Benazir Bhutto was a remarkable figure in the modern history of the Middle East. After all, she was the democratically elected Prime Minister of a country that had previously sent women to jail when they were raped and looked down on women who drove cars or showed their faces in public. She was not simply a woman who happened to be a politician. Rather, her femininity and her feminism informed her political advocacy, her life, and ultimately her tragic death. She was, to no surprise, a polarizing figure within her own country. Pro-democracy Pakistanis saw her as a beacon of hope for the country’s future and her election as a clean slate in place of a torrid history, while fundamentalists saw her as an emblem of Western decadence and a threat to the Islamic way of life. Benazir Bhutto, and all the implications associated with her name, is the subject of Duane Baughman and Johnny O...
- 12/2/2010
- by Landon Palmer
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Benazir Bhutto, the two time Pakistani prime minister who in 2007 was assassinated just days after she returned from military imposed exile in Dubai to once again attempt to take control of the country, was the countries’ most significant civilian political figure of her generation. Using the tragic life and times of the Muslim world’s most dynamic and successful female politician as a lens through which to capture the larger political machinations and social upheaval that has led to the sixty-seven year old Pakistani state constantly being handed back and forth between an imperiled civilian government and a conservative military establishment, Bhutto is not light on substance. However glamorous and entitled this scion of one of the country’s richest feudal families was, it’s clear in Duane Baughman’s incisive, well-researched and ultimately moving documentary that Benazir Bhutto’s motives were primarily civic duty and national pride, even if those convictions compelled her…...
- 12/1/2010
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Director: Duane Baughman Duane Baughman’s biographical documentary Bhutto may focus on Benazir Bhutto -- the first (and to date, the only) female Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988–1990; 1993–1996) and the first (and to date, the only) woman ever elected to lead a Muslim state -- but it also does an excellent job of synopsizing the political history of Pakistan, a history to which the Bhutto family (once referred to as the “Kennedys of Pakistan”) has found itself fatefully entwined. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan adopted its constitution in 1956 and in 1957 Benazir Bhutto’s father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, began his political career as the youngest member of Pakistan's delegation to the United Nations. He soon became the head of the energy ministry; then the head of the ministries of commerce, information and industries. In 1962, he was appointed as Pakistan's foreign minister. In 1967, he founded the Pakistan Peoples Party (Ppp). Zulfikar Ali Bhutto...
- 12/1/2010
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Directors Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara’s award-winning documentary “Bhutto” is a spellbinding portrait of the beautiful and enigmatic leader who, at the age of 35, became the first female prime minister of a Muslim country. Born on June 21, 1953, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Dec. 27, 2007. Her murderers remain unknown, and at large.
Bhutto’s legacy began with her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Fourth president and ninth prime minister of Pakistan, the charismatic and flamboyant patriarch was both loved and hated. He is primarily remembered for developing nuclear weaponry, establishing the Pakistan Peoples Party (Ppp), and for his execution ordered by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq — the general he had appointed as Chief of Army Staff.
Recognizing his eldest child’s potential for inheriting his political mantle, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s selection of Benazir over eldest son Murtaza caused a life-long feud between the two siblings that ended only when the increasingly militant Murtaza Bhutto was killed on Sept.
Bhutto’s legacy began with her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Fourth president and ninth prime minister of Pakistan, the charismatic and flamboyant patriarch was both loved and hated. He is primarily remembered for developing nuclear weaponry, establishing the Pakistan Peoples Party (Ppp), and for his execution ordered by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq — the general he had appointed as Chief of Army Staff.
Recognizing his eldest child’s potential for inheriting his political mantle, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s selection of Benazir over eldest son Murtaza caused a life-long feud between the two siblings that ended only when the increasingly militant Murtaza Bhutto was killed on Sept.
- 11/30/2010
- Moving Pictures Magazine
I View Film Festival 2010, presented by the human rights organization Engendered and runnning from Sept. 18-26 at the Tribeca Film Center and Asia Society in New York City, will open with Indian director Onir's "I Am."
The festival focuses on South Asian Cinema.
The line-up also includes Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara's "Bhutto," about assassinated Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and Kaushik Ganguly and Rituparno Ghosh's "Just Another Love Story."...
The festival focuses on South Asian Cinema.
The line-up also includes Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara's "Bhutto," about assassinated Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and Kaushik Ganguly and Rituparno Ghosh's "Just Another Love Story."...
- 8/13/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
North American rights to Duane Baughman Sundance '10 documentary "Bhutto" have been picked up by First Run Features. Glenn Aveni of Icon Tmi negotiated the deal with Seymour Wishman, president of First Run Features. A November theatrical release is planned for North America, with home video, internet platforms, and television to follow. Educational sales begin immediately. "Bhutto" follows the epic story of Benazir Bhutto, the first woman in history to lead ...
- 6/29/2010
- Indiewire
Duane Baughman produced upcoming Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition feature, “Bhutto” - directed by Johnny O’Hara, (whose film, “Fields of Fuel,” won the 2008 Sundance Audience Award) and co-directed by Jessica Hernandez a veteran television editor. The film turns the spotlight on the assassinated former Pakistani prime minister with “exclusive interviews from the Bhutto family and never-before-seen footage. Filmmakers Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O’Hara have crafted a sweeping epic of a transcendent, …...
- 1/7/2010
- Indiewire
Duane Baughman produced upcoming Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition feature, “Bhutto” - directed by Johnny O’Hara, (whose film, “Fields of Fuel,” won the 2008 Sundance Audience Award) and co-directed by Jessica Hernandez a veteran television editor. The film turns the spotlight on the assassinated former Pakistani prime minister with “exclusive interviews from the Bhutto family and never-before-seen footage. Filmmakers Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O’Hara have crafted a sweeping epic of a transcendent, …...
- 1/7/2010
- indieWIRE - People
Judging by names like Gibney, Blitz, Poitras, Guggenheim, Stern/Sundberg and Grady/Ewing, 2010's Sundance Documentary Competition will be stellar edition with so many return Sundance filmmakers clogging up the section. - Judging by names like Gibney, Blitz, Poitras, Guggenheim, Stern/Sundberg and Grady/Ewing, 2010's Sundance Documentary Competition will be stellar edition with so many return Sundance filmmakers clogging up the section. I'll do more groundwork but off the bat, I'm automatically interested in Gibney's exploration of Jack Abramoff and crew (the official title for the doc is Casino Jack and the United States of Money), Amir Bar-Lev moves from Kids who paint pictures to adults creating their own pictures as was the bad judgment calls from some high ranking folk in the U.S. government (I'm Pat ------- Tillman) and Jeffrey Blitz's long awaited doc on lottery winners (Lucky). Dammit. I pretty much want to see the entire section.
- 12/13/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
I feel a special bond with the Sundance Film Festival. Not because I’ve been there, but because the guy in charge of it this year, John Cooper, shares my name. Because we share this bond, I feel that I’m able to take license in referring to the man as Coop for the rest of this article.
For the annual event held in Park City, Utah from January 21-31, thousands of films are submitted and screened — this year, 3,724 films were viewed by the festival’s ten programmers. I wonder when they slept.
Coop has high hopes for the festival as a whole:
“We may even be going into a golden age for independent films, in that the technology will make it possible for the films to be made and for audiences to see them. The industry is going through a major evolutionary stage right now, there’s no doubt about that,...
For the annual event held in Park City, Utah from January 21-31, thousands of films are submitted and screened — this year, 3,724 films were viewed by the festival’s ten programmers. I wonder when they slept.
Coop has high hopes for the festival as a whole:
“We may even be going into a golden age for independent films, in that the technology will make it possible for the films to be made and for audiences to see them. The industry is going through a major evolutionary stage right now, there’s no doubt about that,...
- 12/3/2009
- by John Cooper
- ReelLoop.com
Sundance Film Festival 2010 is a little over a month away and that means we can now bring you a list of the competition films that will be playing. Here you go boys and girls… enjoy!
Documentary Competition
“Blue Valentine” – Directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, a portrait of an American marriage that charts the evolution of a relationship over time. With Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John Doman. “Douchebag” – Directed by Drake Doremus, written by Lindsay Stidham, Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Andrew Dickler, in which a man about to be married takes his younger brother on a wild goose chase to find the latter’s fifth-grade girlfriend. Features Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius, Amy Ferguson, Wendi McClendon-Covey. “The Dry Land” – Directed and written by Ryan Piers Williams, in which a returning U.S. soldier tries to reconcile his experiences overseas with his life in Texas.
Documentary Competition
“Blue Valentine” – Directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, a portrait of an American marriage that charts the evolution of a relationship over time. With Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John Doman. “Douchebag” – Directed by Drake Doremus, written by Lindsay Stidham, Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Andrew Dickler, in which a man about to be married takes his younger brother on a wild goose chase to find the latter’s fifth-grade girlfriend. Features Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius, Amy Ferguson, Wendi McClendon-Covey. “The Dry Land” – Directed and written by Ryan Piers Williams, in which a returning U.S. soldier tries to reconcile his experiences overseas with his life in Texas.
- 12/3/2009
- by Scott
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Photo: Sundance Today the Sundance Institute announced the films that will be in competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in both the U.S. and International dramatic and documentary categories. The festival will run from January 21-31 in Park City, Utah. There are a few changes this year as there will be no opening-night picture and the festival will take select festival films to eight cities during as the fest plays out.
Last year notable films such as this year's major Oscar contenders Precious and An Education debuted at Sundance 2009 as did audience and critical favorite (500) Days of Summer.
As for this year's crop I have highlighted a few titles among the list below in red, but I have primarily done so considering the names attached to the pictures not necessarily based on any advanced buzz I've heard around any of the films. Names to look out for include Ryan Gosling,...
Last year notable films such as this year's major Oscar contenders Precious and An Education debuted at Sundance 2009 as did audience and critical favorite (500) Days of Summer.
As for this year's crop I have highlighted a few titles among the list below in red, but I have primarily done so considering the names attached to the pictures not necessarily based on any advanced buzz I've heard around any of the films. Names to look out for include Ryan Gosling,...
- 12/2/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
This year’s 16 films were selected from 862 submissions. Each film is a world premiere. Bhutto (Directors: Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara; Screenwriter: Johnny O’Hara)—A riveting journey through the life and work of recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani prime minister and a polarizing figure in the Muslim world. World Premiere Casino Jack & The United States of Money (Director: Alex Gibney)—A probing investigation into the lies, greed and corruption surrounding …...
- 12/2/2009
- Indiewire
Although the Sundance Film Festival might have tried to wring some extra sunshine from its selections last year, the 2010 lineup looks to be back to its typical mirthless self. One could say it has gone from "You gotta give 'em hope" to "You gotta give 'em mope."
"That's our filmmakers," festival director John Cooper said with an amused mix of pride and resignation. "There's some lightness in here somewhere."
Yes, it's wedged back behind the assassinations, political corruption, war carnage, crumbling educational system and Khmer Rouge revelations. The fest, which runs Jan. 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah, might start to feel like 11 Days of Glummer.
But perhaps that's to be expected. The implosion of the independent distribution system amid the ever-present threats of a maimed economy and two wars has provided festival organizers and filmmakers an opportunity to cut loose and follow their probing passions,...
"That's our filmmakers," festival director John Cooper said with an amused mix of pride and resignation. "There's some lightness in here somewhere."
Yes, it's wedged back behind the assassinations, political corruption, war carnage, crumbling educational system and Khmer Rouge revelations. The fest, which runs Jan. 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah, might start to feel like 11 Days of Glummer.
But perhaps that's to be expected. The implosion of the independent distribution system amid the ever-present threats of a maimed economy and two wars has provided festival organizers and filmmakers an opportunity to cut loose and follow their probing passions,...
- 12/2/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.