does like root beer floats right? Oh, wait… that is a stupid question… root beer floats are delicious!) but if he wants to keep this to a few SMOGCASTS and to his twitter, that is his decision. Heck, if you really want to know what is going on FOLLOW HIM on twitter. He answers questions from fans all of the time!
Third, this man is smart! Congrats to everyone who is tweeting, blogging, facebooking, reporting, and talking to their friends hot mom about this… you have given this movie TEN TIMES MORE BUZZ than playing by the rules and participating in the standard junkets could ever do. You have now made people that have never seen a Kevin Smith movie interested in this film, whether that was your goal or not. (Applause and a high five to Smith for this one!)
The overall goal, and point of his message is simple… anyone who loves film can make a film. If you want it bad enough, you can go out there and show the world your creation regardless of studio backing. That is a pretty inspirational message to be honest.
Simply put, read both sides of the story… make up your own mind, and go after what you love. If you pour your time, effort and creativity into a project it is your decision what to do with it, and in the end… we are critics, and all boils down to nothing more than our opinion.
CHILDREN OF INVENTION isn’t a stellar masterpiece of cinematic achievement, but it’s a great dramatic film about the harder edge of life akin to what many experience these days, with the economy and job market what it is.
While the story is of a Chinese mother, trying to raise her two children in America — which presents it’s significance near the end of the film — the essence of the story remains the same… no matter how hard you work, no matter what you sacrifice, life sometimes still has a way of spitting in your face. However, as this story unfolds, we’re reminded that life also has a way of testing us and repaying us for our hardships in the most unexpected of ways and at the least expected moments.
Raymond finds himself caring for Tina, his little sister, while living illegally in a model home. Their single, naive mother Elaine splits her time between struggling as a real estate agent and getting snookered by one “business opportunity” scam after another. In what Elaine hopes is her big break, she puts all her energy and hopes into a multi-level marketing business, only to find out she’s risking everything she does have in the process.
Meanwhile, the quiet but inventive Raymond and more vocally present Tina take it upon themselves to make ends meet, however possible. CHILDREN OF INVENTION is as much a sweet, charming childhood adventure as it is a heartbreaking testament of how difficult being a single mother can be in the modern world.
CHILDREN OF INVENTION was an official selection in the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and is available on DVD and instant stream from Netflix, and at the time of this post, available for free viewing on Hulu, for a limited time.
NVFF pairs with renowned Chef Michael Chiarello and Napa Valley boutique wineries for a series of food and wine-infused special events sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley
Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) Co-Founders and Directors Brenda and Marc Lhormer have announced a series of launch events – sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley – taking place January 23 and 24 during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Featuring acclaimed Napa Valley Chef Michael Chiarello of Bottega restaurant and NapaStyle as well as 16 of Napa Valley’s finest wineries, the events are designed to introduce NVFF, an official Sundance Institute Associate, to Sundance Film Festival industry guests and attendees from around the world. Showcasing the best of new independent cinema while embracing the epicurean pleasures of Napa Valley, NVFF will debut November 9-13, 2011 with a five-day festival spread over four of the Napa Valley’s postcard-perfect towns.
“We couldn’t think of a more appropriate venue for announcing the new NVFF than at the world’s pre-eminent independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival,” said NVFF Co-Founder Brenda Lhormer. “We are thrilled to partner with the team at the exceptional and prestigious St. Regis Deer Valley, which shares our goal of creating extraordinary guest experiences.”
“We are so pleased to welcome NVFF into our community and are grateful for their support,” said Sarah Pearce, Director of Operations, Sundance Film Festival. “Our hope is that many of the artists we support here in Utah each January will have the opportunity to present their works in Napa Valley in November.”
The NVFF events at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival kick off with a reception and an exclusive VIP dinner at The St. Regis Deer Valley on Sunday, January 23. On Monday, January 24, invited guests will be treated to an unparalleled food and wine tasting experience in downtown Park City at the NVFF Launch Party, sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley. The party will feature a taste of Napa Valley’s finest food, wine and hospitality – a preview of what to expect at the first annual NVFF in November 2011. Renowned Chef Michael Chiarello, of Bottega restaurant in Yountville, as well as Top Chef Masters finalist and Emmy-winning host of the Food Network’s Easy Entertaining, will design the multi-course menus. The area’s world-famous wines will be represented by an array of premium Napa Valley wineries, including Cimarossa, Farella Park Vineyards, John Anthony Vineyards, Allora Vineyards, David Arthur Vineyards, Gemstone, Parallel Napa Valley, Raymond Vineyard and Cellar, Salvestrin, Staglin Family Vineyard, Terlato Wine Group, Tom Eddy Winery, Chiarello Family Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Matthiasson, and Schramsberg Vineyards.
“The St. Regis Deer Valley is delighted to help launch the Napa Valley Film Festival,” stated Michael Zaccaro, managing partner of Deer Crest Janna, LLC, the owner of The St. Regis Deer Valley. “We applaud the pairing of fine food and great wines with the art of independent film.”
The St. Regis Deer Valley, a stunning hotel on the slopes of the Deer Valley Resort, will host the invitation-only Napa Valley Film Festival Reception and VIP Dinner on Sunday, January 23. The Reception will take place in the lobby of The St. Regis Deer Valley, where guests can enjoy Napa Valley wines and Chef Chiarello’s appetizers. The exclusive VIP dinner will take place in The St. Regis Deer Valley Wine Vault – with a cellar of more than 8,000 bottles of wine – offering an intimate setting for guests to experience Chef Chiarello’s five-course dinner.
On Monday, January 24 the NVFF Launch Party, sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley, will be held at the “Sundance House presented by HP,” which will be turned into a “Napa Valley Barrel Cellar” for one night only. Designed to give invited Sundance Film Festival attendees a hint of Napa Valley in a snowy location, the venue will be transformed into a wine cellar tasting room featuring food stations with Chef Chiarello’s famous dishes and a selection of award-winning wines from the Napa Valley wineries. Guests will have the opportunity to mingle with Chef Chiarello as well as the many winemakers in attendance. Providing party guests a sample of the luxurious St. Regis Deer Valley experience, the hotel will recreate its signature St. Regis Wine Vault dining area within the NVFF Launch Party space. In St. Regis tradition, this exclusive area will be attended by the legendary St. Regis Butlers, known for their flawless personalized attention.
The inaugural NVFF (November 9-13, 2011) plans to present more than 50 new films, including narrative features, foreign films, documentaries, short films, and student works. Discussion panels with industry executives, Q&A sessions with the filmmakers, food and wine tastings, opening and closing night premieres and parties, awards ceremonies, VIP receptions, and celebrity tribute programs are all key ingredients rounding out the full NVFF experience. NVFF will also feature a unique community-focused footprint, with screening and hospitality venues clustered in four walk-able villages in Napa Valley’s distinctive small cities and towns: Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. Films and filmmakers will travel from village to village, while festival attendees can choose whether to remain in one community or to sample the different venues.
Participation opportunities for the inaugural NVFF are available now, with Passes on sale at discounted rates until March 31. Also available are a limited number of Founding Patron Packages ($2,500) that offer a fully immersive VIP experience. Visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org for full details.
About the Napa Valley Film Festival
The Napa Valley Film Festival is produced by Cinema Napa Valley, a registered 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California. The festival’s co-creators – and Cinema Napa Valley’s co-chairs – are Brenda and Marc Lhormer, producers and distributors of the feature film Bottle Shock, about the historic upset victory by Napa Valley wines over the French at the famous 1976 wine-tasting competition in Paris. Bottle Shock premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival before going on to international theatrical distribution. The husband-and-wife team also ran the successful Sonoma Valley Film Festival from 2001 through 2008. In addition to producing the annual film festival, Cinema Napa Valley presents special film programs throughout the year and provides support to student filmmaking programs in Napa Valley schools. To learn more, visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org.
About The St. Regis Deer Valley
The St. Regis Deer Valley features 181 guest rooms, including 67 exquisite one bedroom suites and 114 luxurious rooms which can be paired with the suites to form spacious two, three, and four bedroom combinations. The Residences at St. Regis Deer Valley also has 26 grand private residences on premises. The most luxurious amenities of any mountain resort in the world are offered. These include the iconic 24-hour St. Regis butler service; J&G Grill, a signature Jean-Georges restaurant; ski valets; a 14,000 square-foot Reméde spa with pools; a Val d’Isere style “ski beach;” a world class 8,000 bottle wine cellar; and year-round recreational activities. The slope-side resort is located at Deer Valley Resort®, just 39 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport and one mile from Main Street in Park City. St. Regis Deer Valley is owned by Deer Crest Janna L.L.C. For additional information on the privilege of ownership, please explore www.stregisdeervalleyresidences.com.
About Michael Chiarello
Michael Chiarello is an award winning chef and owner of the critically acclaimed Bottega restaurant in Napa Valley. He is a three-time Emmy-winning Food Network host, Top Chef Masters finalist, a highly rated vintner of Chiarello Family Vineyards, author of six noted cookbooks including the just released Bottega Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 11/2010), and owner/tastemaker of NapaStyle, which showcases handcrafted and exclusive artisanal foods and home goods through its catalogue, website and retail stores.
About Napa Valley
The Napa Valley is home to the founders of America’s fine wine industry and is prized for its natural beauty, phenomenal culinary scene, world-class hotel accommodations, robust arts community, and one-of-a-kind wellness experiences including the region’s famed spas, mud baths and healing geo-thermal springs. The word Napa means ‘land of plenty’ in the language of its first known inhabitants, the Wappo Indians, and the Valley itself is one of the most precious agricultural preserves on earth – a place that moves in perfect synchrony with the seasons. Internationally recognized as one of only nine “Great Wine Capitals,” the Napa Valley was voted the World’s #1 Food & Wine Destination in the recent 2010 TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice® Awards and boasts 14 Michelin Stars – the most per capita of any wine region in the world. Visit www.LegendaryNapaValley.com for more information or to download the free Visit Napa Valley iPhone App, and join The Napa Valley community on Facebook and YouTube.
DEADLINE NEW YORKis reporting that Tim Blake Nelson (O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, HOLES, MEET THE FOCKERS etc.) will be hosting this years closing awards ceremony at the sundance film festival.
I’m hearing that Tim Blake Nelson has been set to host the closing awards ceremony at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, January 29. Nelson will be on hand for the premiere of his latest film,Flypaper. He stars with Patrick Dempsey and Ashley Judd in the Rob Minkoff-directed film, which was produced by Dempsey. Scripted by The Hangoverwriters Scott Moore and Jon Lucas, the pic’s about two gangs that knock off the same bank at the same time. Nelson’s one of the bumbling robbers. The pic premieres Friday, January 28 at the Eccles Theatre, and is being shopped by UTA. Pic’s produced by Mark Damon and Peter Safran. Additionally, Nelson stars in the upcoming CBS drama series Chaos.
Do you think he is a good choice for host? Who would you have host?
