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Zia Anger is haunted by a long-abandoned film project in her feature directorial debut “My First Film.” A filmmaker, performance artist, and celebrated director of music videos for the likes of Beach House, Angel Olsen, Mitski, and Zola Jesus, Anger fuses ideas from that unrealized project with echoes of a touring stage piece she started in 2018 for this Mubi release, out at the end of August. Odessa Young stands in for Anger as the young filmmaker Vita, who 15 years before started making a film about a young woman adrift after becoming pregnant. IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer for the film below.

Here’s the official synopsis: “Vita (Odessa Young) revisits her first chaotic attempt at filmmaking — a semi-autobiographical feature made 15 years prior about a young woman who decides to leave home after becoming pregnant. Blending past with present, reality with fiction, Zia Anger’s ‘debut’ film navigates the tumultuous intersection...

Chicago – One of Chicago’s icon theater actors … Michael Shannon … is performing again in town, in the company that he co-founded. Red Orchid Theatre presents Michael Shannon and Travis A. Knight in the World Premiere of “Turret” by Levi Holloway, now at the Chopin Theatre through June 9, 2024. For tickets and info, click Turret.

Two men (Shannon and Knight) survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible from the outside. Ensnared in a relentless loop of endless tomorrows, they discover the wolf isn’t at the door, it’s already inside, waiting in the creeping darkness all around them. “Turret” is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation, and a claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem.

Red Orchid’s ’Turret’ at the Chopin Theatre through June 9th

Photo credit: RedOrchidTheatre.org

Michael Shannon was born in Kentucky,...

There isn’t too much drama but there is plenty of warm group atmosphere in “Dramarama,” the autobiographical first feature from writer-director Jonathan Wysocki that’s set in 1994 at a last gathering between high-school friends.

The religious background of these teens means “Dramarama” is treading in the footsteps of Stephen Cone, whose own movies in this sort of milieu, including “The Wise Kids” and “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party,” set a patiently humanistic and non-judgmental tone that Wysocki’s film follows to a certain extent, but with a far faster pace.

“Dramarama” begins with a slight misstep as it introduces its protagonist, Gene (Nick Pugliese), flexing in front of a mirror in his bedroom and then reacting with distaste to the sound of his mother’s voice outside the door as she asks him if he is going to church. Wysocki has Pugliese stare straight into the camera after Gene dismisses his mother for us,...

While the other streaming services set up recurring franchises, Hulu has opted to get a bit more experimental with its original offerings in August 2021.

Hulu’s list of new releases this month is highlighted by three original series concepts with promise. Reservation Dogs premieres on August 9. Co-created by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), this story will follow four indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma as they stave off boredom and adulthood. Next up is Nine Perfect Strangers on August 18. This miniseries, based on a book of the same name, is produced by David E. Kelley and features staggering cast of Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Samara Weaving, and more.

Only Murders in the Building is likely the biggest thing to look forward to in August though. Premiering on August 31, this comedy stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as three true crime-obsessed friends who stumble into a true crime of their own.

Daniel Kyri, who has been heavily recurring on Chicago Fire since Season 7 as rookie firefighter Darren Ritter, has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming ninth season.

Kyri has appeared almost every episode of Chicago Fire since he made his debut in the second episode of Season 7 for a total of 36 episodes to date.

“Very excited Daniel is going to be a series regular this year,” said series co-creator/executive producer Derek Haas. “Ritter has become a big part of Firehouse 51, and Daniel plays him with a sincerity and depth that always makes the room excited to write for him. Expect to see some big Ritter action in Season 9.”

Kyri’s character came out on the NBC drama last season, and Kyri, who is openly gay, spoke with People’s World at the time about the episode’s significance. “You go into something like this and try not to have expectations,...

If you’re looking to dive into the best of independent and foreign filmmaking, The Criterion Channel has announced their August 2020 lineup. The impressive slate includes retrospectives dedicated to Mia Hansen-Løve, Bill Gunn, Stephen Cone, Terry Gilliam, Wim Wenders, Alain Delon, Bill Plympton, Les Blank, and more.

In terms of new releases, they also have Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Bacurau, the fascinating documentary John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection, the Kenyan LGBTQ drama Rafiki, and more. There’s also a series on Australian New Wave with films by Gillian Armstrong, Bruce Beresford, David Gulpilil, and Peter Weir, as well as one on bad vacations with Joanna Hogg’s Unrelated, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, and more.

See the lineup below and explore more on their platform. One can also see our weekly streaming picks here.

25 Ways to Quit Smoking, Bill Plympton, 1989

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Roy Rowland,...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.Recommended Viewinga stunning trailer for the 4k restoration and re-release of Legend of the Mountain (1979), an under-seen, contemplative action masterpiece by Come Drink with Me and A Touch of Zen director King Hu.Hong Sang-soo's On the Beach at Night Alone gets a wry and incisive new trailer for its imminent U.S. release. We wrote on the film in February, and later interviewed the director about it.For De Filmkrant, Notebook contributors Cristina Álvarez López and Adrian Martin investigate in a new video essay the virtuous modulation to be found in Howard Hawks' and Barbara Stanwyck's talents in Ball of Fire.Commissioned by Renzo, Le CiNéMa Club has premiered three inspired short films from Mati Diop, Eduardo Williams, and Baptist Penetticobra all loosely interpreting the theme "Inhabit the earth".Recommended READINGIn...

Before we get to the links please click on this photo to your left, the teaser poster for Yorgos Lanthimos's The Killing of a Sacred Deer. (Lanthimos last brought us the incredible The Lobster so we hope he's on a roll.) The poster is so beautiful we don't even mind that Nicole Kidman isn't on it! That's high praise if you haven't been paying attention.

Links 

Los Angeles Times Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the Oscars again in March. Same team this year, producers too.

Interview Ethan Hawke talks to his friend Alessandro Nivola (easily one of the best stars among the under-famous and under-celebrated division) about his current hot streak

Fathom Events will broadcast the current London production of Angels in America to select Us movie theaters in late July. Click there for ticket sales in your area

Awards Daily keeping Oscar buzz alive all year for...

Michael Almereyda will be in Berlin and discuss Experimenter on the opening night of the eighth edition of Unknown Pleasures, the festival of American Independent Film. Brigitta Wagner will be on hand for screenings of Rosehill with Kate Chamuris and Josephine Decker and Patrick Wang will be in town for the first screening of The Grief of Others. There'll be a special program of films by Ed Pincus plus Frederick Wiseman's In Jackson Heights, Travis Wilkerson's Machine Gun or Typewriter?, Thom Andersen's Juke: Passages from the Films of Spencer Williams, Stephen Cone's Henry Gamble's Birthday Party, Paul Thomas Anderson's Junun and Nathan Silver's Stinking Heaven. » - David Hudson...

Michael Almereyda will be in Berlin and discuss Experimenter on the opening night of the eighth edition of Unknown Pleasures, the festival of American Independent Film. Brigitta Wagner will be on hand for screenings of Rosehill with Kate Chamuris and Josephine Decker and Patrick Wang will be in town for the first screening of The Grief of Others. There'll be a special program of films by Ed Pincus plus Frederick Wiseman's In Jackson Heights, Travis Wilkerson's Machine Gun or Typewriter?, Thom Andersen's Juke: Passages from the Films of Spencer Williams, Stephen Cone's Henry Gamble's Birthday Party, Paul Thomas Anderson's Junun and Nathan Silver's Stinking Heaven. » - David Hudson...

Read: Exclusive: Wolfe Releasing Acquires Gay Coming-Of-Age Drama 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Wolfe Releasing has made a name for itself as a strong supporter and advocate for Lgbt-oriented films, and the established distributor is adding to its repertoire in this regard by picking up the rights to "Fire Song." The company has acquired all exclusive U.S. rights, with DVD, VOD and digital platform releases planned for late 2016. Marking Adam Garnet Jones' debut feature, the movie tells the story of a gay Aborigine teenager who is forced to make a difficult decision regarding his family's future and his own. After the young man's sister commits suicide, he must debate whether to attend university like he originally planned or stay back at home and help his family recover from the tragic loss. "As Lgbt people we all know how hard the coming out process can be," said Wolfe president Jim Stephens.

Read More: Exclusive: Wolfe Releasing Acquires Gay Coming-Of-Age Drama 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Indiewire's Springboard column profiles up-and-comers in the film industry worthy of your attention. For his first feature film role, Cole Doman took a big risk, signing on for Stephen Cone's audacious and honest "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party," a coming-of-age tale that doesn't back down from the trickier parts of growing up. As the eponymous Henry, Doman is tasked with portraying a young man on the verge who must come to terms with the impact his true self (and his true desires) has on everyone in his life (especially his evangelical preacher dad) during the course of a single day. Even more complicated? That single day also plays home to a wild and splashy pool party for birthday boy Henry. Talk about literally coming of age. Made over the course of just 18 days, the film...

Read More: Exclusive: Wolfe Releasing Acquires Gay Coming-Of-Age Drama 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Wolfe Releasing has acquired the distribution rights to writer-director Jim Hansen's "You're Killing Me," an Lgbt comedy-horror film that has played at numerous horror festivals throughout the year. The deal gives Wolfe Releasing all worldwide rights to the film, and the company is planning a 2016 spring release on DVD, VOD, cable and additional digital platforms. "You’re Killing Me" stars Jeffery Self as an internet comedy star whose friends are so steeped in irony and sarcasm they don’t know a serial killer when they meet one. When George’s handsome new boyfriend (Matthew McKelligon) tells him he’s a murderer, George thinks it’s a joke and plays along. As George's friends start disappearing one by one, the remaining group takes matters into their own hands. Drew Droege, Jack Plotnick, Mindy Cohn and Bryan Safi co-star.

Topping today's roundup of movie-related podcasts is a conversation between Ben Wheatley and Alex Cox about High-Rise, Tombstone Rashomon, Repo Man and more. Also: Laura Poitras, Charlotte Cook and A.J. Schnack discuss their new initiative, Field of Vision. Karina Longworth looks back in the lives and careers of John Gilbert and Greta Garbo. Zach Lewis and Nick Newman discuss Hong Sang-soo. Peter Labuza interviews Stephen Cone (Henry Gamble's Birthday Party). Guy Maddin, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg are guests on Filmwax Radio. Plus discussions of Sam Peckinpah, Mikhail Kalatozov's I Am Cuba and more. » - David Hudson...

Topping today's roundup of movie-related podcasts is a conversation between Ben Wheatley and Alex Cox about High-Rise, Tombstone Rashomon, Repo Man and more. Also: Laura Poitras, Charlotte Cook and A.J. Schnack discuss their new initiative, Field of Vision. Karina Longworth looks back in the lives and careers of John Gilbert and Greta Garbo. Zach Lewis and Nick Newman discuss Hong Sang-soo. Peter Labuza interviews Stephen Cone (Henry Gamble's Birthday Party). Guy Maddin, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg are guests on Filmwax Radio. Plus discussions of Sam Peckinpah, Mikhail Kalatozov's I Am Cuba and more. » - David Hudson...

Read More: Exclusive: Trailer For 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Screening At BAMcinemaFest And Maryland Film Festival Ifp has announced the full lineup for it's 2015-2016 Screen Forward Series. The film series is aimed at helping independent filmmakers in the process of self-distribution or micro-distribution gain a wider audience by providing a venue for a New York theatrical release. Each of the selected films will be given an exclusive one-week run at Ifp's Made in New York Media Center, located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The full schedule is below. Synopses provided by Ifp. October 16 - October 22 "Field Niggas," directed by Khalik Allah  A wise-cracking, probing urban flaneur, Khalik Allah paints an impressionistic portrait of the loiterers and denizens in and around 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in "Field Niggas." Beneath the bright lights of a corner convenience store, Allah wields his crystalline gaze on a series of faces and personalities as.

Read More: Exclusive: Trailer For 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Screening At BAMcinemaFest And Maryland Film Festival Ifp has announced the full lineup for it's 2015-2016 Screen Forward Series. The film series is aimed at helping independent filmmakers in the process of self-distribution or micro-distribution gain a wider audience by providing a venue for a New York theatrical release. Each of the selected films will be given an exclusive one-week run at Ifp's Made in New York Media Center, located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The full schedule is as follows: "Field Niggas," directed by Khalik Allah October 16 - October 22 "Funny Bunny," directed by Alison Bagnall November 13 - November 19 "Cronies," directed by Michael J. Larnell December 11 - December 18 "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party," directed by Stephen Cone January 8 - January 14 For more information, including ticket purchases and how to apply to the Screen Forward program, visit...

Read More: Exclusive: Trailer For 'Henry Gamble's Birthday Party' Screening At BAMcinemaFest And Maryland Film Festival Wolfe Releasing has acquired worldwide rights to writer-director Stephen Cone's "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party," starring Cole Doman, Pat Healy, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Nina Ganet, Francis Guinan and Kelly O’Sullivan. The film is set over 24 hours at a pool party in which the 17-year-old son of an evangelical preacher comes to terms with his own spiritual doubts and his adolescent sexuality. The deal was negotiated by Jim Stephens, President of Wolfe Releasing, and filmmaker Stephen Cone. "Nurturing the careers of talented filmmakers like Stephen Cone is one of our proudest achievements here at Wolfe Releasing," said Wolfe president Jim Stephens. "Having distributed his acclaimed debut feature, 'The Wise Kids,' in 2011, it is an enormous pleasure to bring Stephen's latest brilliant ensemble drama to a global audience. 'Henry...