A fan-funded documentary, which examines the legacy of one of Hollywood’s best-loved action movie franchises is being made by a University of Northampton, United Kingdom, graduate. Filmmaker Christopher Griffiths, who graduated from the Media Production degree course in 2013, raised £34,000 on the Kickstarter funding platform to make RoboDoc, which explores the making and legacy of the RoboCop franchise.
The 11th Seattle South Asian Film Festival closed Sunday with a screening of the tender comedic drama Waiting (2015) from Indian director Anu Menon (London Paris New York, X: Past is Present). Short filmmaker Saad Khan was on site to talk about his short film Brother, Omar Mateen (2016), which engages with the intersection of sexuality, religion, and extremism in the aftermath of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting. After a filmmaker Q&A and before the festive Closing Night Gala that followed, the SSAFF 2016 Audience Awards in three categories were announced.
The Orchard has acquired rights to Hunter Gatherer, the debut film from filmmaker Josh Locy. Rough House Pictures will release the film in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on November 16 with a theatrical rollout to follow. The Orchard will release the film via digital platforms in early 2017.
Burbank-based AlphaDogs recently completed the post on writer, director, producer Robert McGinley’s new cyberpunk musical thriller Danger Diva. AlphaDog’s lead colorist and founder Terence Curren created the look for the film, which was shot entirely in 5K.
Ymagis Group completed work on director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Aquarius, the first feature-length film entirely remastered using EclairColor digital color technology. Screened in competition at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, Acquarius is scheduled for release in cinemas across France on Wednesday.
As soon as DP/director Alex Lehmann got the go-ahead to shoot Blue Jay, his first feature film, he immediately knew he wanted to shoot it in black and white, and he knew what camera he was going to use. He’d tested the new Canon ME20F-SH multi-purpose camera for a horror film he was set to shoot, but which never got made. He felt the camera was ideal for Blue Jay because it satisfied several concerns: it works in extremely low light, was affordable and is simple to operate. Shooting in black and white was a creative choice. “We were going for a timeless feeling,” Lehmann said.
In the wake of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, Santa Monica-based Ultramedia and London's SC Films, have signed a distribution deal with Nettai Museum in Japan for the new sci-fi, 2307: Winter’s Dream, written and directed by Joey Curtis. The deal was negotiated by Fumie Suzuki Lancaster for the sales team and Fumiaki Ikeda for the distributor.
Screen Media Films acquired the U.S. rights for Ana Lily Amirpour’s The Bad Batch following an all-night bidding session prior to its North American premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. The news followed the movie’s Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, where it had its world premiere.
The Bangladeshi drama Aynabaji will open the 11th annual Seattle South Asian Film Festival, which runs October 14-23. The festival will include 23 feature films and 22 shorts from nine countries, plus a landmark community symposium about film censorship in South Asia and topical film programs centered on youth, sexual minorities, and mental health.
The 8th Downtown L.A. Film Festival, September 21-28, which is being held at Regal Cinema’s L.A. Live has announced its feature films and special series. The line-up includes films from all genres and curated programming covering a wide range of topics Income Inequality, Art, Architecture & Design, Actions Sports, and The People and The Police.
