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FILMMAKER MAG ANNOUNCES 25 NEW FACES IN FILM

The 09 list is here and we’re VERY happy to see some familiar faces…and several emerging voices in the nonfiction world.  A big congrats to everyone selected, especially to Jessica Oreck, Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher.  We were lucky enough to catch Oreck’s first feature, The Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo last March at SXSW and boy, what a cinematic treat!  Mosher’s and Palmieri’s film, October Country just took home the award of all awards at Silverdocs and continues to garner some serious buzz in the doc blogosphere.  Kudos to the True / False Film Festival for picking that one up early and for giving us the opportunity to see it as a “sneak preview.”  We’ll be talking lots more about these two films in months to come!

Big ups to all the other documentary filmmakers announced in this list including, Ian Olds (Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi  – Acquired by HBO), Nicole Opper (Off and Running) and Jody Lee Lipes (Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be the Same)

For a complete list, visit Filmmaker online…

CIFF ALUMS WIN PEABODY!

Big ups to Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis for their 2008 Peabody Award. Their film, King Corn continues to garner serious attention two years after completion. For all aspiring filmmakers out there…the path they’ve forged is a serious model to study and learn from, and for those of you wondering what the Peabody is, its administered by the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and is the oldest, and one of the most prestigious honors in electronic media given out each year.

Not to shabby! For a list of other winners, check it here.

If you don’t know much about the film…or are just obsessed with corn, check out this sweet little video blog from POV shot last month at SXSW.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snc59ZnleJo]

SXSW Premieres

As if we needed more reasons to head south – another round of films on the radar at SXSW:

Still Bill – an unseen profile of Bill Withers from the team at Late Night & Weekends.

Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsqqWWzaWbI]

-Leah

SXSW Countdown Begins III

Here are a few more documentary films premiering next week at SXSW in Texas. Unfortunately, most of the SX Global films only screen once at the fest.
Films below come from the SX Global and Lone Star State Categories.

Over the Hills and Far Away (missed this one at True / False and have regretted it ever since! Hopefully they’ll be a way to make up for it in Texas.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEoqCJGK1UU]

Calling E.T. (very excited, despite my lifelong fear of “the greys”)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pARLEcuaxMc]

Roadsworth: Crossing The Line (recent headlines in Boston regarding the arrest of Sheperd Fairey before his ICA Retrospective make this a very timely story. Art vs. Vandalism, the saga continues).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij6CHM7Ge6w]

SXSW Countdown Begins II

As promised, more info on some films that will be premiering at SXSW next week that we are VERY excited about catching. Films below come from the Feature Documentary Showcase where our good friends Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly will be premiering their film, THE WAY WE GET BY. All films are up for some serious awards and I’m sure you’ll be hearing tons more about them all over the next few months.

MINE: Taken by Katrina(Could possibly be one of the most moving films of the year. Nothing pulls on the heart strings like a family and their dog. Very interesting take on the lasting effects of the Katrina disaster.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgqZH9CtS0I]

Sons of a Gun(been hearing tons about this film since its work in progress screening last year at T/F!!)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HOkLpkJnl4]

45365(Two brothers, one film. A meditative look at middle America. I’m a sap for anything minimalist so this seems like it will be right up my alley.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdVOko457uU]

Garbage Dreams(this film seems to be popping up on several festival schedules over the next few months. Beautiful cinematography for such a “dirty” subject. Looking forward to hearing more of the score as well)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkmDZpNKnms]