Joseph Gordon-Levitt had quite a blockbuster 2012 with roles in The Dark Knight Rises, Lincoln and Looper, but he’s holding onto his indie big screen roots at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Aside from his feature directorial debut, Don Jon’s Addiction, which will bow in the festival’s Premieres section, the actor and now filmmaker has been tapped to host the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony.
[Related: Sundance Film Festival Reveals 2013 U.S. & World Competition Slate AND Sundance Film Festival Unveils Star-Studded Premieres & Documentary Premieres Lineup]
Gordon-Levitt is certainly no stranger to Sundance, having appeared in seven films post 3rd Rock from the Sun days including Mysterious Skin, Brick and (500) Days of Summer. He also debuted his directorial short Sparks at the fest in 2009 and his online production company hitRECord installed an exhibit in Sundance’s New Frontier in 2010, followed by a live performance in 2012.
Don Jon’s Addiction, which stars Gordon-Levitt as well as Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore, centers on what the festival describes as “a selfish modern-day Don Juan attempts to change his ways” (above is a still from the film). It is screening Out of Competition.
Last year, actress Parker Posey had been slated to host the awards show, but Sundance staff including festival Director John Cooper had to take over after she fell ill. Along with the overall festival, the awards are a harbinger of the year ahead for American indies and beyond. Beasts of the Southern Wild took last year’s Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic prize, while The House I Live In won in the Documentary category. Oscar short-listed docs Detropia, Searching for Sugar Man and The Invisible War were also among prize-winners last year.
Noted Cooper in a statement:…
Full Story »Rising U.K. actress Kaya Scodelario (Skins, Moon, Wuthering Heights) stars as a teenager who strikes up a friendship with her mysterious neighbor (Jessica Biel) in the drama Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes, which premieres in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Movieline’s got your first look at the poster for the surrealism-tinged thriller featuring Scodelario, who will be one to watch this month in Park City.
Scodelario’s been an intriguing new talent since breaking out on the original Skins, the kids-behaving-badly hit U.K. series that inspired Project X-esque mayhem in suburban England and inspired a terrible American knockoff series on MTV. She appeared in Duncan Jones’ Moon and briefly in Clash of the Titans, but earned critical acclaim last year as Catherine in Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights, and for a good while had considerable fan support vying to play the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games which eventually went to Jen Lawrence.
Emanuel should help Scodelario bolster her presence stateside (she also appears in the as-yet unreleased in the U.S. drama Now Is Good, AKA The One Where Dakota Fanning Has Cancer And A British Accent), and it also adds some zest and indie cred to co-star Biel’s filmography following a varied year marked by the indie horror The Tall Man, the sci-fi remake Total Recall, awards hopeful Hitchcock, and the Gerard Butler vehicle Playing For Keeps.
Alfred Molina, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson, and Aneurin Barnard also star in the pic from director Francesca Gregorini, who previously co-wrote and co-directed the girls school drama Tanner Hall. Check out the full hi-res poster debut below and stay tuned for Movieline’s coverage of the Sundance Film Festival, held January 17-27.…
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Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl will be among the group of first-time filmmakers at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but he will likely be the only one to also play an anticipated gig at the annually anticipated event which opens January 17th.
[Related: 'Sound City' Trailer Offers Glimpse Of Dave Grohl's Love Letter To Rock 'N' Roll's Pre-Digital Era and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl Gets Personal With 'Sound City']
Grohl’s Sound City Players will play January 18th at the festival, featuring “core musicians and special guests” from the musician’s doc Sound City. The feature, which will screen in Sundance’s Documentary Premieres section, is the brainchild of Grohl who conceived the story after purchasing a custom-built 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. The board was built in 1972 and considered to be a “crown jewel of analog recording equipment,” having recorded such artists as Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, Guns and Roses, Fear, Grohl’s former band, Nirvana as well as Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica and others.
The film Sound City showcases the most talented group of musicians in the world and we are thrilled they chose to celebrate the documentary at Park City Live,” said Kathryn Burns, CEO of Park City Live where the concert will take place via a statement. “The evening will be spectacular and we look forward to seeing who will join Dave Grohl and the Sound City Players onstage.” The venue is not a regular Sundance space, but will be one of many ancillary events that take place around the festival.
The film’s soundtrack, Sound City — Real to Reel, is a collection of original music created specifically for the film and this companion…
Full Story »So you’ve got your low-budget indie feature cast, for better and most definitely for worse. What next? Learn how to DIRECT the thing, Modern Imbecile-style, in the latest installment of Idiot’s Guide To Making Movies For Dummies presented by Slamdance TV, in which Don and Lizard Man show Wallace the finer points of shooting a love scene.
Check back next week for the next installment of Modern Imbecile’s Idiot’s Guide To Making Movies For Dummies, with new episodes posting each week leading into the Slamdance Film Festival.
Slamdance alums Kevin M. Brennan and Doug Manley have teamed up with Slamdance TV to present Modern Imbecile’s Idiot’s Guide To Making Movies For Dummies. In the five part web series, Slamdance TV’s very own Ben Hethcoat goes behind the scenes of Wallace Cotton’s latest feature film, COP HEAT starring Brennan and Manley as the titular duo, Don and Lizard Man. COP HEAT: “Two hot for the streets. Two hot to handle.”
Join the festival ‘By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers’ in this Slamdance TV original web series which explores the independent filmmaking process. Slamdance Film Festival takes place January 18-24 in Park City, UT.
For more information visit slamdance.com
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Twitter @Slamdance
PREVIOUSLY: ‘Modern Imbecile’s Idiot’s Guide To Making Movies For Dummies,’ Episode 1: Casting
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut Don Jon’s Addiction will be among the headliners at the Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama program. Starring Gordon-Levitt along with Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore and Tony Danza, the feature revolves around a modern-day Don Juan who attempts to change his ways. The film will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month.
The film joins the lineup in Panorama along with fourteen other fiction titles and seven documentaries announced Tuesday. Also in the roster is Noah Baumbach’s acclaimed Frances Ha with Greta Gerwig and Rob Epstein’s Lovelace.
Berlinale Panorama titles follow with information provided by the festival:
Fictional films in the Main Programme and Panorama Special (15)
Baek Ya (White Night) – Republic of Korea
By Hee-il LeeSong
With Tae-hee Won, Yi-kyung Yi
European premiere
Chemi Sabnis Naketsi (A Fold in My Blanket) – Georgia
By Zaza Rusadze
With Tornike Bziava, Tornike Gogrichiani, Zura Kipshidze, Avtandil Makharadze, Giorgi Nakashidze
World premiere
Dduit-dam-hwa: Gam-dok-i-mi-cheot-eo-yo (Behind the Camera) – Republic of Korea
By E J-Yong
With Yuh-jung Youn, Hee-soon Park, Hye-jung Gang, Jung-se Oh, Min-hee Kim
International premiere
Deshora (Belated) – Argentina/Columbia/Norway
By Barbara Sarasola-Day
With Luis Ziembrowski, Alejandro Buitrago, Maria Ucedo
World premiere
Don Jon’s Addiction – USA
By Joseph Gordon-Levitt
With Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
International premiere
Frances Ha – USA
By Noah Baumbach
With Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Charlotte D’Ambiose, Adam Driver
European premiere
Habi, la extranjera (Habi, the Foreigner) – Argentina/Brazil
By Maria Florencia Alvarez
With Martina Juncadella, Martin Slipak, Maria Luisa Mendonça, Lucia Alfonsin
World premiere
Inch´Allah – Canada
By Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette
With Evelyne Brochu, Sabrina Ouazani, Yousef Sweid, Sivan Levy,…
The Sundance Film Festival added four more films to its 2013 slate, including titles in its genre-heavy Park City at Midnight, Documentary Premieres and New Frontier sections. It also will feature director Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi in its “From the Collection” sidebar.
[Related: Sundance Film Festival Reveals 2013 U.S. & World Competition Slate]
With the additions, the 2013 Sundance Film Festival currently rounds out with 119 feature-length films, from 32 countries and 51 first-time filmmakers, including 27 in competition. The final 119 were selected from 12,146 submissions (429 more than for 2012), including 4,044 feature-length films and 8,102 short films. 103 feature films at the Festival will be world premieres.
[Related: Sundance Film Festival Unveils Star-Studded Premieres & Documentary Premieres Lineup]
Commented Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper in a statement: “With the addition of these four films, the 2013 Sundance Film Festival will present an even more well rounded program of independent films. Each adds to the Festival in exciting, challenging and entertaining ways.”
[Related: Sundance 2013 Sets New Matthew McConaughey, James Franco Films & Midnight Pics]
Four additional films follow with information provided by Sundance:
PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT
Magic Magic / U.S.A., Chile (Director and screenwriter: Sebastián Silva) — An American girl vacationing in remote Chile mentally unravels, putting herself and those around her in danger. Cast: Michael Cera, Juno Temple, Emily Browning, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Augustín Silva. World Premiere
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
Muscle Shoals / U.S.A. (Director: Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier) — Down in Alabama Rick Hall founded FAME Studios and gave birth to the Muscle Shoals sound. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Gregg Allman, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono and others bear witness to the greatest untold American music…
Matt Damon and Frances McDormand starrer Promised Land by Gus Van Sant is one of six films that will screen in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. Also starring John Krasinski and Rosemarie DeWitt, the film is one of two American titles the festival announced Thursday. Also joining the group is animated feature The Croods, playing out of competition. The title includes voices from Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds.
Promised Land centers on Steve Butler (Damon) a former farm boy turned big city business guy who teams up with Sue (Frances McDormand) to sell financial prosperity to a struggling Pennsylvania town that has rich deposits of natural gas deep underground. The sales execs offer up easy cash in return for drilling rights on their property, but the process of extraction – known as fracking – divides the town.
[Related: Gus Van Sant On 'Promised Land' & His Desire 'To Always Work' With Matt Damon]
Other titles included in the initial lineup of six films hail from Austria, Chile, France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Romania and Spain. The 63rd Berlinale takes place February 7 – 17.
The first six Berlinale ‘13 titles follow with information provided by the festival.
Competition:
Gloria, Chile/Spain
By Sebastián Lelio (La Sagrada Familia, Navidad, El año del tigre)
With Paulina García, Sergio Hernández
World premiere
Nugu-ui Ttal-do Anin (Nobody’s Daughter Haewon), Republic of Korea
By Hong Sangsoo (Night and Day, Hahaha, In Another Country)
With Eunchae Jung, Sunkyun Lee
World premiere
Paradies: Hoffnung (Paradise: Hope), Austria/France/Germany
By Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days, Import Export, Paradise: Love)
With…
Can’t make it out to Park City, UT for the Sundance Film Festival this year? Let Sundance come to you. The Sundance Institute announced today 10 independent cities that will screen selections from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival this year with the filmmaker present. Ten filmmakers will travel to one of the following cities: Ann Arbor, MI; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Nashville, TN; Orlando, FL; San Francisco, CA; and Tucson, AZ.
“Sundance Film Festival USA celebrates the theaters and audiences that are an integral part of supporting and encouraging the work of independent filmmakers,” said Sundance President and Founder Robert Redford. “By extending the Festival to these 10 cities, we will create a larger shared experience and dialogue around the issues of our time, as explored in these films.”
[Related: Sundance Film Festival Reveals 2013 U.S. & World Competition Slate]
Titles and locations follow with descriptions and information provided by Sundance Institute:
The East / U.S.A. (Director: Zal Batmanglij, Screenwriters: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling) — An operative for an elite private intelligence firm goes into deep cover to infiltrate a mysterious anarchist collective attacking major corporations. Bent on apprehending these fugitives, she finds her loyalty tested as her feelings grow for the group’s charismatic leader. Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Patricia Clarkson. Ann Arbor, MI – The Michigan Theatre.
The Lifeguard / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Liz W. Garcia) — A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager. Cast: Kristen Bell, Mamie Gummer, Martin Starr, Alex Shaffer,…
Full Story »Most first-time filmmakers don’t have a posse of A-listers filling roles in their films. But then again, most first-time directors aren’t Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The charming actor is taking his turn behind the camera (though he’s also in front) with Don Jon’s Addiction, which will have its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in the event’s Premieres section in January.
Sundance didn’t readily have an image from Don Jon’s Addiction available when they rolled out their 2013 lineup late last week and earlier this week, but this one turned up with a demure looking Scarlett Johansson appearing to size-up Josheph Gordon-Levitt (or maybe the other way around) in what appears to be a club? video bar? new age art installation?
Also starring Julianne Moore, Sundance did not give too much detail about the film but it will likely be a hot title to watch… One thing is for sure, Gordon-Levitt is having a good run after a year of The Dark Knight Rises (and all the ensuing Batman/Robin Hood rumors), Looper and Lincoln.
The minimal Sundance Film Festival description follows:
In Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s charming directorial debut, a selfish modern-day Don Juan attempts to change his ways. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown.
Slamdance set its competition lineup Wednesday with 12 Narrative titles and 10 documentaries joining the film festival’s roster at the 19th annual event which coincides with the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. This year, 13 World Premieres and seven U.S. debuts will screen in competition, chosen out of 5,000 submissions.
“Our goal is to showcase exhilarating filmmaking with a revolutionary take on our world,” commented Slamdance president and co-founder Peter Baxter on the festival website. “These filmmakers have a tremendous ability to innovate, explore and revitalize the independent filmmaking landscape.”
The 2013 Slamdance Film Festival will take place January 18 – 24.
The festival’s competition lineup follows with descriptions and credits provided by Slamdance.
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION:
The Narrative Competition is comprised of American and International productions. All 12 films are feature debuts with budgets of less than $1 million, and were programmed entirely from blind submissions.
Best Friends Forever/ Director: Brea Grant, Screenwriters: Brea Grant, Vera Miao (USA) World Premiere
Harriet and Reba hit the road in this darkly comedic apocalypse tale that explores the boundaries of friendship, the danger of hipsters, and nuclear fallout. Cast: Brea Grant, Vera Miao, Sean Maher, Glen Powell, Kit Williamson, Alex Berg, Alex Fernie, Stacey Storey
Big Words/Director and Screenwriter: Neil Drumming (USA) World Premiere
A lively drama that captures members of a once-promising hip-hop group, now in their late 30’s, as they struggle with regret, disappointment, and change on Election Night 2008. Cast: Darien Sills-Evans, Dorian Missick, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Yaya Alafia, Zachary Booth, Amir Arison, Jean Grae
The Court of Shards/ Director and Screenwriter: Jan Eilhardt (Germany) World Premiere
In this experimental narrative, two disabled women fight in their own way to maintain their independent loves and lives against an overpoweringly caring family. Cast:…
