by Cara Nash –FilmInk.com 

The sixth annual Israeli Film Festival, presented by the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange, is coming to Melbourne and Sydney from the 25th of August-September 6. FILMINK here gives you a taste of some of the amazing films that will feature from this country’s blossoming film industry.

SHIVA

Directed by: Ronit & Shlomi Elkabetz    Starring: Hana Azoulay-Hasfari, Ronit Elkabetz, Moshe Ivgy         

 In their highly acclaimed co-directorial debut To Take a Wife, brother and sister team Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz examined the strained marriage between first generation Israelis from Morocco, Viviane (played by Ronit Elkabetz herself) and husband Eliyahu (Simon Abkarian). The couple is revisited in Shiva, the latest project by the Elkabetz siblings, which examines not only the tensions between Viviane and Eliahu but a whole family during the traditional seven days of mourning, following the death of Viviane’s older brother, Maurice. During this period, family members are not permitted to leave the house and the intensity of this situation is a catalyst for more than just communal grief and support as jealousies, rivalries and the myriad complexities of family life are exposed.

 Viviane continues to plead with her passive-aggressive husband for a divorce. Viviane’s sister Simona sulks for most of the film before erupting in a devastating way toward the film’s end. Her brother Haim is facing bankruptcy and his wife Ita continually nags at him to demand that his brothers help him out but they each have problems of their own. Lili, a woman who was in love with the late Maurice can’t stand being in the house with his widow, etc, etc.     

 It is a credit to the directors that while the film is shot like a stage play with wide angles and crowded frames, the end product does not feel theatrical. With so many storylines and subplots, the film’s ambition often exceeds its execution. While the film feels authentic and is a fascinating family portrait, particularly being set in the midst of the Gulf War, Shiva’s lack of focus ultimately prevents it from being truly compelling.

7 Minutes in Heaven

Directed by: Omri Givon

Starring: Amsallem Raymond, Nadav Nates, Eldad Fribas

In his debut film, writer/director Omri Givon deals with the post traumatic effects of a terrorist attack, revealing how startlingly commonplace these attacks have become in Israel. Shortly before their wedding, Galia and her fiance Oren, are severely injured during a bus suicide bombing. Galia survives with extensive burns but Oren passes away in a coma, compelling Galia to reconstruct the events of that tragic day in order to try and gain some form of closure.

Givon’s intricate form of narrative requires patience on the part of audiences as they are not able to immediately piece the story together. Part romance and part thriller, 7 Minutes in Heaven is largely told through shifting timeframes, flashbacks and hallucinations which makes lead actress Raymonde Amsalem’s consistently impressive performance all the more important. She invests Galia with a deep regret and guilt that is hard to shake.

As Galia’s quest for catharsis continues, the film verges into the metaphysical and there is a significant twist toward the end. This surprising turn does not feel cheap and contrived but adds another layer to this absorbing story.

 With 7 Minutes in Heaven, Givon has created a film that is riveting to watch but even more rewarding in retrospect.

ZRUBAVEL
Directed by: Shmuel Beru

Starring: Meir Dasa, Avinu Beru, Ester Rada

Zrubavel is the first film made by an Ethiopian Israeli and the film’s story represents familiar territory for the director. At the age of eight, Shmuel Beru crossed the Sudanese desert to immigrate to Israel and in his directional debut, he tells the story of a family of immigrants learning to adapt to an unfamiliar setting. While Zrubavel centres on the lives of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel, the way in which this film deals with themes of immigration and assimilation resounds with universal appeal.

Gite Zrubavel, a proud and fiercely traditional man who works as a street cleaner in Tel Aviv, is determined that his children will do something more significant with their lives, but his hard-won efforts look to be undermined. His oldest son briefly flirts with petty crime while Gite holds hope for him to become a fighter pilot. His daughter opts for a taboo romance with a distant cousin rather than an arranged marriage. Even his grandson wants to break free of parental expectations and dreams of becoming the next Spike Lee, using a hand held camera to film the daily rhythms of his neighbourhood.

 Unfortunately Zrubavel skims superficially over some important aspects. There is little interaction between the family and white Israelis and those who do feature – the police and the school principal – are cast as embarrassingly racist and one feels Beru has missed a chance to strive for something more deeply resonant. The film is most affecting in its portrayal of the cultural and generational divide between traditionally-minded parents and children attempting to assimilate, and within this larger struggle, Beru reveals the poignant process of a family learning to compromise.

 The AICE Israeli Film Festival runs from August 25 – 30  at Palace Cinema Como and Brighton Bay, Melbourne and September 1 – 6 at the Academy Twin, Sydney.

 For more information on the festival, visit here.

Ben Fritz – LATimes.com

The legally embattled owners of “Terminator” are back — in court, that is.

Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek, producers of Warner Bros.’ and Sony Pictures’ May release “Terminator Salvation,” have filed a pair of $30 million lawsuits: One against Santa Barbara hedge fund Pacificor, which loaned them money to buy the rights to the science-fiction film series, and another against a former employee of Pacificor who helped arrange the loans.

The suits come as the Halcyon Company, owned by Anderson and Kubicek, has been attempting to raise money to keep operating their company, according to several people familiar with the situation.

The duo also is in the early stages of development on a fifth “Terminator” film, two people familiar with their efforts said.

If they don’t prevail in the suit or raise enough money to pay back Pacificor, however, they may not get the chance to make another movie. According to the complaints, the hedge fund may end up taking control of the “Terminator” rights, which served as collateral for its loans.

Anderson and Kubicek have been involved in numerous lawsuits during their three-year career in Hollywood, during which “Terminator” is the only film they have produced and released. Previous legal opponents have involved investors, a “Salvation” producer, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

The suit against Pacificor involves a dispute over a $5-million bridge loan that the hedge fund made to Halcyon in December 2007 after it had provided a $30-million loan in April of that year to buy the “Terminator” rights. Earlier this month, Pacificor filed a lien against a separate company owned by Andersion and Kubicek called Dominion Group through which they were to be paid for their producing duties on “Salvation.”

Anderson and Kubicek claim in the suit that they did not owe money on the loan under the terms of a February settlement and that Pacificor filed the lien in a “desperate and deliberate attempt to seize ownership and control of the Halcyon entities and of the ['Terminator'] franchise.”

Pacificor’s lien, the complaint states, has prevented the pair from borrowing against the money they are owed for their producing services on “Salvation,” a payday estimated in the Benjamin lawsuit to be worth more than $7.5 million.

“We haven’t seen the lawsuit, however, we do not believe we have done anything wrong,” said Andrew Mitchell, CEO of Pacificor. “We believe we have the right to put a lien on the Dominion assets.”

The second lawsuit, filed against Kurt Benjamin, a former vice president of business development at Pacificor who helped facilitate the loans, paints Anderson and Kubicek as a pair of relative naifs who were pushed into financial ruin by Benjamin, Mitchell and “Salvation” producer Moritz Borman.

It alleges that Benjamin hid that he was working for Pacificor and represented himself as an independent agent to negotiate terms favorable to his employer. It claims he encouraged Anderson and Kubicek to unwisely spend Halcyon’s own funds on production of a “Terminator Salvation” video game “so that it would not be able to meet its obligations and would therefore fall under the total control of Pacificor.”

Benjamin, the complaint alleges, demanded and received numerous payments from Halcyon to close its various loans, payment that the lawsuit refers to as “blackmail.” Pacificor CEO Mitchell, meanwhile, allegedly demanded to be paid $250,000 per year to serve on Halcyon’s board.

“The allegations in the Halcyon lawsuit are false and without merit,” Benjamin said when reached for comment. ”I intend to refute these claims through the legal process and will file suit against Halcyon, Dominion, Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek.”

The suit also claims that Borman offered Benjamin and Mitchell bribes to foreclose on the franchise and sell it to a buyer group that included him. Although Borman is not a defendant in the suit, and Halcyon settled a dispute with him this year over producing fees he claimed to be owed, the new complaint alleges that he intentionally pushed “Salvation” over budget to force Anderson and Kubicek into further financial distress so they would be unable to pay back their loan to Pacificor and he could eventually buy the asset.

Asked to comment, Borman replied, “I have no idea what they’re talking about.”

Amazon Specials!

This October, Brat Productions will unleash a unique, theatrical take on a Halloween tradition – the haunted house – in the world premiere of Haunted Poe. Coinciding with the 200th anniversary year of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, Haunted Poe offers an immersive, multisensory experience devoted to Poe’s peculiar genius.

Costumes, masks, puppets, hidden passageways, magic lanterns, optical illusions, music and video – all created by an award-winning team of theatre artists, designers and actors – serve to take Poe’s themes of madness, suspense and the supernatural to a new level.

Housed in a 10,000 square foot warehouse in South Philadelphia, Haunted Poe is grounded in some of the best-known and most chilling works ever written, including “The Tell-tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Black Cat,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” and “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.”

While the show utilizes the form of a haunted house and offers surprises and scares as audiences move from room to room and down twisting hallways, Haunted Poe is a theatrical project that differs from typical commercial haunted attractions.

“Our production focuses on narrative, rather than unconnected thrills,” says Brat’s Producing Artistic Director Michael Alltop, who conceived the work. “Yes, it will be scary. Yes, there will be blood – and ghosts and magic and murder and mayhem. But there will also be a sizeable dose of interactive storytelling inspired by America’s most famous and influential author.”

Haunted Poe’s multi-chambered story outline is conceived and directed by award-winning director/actor/playwright Madi Distefano, the Resident Artist and founder of Brat Productions. “If ever there was a 19th-century literary rock star, Edgar Allan Poe was it,” says Distefano. “His writing is thrilling, dangerous, deceitful and magnetic. He brought beauty to the horrific, the terrible and the grotesque. Brat has been called Rock-and-Roll Theatre. True to our reputation for creating event-oriented experiences, Haunted Poe is designed to put the audiences right in the (beating) heart of the action.”

Brat worked with adapter and dramaturg Greg Giovanni to get to the heart of Poe’s stories and to emphasize their disturbing qualities of obsession, murder, paranoia and the supernatural. Giovanni, who counts Romantic literature and Gothic theory as two of his “many intellectual pursuits,” is a Philadelphia director, playwright, performance artist and actor. His work was seen in a retrospective last year at The Painted Bride Arts Center.

To further delve into Poe’s work and life, Brat also brought in Edward Pettit, known as the “Philly Poe Guy” and a freelance writer, book reviewer and Poe lecturer. In addition to providing literary and historical context, Pettit is curating kiosks, which audiences can browse after performances to learn more about Gothic literature, 19-century Philadelphia and Poe’s lasting influence on our culture.

The cast of about 30 features many notable Philadelphia actors, including Dave Johnson, Dallas Drummond and Nate Holt as three different versions of Poe, Patricia Bartlett, Kim Carson, Greg Giovanni, Bruce Graham, David Howey, Matt Lorenz and more to be announced.

Magician Matt Holtzclaw has collaborated with Brat to build several illusions for the show. Holtzclaw has been recognized as one of the top performers and technicians in the world of magic and special effects. Currently he is working on a Broadway revival of Finian’s Rainbow and an Off-Broadway stage project directed by Teller (the smaller, quieter half of Penn and Teller) called Play Dead.

Brad Helm, former designer and technical director for Eastern State Penitentiary’s Terror Behind the Walls, is creating sets that feature over 13 rooms and hallways to be traversed by the audience.

Lighting is designed by Barrymore Award-winner John Stephen Hoey, who has worked at nearly every theater in Philadelphia and has designed over 20 operas for Opera Company of Philadelphia and nearly 100 ballets for Pennsylvania Ballet, in addition to working with New York City Opera and as Lighting Director at New York City Ballet.

Sound and music compositions are created by Michael Kiley, who has

The 'Real' Edgar Allen Poe

worked with David Brick of Headlong Dance Theatre, SubCircle, Theatre Exile and Nichole Canuso Dance Company. He is also founder of the band The Mural and The Mint.

Costumes, masks and puppets are produced by Alisa Sickora Kleckner. She has worked throughout the Northeast and teaches courses, as an adjunct faculty and resident designer at Arcadia University, in costume design and construction, puppet theatre and stage make-up and runs the university’s costume shop.

Haunted Poe’s performance dates also coincide with the Third International Edgar Allan Poe Conference: The Bicentennial, scheduled for October 8-10 at the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. Poe flourished in Philadelphia in the early 1840s, and he wrote his most well-known works while living in the city. The six years Poe spent living in Philadelphia were the most productive and successful of his career, writing the stories we still read today, like “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-tale Heart” and “The Black Cat,” and he began writing his masterpiece “The Raven” while living in Philadelphia.

Haunted Poe runs October 1 – November 1, 2009 in Philadelphia. More info at HauntedPoe.com.

Hey all you TV writers, this is your chance to change the way you watch TV!

Scriptapalooza TV has seen major success in their 10 years.

Two writers won Emmys, numerous writers have gotten agents, managers and meetings.

The four categories include:
Existing one-hour shows like “True Blood” and “Merlin”
Existing half-hour sitcoms like “The Office” and “Two and a Half Men”
Original pilots and reality shows (for reality shows, Scriptapalooza would like a one- to five-page synopses only)

Supported by the Writers Guild of America west and the Writers Guild of Canada.

http://www.scriptapaloozaTV.com

Office: 323/654-5809
info@scriptapalooza.com

FINAL DEADLINE: October 15th, 2009

The New Orleans Vampire Film Festival is open for business and looking for film submissions as well as your votes on a Vampire Trailer Contest set up on YouTube.

Those interested in submitting their films can do so until September 16, 2009. It’s not just vampires that the festival is featuring; also welcome are zombies, werewolves, witches, and ghosts. Films of all lengths are invited, especially those that emphasize the grotesque, mysterious, or desolate.

In addition, the festival is holding a trailer contest on its own YouTube channel. Interested participants can vote on their favorite trailers, which will be shown at the festival.

The film festival is scheduled for New Orleans on October 23rd through 26th, 2009. For additional and up-to-date information, including details on film submissions, visit the official Vampire Film Festival website.

The Associated Press

FORKS, Wash. — The “Twilight” tourism bonanza shows no signs of abating in Forks, an old logging town on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula that’s won new fame as the setting for a teen vampire fantasy.

Marcia Bingham of the Forks Chamber of Commerce says more than 16,000 people passed through the town’s visitor center in July alone, doubling June’s number, and in one month nearly equaling 2008′s total of 18,485 people.

She notes that in the “old days” the Visitor Center focused mainly on teaching people about logging and coordinating tours of local natural resources. These days it’s all about vampires and werewolves. Logging tours have been cut back from three a week to one.

And the numerous visitors come armed with questions. Among them: Is it safe to go camping with the vampire problems in the area?

12 haunts honored as eerie elite for best scare tactics in U.S.

 Houston, TX (PRWEB) August 6, 2009 — The fear facts are in. America’s Best Haunts, the nation’s eminent authority on thrill attractions, has released the official list of top haunts for 2009.
As professionals of the scare, America’s Best Haunt (http://www.americasbesthaunts.com) evaluated haunted attractions from coast to coast to select 12 of the best of the best to wear its coveted seal. Utilizing a panel of thrill park industry experts, top haunts from across the U.S. were thoroughly analyzed before being honored as one of this year’s eerie elite. Each attraction was judged on creepy criteria including special effects, marketing, consumer value, design, actor ability, fear factor and safety.

In 2008, more than 26 million Americans flocked to haunted attractions, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Haunts have ratcheted up the fright factor with animatronics and digital sound mixed with the traditional “fear in your face” scare tactics. With Halloween consumer spending growing to nearly $6 billion last year (NRF), thrill-seekers continue to want more and are willing to pay for it. Thrill attraction ticket prices across America reportedly now range from $15 to $65. “The haunt business is a boon to the economy as Halloween bridges the gap between back-to-school and holiday season sales,” said Steve Kopelman of America’s Best Haunts. “Our team of haunt experts takes their jobs seriously when it comes to naming America’s best. Haunted attractions that wear our stamp of approval provide sophisticated fright fans with Hollywood-style design, acting, production and more.”

The America’s Best Haunts 2009 top thrill attractions include:

Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, PA)
Billed as a haunted house inside a state prison, this lost world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers stands behind the Eastern State Penitentiary’s massive 30-foot high walls. This is home to Terror Behind the Walls, ranked the “Number 1 Haunted House in the U.S.” by AOL City Guide, and labeled “perfect for Halloween” by the New York Times. http://www.TerrorBehindTheWalls.com

Bennett’s Curse (Baltimore, MD)
Featuring the Legendary House of the Vampyres, Bennett’s Curse is the only medieval vampire knight themed haunted house in the world. Original scenes, enthusiastic actors, and state of the art special effects combine to create an unforgettable experience that will keep you screaming for more. http://www.bennettscurse.com

Screampark (Lexington, KY) New Comer of the Year
Kentucky’s largest fear factory features three terrifying attractions, live events and more maniacal monsters than you care to meet under one roof. Screampark brings detailed sets, nightmarish monsters and high-tech scares to the “Heart of the Bluegrass”. http://www.scarylexington.com

The Terror Test (Lumberton, MS)
Mississippi’s largest haunted attraction includes Hollywood movie quality props, realistic sets, state of the art special effects and authentic costumes. Horror hounds will experience three eerie attractions under one roof that will frighten even the bravest of souls. http://www.terrortest.com

The 13th Door (Denver, CO)
What begins as an informative tour of a local historical site soon turns into terror as you are swept through time to relive the horrors of the famed Barrington Hotel Massacre. As events unfold, you soon learn that your only path of escape is through a mysterious 13th Door. Chased from one gruesome scene to the next, you quickly discover that your life is in very real jeopardy. http://www.13Door.com

ScreamWorld (Houston, TX)
Since 1989, ScreamWorld has been the premier home for horror in Houston with three haunted houses, an outdoor maze, a cemetery, and roaming creepy characters. Continually named Houston’s No. 1 Haunted Attraction by both the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Press, ScreamWorld provides the most mayhem for the money to its 30,000 annual guests. http://www.ScreamWorld.com

Nightmare New England (Litchfield, NH)
This year, New England’s legendary Spookyworld joins Nightmare New England to forge one of the largest and most terrifying Halloween Scream Parks in the country. The scale and variety of this mega-park offers something to thrill even the boldest of Halloween fanatics. Nightmare New England and Spookyworld feature seven terrifying haunted attractions and a “Monster Midway” where dozens of freakish characters freely roam the grounds and lurk around every corner. http://www.nightmarenewengland.com

Woods of Terror (Greensboro, NC)
What began as a mere haunted trail 18 years ago, is now one of the leading and top ranked haunted attractions in the U.S. Today, a staggering 20,000 visitors a year – young and old, from near and far – pay to roam 20 acres of pure terror while seeking the thrill of the ultimate adrenaline rush: fear. http://www.woodsofterror.com

Thrillvania (Terrell, TX)                                    
Located 20 miles east of Dallas, Thrillvania is one of the most decorated haunted attractions in the world. With 50 acres encompassing eight attractions, a midway and a haunted store, Thrillvania frightens more than 20,000 “victims” each year. The cornerstone of this fear farm is Verdun Manor, a two-story haunted house originally designed by Disney Imagineers and said to boast more props per square foot than any other haunt in the country. http://www.Thrillvania.com

The Terrorfest (Columbus, OH)
Formerly the critically-acclaimed “House of Nightmares” haunted house, The Terrorfest has had fear facelift. With a new, more terrorizing theme, diabolically-detailed sets, state of the art effects and a core of more than 60 dedicated actors, The Terrorfest is destined to bring a new level of haunting excellence to the Columbus brewery district. http://www.TheTerrorFest.com

The House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs (Buffalo, NY)
Known for scaring the yell out of you, The House of Horrors has zombies, demons, vampires, psycho killers, and the living dead creeping around every corner. Celebrating its 17th season, the Haunted Catacombs guarantees fear-in-your-face special effects, amazing animations, and Hollywood-style sets that will have make your jaw drop and your heart race. http://www.thehouseofhorrors.com

Terror on the Fox (Greenbay, WI)
The terror continues at Wisconsin’s premier thrill attraction as it celebrates its 13th season. With four haunts from an asylum to the pitch-dark void, the torment is pure torture. Terror on the Fox is sure to put you on the edge when you discover you are virtually trapped inside yourself. http://www.terroronthefox.com

About America’s Best Haunts:
Established in 2006, Americas Best Haunts is the only expert resource of its kind, identifying the most superior haunted attractions in the country for today’s discerning fright lovers.

MovieMaker.com’s Great List of Upcoming Festivals and Calls for Entries
CALL FOR ENTRIES: 6th annual BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL, November 3-7, Tribeca Cinemas, NYC. Now accepting entries in all lengths and genres. The Big Apple Film Festival takes place annually at Tribeca Cinemas in the heart of New York City. The BAFF, named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s top “25 Film Festivals Worth The Entry Fee,” is dedicated to showcasing and promoting the highest quality films from the New York City independent film community, as well as additional specially selected films from across the country and around the world. Additionally, the festival is proud to honor a variety of New York City based moviemakers, writers, actors and artists who have played an influential role in the growth of independent moviemaking in the Big Apple. For more information or to submit visit http://www.bigapplefilmfestival.com/.
 
SUBMIT TO A HIGHER PLACE – (5330 ft.) Late deadline September 1st. Boulder, Colorado, the Smartest City in America (Forbes Magazine 2008), produces sold-out shows and huge audiences for the BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. Thousands of enthusiastic festival-goers have helped make BIFF one of the most influential young film festivals in the U.S. MovieMaker Magazine recently named the Boulder International Film Festival one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” in the world. Submit today, you’ll love it here. BIFF is Feb 11-14, 2010. http://www.biff1.com

SPECIAL TRAVEL OFFER FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARDMEMBERS—An international celebration of cultural diversity and independent thought, the CALGARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (September 25 to October 4) is Calgary’s scene to be seen in September and takes place only 45 minutes from the breathtaking Canadian Rocky Mountains. Screening the best-of-the-best films from filmmakers in over 100 countries around the world, visitors are sure to be inspired by the festival and the city of Calgary. American Express Cardmembers can take advantage of special travel packages to Calgary during the Festival. Visit http://www.calgaryfilm.com/or http://www.fairmont.com/promo/ciff for details.

FANTASTIC FEST was founded in 2005 as an alliance between Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Ain’t It Cool News. Now in its fifth year, Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., and has hosted a large number of world premieres over the years, including There Will Be Blood, Apocalypto, Hostel, City of Ember and more. Fantastic Fest was named by Variety president Charlie Koones as “one of the 10 festivals we love,” alongside industry heavy-hitters Cannes, Telluride and Toronto as well as named by MovieMaker Magazine this year as “one of the 25 coolest film festivals.” http://www.fantasticfest.com

5th annual MYRTLE BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, a Dalton Pictures and Entertainment Company (DPEC) production, has become one of the largest theatrical distribution companies for independent film. DPEC also distributes on DVD, television and digital download. The MBIFF is a truly independent film festival that prides itself on standing apart from other film festivals. MBIFF actively seeks moviemakers who want to be part of the industry. Submissions dates: April 10 – Sept. 21. Festival dates: Dec. 1-5, 2009, http://myrtlebeachfilmfestival.com/.

The OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL (OFF) provides emerging film artists with opportunities for developing and presenting new works that inspire, educate, take risks, and stir the imagination. The OFF also offers outstanding education opportunities for filmmakers and the general public through its Film Education Initiative, hosting an annual Filmmaker’s Conference and ongoing workshops throughout the year. Instructors have included Mauro Fiore, Neil Krepela, Shane Black, Mike Hill, Lew Hunter, Jon Bokenkamp, Josh Stolberg, and Tom Elkins. Don’t miss out! Submit now for 2010! Accepting Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Animated, and Screenplays. Final deadline: Nov. 6, 2009. http://www.omahafilmfestival.org

The ONE IN TEN SCREENPLAY CONTEST, a screenplay contest dedicated to the positive portrayal of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trangender and queer individuals in film, celebrates its 11th anniversary in 2009. Entries are now being accepted online and are limited to the first 600 for 2009. “We are excited to celebrate our 11th anniversary and are looking at a record number of entries this year,” says executive director David Jensen. “We have even added a new contest this year, The Gay (GLBTQ) Movie Title Contest. We are continually amazed with the quality of talent that comes through the door year after yea. We receive entries from around the globe and Hollywood is taking notice in a very big way. Many of our past winners are now hard working screenwriters.” http://www.screenplaycontests.com/oneinten/

The mission of the PORTLAND WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL (a.k.a. POW Fest) is to celebrate the art and cinematic contribution of women moviemakers from around the world, in any format, with any content and in any genre. POW Fest showcases the work of today’s top women directors and co-directors, honoring both the true pioneers as well as providing support and recognition for the next generation of leading women moviemakers. To that end, it is also our goal to promote and create opportunities for women working in all areas of the film industry and educate members in the community, young and old, through panels and hands-on workshops. The third annual festival is scheduled for March 18-21, 2010. For more information visit, http://www.powfest.com/.

The TRAIL DANCE FILM FESTIVAL is the perfect opportunity for independent filmmakers to present their work to a supportive audience … in a competitive environment which rewards creativity and excellence in a variety of industry specific pursuits. In addition to the Golden Drover Awards, the festival offers a day of children based programming, a scholarship awarded to the winning high school entry, and a western themed environment unlike any other film festival on the planet. Don’t miss the event named in 2008 as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Top 25 Film Festivals Worth the Fee! http://www.traildancefilmfestival.com

Rotterdam CINEMART 2010 – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS!
You have new projects in development or production that need additional financing?
From January 27th to February 7th 2010, the 39th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) will take place. During the festival, the 27th edition of the INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION MARKET CINEMART will be held from Sunday 31st January to Wednesday 3rd February.

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING PROJECTS: 1st SEPTEMBER 2009!
The CineMart is open for feature films with theatrical and international potential in all stages of production, from script to rough cut. A project should not have been presented at any other market or festival, except when linked to one of CineMart’s partnering organisations.
Check all the regulations on how to apply on www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com
Download the entry form
Do not miss the occasion to make successful contacts! Thanks SydneysBuzz.com

Sarah Cooper – ScreenDaily.com

The UK Screen Association, the film and TV industry body, has revealed the shortlist for its annual Conch awards, which honour audio post production in film, TV and advertising

The shortlist has been voted for by the industry and the contenders how have to submit material for the final judging round. The winners will be announced on September 22.

Pinewood Studios Group, Film London and the UK Film Council are sponsors of the awards, which are now in their fourth year.

Further shortlisted nominees in four other categories – Film Facility of the year, TV Facility of the year, Commerical Facility of the year and Most Promising Newcomer -  will be announced in September.

The 2009 nominations include:

Film Soundtrack of the Year under £10m

Slumdog Millionaire

Man on Wire

The Boy in Striped Pyjamas

Film Soundtrack of the Year Over £10m

Quantum of Solace

Hellboy II

The Boat That Rocked

Best Foley project

Quantum of Solace

Man  on Wire

Red Riding Trilogy

Production Sound Mixer of the Year

Simon Hayes

Chris Munro

Julian Howarth, Bang Post Production

Film Sound Editor

Lisa McMahon

Claire Ellis

Glenn Freemantle

Eddy Joseph

Audio on TV/Film Documentary

Man on Wire, Molinare

Evolutions, Evolutions

The Animal’s Guide to Survival, Halo Post

Film Re-Recording Mixer

Paul Cotterell, Lipsync

Mike Prestwood Smith

Ian Tapp, The Pinewood Studios Group

Richard Pryke, The Pinewood Studios Group

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