Dave O’Connor is exiting production company Majordomo Media to take over the reins of Time Studios as president.
O’Connor will report to Time CEO Jessica Sibley, who announced his hiring in a memo to staff Monday. O’Connor takes over the Time Studios role from Ian Orefice, who left the company this year to lead Jeff Zucker’s RedBird Imi-backed content studio EverWonder.
At Majordomo Media, he was a co-founder and co-ceo alongside David Chang, founder of the famed Momofuku restaurant group. The company has produced series including “Chef Vs. Wild” and “Secret Chef” for Hulu; “Ugly Delicious” for Netflix; and podcasts “The Dave Chang Show” and “Recipe Club” with Spotify’s The Ringer.
“With a proven track record of crafting business models to sustain profits and fuel growth, Dave also brings a deep creative background to Time Studios, with over two decades of experience as a showrunner,...
O’Connor will report to Time CEO Jessica Sibley, who announced his hiring in a memo to staff Monday. O’Connor takes over the Time Studios role from Ian Orefice, who left the company this year to lead Jeff Zucker’s RedBird Imi-backed content studio EverWonder.
At Majordomo Media, he was a co-founder and co-ceo alongside David Chang, founder of the famed Momofuku restaurant group. The company has produced series including “Chef Vs. Wild” and “Secret Chef” for Hulu; “Ugly Delicious” for Netflix; and podcasts “The Dave Chang Show” and “Recipe Club” with Spotify’s The Ringer.
“With a proven track record of crafting business models to sustain profits and fuel growth, Dave also brings a deep creative background to Time Studios, with over two decades of experience as a showrunner,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Time Studios has found its next president.
The production arm of the company (which also owns Time magazine), has tapped Dave O’Connor as president, reporting to Time CEO Jessica Sibley, who announced his hire Monday.
Time Studios has become a critical business line for Time, with Sibley telling The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year that the division now accounts for 25 percent of the company’s revenue, hitting $100 million. O’Connor succeeds Ian Orefice, who left Time Studios earlier this year to launch a studio of his own called EverWonder, backed by RedBird Imi.
O’Connor is the co-founder and co-ceo of Majordomo Media (alongside celebrity chef David Chang), which has produced Hulu’s Chef vs. Wild, among other programs. He previously worked at RadicalMedia and Embassy Row, both nonfiction content powerhouses.
“As President, Dave will further Time Studios’ mission of creating premium storytelling that moves the world, while providing the...
The production arm of the company (which also owns Time magazine), has tapped Dave O’Connor as president, reporting to Time CEO Jessica Sibley, who announced his hire Monday.
Time Studios has become a critical business line for Time, with Sibley telling The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year that the division now accounts for 25 percent of the company’s revenue, hitting $100 million. O’Connor succeeds Ian Orefice, who left Time Studios earlier this year to launch a studio of his own called EverWonder, backed by RedBird Imi.
O’Connor is the co-founder and co-ceo of Majordomo Media (alongside celebrity chef David Chang), which has produced Hulu’s Chef vs. Wild, among other programs. He previously worked at RadicalMedia and Embassy Row, both nonfiction content powerhouses.
“As President, Dave will further Time Studios’ mission of creating premium storytelling that moves the world, while providing the...
- 11/6/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dave O’Connor has been appointed as the new President of Time Studios, Time CEO Jessica Sibley announced Monday morning, in a memo to staff.
O’Connor steps in for Ian Orefice, who served as President & COO of both news magazine Time and its Emmy-winning production division before exiting to launch the content studio EverWonder, alongside Jeff Zucker’s RedBird Imi. He will be based out of New York, reporting directly to Sibley. In his new role, he will look to further Time Studios’ mission of crafting premium storytelling for a global audience, providing the company with the vision and strategic direction necessary to propel it through a turbulent and fast-evolving point in entertainment’s history.
O’Connor joins after co-founding Majordomo Media, where he served as co-ceo and produced such hit series as Chef vs. Wild for Hulu, also building a podcast network and helping to launch an original Fast channel.
O’Connor steps in for Ian Orefice, who served as President & COO of both news magazine Time and its Emmy-winning production division before exiting to launch the content studio EverWonder, alongside Jeff Zucker’s RedBird Imi. He will be based out of New York, reporting directly to Sibley. In his new role, he will look to further Time Studios’ mission of crafting premium storytelling for a global audience, providing the company with the vision and strategic direction necessary to propel it through a turbulent and fast-evolving point in entertainment’s history.
O’Connor joins after co-founding Majordomo Media, where he served as co-ceo and produced such hit series as Chef vs. Wild for Hulu, also building a podcast network and helping to launch an original Fast channel.
- 11/6/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The director of Sergio and many docs talks about docs and movies taken from true stories.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
- 7/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Tony Sokol May 3, 2019
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Director Joe Berlinger explains why he cut away from the violence of Ted Bundy.
Ted Bundy confessed to killing more than 30 people in the 1970s. Told through the eyes of his longtime girlfriend Liz Kendall, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, consigns this to subtext. But not because no one wanted to see Zac Efron, who stars as Bundy, committing such heinous acts. People did, and the film has been getting some flak about it.
Director Joe Berlinger doesn't focus his camera softly. His film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, about the West Memphis Three, was criticized for its graphic documentation. Berlinger, who immersed himself in Bundy for his Netflix documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, speaks with Den of Geek about how much violence is too much, and how much isn't enough.
"It...
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Director Joe Berlinger explains why he cut away from the violence of Ted Bundy.
Ted Bundy confessed to killing more than 30 people in the 1970s. Told through the eyes of his longtime girlfriend Liz Kendall, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, consigns this to subtext. But not because no one wanted to see Zac Efron, who stars as Bundy, committing such heinous acts. People did, and the film has been getting some flak about it.
Director Joe Berlinger doesn't focus his camera softly. His film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, about the West Memphis Three, was criticized for its graphic documentation. Berlinger, who immersed himself in Bundy for his Netflix documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, speaks with Den of Geek about how much violence is too much, and how much isn't enough.
"It...
- 5/3/2019
- Den of Geek
Tony Sokol Dec 12, 2018
Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes captures the charm and psychosis of an iconic serial killer.
“I haven't blocked out the past. I wouldn't trade the person I am, or what I've done, or the people I've known, for anything," Ted Bundy has been quoted as saying in multiple sources. "So I do think about it. And at times it's a rather mellow trip to lay back and remember.” Before he discovered the thrill he got from killing, Bundy was on his way to a career in law or politics, according to Crime Museum's biography. His young female victims found him a charismatic boy who could really talk. Netflix is set to listen in the upcoming Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, according to Deadline.
The four-part docuseries was directed by Joe Berlinger, director of the true-crime investigations Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills,...
Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes captures the charm and psychosis of an iconic serial killer.
“I haven't blocked out the past. I wouldn't trade the person I am, or what I've done, or the people I've known, for anything," Ted Bundy has been quoted as saying in multiple sources. "So I do think about it. And at times it's a rather mellow trip to lay back and remember.” Before he discovered the thrill he got from killing, Bundy was on his way to a career in law or politics, according to Crime Museum's biography. His young female victims found him a charismatic boy who could really talk. Netflix is set to listen in the upcoming Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, according to Deadline.
The four-part docuseries was directed by Joe Berlinger, director of the true-crime investigations Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills,...
- 12/12/2018
- Den of Geek
Entertainment executive Frank Scherma has been elected as the Television Academy’s new chairman and CEO, the organization announced Friday. The Academy also announced newly elected members of its board of directors who, like Scherma, will serve a two year term ending Dec. 31, 2020.
Scherma is president and cofounder of global production studio RadicalMedia, which has produced a range of projects including commercials, feature films, television, music programming, graphic, interactive design and Vr content. Past RadicalMedia projects include “The Fog of War,” the pilot episode of “Mad Men,” National Geographic’s “Mars,” and “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru.” Scherma and Radical media have won Emmys, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, Grammys, Webbys, The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design, and two Palme d’Ors.
Also Read: 'Marvelous Mrs Maisel': Amazon Sets Season 2 Premiere Date for Rachel Brosnahan Comedy (Video)
Scherma most recently served as Vice Chair...
Scherma is president and cofounder of global production studio RadicalMedia, which has produced a range of projects including commercials, feature films, television, music programming, graphic, interactive design and Vr content. Past RadicalMedia projects include “The Fog of War,” the pilot episode of “Mad Men,” National Geographic’s “Mars,” and “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru.” Scherma and Radical media have won Emmys, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, Grammys, Webbys, The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design, and two Palme d’Ors.
Also Read: 'Marvelous Mrs Maisel': Amazon Sets Season 2 Premiere Date for Rachel Brosnahan Comedy (Video)
Scherma most recently served as Vice Chair...
- 11/16/2018
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger has partnered with Keshet Studios and the Center for Investigative Reporting on a true-crime series devoted to cold murder cases tied to civil rights offenses.
“Unmasking Murder” is being shopped to TV and digital buyers as an eight-part documentary series following investigators as they dig in to longtime cold cases and a few contemporary homicides. The series would follow a handful of investigations per season, focusing on the legwork and day-to-day work of Cir investigative reporters.
Berlinger is known for the “Paradise Lost” trilogy of HBO documentaries that helped drive the legal reversal of fortune for the three men in the West Memphis Three murder case being released from prison after serving 18 years. His other documentary films include “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” (2004) and Netflix’s “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” (2016).
“The hook for me for this show was being able to observe and...
“Unmasking Murder” is being shopped to TV and digital buyers as an eight-part documentary series following investigators as they dig in to longtime cold cases and a few contemporary homicides. The series would follow a handful of investigations per season, focusing on the legwork and day-to-day work of Cir investigative reporters.
Berlinger is known for the “Paradise Lost” trilogy of HBO documentaries that helped drive the legal reversal of fortune for the three men in the West Memphis Three murder case being released from prison after serving 18 years. His other documentary films include “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” (2004) and Netflix’s “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” (2016).
“The hook for me for this show was being able to observe and...
- 6/11/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
SundanceTV has released the full-length trailer for “Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders,” Joe Berlinger’s docuseries about the crime that inspired Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood.” That nonfiction novel (a phrase Capote coined) was adapted by Richard Brooks into an acclaimed drama starring Robert Blake and Scott Wilson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for portraying its author in “Capote.”
Read More:Zac Efron Slated to Play Serial Killer Ted Bundy In Indie From Joe Berlinger
The quadruple murder took place in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959. Two men, Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, entered the home of their victims in the belief that Herbert Clutter, the family patriarch, kept as much as $10,000 in his safe; there was less than $50 in the house. Clutter, his wife, and their two young children were all killed after being bound and gagged.
Read More:‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru...
Read More:Zac Efron Slated to Play Serial Killer Ted Bundy In Indie From Joe Berlinger
The quadruple murder took place in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959. Two men, Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, entered the home of their victims in the belief that Herbert Clutter, the family patriarch, kept as much as $10,000 in his safe; there was less than $50 in the house. Clutter, his wife, and their two young children were all killed after being bound and gagged.
Read More:‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru...
- 10/23/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Zac Efron has signed on to play notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in the indie biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
Joe Berlinger (“Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru”) will direct from a screenplay by Michael Werwie. The script won the Academy Nicholl Fellowship first prize and was on the Black List. The movie is being produced by Michael Costigan’s (“Brokeback Mountain”) Cota Films, and Nicholas Chartier’s Voltage Pictures (“The Hurt Locker,” “Dallas Buyers Club”). Voltage will handle sales at the Cannes Film Festival. Shooting is set to begin on October 9.
Read More: ‘Baywatch’ Super Bowl Trailer: Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron Save Lives and Fight Crime
“I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time,” producer Nicolas Chartier told Variety. “From his dramatic turn in Paperboy to his hilarious performance in Neighbors, he continues to impress audiences and critics alike with his extraordinary versatility and range.
Joe Berlinger (“Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru”) will direct from a screenplay by Michael Werwie. The script won the Academy Nicholl Fellowship first prize and was on the Black List. The movie is being produced by Michael Costigan’s (“Brokeback Mountain”) Cota Films, and Nicholas Chartier’s Voltage Pictures (“The Hurt Locker,” “Dallas Buyers Club”). Voltage will handle sales at the Cannes Film Festival. Shooting is set to begin on October 9.
Read More: ‘Baywatch’ Super Bowl Trailer: Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron Save Lives and Fight Crime
“I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time,” producer Nicolas Chartier told Variety. “From his dramatic turn in Paperboy to his hilarious performance in Neighbors, he continues to impress audiences and critics alike with his extraordinary versatility and range.
- 5/16/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Tony Sokol May 16, 2017
Zac Efron signs up for the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, playing Ted Bundy...
Zac Efron will throw off any preconceived notions of what roles he’ll attack in the upcoming Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile. In the film, he's going to play serial killer Ted Bundy, working off a script by Michael Werwie.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile will tell the story of Bundy, who killed more than 30 people in the 1970s, through the eyes of his longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer. She defended Bundy for a long time, until she turned him in.
The film will be produced by Nicolas Chartier and Ara Keshishian. Efron’s Ninjas Runnin’ Wild banner will produce alongside Michael Simkin and Jason Barrett. Werwie and Jonathan Deckter will be executive producing.
“I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time,...
Zac Efron signs up for the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, playing Ted Bundy...
Zac Efron will throw off any preconceived notions of what roles he’ll attack in the upcoming Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile. In the film, he's going to play serial killer Ted Bundy, working off a script by Michael Werwie.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile will tell the story of Bundy, who killed more than 30 people in the 1970s, through the eyes of his longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer. She defended Bundy for a long time, until she turned him in.
The film will be produced by Nicolas Chartier and Ara Keshishian. Efron’s Ninjas Runnin’ Wild banner will produce alongside Michael Simkin and Jason Barrett. Werwie and Jonathan Deckter will be executive producing.
“I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time,...
- 5/15/2017
- Den of Geek
Tony Sokol Apr 2, 2019
Zac Efron takes a turn as serial killer Ted Bundy in Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
It's Ted Bundy's turn in the pop culture true crime spotlight.
Bundy, the unusually charismatic serial killer who terrorized the Pacific Northwest for years, is the subject of the upcoming biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Zac Efron is set to star as the monster, himself.
The film is directed by Joe Berlinger, who co-directed the Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills documentaries with the late Bruce Sinofsky, and Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster, Brother's Keeper and Whitey: United States of America V. James J. Bulger. He recently directed the recent documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru.
Berlinger also had a hand in the recent Ted Bundy documentary for Netflix, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Here is everything we...
Zac Efron takes a turn as serial killer Ted Bundy in Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
It's Ted Bundy's turn in the pop culture true crime spotlight.
Bundy, the unusually charismatic serial killer who terrorized the Pacific Northwest for years, is the subject of the upcoming biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Zac Efron is set to star as the monster, himself.
The film is directed by Joe Berlinger, who co-directed the Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills documentaries with the late Bruce Sinofsky, and Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster, Brother's Keeper and Whitey: United States of America V. James J. Bulger. He recently directed the recent documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru.
Berlinger also had a hand in the recent Ted Bundy documentary for Netflix, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Here is everything we...
- 5/15/2017
- Den of Geek
A total of 145 feature documentaries were submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration for the 89th Academy Awards.
Out of those films the members of the Academy’s documentary branch will select a shortlist of 15 features that will be announced in December, and the five nominations will be announced on January 24.
Read More: Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run the Fast-Changing Non-Fiction World
Among the titles included in the list are Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” the Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner “Weiner” by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Raoul Peck’s Toronto Film Festival Audience Award winner “I Am Not Your Negro,” the visually stunning “Voyage of Time: The Imax Experience” by Terrence Malik and Otto Bell’s “The Eagle Huntress.”
Read More: Oscars 2017: 10 Documentary Shorts Vie for Nominations
This year Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees’ film “Amy” about British singer Amy Winehouse...
Out of those films the members of the Academy’s documentary branch will select a shortlist of 15 features that will be announced in December, and the five nominations will be announced on January 24.
Read More: Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run the Fast-Changing Non-Fiction World
Among the titles included in the list are Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” the Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner “Weiner” by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Raoul Peck’s Toronto Film Festival Audience Award winner “I Am Not Your Negro,” the visually stunning “Voyage of Time: The Imax Experience” by Terrence Malik and Otto Bell’s “The Eagle Huntress.”
Read More: Oscars 2017: 10 Documentary Shorts Vie for Nominations
This year Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees’ film “Amy” about British singer Amy Winehouse...
- 10/29/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
Academy Award nominee Joe Berlinger is set to explore the murders made famous by Truman Capote.
Berlinger is set to direct and produce “Murder in the Heartland: In Cold Blood Revisited” for SundanceTV. The four-part docuseries will dig even deeper into the 1959 quadruple murder that Capote made famous in his 1966 book “In Cold Blood.”
Berlinger, who has been developing the project for more than a year, revealed why he’s so thrilled at the opportunity to revisit the infamous crime.
“I have long been obsessed with Capote’s genre-busting masterwork, but even more fascinated by the underlying crime and its impact on the American psyche,” said Berlinger. “The opportunity to explore my obsession, in light of new information we have uncovered, with a network and brand that I have long been associated with and which represents cinematic quality at its most intelligent is a dream situation for a nonfiction filmmaker of my background.
Berlinger is set to direct and produce “Murder in the Heartland: In Cold Blood Revisited” for SundanceTV. The four-part docuseries will dig even deeper into the 1959 quadruple murder that Capote made famous in his 1966 book “In Cold Blood.”
Berlinger, who has been developing the project for more than a year, revealed why he’s so thrilled at the opportunity to revisit the infamous crime.
“I have long been obsessed with Capote’s genre-busting masterwork, but even more fascinated by the underlying crime and its impact on the American psyche,” said Berlinger. “The opportunity to explore my obsession, in light of new information we have uncovered, with a network and brand that I have long been associated with and which represents cinematic quality at its most intelligent is a dream situation for a nonfiction filmmaker of my background.
- 10/15/2016
- by William Earl
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles,...
Belladonna of Sadness (Eiichi Yamamoto)
It all begins with Once Upon a Time. Such a simple introduction for Belladonna of Sadness, a 1973 Japanese animated feature whose newfound legacy includes a decades-long disappearance, a dramatic re-emergence, and a growing reputation as a frenzied, pornographic freakout. The final entry in anime elder statesman Osamu Tezuka‘s erotic Animerama trilogy has remained largely unknown to even the most die-hard cult cinephiles,...
- 7/15/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Some movies are so powerful that they can change people’s lives. At the outdoor screening of “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” in Brooklyn on Monday, Rooftop Films saved the life-changing experience for the Q&A.
What started as a typical post-screening discussion with director Joe Berlinger about the backstory to his Netflix documentary turned into something much more profound. A handful of audience members asked Robbins for advice related to their personal lives, while one woman addressed the apparent lack of diversity at Robbins’ six-day event “Date with Destiny” that is the focus of Berlinger’s documentary. After Robbins explained that the attendees depicted in the film came from 71 countries and had translators relaying everything said in six different languages, he asked the audience of 850 people to stand up and take part in a therapeutic exercise straight out of one of his motivational seminars.
Just like Date with Destiny,...
What started as a typical post-screening discussion with director Joe Berlinger about the backstory to his Netflix documentary turned into something much more profound. A handful of audience members asked Robbins for advice related to their personal lives, while one woman addressed the apparent lack of diversity at Robbins’ six-day event “Date with Destiny” that is the focus of Berlinger’s documentary. After Robbins explained that the attendees depicted in the film came from 71 countries and had translators relaying everything said in six different languages, he asked the audience of 850 people to stand up and take part in a therapeutic exercise straight out of one of his motivational seminars.
Just like Date with Destiny,...
- 7/13/2016
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
We're living a tidal wave of content. It's hard to know what to watch, when, and where. We're here to help! By telling you that you can and should watch a movie about a tsunami entitled The Wave from the director of the upcoming Tomb Raider movie, Roar Uthaug, on Netflix next month. The streaming service has released the titles for their July 2016 movies and TV shows, though they are subject to change. Also available are those titles leaving Netflix in July. Highlights of what you can look forward to include: Back to the Future 1- 3, Beverly Hills Cop 1 and 2 (if you want to get ready for the upcoming sequel), All of the Lethal Weapon movies (get a look at The Predator director Shane Black's first script brought to life), BoJack Horseman Season 3, The Sting, and more. Make sure to check out these titles before they leave: A Clockwork Orange,...
- 6/21/2016
- by Roth Cornet
- Hitfix
Netflix has revealed their slate of films that will be hitting the streaming service in July. Next month is filled with classic franchises such as “Back To The Future Parts I-iii,” “Lethal Weapon” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” There’s a bit of everything for every member of your family, from comedies like “Mean Girls,” action films like “Big Trouble In Little China” and indies like “Mustang,” Netflix has you covered.
Read More: Leonardo DiCaprio To Produce Nautical Action-Thriller ‘The Outlaw Ocean’ For Netflix – Report
Below are the titles hitting the streaming library next month, plus IndieWire’s personal picks on what to check out.
Avail 7/1/16
“41 on 41” (2014)
“A Long Way From Home” (2013)
“Back to the Future” (1985)
“Back to the Future Part II” (1989)
“Back to the Future Part III” (1990)
“Bad Boys II” (2003)
“Batman: The Movie” (1966)
“Beavis and Butt-head Do America” (1996)
“Beverly Hills Cop” (1984)
“Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987)
“Big Trouble in Little China...
Read More: Leonardo DiCaprio To Produce Nautical Action-Thriller ‘The Outlaw Ocean’ For Netflix – Report
Below are the titles hitting the streaming library next month, plus IndieWire’s personal picks on what to check out.
Avail 7/1/16
“41 on 41” (2014)
“A Long Way From Home” (2013)
“Back to the Future” (1985)
“Back to the Future Part II” (1989)
“Back to the Future Part III” (1990)
“Bad Boys II” (2003)
“Batman: The Movie” (1966)
“Beavis and Butt-head Do America” (1996)
“Beverly Hills Cop” (1984)
“Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987)
“Big Trouble in Little China...
- 6/21/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
I saw director Joe Berlinger‘s Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru at SXSW earlier this year and had a very mixed reaction. While some found the film genuinely inspiring and others ruthlessly mocked it, I fell somewhere in the middle. It’s a fascinating movie and one worthy of being watched and picked apart, even if […]
The post ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ Trailer: The First Ever Self-Help Concert Film is Weirder Than You’d Think appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ Trailer: The First Ever Self-Help Concert Film is Weirder Than You’d Think appeared first on /Film.
- 6/16/2016
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
Tony Robbins may be no Holy Wayne, but there’s little denying the motivational speaker and “Shallow Hal” cameo-haver’s success. Netflix’s next original movie takes a look at his annual “Date with Destiny” seminar, with the first trailer for “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” now available for all your self-actualization needs.
Read More: SXSW 2016 Review: ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ Makes Tony Robbins Look Kind of Scary
2,500 people make their way to Boca Raton, Florida for the six-day seminar every year, but director Joe Berlinger and his crew were the first allowed behind-the-scenes access to it. He’s as energetic offstage as he is in front of his assembled fans, who, at least in “I Am Not Your Guru,” are out of their minds with excitement to even be in the same room with Robbins.
Read More: Joe Berlinger’s Tony Robbins Documentary to Open 2016 AmDocs Film Festival
Berlinger previously directed “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” and co-directed the “Paradise Lost” trilogy, the first of which is among the best films of the 1990s. “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” is available on Netflix on July 15.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related storiesMaria Bamford Presents the 'Lady Dynamite Collection' in New Infomercial for Netflix Series'Trollhunters': Guillermo del Toro's Netflix Show Casts Anton Yelchin, Ron Perlman & MoreNetflix Picks Up Animated Puberty Comedy 'Big Mouth' From Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg...
Read More: SXSW 2016 Review: ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ Makes Tony Robbins Look Kind of Scary
2,500 people make their way to Boca Raton, Florida for the six-day seminar every year, but director Joe Berlinger and his crew were the first allowed behind-the-scenes access to it. He’s as energetic offstage as he is in front of his assembled fans, who, at least in “I Am Not Your Guru,” are out of their minds with excitement to even be in the same room with Robbins.
Read More: Joe Berlinger’s Tony Robbins Documentary to Open 2016 AmDocs Film Festival
Berlinger previously directed “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” and co-directed the “Paradise Lost” trilogy, the first of which is among the best films of the 1990s. “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” is available on Netflix on July 15.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related storiesMaria Bamford Presents the 'Lady Dynamite Collection' in New Infomercial for Netflix Series'Trollhunters': Guillermo del Toro's Netflix Show Casts Anton Yelchin, Ron Perlman & MoreNetflix Picks Up Animated Puberty Comedy 'Big Mouth' From Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg...
- 6/16/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
For years, the documentaries of Joe Berlinger haven’t always focused on the sunny side of life. Whether it’s his acclaimed look at the West Memphis Three in his “Paradise Lost” trilogy, chronicling gangsters (“Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger“), heavy metal bands at the end of their rope (“Metallica: Some Kind of […]
The post Make Your Life A Masterpiece With The Trailer For Netflix Documentary ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Make Your Life A Masterpiece With The Trailer For Netflix Documentary ‘Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru’ appeared first on The Playlist.
- 6/16/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The 2016 Illuminate Film Festival, which will take place June 1 – 5, 2016 in Sedona, Arizona has announced the official line up of films for the 3rd annual event. The only film festival of its kind, the Illuminate Film Festival offers a collection of over 20 feature length and short films from around the world, exploring the year’s best in conscious cinema, as well as eye opening and thought provoking panels and conversations that will expand minds and inspire dialogue.
“We are proud to be the world’s premier film festival for conscious cinema” said the festival’s Executive Director Danette Wolpert, “and continue to attract movie-lovers, spiritual seekers and conscious lifestyle enthusiasts from over 25 states and 8 countries. In our third year, we will offer audiences the opportunity to enjoy the world’s best life-affirming, mind-body-spirit focused films, experience radical transformation together and meet trailblazers in the emerging genre of conscious cinema.”
Illuminate will begin on June 1st, 2016 with a pre-Festival Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening of work-in-progress "Be More," a stirring documentary film narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, about seven activists who make it their mission to create a more compassionate world. Their goal: To transform the lives of seventeen teenagers in seven days. Filmmaker Justin Haulbrook will be in attendance.
Opening Film on June 2nd, 2016 will be "Maya Angelou and Still I Rise," which portrays the vibrant spirit of an American Legend - author, poet, Grammy-winner, civil rights activist and shining example of what it is to be empowered moment by moment in one’s life. Directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, the film features interviews with Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Alice Walker and Hillary Clinton. Filmmaker Rita Coburn Whack will be in attendance.
The Festival’s Spotlight will be the emotional tour de force "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," directed by Academy Award® nominated Joe Berlinger. This film pulls back the curtain on the internationally renowned life and business strategist and his mammoth annual seminar, capturing the life changing transformations of the participants in real time. The Closing Film event will be a Sneak Peek of "Mantra: Sounds Into Silence," a film about the revolution underway in world Kirtan, yoga's call-and-response form of devotional music. Sneak peek clips of the film will be followed by a Q&A and live concert with world-renowned Kirtan sensation Jai Uttal. Filmmaker Georgia Wyss will be in attendance.
The Illuminate Film Festival will introduce the inaugural Conscious Visionary Award, an award honoring a pioneer in the world of conscious cinema, spirituality, and life achievement as a teacher and facilitator of human transformation. The award will be presented to the Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith for his unparalleled record of bringing hope, love and encouragement to millions of spiritual seekers, creating the Agape worldwide community of faithful parishioners, students, healers and teachers who carry his message forward, and his complete dedication to uplifting and inspiring humanity through his church, books, audio recordings and numerous film appearances.
Chaz Ebert has signed on as the keynote speaker for the Conscious Film Convergence and will speak on the role of transformational entertainment and its potential impact on humanity. Chaz, wife of the late Roger Ebert, is the CEO of several Ebert enterprises, including President of Ebert Productions and Chairman of the Board of The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and Co-Founder and Producer of Ebertfest, the film festival now in its 18th year.
Other films in the lineup include:
"A New High" (2015), directed by Samuel Miron and Stephen Scott Scarpulla - Everyone defines their mountain. For the residents of a Seattle homeless shelter, it’s homelessness, addiction, abuse.... and the 14,400-foot Mt Rainier.
"The Connected Universe" (2016), directed by Malcom Carter – Returning after its sold out Sneak Peek at Illuminate 2015, this documentary featuring Nassim Haramein discovers the science behind the interconnection of all things in a magnificent, groundbreaking union of science and spirituality. (Private screening)
"From This Day Forward" (2015), directed by Sharon Shattuck – Filmmaker Sharon Shattuck examines the mystery at the heart of her upbringing – How her transgender father Trisha and her straight-identified mother Marcia stayed together against all odds – depicting a love that survived the most intimate of transformations.
More information Here
"Home Care" (2015), directed by Slávek Horák – The official 2016 Oscar entry for the Czech Republic, this appealing humanist tale follows Vlasta, a dedicated home nurse whose entire life is devoted to saving others, as she reluctantly ventures into spirituality and alternative medicine to find salvation for herself.
More information Here
"Icaros: A Visions" (2016), directed by Leonor Caraballo and Matteo Norzi - A film shaped like a shamanic journey utilizing the unique qualities of plant medicine, steeped in a psychoactive brew exploring fear and destiny in the jungle of the mind and the Amazon. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"Love, Sweat & Tears" (2016), directed by Scott Jacobs – Dr. Pamela Dee Gaudry is on a mission to “Save The Menopausal Vaginas of America!” In this documentary, Gaudry marries medical facts with profound insights from some of today’s influential spiritual leaders such as Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Beckwith and Rev June Gatlin, as well as riotous comedians Joan Rivers and Jenny McCarthy. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Teal" The Making of a Spiritual Teacher" (2016), directed by Paola Marino – Referred to as “The Spiritual Catalyst” and dubbed the next Wayne Dyer, Teal Swan’s extrasensory gifts and connection to the spiritual realm are a light in the perpetual darkness of the modern age. (Work-In-Progress World Premiere)
More information Here
"Orange Sunshine" (2016), directed by William A. Kirkley – During the early 1960’s, a group of family, friends, and surfers formed a church centered around psychedelics. For The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, the mission was to enlighten the world, and the law was but a mere interference. (Arizona Premiere)
More information Here
"Planting Seeds of Mindfulness" (2016), directed by Gregory Kennedy-Salemi and Stuary Jolley –Based on the teachings of world renowned Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, and featuring riveting music by Tina Turner, this live action-animated film about a teenager’s mindful journey is a powerful tool to help children, parents, teachers and communities develop the skills to promote peace within themselves and in the world around them. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Pursuing Happiness" (2015), directed by Adam Shell – The desire to be happy is so intense that we spend an immeasurable amount of time and money in an effort to obtain it. This enchanting, revelatory documentary explores the happiest people in America and uncovers the secrets to their happiness.
More information Here
"Thank You For Your Service" (2016), directed by Tom Donahue – This gripping documentary about four Iraq War veterans struggling with Ptsd explores the healing aspects of meditation, native ceremony and equine therapy. Impactful interviews include former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, General David Petraeus and Mayor Rudy Guiliani. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The C Word" (2016), directed by Meghan O’Hara – Cancer is no laughing matter – but the archaic way we are battling it is. Executive produced and narrated by Morgan Freeman, this film explores hidden science, the absurdity of the status quo, and introduces a vibrant cast of characters changing the cancer game. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The Highest Past" (2011), directed by Jon Fitzgerald – Seven motorcycle riders share the journey of a lifetime along some of the most dangerous roads in the world, guided by a modern yogi and guru. (Cinema Revisited)
More information Here
"Tree Story" (2015), directed by Ward Serrill – A series of short documentary films that explore the relationship between humans and trees from every conceivable angle: the scientific, the mythical, the practical, the cultural, and the spiritual. (Festival World Premiere)
"Vegan" Everyday Stories" (2016), directed by Glenn Scott Lacey – Explore the lives of four remarkably different people who share a common thread – they’re all vegan. Follow an ultramarthon runner, a cattle rancher’s wife and an 8 year-old girl through their profound transformations. Featuring interviews with Moby, Russell Simmons and Ed Begley Jr. (World Premiere)
More information Here
Short Films:
"The Avadhut" directed by Jonathan Dubsky, Fenulla Jiwan, Zottomer Kenatarac (World Premiere)
"Catching Fire" directed by Ward Serrill (World Premiere)
"Forgotten Ritual" directed by Mirjam Hlastan (Us Premiere)
"Holistic Life Foundation" directed by Chris Farina (Southwest Premiere)
"Sister Jaguar's Journey" directed by Sande Zeig
"Today I Acknowledge" directed by Jessica Hahner (Arizona Premiere)
Conscious Film Convergence Panels and Workshops:
Spotlight Conversation: Norman Seeff On Creativity: The Power of A Dream
As a photographer for the most prolific artists of our time - Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Jim Henson, Steve Jobs, Martin Scorsese and Will.I.Am, to name a few, Norman Seeff knows something about the creative process. Through his innovative methodology, he has developed a body of content exploring the roots of creativity, innovation and optimal performance and has identified schematics describing the archetypes of the creative process that function across all creative disciplines.
Behind The ‘Seen’ – Investing In Transformational Entertainment
Through this intimate dialogue on film finance moderated by Simon Kilmurry (Executive Director, International Documentary Association), hear from three savvy individuals who are committed to bringing transformational entertainment to mainstream audiences about the art and science of financing conscious and cause-based cinema. Guests include Geralyn Dreyfous of Impact Partners/Gamechangers, and producers Jane Charles of Greater Good Entertainment ("Sold") and Ilan Arboleda of CreativeChaos (Thank You For Your Service).
Conscious Media & The Mainstream: Finding Your Audience
Media, industry outlets and tastemakers play an essential role in building buzz and excitement around new cinema titles as they seek to find their audiences, often defining their position in the marketplace. Join Corrine Bourdeau, President of 360 Degree Communications, Bill Goodykoontz, Film Critic Az Republic & Gannett News Service, Maya Zuckerman, Huffington Post writer, and Mark DeNicola of Collective Evolution as they reveal how to best leverage the media and how conscious cinema can be branded, marketed and presented to engage audiences and maximize box office.
Act of Transformation - A Screenwriter's Workshop
Emmy Award winning screenwriter Dev Ross conducts a workshop focused on the act of transforming a conscious concept into an engaging screenplay. First, Dev will discuss how a screenplay that sets out to raise consciousness can face inherent story problems, using Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a reference on how to avoid this mistake. Then, by using the model discussed in the first half, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a three-act story outline based on audience-contributed ideas.
Distribution Therapy
Disabuse yourself from assumptions about what it’s like to tie the knot with a distributor! Get a rare chance to observe a series of conversations between filmmakers and their distributors. Join facilitator Shaeri Richards as she helps distributor-filmmaker pairs share their feelings in an entertaining format that will provide abundant wisdom on setting expectations, keeping the flame alive and when to call it quits with your distributor. Panelists: Nancy Gerstman, Co-founder/Co-president of Zeitgeist Films & filmmaker Jeremy Frindel ("One Track Heart"); Richard Lorber, CEO of Kino Lorber & producer Peter Rader ("Awake: The Life of Yogananda"); Richard Cohn, President of Beyond Words & filmmaker Patrick Solomon ("Finding Joe").
**New workshop announced!
Tools of Immersive Cinema – Virtual Reality Workshop with Sandy Smolan
Virtual Reality workshop by filmmaker Sandy Smolan entitled "Going Deep: Diving into Virtual Reality Content Creation." It will be an overview and demonstration of the technology used to create The Click Effect (Sundance 2016), a live-action, immersive Vr experience that follows two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales.
The Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening will take place at The Collective in the Village of Oak Creek. Festival screenings will take place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Festival parties will be hosted by Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, the Lodge at Sedona and Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen.
Illuminate Film Festival Major Sponsors
Principal: Science of Mind Magazine, ChocolaTree Organic Oasis & Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Producing: The Collective, The Lodge at Sedona, Sedona Real Inn & Suites, International Documentary Association, Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen & Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
Supporting: Sedona Elite Properties, Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery,
Alive Mind Cinema, and Centers for Spiritual Living
Media Sponsors: Spirituality & Health Magazine, Om Times, Conscious Life News,
Collective Evolution and Sedona Now TV.
VIP All-Access passes offer unlimited access to all events, including opening and closing night gala presentations, spotlight screenings, Reel Healing “View & Do” screenings, VIP parties and receptions, and Conscious Film Convergence panels and conversations, and provide priority ticketing access into theaters. Early Bird passes on sale now! Cost until April 20 is $349 and $444 after. Conscious Film Convergence passes are $249.
To purchase passes, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com. Starting May 6, individual tickets can be purchased on a space-available basis. The full schedule of films exhibiting at the 2016 Illuminate Film Festival will be posted April 19. For more information, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com...
“We are proud to be the world’s premier film festival for conscious cinema” said the festival’s Executive Director Danette Wolpert, “and continue to attract movie-lovers, spiritual seekers and conscious lifestyle enthusiasts from over 25 states and 8 countries. In our third year, we will offer audiences the opportunity to enjoy the world’s best life-affirming, mind-body-spirit focused films, experience radical transformation together and meet trailblazers in the emerging genre of conscious cinema.”
Illuminate will begin on June 1st, 2016 with a pre-Festival Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening of work-in-progress "Be More," a stirring documentary film narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, about seven activists who make it their mission to create a more compassionate world. Their goal: To transform the lives of seventeen teenagers in seven days. Filmmaker Justin Haulbrook will be in attendance.
Opening Film on June 2nd, 2016 will be "Maya Angelou and Still I Rise," which portrays the vibrant spirit of an American Legend - author, poet, Grammy-winner, civil rights activist and shining example of what it is to be empowered moment by moment in one’s life. Directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, the film features interviews with Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Alice Walker and Hillary Clinton. Filmmaker Rita Coburn Whack will be in attendance.
The Festival’s Spotlight will be the emotional tour de force "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," directed by Academy Award® nominated Joe Berlinger. This film pulls back the curtain on the internationally renowned life and business strategist and his mammoth annual seminar, capturing the life changing transformations of the participants in real time. The Closing Film event will be a Sneak Peek of "Mantra: Sounds Into Silence," a film about the revolution underway in world Kirtan, yoga's call-and-response form of devotional music. Sneak peek clips of the film will be followed by a Q&A and live concert with world-renowned Kirtan sensation Jai Uttal. Filmmaker Georgia Wyss will be in attendance.
The Illuminate Film Festival will introduce the inaugural Conscious Visionary Award, an award honoring a pioneer in the world of conscious cinema, spirituality, and life achievement as a teacher and facilitator of human transformation. The award will be presented to the Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith for his unparalleled record of bringing hope, love and encouragement to millions of spiritual seekers, creating the Agape worldwide community of faithful parishioners, students, healers and teachers who carry his message forward, and his complete dedication to uplifting and inspiring humanity through his church, books, audio recordings and numerous film appearances.
Chaz Ebert has signed on as the keynote speaker for the Conscious Film Convergence and will speak on the role of transformational entertainment and its potential impact on humanity. Chaz, wife of the late Roger Ebert, is the CEO of several Ebert enterprises, including President of Ebert Productions and Chairman of the Board of The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and Co-Founder and Producer of Ebertfest, the film festival now in its 18th year.
Other films in the lineup include:
"A New High" (2015), directed by Samuel Miron and Stephen Scott Scarpulla - Everyone defines their mountain. For the residents of a Seattle homeless shelter, it’s homelessness, addiction, abuse.... and the 14,400-foot Mt Rainier.
"The Connected Universe" (2016), directed by Malcom Carter – Returning after its sold out Sneak Peek at Illuminate 2015, this documentary featuring Nassim Haramein discovers the science behind the interconnection of all things in a magnificent, groundbreaking union of science and spirituality. (Private screening)
"From This Day Forward" (2015), directed by Sharon Shattuck – Filmmaker Sharon Shattuck examines the mystery at the heart of her upbringing – How her transgender father Trisha and her straight-identified mother Marcia stayed together against all odds – depicting a love that survived the most intimate of transformations.
More information Here
"Home Care" (2015), directed by Slávek Horák – The official 2016 Oscar entry for the Czech Republic, this appealing humanist tale follows Vlasta, a dedicated home nurse whose entire life is devoted to saving others, as she reluctantly ventures into spirituality and alternative medicine to find salvation for herself.
More information Here
"Icaros: A Visions" (2016), directed by Leonor Caraballo and Matteo Norzi - A film shaped like a shamanic journey utilizing the unique qualities of plant medicine, steeped in a psychoactive brew exploring fear and destiny in the jungle of the mind and the Amazon. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"Love, Sweat & Tears" (2016), directed by Scott Jacobs – Dr. Pamela Dee Gaudry is on a mission to “Save The Menopausal Vaginas of America!” In this documentary, Gaudry marries medical facts with profound insights from some of today’s influential spiritual leaders such as Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Beckwith and Rev June Gatlin, as well as riotous comedians Joan Rivers and Jenny McCarthy. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Teal" The Making of a Spiritual Teacher" (2016), directed by Paola Marino – Referred to as “The Spiritual Catalyst” and dubbed the next Wayne Dyer, Teal Swan’s extrasensory gifts and connection to the spiritual realm are a light in the perpetual darkness of the modern age. (Work-In-Progress World Premiere)
More information Here
"Orange Sunshine" (2016), directed by William A. Kirkley – During the early 1960’s, a group of family, friends, and surfers formed a church centered around psychedelics. For The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, the mission was to enlighten the world, and the law was but a mere interference. (Arizona Premiere)
More information Here
"Planting Seeds of Mindfulness" (2016), directed by Gregory Kennedy-Salemi and Stuary Jolley –Based on the teachings of world renowned Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, and featuring riveting music by Tina Turner, this live action-animated film about a teenager’s mindful journey is a powerful tool to help children, parents, teachers and communities develop the skills to promote peace within themselves and in the world around them. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Pursuing Happiness" (2015), directed by Adam Shell – The desire to be happy is so intense that we spend an immeasurable amount of time and money in an effort to obtain it. This enchanting, revelatory documentary explores the happiest people in America and uncovers the secrets to their happiness.
More information Here
"Thank You For Your Service" (2016), directed by Tom Donahue – This gripping documentary about four Iraq War veterans struggling with Ptsd explores the healing aspects of meditation, native ceremony and equine therapy. Impactful interviews include former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, General David Petraeus and Mayor Rudy Guiliani. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The C Word" (2016), directed by Meghan O’Hara – Cancer is no laughing matter – but the archaic way we are battling it is. Executive produced and narrated by Morgan Freeman, this film explores hidden science, the absurdity of the status quo, and introduces a vibrant cast of characters changing the cancer game. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The Highest Past" (2011), directed by Jon Fitzgerald – Seven motorcycle riders share the journey of a lifetime along some of the most dangerous roads in the world, guided by a modern yogi and guru. (Cinema Revisited)
More information Here
"Tree Story" (2015), directed by Ward Serrill – A series of short documentary films that explore the relationship between humans and trees from every conceivable angle: the scientific, the mythical, the practical, the cultural, and the spiritual. (Festival World Premiere)
"Vegan" Everyday Stories" (2016), directed by Glenn Scott Lacey – Explore the lives of four remarkably different people who share a common thread – they’re all vegan. Follow an ultramarthon runner, a cattle rancher’s wife and an 8 year-old girl through their profound transformations. Featuring interviews with Moby, Russell Simmons and Ed Begley Jr. (World Premiere)
More information Here
Short Films:
"The Avadhut" directed by Jonathan Dubsky, Fenulla Jiwan, Zottomer Kenatarac (World Premiere)
"Catching Fire" directed by Ward Serrill (World Premiere)
"Forgotten Ritual" directed by Mirjam Hlastan (Us Premiere)
"Holistic Life Foundation" directed by Chris Farina (Southwest Premiere)
"Sister Jaguar's Journey" directed by Sande Zeig
"Today I Acknowledge" directed by Jessica Hahner (Arizona Premiere)
Conscious Film Convergence Panels and Workshops:
Spotlight Conversation: Norman Seeff On Creativity: The Power of A Dream
As a photographer for the most prolific artists of our time - Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Jim Henson, Steve Jobs, Martin Scorsese and Will.I.Am, to name a few, Norman Seeff knows something about the creative process. Through his innovative methodology, he has developed a body of content exploring the roots of creativity, innovation and optimal performance and has identified schematics describing the archetypes of the creative process that function across all creative disciplines.
Behind The ‘Seen’ – Investing In Transformational Entertainment
Through this intimate dialogue on film finance moderated by Simon Kilmurry (Executive Director, International Documentary Association), hear from three savvy individuals who are committed to bringing transformational entertainment to mainstream audiences about the art and science of financing conscious and cause-based cinema. Guests include Geralyn Dreyfous of Impact Partners/Gamechangers, and producers Jane Charles of Greater Good Entertainment ("Sold") and Ilan Arboleda of CreativeChaos (Thank You For Your Service).
Conscious Media & The Mainstream: Finding Your Audience
Media, industry outlets and tastemakers play an essential role in building buzz and excitement around new cinema titles as they seek to find their audiences, often defining their position in the marketplace. Join Corrine Bourdeau, President of 360 Degree Communications, Bill Goodykoontz, Film Critic Az Republic & Gannett News Service, Maya Zuckerman, Huffington Post writer, and Mark DeNicola of Collective Evolution as they reveal how to best leverage the media and how conscious cinema can be branded, marketed and presented to engage audiences and maximize box office.
Act of Transformation - A Screenwriter's Workshop
Emmy Award winning screenwriter Dev Ross conducts a workshop focused on the act of transforming a conscious concept into an engaging screenplay. First, Dev will discuss how a screenplay that sets out to raise consciousness can face inherent story problems, using Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a reference on how to avoid this mistake. Then, by using the model discussed in the first half, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a three-act story outline based on audience-contributed ideas.
Distribution Therapy
Disabuse yourself from assumptions about what it’s like to tie the knot with a distributor! Get a rare chance to observe a series of conversations between filmmakers and their distributors. Join facilitator Shaeri Richards as she helps distributor-filmmaker pairs share their feelings in an entertaining format that will provide abundant wisdom on setting expectations, keeping the flame alive and when to call it quits with your distributor. Panelists: Nancy Gerstman, Co-founder/Co-president of Zeitgeist Films & filmmaker Jeremy Frindel ("One Track Heart"); Richard Lorber, CEO of Kino Lorber & producer Peter Rader ("Awake: The Life of Yogananda"); Richard Cohn, President of Beyond Words & filmmaker Patrick Solomon ("Finding Joe").
**New workshop announced!
Tools of Immersive Cinema – Virtual Reality Workshop with Sandy Smolan
Virtual Reality workshop by filmmaker Sandy Smolan entitled "Going Deep: Diving into Virtual Reality Content Creation." It will be an overview and demonstration of the technology used to create The Click Effect (Sundance 2016), a live-action, immersive Vr experience that follows two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales.
The Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening will take place at The Collective in the Village of Oak Creek. Festival screenings will take place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Festival parties will be hosted by Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, the Lodge at Sedona and Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen.
Illuminate Film Festival Major Sponsors
Principal: Science of Mind Magazine, ChocolaTree Organic Oasis & Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Producing: The Collective, The Lodge at Sedona, Sedona Real Inn & Suites, International Documentary Association, Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen & Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
Supporting: Sedona Elite Properties, Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery,
Alive Mind Cinema, and Centers for Spiritual Living
Media Sponsors: Spirituality & Health Magazine, Om Times, Conscious Life News,
Collective Evolution and Sedona Now TV.
VIP All-Access passes offer unlimited access to all events, including opening and closing night gala presentations, spotlight screenings, Reel Healing “View & Do” screenings, VIP parties and receptions, and Conscious Film Convergence panels and conversations, and provide priority ticketing access into theaters. Early Bird passes on sale now! Cost until April 20 is $349 and $444 after. Conscious Film Convergence passes are $249.
To purchase passes, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com. Starting May 6, individual tickets can be purchased on a space-available basis. The full schedule of films exhibiting at the 2016 Illuminate Film Festival will be posted April 19. For more information, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com...
- 4/18/2016
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
One day after his Netflix documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru debuted at SXSW, Joe Berlinger has another project on the launch pad. The Berlinger and Kevin Huffman co-directed Parole Board: Victims Speak will bow on Lifetime Movie Network on March 22 at 11 Pm. Picked up for a pilot by Lmn, the potential series examines the effects and reactions of two families as the perpetrators of brutal crimes against them come up for parole hearings. As the families — one in…...
- 3/15/2016
- Deadline TV
Netflix will premiere the Joe Berlinger documentary “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” exclusively to members worldwide on July 15. Berlinger, who created such acclaimed documentaries as “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster,” and the “Paradise Lost” trilogy, goes inside the life of world-renowned life coach, business strategist and best-selling author Robbins at his mega annual seminar, Date With Destiny. Annually more than 200,000 people attend one of Robbins’ programs, but once a year, 2,500 people from around the globe make the journey to Florida to attend his most intimate and intensive instruction. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' Is 'Watershed Moment' in Documentary.
- 3/9/2016
- by Joe Otterson
- The Wrap
Plus: Tyler Perry greenlights Apartheid drama; Semana Del Cine Español to kick off in Puerto Rico
Josh Wiggins and Odeya Rush have joined J.K. Simmons and Julie Delpy on ensemble feature The Bachelors. Principal photography is set to being on March 14 in Los Angeles.
Kurt Voelker directs the comedy-drama and Windowseat Entertainment is fully financing. Fortitude International handles sales outside the Us and The Gersh Agency and CAA represent North American rights.
Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Films is in development on The Year Of The Great Storm, with Doug Liman and George C. Wolfe on board as executive producers. Karzan Kader will direct the story of Amy Biehl, an American Fulbright scholar whose death in South Africa during the Apartheid years prompted her parents to move to the country in an effort to bring about change. Wme is packaging the project.Spanish star Paco Leon and writer-director Daniel Guzman will be among the attractions at the...
Josh Wiggins and Odeya Rush have joined J.K. Simmons and Julie Delpy on ensemble feature The Bachelors. Principal photography is set to being on March 14 in Los Angeles.
Kurt Voelker directs the comedy-drama and Windowseat Entertainment is fully financing. Fortitude International handles sales outside the Us and The Gersh Agency and CAA represent North American rights.
Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Films is in development on The Year Of The Great Storm, with Doug Liman and George C. Wolfe on board as executive producers. Karzan Kader will direct the story of Amy Biehl, an American Fulbright scholar whose death in South Africa during the Apartheid years prompted her parents to move to the country in an effort to bring about change. Wme is packaging the project.Spanish star Paco Leon and writer-director Daniel Guzman will be among the attractions at the...
- 3/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
It's looking more and more like acclaimed documentarian Joe Berlinger will be the star of this year's American Documentary Film Festival (AmDocs). Not only will Berlinger's latest film, "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," open the festival on March 31, but AmDocs will honor the filmmaker with this year's Seeing The Bigger Picture Award. Past winners of the award include Oliver Stone, Peter Coyote, Harvey Weinstein and Peter Bogdanovich. Read More: Joe Berlinger on Michael Moore and The Changing Market for Documentaries "Joe Berlinger, whose new film is the Opening Night feature for the festival’s Fifth Anniversary Edition, has quite an impressive body of work," said Ted Grouya, AmDocs Founder and Festival Director, in an official statement. "Joe is one of today's most important auteurs in the world of documentary film, and we are thrilled to be able to honor him at this year’s festival." To commemorate Berlinger further,...
- 2/8/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Organizers for the South by Southwest film festival have officially rolled out the initial lineup for SXSW 2016, boasting 137 features and no less than 89 world premieres across 12 sections.
Those include the star-studded Headliners, Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition and Midnighters among many others, and today’s comprehensive breakdown gives budding attendees the opportunity to pinpoint exactly which films deserve a place on their radar.
Among those premieres include Jean-Marc Vallee’s domestic drama Demolition, while Jeff Nichols’ starry sci-fi Midnight Special continues to draw our attention – with a cast that includes Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Jaeden Lieberher, can you really blame us? Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some, meanwhile, opens the festival on March 11, where it will run through until March 19.
For the full comprehensive breakdown, check out the official site for SXSW 2016. For now, we’ve included the rundown for Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition and Headliners.
Those include the star-studded Headliners, Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition and Midnighters among many others, and today’s comprehensive breakdown gives budding attendees the opportunity to pinpoint exactly which films deserve a place on their radar.
Among those premieres include Jean-Marc Vallee’s domestic drama Demolition, while Jeff Nichols’ starry sci-fi Midnight Special continues to draw our attention – with a cast that includes Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Jaeden Lieberher, can you really blame us? Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some, meanwhile, opens the festival on March 11, where it will run through until March 19.
For the full comprehensive breakdown, check out the official site for SXSW 2016. For now, we’ve included the rundown for Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition and Headliners.
- 2/2/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
American Documentary Film Festival (AmDocs) has announced that Joe Berlinger's "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," the new documentary about internationally-renowned life and business strategist Tony Robbins, will be the Opening Night feature for the festival's fifth edition. Read More: Joe Berlinger on Michael Moore and The Changing Market for Documentaries Shot in classic cinema vérité style, "I Am Not Your Guru" finds Berlinger behind the scenes of Robbins’ massive "Date With Destiny" seminar, which is attended by over 2,500 people in Boca Raton, Florida, each year. With unprecedented six-day access to the behind-the-scenes operations of the event, the filmmaker captures both the immense effort that goes into producing the live seminar, as well as the life-changing transformations it has on its participants. AmDocs kicks off on Thursday, March 31 in Palm Springs with the 7:00pm showing of "Tony Robbins: I Am Not...
- 2/2/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Hollywood may be in the thick of what many refer to as its annual purple patch, with some of the year’s finest releases coming to the fore just in time for awards season, though we’ll soon be switching gears once again to focus on the film festivals and, by effect, highlighting the more low-key and experimental releases headed our way in 2016.
One of the more prominent dates on the calendar is occupied by South by Southwest, the film festival that takes place in Austin, Texas during mid-March. It’s primed to return this year, kicking off nine days of screenings on Friday, March 11 through March 16 with a string of intriguing releases. We’re a little less than a month out from SXSW 2016, and organizers have rolled out the initial lineup of films to be screened for critics, with Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special, the comic book adaptation of Preacher...
One of the more prominent dates on the calendar is occupied by South by Southwest, the film festival that takes place in Austin, Texas during mid-March. It’s primed to return this year, kicking off nine days of screenings on Friday, March 11 through March 16 with a string of intriguing releases. We’re a little less than a month out from SXSW 2016, and organizers have rolled out the initial lineup of films to be screened for critics, with Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special, the comic book adaptation of Preacher...
- 1/12/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Pee-wee's Big HolidayThe films included in the lineup for the 2016 edition of SXSW, taking place between March 11th and 20th, are starting to be announced.SXSW 2016Beware the Slenderman (Irene Taylor Brodsky, USA)Chevalier (Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece)Everybody Wants Some (Richard Linklater, USA)Midnight Special (Jeff Nichols, USA)Pee-wee's Big Holiday (John Lee, USA)Preacher (Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, USA)Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (Joe Berlinger, USA)...
- 1/8/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Back in November, the SXSW Film Festival announced that Richard Linklater's Everybody Wants Some, the "spiritual sequel" to Dazed and Confused (1993), would open this year's edition (March 11 through 19). Today, SXSW adds a fresh round of six titles: Irene Taylor Brodsky's Beware the Slenderman, Athina Rachel Tsangari's Chevalier, Jeff Nichols's Midnight Special with Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, John Lee's Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's Preacher with Dominic Cooper and Joe Berlinger's documentary, Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru. » - David Hudson...
- 1/7/2016
- Keyframe
Back in November, the SXSW Film Festival announced that Richard Linklater's Everybody Wants Some, the "spiritual sequel" to Dazed and Confused (1993), would open this year's edition (March 11 through 19). Today, SXSW adds a fresh round of six titles: Irene Taylor Brodsky's Beware the Slenderman, Athina Rachel Tsangari's Chevalier, Jeff Nichols's Midnight Special with Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, John Lee's Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's Preacher with Dominic Cooper and Joe Berlinger's documentary, Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru. » - David Hudson...
- 1/7/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Festival top brass gave a sneak preview on Thursday of films and events that will take place at the jamboree in Austin, Texas, from March 11-20.
Highlights include the world premiere of Pee-wee’s Big Holiday directed by John Lee and produced by Judd Apatow and the North American premiere of Jeff Nichols’ Berlin-bound sci-fi drama Midnight Special starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst.
Newly announced world premieres will include Joe Berlinger’s documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru about the renowned business strategist; Irene Taylor Brodsky’s Beware The Slenderman and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s episodic supernatural thriller and comic book adaptation Preacher.
Athina Rachel Tsangari’s festival favourite Chevalier also gets a slot.
The films join the previously announced opening night film from Richard Linklater, Everybody Wants Some.
Feature Films (with the exception of Midnighters) will be announced on February 2. Midnighters, all Short Films, and Music Videos...
Highlights include the world premiere of Pee-wee’s Big Holiday directed by John Lee and produced by Judd Apatow and the North American premiere of Jeff Nichols’ Berlin-bound sci-fi drama Midnight Special starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst.
Newly announced world premieres will include Joe Berlinger’s documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru about the renowned business strategist; Irene Taylor Brodsky’s Beware The Slenderman and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s episodic supernatural thriller and comic book adaptation Preacher.
Athina Rachel Tsangari’s festival favourite Chevalier also gets a slot.
The films join the previously announced opening night film from Richard Linklater, Everybody Wants Some.
Feature Films (with the exception of Midnighters) will be announced on February 2. Midnighters, all Short Films, and Music Videos...
- 1/7/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Netflix is bringing its original movie “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday” to this year’s SXSW festival, which takes place March 11-20 in Austin, Texas. SXSW organizers have also announced that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg‘s upcoming AMC series “Preacher” will debut at the festival along with Jeff Nichols‘ sci-fi drama “Midnight Special,” Joe Berlinger‘s documentary “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” and the previously announced Richard Linklater movie “Everybody Wants Some.” Additionally, SXSW will screen Irene Taylor Brodsky’s “Beware the Slenderman,” a searing expose on murder and Internet memes as well as Athina Rachel Tsangari’s festival favorite “Chevalier.
- 1/7/2016
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
The first slate of titles for SXSW 2016 includes the world premieres of Netflix original film "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," produced by Judd Apatow and star Paul Reubens, director Joe Berlinger's ("Metallica: Some Kind of Monster") documentary portrait " Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," and the AMC series "Preacher," developed by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Sam Catlin from the DC Comics title. In addition to previously announced Opening Night selection "Everybody Wants Some," Richard Linklater's first film since "Boyhood," the 2016 edition will also feature Athina Rachel Tsangari's festival-circuit favorite "Chevalier" and the North American premiere of Jeff Nichols' highly anticpated "Midnight Special." Read the full list of today's announced selections below. SXSW 2016 takes place March 11-20 in Austin, Texas. "Beware the Slenderman" (World...
- 1/7/2016
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
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