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The basic premise of the new Hulu series “Marvel’s Runaways” is a bit over-the-top (but easily sellable on posters): What if you found out that your parents were supervillains? However, the mysteries laid out in the first four episodes presented to critics indicate that the series aims to be far more complex than that basic synopsis might indicate, and that executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage have a long game in mind for the show going forward.

The six teenagers at the heart of the series — brainy Alex (Rhenzy Feliz), good-hearted Karolina (Virginia Gardner), lacrosse star Chase (Gregg Sulkin), “social justice warrior” Gert (Ariela Barer), gothic Nico (Lyrica Okano), and soft-spoken Molly (Allegra Acosta) — aren’t exactly friends when we meet them, despite all attending the same upper-class high school in Los Angeles. But they’ve grown up together due to their parents’ membership in the Pride,...

As the Marvel universe continues to expand across film and television, the diversity of genres being explored also increases. With “Marvel’s Runaways,” the series expands to the teen soap opera world, with the creators of “The O.C.” and “Gossip Girl” at the helm.

Read More‘The Defenders’: Cinematic Episode 1 Premieres at Comic-Con in Marvel Panel Full of Surprises

Based on the comic book series created by Brian K. Vaughn and executive produced by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, “Runaways” covers what happens when a group of teenagers living in Los Angeles discover that their parents share a dark secret, one that completely upends their lives. Because it’s a part of the Marvel universe, said dark secret involves superpowers and other mystical forces, but all of it grounded in the question, “What would you do if you found out your parents are evil?”

The young cast of runaways...

Jeannette Walls, the author of the best-selling 2005 memoir whose big-screen retelling hits theaters this week, reportedly played a consulting role in the production of The Glass Castle. Walls, whose book casts a non-judgmental eye on an upbringing that might kindly be referred to as “unconventional” and less kindly as “neglectful,” writes in the Los Angeles Times that she was pleased with director Destin Daniel Cretton and star Brie Larson’s attention to detail in adapting her story into a film. While it’s understandable that Walls might not want to linger on the more grim aspects of her childhood, Cretton’s decision to pull punches on those exact moments takes what could be a powerful tale of resilience and forgiveness and spins it into just another piece of Hollywood feel-good fluff.

Cretton, who made a name for himself alongside Larson with the festival favorite Short Term 12 (2013), does ...

Nora-Jane Noone joins Farshad Farahat (Argo) and Homeland's Maury Sterling to topline Randy Feldman’s drama Know Your Enemy, which starts shooting this month in Los Angeles. The film, said to be an exploration of preconceptions and misconceptions, follows a Middle Eastern man (Farahat) who invades the home of a young, affluent couple (Noone & Sterling) as the result of a road rage incident. Jaime Gallagher, Bruce Bundy, Nick Boraine and Danny Boushebel will co-star…...

The end of the summer movie season is upon us, which normally means a dry spell for studio releases, and while that indeed looks to be the case, this is one of the best months of the year if one digs a little deeper. From European getaways to redneck heists to dramas about riots and terrorism, there’s an abundance of appealing choices at the cinema this August. See our picks below and let us know what you’re most looking forward to.

Matinees: It’s Not Yet Dark (8/4), This Time Tomorrow (8/4), Icarus (8/4), Machines (8/9), After Love (8/9), In This Corner of the World (8/11), The Nile Hilton Incident (8/11), The Wound (8/16), Sidemen: Long Road to Glory (8/18), What Happened to Monday (8/18), Crown Heights (8/25), Death Note (8/25), The Villainess (8/25), and The Teacher (8/30)

15. Lemon (Janicza Bravo; Aug. 18)

Synopsis: A man watches his life unravel after he is left by his girlfriend of 10 years.

Trailer

Why You Should...

[Warning: This story contains spoilers for War for the Planet of the Apes.]

Though War for the Planet of the Apes saw Caesar (Andy Serkis) go toe-to-toe with his almost-killer Preacher (Gabriel Chavarria) multiple times, one major faceoff was ultimately left out.

The scene was part of Chavarria's final round of auditions for the movie. After reading the action-packed opening sequence with Reeves in Los Angeles — complete with jumping, climbing and other moves for good measure — the actor was tasked with the missing, intimate moment between Preacher and Caesar (though he didn't know it was with the main...

Ben Lear, the son of TV pioneer Norman Lear, initially wanted to make a scripted movie that dealt with prison.

But as part of his research, he got to know some jailed juveniles in the Los Angeles area and found their stories incredibly compelling. The scripted idea was scrapped in favor of a documentary.

“I remember being nervous and not knowing what to expect, and being immediately put at ease when I met all of them,” Lear, 28, says of his first meeting with the minors. “They were so young and ‘teenagery’ in every way, I just felt an immediate affinity.

Long before Dominic Toretto and his crew became globe-trotting superheroes, they might have been the neighbors of the Alvarez family, known as “low-riders” who restore gorgeous American muscle cars, including the star of their garage: father Miguel’s gorgeous 69’ Chevy Impala named Green Poison. Not unlike the Fast & Furious saga, family is at the center of Lowriders, a drama of surprisingly grounded insight from director Ricardo de Montreuil.

The story follows the coming of age of Danny (Gabriel Chavarria), a young Mexican-American teen who’d rather paint street art than murals on his father Miguel’s (Demián Bichir) lowriders. Miguel and his sons rarely see eye to eye, and complicating matters is the return of brother Francisco, aka Ghost (Theo Rossi), fresh out of jail for grand theft auto. Competing in his father’s footsteps, he steals cars to build his own dream Impala.

Ghost breaks from his father...

Theo Rossi is going to be a dad again!

The actor, 41, and wife Meghan McDermott walked the red carpet at Tuesday’s Los Angeles special screening of his new movie Lowriders, where McDermott debuted her baby bump.

The couple, who married in 2014, are already parents to son Kane Alexander, who turns 2 next month.

“I’m excited for my son. I’m excited for my wife. I’m excited for my family. I’m excited for me,” Rossi, who is best known for his roles in Luke Cage and Sons of Anarchy, told People at the premiere. “I mean, there’s...

MaryAnn’s quick take… This melodrama about men unable to express themselves emotionally except through heavy machinery isn’t only clichéd: it doubles down on the clichés. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

A lowrider is a kind of customized car most associated with the Mexican-American community in Los Angeles. Customization features hydraulics that raise, lower, and bounce the chassis; paint jobs that gleam almost supernaturally topped by spectacular painted murals on the hood, sides, and other surfaces; a surfeit of chrome and other bling; and much more. Lowriders are highly personal works of art for their dude creators — pretty much always a dude — in which a dude also looks supercool slow-cruising the southern California boulevards.

If you do not already know all of this, Lowriders is not for you. There’s no onramp for...

The eclectic car culture of Los Angeles is put on display in the first trailer for Blumhouse Tilt's Lowriders, arriving in theaters nationwide May 12. Lowriders is set against the vibrant backdrop of East La's near-spiritual car culture and follows the story of Danny (Gabriel Chavarria), a talented young street artist caught between the lowrider world inhabited by his old-school father (Demian Bichir) and ex-con brother (Theo Rossi), and the adrenaline-fueled outlet that defines his self-expression. The project has been in the works for several years, with Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker writing an early version of the script alongside Elgin James. Justin Tipping and Joshua Beirne-Golden, the writers behind last year's Kicks, wrote the most recent version of the script, for director Ricardo de Montreuil.

While this L.A. drama may have a plum summer release date, it will certainly have its work cut out for it, in the...

“The best part of waking up” is drinking a beverage in a creepy creature mug! We have six photos plus release information for these beauties from Scravis Mugs at the top of today’s Highlights. Also: Chuck Hank and the San Diego Twins teaser trailer, interactive art initiatives for FX’s Legion, and Alamo Drafthouse premiere details for The Expanse Season 2.

Six Creepy & Creative Creature Mugs Photos: From Scravis Mugs: “We make handmade beer mugs that feature all sorts of creepy creatures – zombies, skulls, devils and other assorted creatures. No molds are ever used which makes each one of a kind.

Each is made on a pottery wheel and hand sculpted from stoneware. Once dry enough, they are painted with underglaze paints and fired in a kiln. They’re dishwasher/microwave safe.

A unique gift – and a great conversation piece for any beer lover. Prices range from 75.00 – 150.00 depending on size and detail.

Netflix has given a formal series green light to Atypical (formerly known as Antarctica), a coming-of-age comedy series from The Goldbergs writer/co-executive producer Robia Rashid and director/executive producer Seth Gordon. Jennifer Jason Leigh (Hateful Eight), Keir Gilchrist (It’s Kind Of A Funny Story) and Michael Rapaport (Justified) attached to star. The series, from Sony Pictures TV, will begin production in Los Angeles later this year. Created and written by…...

Epic Pictures Group has a special season treat for horror fans this fall: a four-disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray / DVD release of their Tales of Halloween anthology film.

Scheduled for a September 13th release, the Tales of Halloween Blu-ray / DVD is brimming with ghoulish goodies, including a CD of the movie’s soundtrack, video diaries, exclusive short films from Neil Marshall and Lucky Mckee, and much more:

Press Release (via Rama’s Screen): Los Angeles, CA – August 10, 2016 – Epic Pictures Group announced today that they will release a limited edition Blu-Ray and DVD collector’s set of Tales of Halloween on September 13, 2016. “Certified Fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes, the horror anthology film which brings together an all-star lineup of horror heavyweight directors and actors, premiered to strong critical acclaim at the 2015 Fantasia International Film Festival. Epic Pictures Releasing, the Us distribution division of Epic Pictures Group, released the film in theaters...

After searching around the world for horror’s most talented filmmakers, Drafthouse Films presents ABC’s of Death 2 1/2: World Competition Edition! The newest ABC’s of Death film will premiere exclusively on Vimeo on August 2nd. Also: a new clip from Fear, Inc., starring Abigail Breslin (Scream Queens) and nine new images from Let’s Be Evil.

Abc’s of Death 2 1/2: World Competition Edition Details: Press Release: “Austin, TX (July 25, 2016) – Drafthouse Films has announced the upcoming release of ABC’s of Death 2 1⁄2: World Competition Edition, the result of an extensive global campaign intended to spotlight the most passionate and talented upcoming filmmakers in the horror genre. The latest entry in the beloved franchise will arrive exclusively on Vimeo August 2nd as a $5.99 download or $2.99 rental.

The series, known for its anarchically alphabet­-themed anthology of short films, launched a “Filmmaker Frenzy” competition for the segment devoted to...

Stars: Rachel Nichols, Missi Pyle, Alfie Allen, Mekhi Phifer, Paul Guilfoyle, Danielle Rose Russell | Written by Dustin T. Benson | Directed by John Suits

John Suits, director of 2014′s The Scribbler – a personal favourite – is back behind the camera for Pandemic, a first-person look at a zombie outbreak that takes the tropes of the genre and pushes them through the eyes of a modern-day video game…

Set in the very-near future (CCTV footage carries a 2017 date), Pandemic sees a virus of epic proportions carving its way across the planet, wiping out entire cities. There are more infected than uninfected, and humanity is losing its grip on survival. Its only hope is finding a cure and keeping the infected contained. Lauren is a doctor who, after the fall of New York, arrives in Los Angeles to lead the hunt for uncontaminated civilian survivors. But nothing can prepare her crack team for the...

Title: Pandemic XLrator Media Director: John Suits Writer: Dustin T. Benson Cast: Rachel Nichols, Alfie Allen with Missi Pyle and Mekhi Phifer Running Time: 91min Rated: Unrated (language, violence, gore) In Theaters on April 1st and on VOD and iTunes on April 5th In the near future, a virus that causes brain swelling and insane violence has taken over the planet. Dr Lauren Chase (Rachel Nichols, Chicago Fire) is separated from her husband and teenage daughter after the fall of New York. She goes to Los Angeles to rescue the few remaining uninfected survivors, and also find a way back to her daughter.  She leads a team with Gunner (Mekhi  [ Read More ]

The post Pandemic Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

*an online screener of this film was provided by XLRator Media. Director: John Suits. Writers: Dustin T. Benson. Cast: Rachel Nichols, Missi Pyle, Alfie Allen, Mekhi Phifer and Paul Guilfoyle. There are a number of zombie themed films in the horror genre. Some are better than others. Writer Dustin T. Benson borrows some of the better ideas from films such as 28 Days Later (2002), Dawn of the Dead (2004) and [Rec] (2007). Meanwhile, director John Suits shows all of the action through helmet cams'. This helps amp up thrills in these scenes. However, the film lacks believability, with a four man crew entering into the zombie Heart of Darkness. A pretty standard zombie thriller, Pandemic strings together a number of thought experiments; the result is slightly flat. A doctor has escaped the ravages of a viral pandemic in New York. In Los Angeles, Lauren (Rachel Nichols) is not much better off. The violent infected are roaming the streets,...

I hate making claims like the one you’re about to read, but here goes nothing: Pandemic is the Alien Outpost of 2016 – assuredly my most inconsequential critical comparison. “Alien Outpost” will mean nothing to the hordes who never discovered its existence, and I’m confident that many of you might never have heard of a little first-person thriller called Pandemic until now. But that’s why I’m here! It’s my job to constantly chug away at a never-ending pile of horror’s lesser publicized efforts while insomnia sets in and the voices keep me company.

In this who’s who of “where are they now” talents from Hollywood’s yesteryear, director John Suits dives head-first into a zombie plague that’s a little bit 28 Days Later, a tad Battlefield La (in feel), and reminiscent of Rec (not in quality, though). Beginning as any video game would (an introductory tutorial...

Pandemic, the latest flick from John Suits, director of The Scribbler, comes out in U.S. cinemas this Friday, April 1st (no joke) and then on VOD and iTunes on April 5th. TwitchFilm has an exclusive clip to share with you below.    Pandemic is set in the near future, where a virus of epic proportions has overtaken the planet. There are more infected than uninfected, and humanity is losing its grip on survival. Its only hope is finding a cure and keeping the infected contained. Lauren (Rachel Nichols) is a doctor, who, after the fall of New York, comes to Los Angeles to lead a team to hunt for and rescue uninfected survivors.   Pandemic stars Rachel Nichols, Alfie Allen, with Missi Pyle and Mekhi...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Stars: Rachel Nichols, Missi Pyle, Alfie Allen, Mekhi Phifer, Paul Guilfoyle, Danielle Rose Russell | Written by Dustin T. Benson | Directed by John Suits

John Suits, director of 2014′s The Scribbler – a personal favourite – is back behind the camera for Pandemic, a first-person look at a zombie outbreak that takes the tropes of the genre and pushes them through the eyes of a modern-day video game…

Set in the very-near future (CCTV footage carries a 2017 date), Pandemic sees a virus of epic proportions carving its way across the planet, wiping out entire cities. There are more infected than uninfected, and humanity is losing its grip on survival. Its only hope is finding a cure and keeping the infected contained. Lauren is a doctor who, after the fall of New York, arrives in Los Angeles to lead the hunt for uncontaminated civilian survivors. But nothing can prepare her crack team for the...

We have not one, not two, not even three, but four preview pages (and three covers) from Dark Horse's Predator: Life and Death #1. Also in this round-up: a trailer for Pandemic and details on the release of Earthrise.

Predator: Life and Death #1: "Colonial Marines on the planet Tartarus battle extraterrestrial hunters over the possession of a mysterious horseshoe-shaped spaceship of unknown origin. The Weyland-Yutani rep wants the ship, and the marine captain wants to protect her crew. But neither objective is likely when a band of Predators attacks!

*Predator: Life and Death begins chapter one in a new story cycle involving Predators, Aliens, and the mysterious Engineers from Prometheus!

Predator: Life and Death #1 - JAN160126

Dan Abnett (W), Brian Thies (A), Sachin Teng (Variant Cover), and Chris Warner (30th Variant Cover).

On sale March 2nd."

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Pandemic: "Pandemic is set in the near future, where a virus of...

There's been a ton of films about apocalypses caused by diseases, but the new film "Pandemic" tries something a little different - shooting the entire film from a first-person Pov more akin to a video game.

Within the narrative Rachel Nichols plays a doctor who arrives in Los Angeles to stop the epidemic from taking over the world. Mekhi Phifer, Alfie Allen, Pat Healy, and Missi Pyle also star. John Suits helms "Pandemic" which hits cinemas April 1st and VOD on April 5th.

Back in January 2015, we reported that Content Media has acquired distribution rights for a new zombie thriller entitled Pandemic, which gives viewers a first-person perspective on this apocalyptic event. Almost exactly one year later, we finally have the first trailer and poster for this movie, with Content Media setting an April 1 release date. As you can see in the trailer below, this isn't your typical zombie movie, putting you right in the middle of the undead action.

Pandemic is set in the near future, where a virus of epic proportions has overtaken the planet. There are more infected than uninfected, and humanity is losing its grip on survival. Its only hope is finding a cure and keeping the infected contained. Lauren (Rachel Nichols) is a doctor, who, after the fall of New York, comes to Los Angeles to lead the charge in the hunt for uninfected civilian survivors. Lauren's objective...

Pandemic was recently at the European Film Market, in Berlin. And, the film will see several theatres, thanks to XLRator Media. The film takes place in a zombie apocalypse. The viewer is the protagonist, tasked with finding survivors. The films stars Rachel Nichols, Alfie Allen and Mekhi Phifer. And now, the film's first trailer is available here. To expand on the story, Lauren (Nichols) flies from New York to Los Angeles. She is tasked with finding uninfected survivors, in this chaotic city. However, millions of infected people lie in her way as a quarantine zone begins to fold. The film's first trailer is action packed. It puts the viewer into the film's starring role as the undead run down halls, tunnels and city streets. Full of gunfire, the film's trailer will get your heart pumping, with the film set to see theatres in early April. Actor Mekhi Phifer plays Gunner.

John Suits, director of graphic novel adaptation The Scribbler is back with the sci-fi action flick Pandemic. XLrator Media is releasing the film in cinemas on April 1st then on VOD and iTunes the following Tuesday, April 4th. Twitchfilm has your exclusive first look at the key art for the flick.Pandemic is set in the near future, where a virus of epic proportions has overtaken the planet. There are more infected than uninfected, and humanity is losing its grip on survival. Its only hope is finding a cure and keeping the infected contained. Lauren (Rachel Nichols) is a doctor, who, after the fall of New York, comes to Los Angeles to lead a team to hunt for and rescue uninfected survivorsPandemic stars Continuum's Rachel Nichols, Games...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

News reaches us this morning that this years Glasgow FrightFest has undergone a line-up change. Due to shifting release dates, the Stephen King shocker Cell is to be replaced with the World Premiere of John Suits’ Pandemic. And honestly, I for one couldn’t be happier.

Why? Well Pandemic director John Suits was also responsible for the 2014 FrightFest flick The Scribbler which, if you’re a long time reader of Nerdly, you’ll know that I gave a whopping 5 out of 5 to after its screening. And not only that, it was my number one movie choice for the Entire year… So to say I’m excited to see Suits’ next movie is something of an understatement.

Pandemic is a science fiction thriller featuring non-stop action from a first person shooter perspective as the all-star cast of Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, ‘Chicago Fire’), Mekhi Phifer (Insurgent, Divergent), MIssi Pyle (Gone Girl), Alfie Allen (John Wick,...

Steven Fernandez, a 15-year-old pro-skateboarding YouTube sensation, has been arrested for the alleged sexual exploitation of a 12-year-old girl, People can confirm. Los Angeles police issued a statement Thursday regarding the teen's arrest. It says Fernandez, who will be tried as an adult, "was the prime mover" in a conspiracy that led to the arrests of his manager and another professional skater. "Yes, it's unusual that we would release the name and photo of an arrested minor," Det. Ninette Toosbuy explained in the statement. "But State law provides for such exceptions in cases where the perpetrator sexually targeted minors." The...

[caption id="attachment_41181" align="aligncenter" width="559"] Oskar Rodriguez and Ashley Campuzano(Photo by Todd Williamson/Hulu) Scene 6.15/caption]

Hulu has renewed its original drama series, East Los High, for a fourth season of 12 episodes. East Los High features teens at a fictional inner-city high school in East Los Angeles. The series is Hulu's first original series to get a fourth season.

East Los High was Hulu's first English-language show with all-Latino cast, creators, and writers. The cast includes: Gabriel Chavarria, Danielle Vega, and Alicia Sixtos. East Los High is executive produced by Katie Elmore Mota, creators Carlos Portugal and Mauricio Mota, and Kathleen Bedoya. Read More…...

As a means of contributing more awesome cat photos to the "Interwebs", the makers of Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse created a website dedicated to zombifying your feline friend. Also: a clip from Scouts Guide, Jack's Back Blu-ray details, Unotld comic details, a 400 Days trailer, Howl release details, and Indigenous stills.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse: "Zombify Your Cat allows you to transform little Fluffy into a terrifyingly hungry undead creation.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse is available now on Digital HD and On Demand, and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/5.

Three scouts and lifelong friends join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.

Put down your buckets of pig's blood kids, it will not end well for you. In this round-up, we have a Q&A with Emily Lopez from Carrie the Musical which opens on October 8th. Also: more details from Screamfest 2015, From Dusk Till Dawn season 2, and Shawn Scott's novel Apocalypse Swordsman.

Carrie the Musical Q&A: Press Release: "(Los Angeles, CA – August 19, 2015) Producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman and The Transfer Group have announced that Carrie The Musical will return to Los Angeles at the historic Los Angeles Theater, the first theatrical musical at that venue.

Tickets are available beginning Monday, August 24th at www.ExperienceCarrie.com. Carrie The Musical begins previews on October 1, 2015, and officially opens on October 8, 2015. Performances are on sale through November 22.

Directed by Brady Schwind and choreographed by Lee Martino, this immersive staging of Carrie takes the legendary musical off the stage and...

With his role as Haymitch Abernathy finally coming to a close in this November's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Woody Harrelson is ready to take on a completely different sort of distopian world in War of the Planet of the Apes. While no firm details have been released, it is confirmed that he will play the main human villain in the sequel. The actor's character is simply called 'The Colonel'.

'The Colonel' is just one of many human roles in the movie. At this time, no further characters were revealed. But from the title alone, we can guess that War of the Planet of the Apes will revolve around a full blown war between apes and humans as they struggle for dominance in a world decimated by the simian virus. The downfall of humanity was told in the first franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which...

Production is now underway on Fear, Inc., a new feature film from Lone Suspect that will introduce viewers to a company that can make your worst nightmares a reality... and maybe cross the line in the process.

Press Release: "Los Angeles, Aug. 6, 2015 – Lone Suspect announces that production will commence today in Los Angeles on its latest feature film Fear, Inc. Written by Luke Barnett and directed by Vincent Masciale, who are best known for their viral videos on Will Ferrell’s “Funny or Die,” the film stars Lucas Neff (“Raising Hope”), Caitlin Stasey (TV’s “Reign”), Chris Marquette (Alpha Dog) and Stephanie Drake (“Mad Men”). The supporting cast is rounded out with Naomi Grossman (“American Horror Story”), Ashlynn Yennie (The Human Centipede), Patrick Renna (The Sandlot), Ronnie Gene Blevins (The Dark Knight Rises) and Richard Riehle (Office Space).

Luke Barnett, Vincent Masciale along with Heather Kasprzak and Natalie Masciale are producing Fear,...

XLrator Media has acquired North American rights to the SXSW documentary Mateo by Aaron I. Naar.

The film will be released theatrically on XLrator Media’s Pace multi-cultural releasing label in on August 21 and on VOD and iTunes four days later.

Mateo is a music-driven documentary that explores Mexican-American and Cuban cultures and rhythms.

Naar produced with Benjamin Dohrmann. Andrew Lauren, Louis Venezia and Adam Schlesinger served as executive producers.

XLrator Media’s Barry Gordon brokered the deal with Amanda Lebow on behalf of the filmmakers.

Grindstone has picked up North American rights to the amily adventure Army Dog starring Casper Van Vien, Grace Van Dien, Stelio Savante. Barking Cow Media Group, Fairway Film Alliance and Rogue Arts LLC produced the story about an Afghanistan veteran who returns to the Us with his bomb sniffer Army dog as they take an eventful family camping trip.Amplify Releasing has acquired worldwide rights from Matador to Amy Rice’s documentary...

You'll be kicking yourself if you don't see "The Stanford Prison Experiment" in theaters. Seriously. And, no, I'm not just saying that because I happen to know director Kyle Patrick Alvarez socially or that it's a Sundance Jury Award-winning movie or that it depicts one of the most shocking events to occur at one of America's greatest Universities over the past fifty years.* The real reason is that besides the questions it raises about the human condition and our ability to descend to abject cruelty, "Stanford" features a once in a life time cast that will dominate Hollywood for the next 15 to 20 years.* *It also has earned strong reviews to date including a 71 grade on Metacritic and 78% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on true events, the new drama chronicles the 1971 psychological experiment that found Stanford University students sorted into the roles of prison guard or a generic prisoner. In theory,...

Melissa Benoist was spotted on the set of her new movie Low Riders with costar Gabriel Chavarria in Los Angeles Friday. Melissa Benoist On Set Benoist, who is starring in the forthcoming Supergirl TV series, appeared to be acting intoxicated while filming Low Riders on the La sidewalk. Outfitted in a plaid skirt, leather jacket, […]

The post Melissa Benoist Films ‘Low Riders’ With Gabriel Chavarria appeared first on uInterview.

Glee alum Melissa Benoist is about to blow up. She earned strong reviews for a supporting turn in Whiplash, is leading CBS’ high-profile Supergirl series this fall and just locked down another promising project in Lowriders, from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse and Imagine Entertainment.

Reteaming with Blumhouse after the studio produced Whiplash, Benoist will play a key female role in the pic, which centers on a teen who is forced to pick between his traditional father and gangbanger brother, both of whom are competing in the annual lowrider “Supershow.” The movie is aiming to explore the re-emerging low-rider culture in Eastern Los Angeles’ Latino communities.

Demian Bichir, Eva Longoria, Tony Revolori, Gabriel Chavarria, Theo Rossi and Yvette Monreal are all already attached. Ricardo de Montreuil (Máncora) has come aboard to direct the pic, working from a script by Josh Bierne-Gordon and Justin Tipping (Nani, upcoming Kicks). Earlier versions of the script...

Would you really want to try to scare James Caan? Haven’t we seen what he does to people that cross him in several films? Apparently It Follows' Keir Gilchrist and co-star Logan Miller didn’t get that memo, as they’ll be making just such an attempt in The Waiting.Kasra Farahani is directing the indie thriller, born from Mark Bianculli and Jeff Richard’s script. The story follows two high school filmmakers (Gilchrist and Miller) who decide that what they really need to do is create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting local neighbour, which we can only assume is Caan. This has all the ingredients for a prank that could go horribly, horribly wrong, be it supernaturally or just with two young punks getting their comeuppance. The film kicks off shooting in Los Angeles in the next couple of weeks. Caan is shooting action-romance...

Star Thrower Entertainment, Ball and Chain Productions and Anonymous Content will partner on The Waiting, a thriller to be directed by Kasra Farahani, starring James Caan (The Godfather, Misery, Elf), Logan Miller (Scouts Vs Zombies, Night Moves, The Stanford Prison Experiment) and Keir Gilchrist (It Follows, It’S Kind Of A Funny Story, “United States of Tara”).

Farahani’s short film Noon was optioned within 24 hours of its release by 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment where it is currently in feature development.

Speaking about their film, Co-founders of Star Thrower Entertainment Tim White and Trevor White said, “Mark and Jeff have crafted an excellent script that seamlessly combines elements of a riveting thriller and fascinating character study. This script, together with Kasra’s elegant vision and our compelling cast, makes The Waiting the type of filmmaker and talent driven project ideal for Star Thrower.”

The Waiting was written by Mark Bianculli and Jeff Richard.

Academy Award-nominee Mark Wahlberg stars in the dramatic thriller The Gambler, which debuted on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and VOD last week from Paramount Home Media Distribution.&#160Mark Wahlberg stars as Jim Bennett, a brilliant professor leading a secret double life as a high-stakes gambler.&#160 When Jim is forced to borrow money from a notorious gangster, he places the lives of those he loves in mortal danger.&#160With time running out, he must enter the criminal underworld and risk everything to keep from losing it all.&#160

To celebrate the release of The Gambler, we caught up with Mark Wahlberg's co-star and love interest Brie Larson. In the film, she plays a college student by day, cocktail waitress by night who falls for her professor. The actress offers new insight into this thriller, and what it was like watching Mark Wahlberg work. She also talks about her audition for...

The weekend is chalk full of new Specialty releases, though most will likely be low performers in terms of dollars at the box office. Entertainment One is opening Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen starrer Outcast with limited runs and will likely find tepid returns at the theatrical box office, though it may shine in the digital/on-demand space where it will also bow this weekend. Documentary Ballet 422 (Magnolia Pictures), meanwhile, has had solid buzz heading into the weekend and should score well in its niche market. Monterey Media is hoping to have traction with stars Wes Bentley, Vincent Piazza and Amber Tamblyn as it opens 3 Nights In The Desert in theaters and on-demand, while Freestyle Releasing is targeting the rom-com crowd for its debut, One Small Hitch. Other Specialty openers this weekend include First Run Features’ doc The Other Man: F.W. de Klerk And The End Of Apartheid In South Africa,...

We’re back with another horror news round-up, this time focusing on a recent seance event that took place in Hollywood ahead of Universal’s home media release of Ouija. We also have acquisition details on Joe Dante’s zom com, Burying the Ex, as well as news on another supernatural pilot order from The CW, and new images from Epic Pictures Group’s upcoming horror anthology movie, Tales of Halloween.

A Blumhouse Productions and Platinum Dunes film from Universal Pictures, Ouija comes out on Blu-ray and DVD today and to celebrate the film’s home media release, Universal recently hosted a get-together in Hollywood that included Jason Blum and real life Ouija guru Robert Murch (an advisor on the film), who showed those in attendance how to conduct a proper seance:

“CEO of Blumhouse Pictures Jason Blum, director Stiles White, actress Bianca Santos, and Ouija historian & expert Robert Murch...

Welcome to another horror news round-up! This time around we have an update on the growing cast of Hannibal Season 3 and details on when you can expect to see Salem Season 2 on the small screen and the buzzed-about It Follows on the big screen.

TVLine reports that Glenn Fleshler (True Detective) will play Cordell Doemling, yet another familiar name to fans of Thomas Harris’ books and the Hannibal Lecter movies. For those unfamiliar, Cordell Doemling is the verbally abused medical aid to the wealthy, wicked, and mutilated Mason Verger, who will now be played on the TV series by Joe Anderson in place of Michael Pitt. In the 2001 film, Hannibal, Doemling was played by Željko Ivanek.

In other, previously announced Hannibal Season 3 casting news, it was recently revealed that Rutina Wesley, whom True Blood fans know as Tara Mae Thornton, will play the recurring role of Reba McClane, a blind...

Refresh for latest… Ahead of the Efm next week, Paris-based Films Distribution has picks up Italian box-office success An Italian Name (Il Nome Del Figlio) by Francesca Archibugi. The sales company will handle world rights on the film which is based on Pathé’s French hit What’s In A Name?. It tells the story of extrovert Paolo and the beautiful Simona who are expecting a child. At a dinner with friends, one question will lead to an argument that will shake the night: the name of Paolo and Simona’s soon-to-arrive son. In What’s In A Name? the moniker in question was Adolf. Here, it’s Benito. Sales commence in Berlin next week.

Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide rights (ex-South Africa) to Mark Dornford-May’s Breathe Umphefulmo which will world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. Based on Puccini’s opera, La Bohème, the film transports the story...

Director John Suits (The Scribbler) has made a first-person apocalypse thriller that Content Media are calling a potential gamer changer.

Taking place in the near future Los Angeles where a doctor searches for a cure to a devastating virus, Content film president Jamie Carmichael will start selling the film in Berlin next week.

“The Fps component immerses the viewer right into heart the film – in a hybrid gamer style,” said Carmichael. “We’re incredibly impressed with John and Gabriel’s inventive work.”

Synopsis:

“Pandemic” is [Continued ...]...

Content Media announced today that it has acquired international sales rights to the boundary crashing sci-fi action/thriller Pandemic, starring Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Continuum), Mekhi Phifer (The Divergent Series: Insurgent, Divergent, 8 Mile), Missi Pyle (The Artist, Gone Girl, Big Fish), Alfie Allen (John Wick, Atonement, Game of Thrones), DDanielle Rose Russell (A Walk Among the Tombstones), Paul Guilfoyle (L.A. Confidential, Air Force One, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) and Pat Healy (Rescue Dawn, Magnolia).

Directed by John Suits (The Scribbler), Pandemic is an intense and unique film that features non-stop action from a first person shooter perspective (Fps), putting the audience in the middle of every fight whilst feeling in control of every punch thrown and shot fired. It's a new model of action thriller for the video game generation.

Gabriel Cowan (400 Days, Bad Milo) produced the film with Suits through their New Artists Alliance...

Content Media will commence international sales in Berlin next week on John Suits’ sci-fi action-thriller starring Rachel Nichols, Mekhi Phifer and Missi Pyle.

Pandemic adopts the first-person shooter perspective and takes place in the near future as a doctor travels to Los Angeles in search of a cure to a devastating virus. Dustin T Benson wrote the screenplay.

Content film president Jamie Carmichael will show footage in Berlin and described the project as a potential game changer.

“The Fps component immerses the viewer right into heart the film – in a hybrid gamer style,” said Carmichael. “We’re incredibly impressed with John and Gabriel’s inventive work.”

Alfie Allen, Danielle Rose Russell, Paul Guilfoyle and Pat Healy round out the key cast.

Gabriel Cowan produced the film with Suits through their New Artists Alliance (Naa) label alongside the film’s North American distributor XLrator Media.

The partnership marks the second in a three-film deal between the parties after 400 Days...

Entourage The Movie

The stars of "Entourage" popped up on the red carpet on the Golden Globes on Sunday ahead of the crowds to film some last-minute footage for the upcoming movie version of the HBO series. Said movie opens June 5th in cinemas.

The scene in question is said to be a "special ending" for the film according to Jeremy Piven. The actor along with Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Kevin Connolly, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Jerry Ferrara all reportedly participated in the filming. [Source: Variety]

Untitled Lowrider Project

Yvette Monreal ("Matador") has signed on for the female lead in the untitled Lowrider project at Universal Pictures alongside Demian Bichir, Theo Rossi and Gabriel Chavarria. The story is set in the East Los Angeles world of lowrider cars and street tagging

Chavarria plays a teen caught between his traditional father (Bichir) and his estranged, criminal brother Ghost (Rossi), both of whom are competing in the annual lowrider "Supershow.

Matador star Yvette Monreal has signed on for the female lead in Universal Pictures' Untitled Lowrider Project. The movie already has Demi&#225n Bichir, Theo Rossi and Gabriel Chavarria attached to star. The story centers on a teenager (Gabriel Chavarria) who is caught between his traditional father (Demi&#225n Bichir) and his estranged, criminal brother Ghost (Theo Rossi), both of whom are competing in the annual lowrider "Supershow."

Yvette Monreal will play the love interest of Gabriel Chavarria's character, described as "a smart, talented maverick of a girl who is a fellow tagger but who also has a scholarship to Columbia University in New York." The project first surfaced back in 2010, and is set in the East Los Angeles world of lowrider cars and street tagging. No production schedule was given at this time.

Ricardo de Montreuil (Mancora) is directing from a screenplay by Cheo Hodari Coker (Notorious...

John Nein was not always a Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival — it’s only been eight years. When he began at Sundance in 2002 he was always watching movies of course. More than that, like John Cooper said, he just didn’t shut up when he was in the room; he was opinionated and spoke his opinions. He also always liked international cinema as he was born in Ireland and grew up in The Netherlands, Belgium and London where his father worked for international companies. When he was 12 he came to the U.S.

The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.

John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.

There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.

Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?

John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.

He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “

Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.

John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.

All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .

Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.

John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.

And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.

Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .

Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.

John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.

Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?

John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:

“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.

Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.

John : Are there any that stand out for you?

Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?

John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.

Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.

John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.

Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.

Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!

For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.

U.S. Dramatic Competition

Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.

The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film

The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.

Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.

I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.

The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.

People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.

Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.

Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.

The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.

Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.

Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.

The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.

Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.

U.S. Documentary Competition

Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.

3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.

Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.

Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.

Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.

Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.

City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.

Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.

Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.

How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.

Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.

Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.

Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.

(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.

Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.

Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.

The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.

World Cinema Dramatic Competition

Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere

Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere

Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere

Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk

Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere

Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere

Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere

The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere

Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere

Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere

The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.

Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere

World Cinema Documentary Competition

Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.

The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere

Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere

The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere

Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA

Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere

Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere

How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film

Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere

Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere

The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere

Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere

The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere

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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.

Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere

Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere

Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere

Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere

H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere

James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere

Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere

The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere

" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media

Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere

Spotlight

Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere

'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.

99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.

Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere

Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.

Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.

The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.

White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere

Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.

Park City At Midnight

From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.

Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere

The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere

Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere

It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.

Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere

The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere

Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere

Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere

New Frontier Films

The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere

Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere

The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere

Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere

Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere

Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere

New Frontier Installations

1979 Revolution Game

Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari

1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.

Assent

Artist: Oscar Raby

This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.

Birdly

Artist: Max Rheiner

Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.

Dérive

Artist: François Quévillon

This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.

Evolution of Verse

Artist: Chris Milk

Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.

Kaiju Fury!

Artist: Ian Hunter

A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.

Paradise

Artist: Pleix

Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.

Perspective; Chapter I: The Party

Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May

A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.

Possibilia

Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

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