Bob Yates' screenplay "Back by Popular Demand," and Patrick Coyle's screenplay "Broken Bow" have won the 2005 IFP McKnight Screenwriting Fellowship prizes, while David Eberhardt and Scott Coleman Miller won the awrds in the filmmaking category. Each of the two winning Fellows will receive a $25,000 cash award for excellence in the art of screenwriting. Their winning screenplays receive a public reading at the Jungle Theatre in Minneapolis in 2006. Additionally, the two Fellows are automatically admitted to the 2005 IFP Market in New York City. For more information, visit the IFP website.

The Prized Pieces International Film & Video Festival, showcases films from around the world that address issues of human rights and social justice from a uniquely Black perspective. This year, the festival takes place on Columbus-Day weekend, October 7 – 10, 2005, at the historic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NY. Submit your script for their Screenwriters Contest for a chance to win $2,500 (early submission deadline is June 17, 2005; Final submission deadline: July 30, 2005). Film entry deadline is July 30, 2005. And, write your favorite Harlem Story for a chance at $500 -- deadline is August 19, 2005. For more information, visit their website.

The DC Independent Film Festival (DCIFF) will host a summer series in July. The program, taking place July 7-21 will encourage DC youth to make their own films, showcase young, local filmmakers and provide a range of activities that will generate an audience base for independent film in the surrounding DC area. Opening night will be at the AFI Silver and the rest of the engagement will be
at the Cinema Arts Theatre in Fairfax VA. For more information, visit the festival's website.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater will present, "What a Swell Party This Is! A Salute to Bing Crosby" July 20 - 26. For a program listing, visit the Film Society's website.

Lions Gate Entertainment's recent box office success with "Diary of A Mad Black Woman" and "Saw" has resulted in their fourth quarter revenue rising "to $232.4 million from $158.9 million, topping the Wall Street consensus forecast of $183.5 million. Sanders Morris Harris analyst David Miller described the quarter as 'spectacular.'" Reuters reports.

James Toback, director of the 1978 cult classic, "Fingers," interviews French director Jacques Audiard who recently remade the film as “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” for the LA Weekly. In the process, Toback sheds all pretense of humility and modesty asking few questions, preferring to name drop instead. ("...when Premiere magazine asked Brett Ratner, who made Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2, to pick his three favorite movies of all time on DVD, he picked Jaws, The Godfather and Fingers.") Hmm...Ratner, really? It is not surprising then, that midway through the interview Audiard, perhaps tired of being a non-particpant, turns the tables on Toback and takes on the role of interviewer.

Michael Winterbottom, prolific director of films such as "Nine Songs," "In This World," "The Claim," "24 Hour Party People" and "Welcome to Sarajevo" is directing a documentary (with dramatic recreations) about the "Tipton Three", three Muslims who were held by the US government at Guantánamo Bay's Camp X-Ray Prison for two years without being charged. They were captured in Afghanistan while on their way to a wedding in Pakistan. Jason Deans and Owen Gibson report for The Guardian.

Toledo, OH, where "Twist of Faith" subject Tony Comes was abused by a Catholic priest, is proving to be a tough town to book the film in theatrically. Distributor Artistic License had hoped to open the film locally in the city-owned Maumee Indoor Theater, site of an HBO invite-only showing on Monday, but the theater has thus far rejecteed a run of the movie, according to an article in Toledo Blade

In an email exchange with indieWIRE today, "Twist of Faith" director Kirby Dick said that he blames the Church for the rejection. "There is no question in my mind that either the Catholic Church in Toledo directly intervened to prevent the film from being shown, or that the theater was afraid of how the Church and the Catholic community would respond, so they chose not to exhibit it," Kirby Dick said this afternoon in the email to indieWIRE. He added that Sande Zeig of Artistic License is exploring other local exhibiton options but still hopes to secure a showing at the Maumee, which is within walking distance of the St. Joseph's church where Comes was first molested.

Paramount Classics has shifted the release date for Craig Brewer's "Hustle & Flow" to July 22nd, from its July 13th spot. In an email exchange with indieWIRE today, Paramount Classics co-president David Dinerstein said that the move is to take advantage of positive critical and audience response, allowing the company to schedule public sneak previews of the film on Saturday, July 16th. It will open on 1,000 screens nationwide on July 22nd, Dinerstein told indieWIRE.

The premiere for Palm Pictures' "Cronicas" Tuesday night pretty much ruled. We've never really been to the Angelika Film Center in downtown Manhattan for an actual film premiere (in fact, we were talking about how we thought what a cool place it was when we first saw a movie there -- "Orlando" -- back in the day) but there it was, and maybe we have to admit we're a bit more jaded now?
[Photo by Eugene Hernandez, text by Brian Brooks.]

New York likes to think it's the home of all that's radical - but when it comes to movies, LA is way out there. John Patterson reports in The Guardian.

What if Frodo Baggins, instead of confronting the evil empire in "The Lord of the Rings," just got himself a lawyer and sued? The real-life corollary is going on now in Hollywood where Peter Jackson, one of the film industry's most powerful and popular directors, is suing New Line Cinema, the subsidiary of Time Warner that financed and distributed his Oscar-winning "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy. Ross Johnson reports in the New York Times (free subscription required to view).

Hollywood hailed a US Supreme Court ruling that gives the entertainment industry more power to crack down on websites that offer swapping of unauthorized copies of films, music and other content. Agence France Presse reports.

Sundance Channel announced today the acquisition of the pay television rights to six documentary films from the worldwide international documentary sales company Films Transit. The titles are: Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott’s "The Corporation," Dane Elon’s "Another Road Home," Oren Seidler’s "Bruce and Me," Andrew Douglas’ "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus," John Appel’s "The Last Victory," and Carey Schonegevel’s "Original Child Bomb." The films will make their U.S. television premieres on Sundance Channel in late 2005 and early 2006. The deals were negotiated by Christian Vesper, Vice President, Acquisitions, Program Planning & Scheduling, on behalf of Sundance Channel, and by Diana Holtzberg, Acquisitions, Project Development, & Sales Director at Films Transit International, Inc.

On Thursday, June 30 at 7 p.m., The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria Queens will present a special double-feature screening of James Toback's maverick American independent feature "Fingers" (1978) and Jacques Audiard's new adaptation of the film, "The Beat that My Heart Skipped." Toback will participate in a Q&A following the 7 p.m. screening of "Fingers."

The Museum of the Moving Image presents a retrospective of director Raoul Walsh's films from July 9 through August 21. Walsh (1887-1980) made more than 100 films during his legendary career including such classics as "The Thief of Bagdad," "White Heat" and "The Roaring Twenties." The series will feature screenings of twenty-three films, including "Regeneration" (1915), the first feature-length gangster film, filmed on the Lower East Side; "The Big Trail" (1930), the widescreen western that gave John Wayne his first starring role; and series opener "The Man I Love" (1946), the dark romantic drama that inspired Martin Scorsese’s "New York, New York."

Paul Haggis' successful new film, "Crash" (already having made $50 million in about two months of release), maybe be coming to television, where the first-time director made his name writing. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting today, via Reuters, that FX is developing a show based on the film, hoping to lure many of the same actors who appear in the film:

Don Cheadle, one of the stars of the gritty drama about race relations in post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, is likely to appear in and direct several episodes of the project if it goes into series. Sources said talks are under way with all other members of the cast, including Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser and rapper Ludacris, to reprise their roles from the film.

Pictured (left to right) are 2005 Urbanworld Winners: Diane Houslin, Producer of "Through The Fire" (Best Documentary Film – Feature Length), Sasha Isaac-Young, Director of "Foster Stories" (Best Short Documentary), Stacy Spikes, Founder & Chairman of Urbanworld; Andre Wiggins, Writer of "Holy Shyster" (Best Screenplay), and Jordan Walker- Pearlman, Director of "Constellation" (Audience Award).
[Image provided by Urbanworld.]

The complete list of winners is below...

Stephen K. Bannon, "Roman Catholic filmmaker, conservative-film financier, Washington networker and Hollywood deal-chaser" is taking on Hollywood on its own terms, by helping to create an army of right wing filmmakers that Bannon hopes will "take the form that is now owned by the left - the documentary - and use it to help drive an overall political agenda that supports the culture of life." James Ulmer reports for the New York Times.

Richard Saperstein has been named EVP and head of production for Dimension Films and EVP of production for The Weinstein Company. He will oversee all Dimension's productions and work closely with the Weinsteins on developing the Dimension slate. He served as president of development and production for Artisan Pictures for two years and before that was an exec at New Line. He began his career as an ICM Literary Agent.

Michael Moore might have dominated the headlines at Cannes, winning the top prize, the Palme d'Or, for "Fahrenheit 9/11," but in more rarefied quarters, the award for "Tropical Malady" was equally notable, if not more so. Manohla Dargis reports in the New York Times (free subscription required to view).

Looking beyond his upcoming Sundance award winner "Hustle & Flow," director Craig Brewer (pictured here with producer Stephanie Allain yesterday in NYC), has announced a deal for his next film, "Black Snake Moan", at Paramount Classics. Allain will produce with John Singleton, after success with the upcoming "Hustle." The film will shoot this fall in Tennessee...

At the Apple Store tonight as part of the indieWIRE Presents monthly discussion series, filmmaker Hal Hartley talked about his new film and why he is leaving New York and relocating to Berlin...
[Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE]

Many of the late Marlon Brando's belongings, from an exercise machine and old driver's licenses to scripts (with numerous handwritten notes) of "The Godfather" and "Mutiny on the Bounty," will be auctioned at Christie's next week. Caryn James reports for the New York Times on the items that offer a glimpse into the mind of the fascinating, odd actor.

After months of festival acclaim, team "Murderball", including ThinkFilm, MTV, the filmmakers and the subjects of the upcoming doc release gathered in New York Wednesday night for the film's official premiere and party...
[Photo and text by Eugene Hernandez © indieWIRE]

At HBO's New York HQ Wednesday night, the subject of Kirby Dick's Oscar-nominated doc "Twist of Faith", Tony Comes (pictured with his wife), talks with guests after a special screening of the film...
[Photo and text by Eugene Hernandez © indieWIRE]

The Hammer Museum presents four free evening programs of short films from the Sundance Film Festival in a series selected and presented in collaboration with the Sundance Institute. Every Friday in July beginning July 8, Sundance Summer Shorts at the Hammer will be presented in the Museum’s outdoor courtyard on Friday nights from July 8-29 at 8pm. For more information, visit the museum's website.

Director Pedro Almodovar received the Bunel Razor Award for best Spanish movie of 2004 Tuesday for “Bad Education.” The film, which stars Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, about a man seeking revenge on an abusive priest, was a film Almodovar “wanted to make for a long time.” His new film “Volver” starring Penelope Cruz will begin shooting in July.

The New York Times’ Lorne Manly reports on the “questionable” placement of an ad encouraging WNYC listeners to contact their Congressional representative before a House subcommittee votes on cutting $100 million from the budgets of National Public Radio and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting during a broadcast on the same topic. Umm…I’m sorry, your problem is with what again? Oh, that’s right, the public service announcement informing the public about an issue affecting the public on National Public Radio. I'll try to stay focused next time.

Paul Provenza's documentary, "The Aristocrats," shows well known comedians "telling their versions of a joke that involves every imaginable form of sexual perversion in graphic detail, including but not limited to incest, scatology, bestiality and sadism." Apparently the absolute filthiest take on the vaudeville era joke comes out of the mouth of "Full House's" Bob Saget. (That is worth $10.75 right there.) Sharon Waxman reports on the film for the New York Times. The film opens in late July.

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival got its start in 1981. Back then, it went by the name of the Jewish Film Festival, for one simple reason: It was the only one of its kind in the world. John McMurtrie reports in the San Francisco Chronicle.

With more than 7,000 hours of unused underwater film footage lying around the house, it was no surprise that BBC directors Alastair Fothergill and Andy Byatt decided to make a big-screen feature film about the ocean. But what caught many off-guard about the documentary "Deep Blue," an offshoot of the popular British television series "Blue Planet," were the film's unconventional and almost avant-garde pacing, minimalist narration and ambiguous point of view. Delphin Vigil takes a look at the film in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Who captured the wild west? Not Hollywood, with its stodgy epics, but Italy with its spicy spaghetti westerns. Christopher Frayling gives his two cents in The Guardian.

While still mostly unknown beyond the LA neighborhoods of Compton, Inglewood, Watts and Long Beach, dancers hope that krumping will become more familiar with Friday's release of "Rize." The documentary by photographer and music video director David LaChapelle explores the phenomenon started by Thomas Johnson, a former drug dealer who turned to religion and clown dancing after the 1992 Rodney King riots. A.P. reports.

Oscar won't honor stunt work. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that its Board of Governors voted to deny a request from a group of stunt performer's organizations to create a new Academy Award for "best stunt coordinator." The Associated Press reports.

"The Talent Given Us," filmmaker Andrew Wagner's self-financed, self-distributed $30,000 feature starring his family and shot with a two person crew grabbed the #2 spot on indieWIRE's box office chart this week. The Reeler spoke with Wagner about his success and what's in the future for the project.

With all the fuss over the deflating Hollywood box office, Anthony Lane seems to hit the nail on the head in addressing the problem in this week's review for The New Yorker: "What is the connection between the following titles: “Bewitched,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Get Smart,” “I Dream of Jeannie?” First, they are all current or forthcoming features on the movie schedule. Second, you cannot imagine yourself actually cranking up the physical desire to go and see any of them." He also notes how "Hollywood, which once went in terror of TV, now honors it as a prime natural resource."

Ray McKinnon, Director of the Oscar winning short The "Accountant", and 2004 Sundance feature "Chrystal", has a new film in the works, "Randy and the Mob." The film is "about a good ol' boy who lands in hot water with some low-life mobsters, who then must seek help from his estranged, identical, but gay twin brother." Cinematical reports.

Roger Weisberg, the Academy Nominated filmmaker who has made several documentaries about the struggle of lower income households, focuses on the working poor in "Waging a Living", which opens today in New York City. "The documentary reveals a country rife with income inequality, short-term political thinking and ineffective tracking of deadbeat dads, a country in which filling a simple prescription for a child's asthma medication can put a family in the street." Jeannette Catsoulis reports for the New York Times.

Film Forum's four-week series of Pre-code Paramount films begins this Friday. The series is described by Film Forum as "early 1930s featured cocktail shakers and white ties, sophisticated dialogue and/or international decadence served up amid lavish décor with a distinctive European flavor." Elliott Stein reports on several of the films for The Village Voice, including Cecil B. DeMille's The Sign of the Cross (1932), which features "a depraved emperor Nero (played by Charles Laughto) throwing Christians to the lions and hosting splendiferous orgies while Mrs. Nero (Claudette Colbert) cavorts nude in huge pools of asses' milk." Pre-code, indeed.

The merger of AMC Entertainment Inc. and Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation, the number 2 and 3 largest movie theater chains, will create a mega-chain owning some 5,900 screens in 30 U.S. states and 13 countries, according to a press release. The reigning largest movie theater chain is Regal Entertainment Group which has 6,200 screens.

The Emerging Pictures digital cinema network will screen selections from the Film Society of Lincoln Center's LatinBeat 2005 later this year, as part of a multi-fest partnership between the two New York organizations. LatinBeat, running from September 7 -22, will present films from its festival in 15 - 20 U.S. cities today be announced, via the Emerging Cinemas network.

Picture This! Entertainment announced today the company’s acquisition of North American rights to Svetozar Ristovski’s SXSW '05 U.S. premiere feature, "Mirage" (Ilujiza), from Small Moves Ltd. The company plans a November 2005 theatrical release.

indieWIRE continues its new monthly series with Apple Store - Soho that presents indie film professionals discussing various aspects of the filmmaking process. This Friday June 24th, we present independent filmmaker Hal Hartley.

Woody Allen has made no secret of his fondness for all things Brit, with his recent London-set "Match Point" and his next film also to be shot on the misty isle. The Reeler laments the loss The Woodsman's leap to the other side of the pond: "Sure the English government is underwriting your films--but maybe the mayor will give you some tax breaks if you come back. And our tabloids are counting on your transgressions! We promise we don't hold Melinda and Melinda and your last decade of work against you! Please don't stay away for long!"

One of the last remaining single screen theaters in Manhattan, The Beekman Theater, is closing this Sunday. The landlord has optioned to not renew their lease. The theater will be will be replaced by a breast and imaging center for outpatient care for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "The Beekman features a Streamline Moderne late-period art deco design, exhibited best in its scripted neon name perched on the marquee. Inside, the 510-seat theater's mezzanine and arced rows feel like a small opera house, not a cinema." Randee Dawn reports for Reuters.