More deals to come for NBFF Parties. Click on the link below to get your tickets to Monday's Block Party!
http://www.screamindailydeals.com/coupons/Deal-Orange-County-Newport-Beach-Fi...
More deals to come for NBFF Parties. Click on the link below to get your tickets to Monday's Block Party!
http://www.screamindailydeals.com/coupons/Deal-Orange-County-Newport-Beach-Fi...
By Kelly Strodl
Today Grant Wheeler, director of The Lone Jackal took a few minutes to answer some questions about his film that will screen as part of the Action Sports Shorts showcase this year. The documentary film follows motorcross freerider, Alastair Sayer on his return to his native African homeland after a successful European FMX tour. His journey home is chronicled through heart-felt narration while visiting friends and family and battling the weather to ride once again. The Lone Jackal documents a major turning point in Sayer's life, when he comes full circle, both literally and symbolically, preparing for the next stage of his life where he blazes a new path in his career and seals his legacy as one of Africa's most stylish freeriders.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
I found the festival on Withoutabox.com.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
I've been a dedicated fan of motorcycle movies from an early age, and I've collected almost every single title released since Terrafirma 1. And I've seen the progression of dirtbike films over the decades, following in the footsteps of skate and surf movies. As the years progressed these films started becoming more narrative driven and focused on the athletes and their personal stories. I felt that dirtbike movies needed to evolve into that direction, and I needed to evolve my own filmmaking into that direction too. So I rounded up the most volatile and well respected African freerider, the bushcat from Botswana, Alastair Sayer.
Alastair has a jam packed schedule traveling around Europe doing shows for Masters of Dirt and competing in the Night of the Jumps series, thus we had to plan our shoot for when he returns to South Africa between events. The premise of the film was to depict the rider 'helmet off', getting a deeper perspective of what it takes to live this rock-star lifestyle, yet still with a healthy dose of great riding sequences. Alastair moved into my house for his time back home, and so did most of the production crew. We followed him almost Cinema Verte style from the moment he stepped off the plane till he left again.
Jakalas, as his fans know him by, was going through a huge personal battle at the time. He was at a turning point in his career, where he either had to progress to the next level, or quit completely. Each time he left home he risked his relationship with close family and friends. Being away from your loved ones for long periods takes its toll on the toughest of characters. Alastair beautifully narrated his journey and the choices he made. After five weeks of shooting, and an all night session in the voice over studio later, we said our goodbyes and he was off on another adventure. Days later he set the new World Record for set-up and was awarded the best African FMX rider.
Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
I grew up racing motorcycles, broke too many bones and had to find something else I could do creatively while healing up. Shooting my buddies ride was always my passion, and still is. After making some dirtbike movies, I completed my studies at film school and now I'm very fortunate to still be making motorcycle movies, its not really a job. Thats why I love it so much.
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
The weather played a big role in the production of this film. We went into production during spring, just as the summer thunderstorms started rolling into Johannesburg. We planned an epic sunset freeride session but day after day we got rained out, and our time with Alastair was also running out. But eventually the bad weather turned into a metaphor for Alastairs personal struggles, so I wrote it into the film. On the second to last day of shooting, we headed out to his favorite freeride spot and the clouds magically parted for us to shoot the most epic sunset sequence. And in his own words, "Every day is a gift, that is why they call it the Present".
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
I try to ride my motorcycle as much as I can. I've just recently had most of the titanium plates and bolts removed from my body, and hope to be injury free for a while. Other than that I'm currently making Extreme Enduro movies for Throttle Entertainment and traveling the world in search of new stories.
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THE LONE JACKAL screens with two other films as part of the ACTION SPORTS SHORTS SHOWCASE Saturday, April 30 at 11 AM in the Triangle Square Theater 4.
To purchase tickets visit:
http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/thelonejackal_jonathangrantwheeler_newportbeach2011
Watch the trailer for the film here:
Today we talk with Lisa Gossels, director of My So-Called Enemy, the coming of age story of six Palestinian and Israeli teenage girls who travel to the U.S. to participate in a women's leadership program called Building Bridges for Peace and the transformative journey that follows both in the program and upon their return to their native countries. In July 2002, 22 women came to the U.S. to participate in the program, and during their time learned to reconcile their experience in the program with the realities of life back home in the Middle East over the next 7 years. What unfolds is an emotionally-charged film about the human consequences of all conflicts--as seen through the eyes of 6 young women who are thoughtful, intelligent and articulate beyond their years.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
From Steve Shor, a Film Festival Advisor to the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
When I started making "My So-Called Enemy" in 2002, I had no idea how long it would take to make the movie, or how transformative the 8-year journey would be. I did not make the film with any answers; the process was all about asking questions.
Right after 9/11, I remember engaging in heated political debates about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I came to understand how wars could be fought on words and how easy it is to reduce conflicts to black and white terms.
Two months earlier, I had the privilege of meeting Melodye Feldman, the founder of Seeking Common Ground (and its Building Bridges for Peace flagship program), at a Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education conference (CAJE) in Denver. Melodye shared the stage with some Palestinian and Israeli participants from her 2001 summer program. I was so taken by the stories from the teenage girls about how the program had changed them that I knew I had found the subject-matter for my next film. "My So-Called Enemy" was never a film about an idea, but about young people. And, I loved the idea that those young people were women, because, as Nicholas Kristof once wrote, "focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism."
While the first act of "My So-Called Enemy" takes place in the emotionallly charged 2002 Building Bridges program, to me the film is really about what happens to the six participants when they return home to the Middle East over the next 7 years.
Q. What is the core message of your film?
The central message of "My So-Called Enemy" is the transformative power of knowing "the other," or "the enemy," as a human being. Through the stories of the young Israeli, Palestinian and Palestinian Israeli women in the film, we see how creating relationships across emotional, ideological and physical borders is a first step towards resolving conflict. Because "My So-Called Enemy" is an emotional journey, it opens hearts and minds and creates the space for dialogue about not only the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but issues that divide us in our families, schools and communities. By watching "My So-Called Enemy," viewers will see the complexities of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through a human lens--and the possibility and hope that comes from listening to each other's stories.
Q: Your take on the main characters in your movie (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
Adi, Gal, Hanin, Inas, Rawan and Rezan, the main characters in "My So-Called Enemy," were teenagers when I first started filming them. Because they live in a conflict region, it took a great deal of courage for them to participate in the movie. While we had some access issues of where we could film some of the girls, particularly the Palestinians, all of them opened their hearts, minds and lives to our cameras. Because films can be very manipulative and will be seen by mass audiences, we have an awesome responsibility as documentarians to not only convey the personal truths of our subjects, but to honor the trust they have bestowed upon us--with the understanding that will have to live in their societies with the final film. We were always careful to respect not only the girls' dignity, but their personal safety. We never created high drama, or humorous moments, at their expense. The young women in "My So-Called Enemy" are my hope. They all have become my family.
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MY SO-CALLED ENEMY screens on Sunday, May 1 at 1 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 3. And Wednesday, May 4 at 3:30 PM at the Regency Lido Theater.
Click on link below to watch a sample of the film:
Click below to buy tickets for the film:
http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/mysocalledenemy_lisagossels_newportbeach2011
Or for more information on the film and program, follow the links below:
With an unshakable faith and integrity, Jenkins set out to break every existing land speed record and then establish several endurance records of his own. In remarkable vintage footage shot on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Ab can be seen piloting his own car in 24-hour endurance runs through vintage newsreels, photos, interviews and letters. Although suffering exhaustion, hallucinations, and injury, he never left the cockpit. His 24-hour records remain unchallenged for half a century. Seventy years later, the legacy lives on through his son, Marv, and his car - the now reconstructed 12-cylinder, 4800-pound “Meteor III.”
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
I heard about the Newport Beach Film Festival a few years back, when a short film called “Courage and Stupidity” won the Audience Award at NBFF. I was the Assistant Director for the film.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
Originally, we were commissioned by the Price Museum of Speed in Salt Lake City, Utah, to produce a simple 20-minute account of the restoration of the Mormon Meteor’s original 1924 12-cylinder airplane engine. While meeting with Marv Jenkins, Ab’s elderly, surviving son at his house in St. George, Utah, we found thousands of feet of archival motion pictures of Ab’s exploits from the 30’s and 40’s. This seemed to be unique footage that had not seen the light of day for decades. Intrigued, we arranged to have the film transferred and preserved - and the idea for “Boys of Bonneville” evolved around this copious mass of amazingly shot footage.
It was also an untold pleasure to sit amongst Jay Leno’s stellar collection of world-class cars and “talk shop.” His knowledge of cars and automotive history is deep. He was very, very gracious.
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
I work on other people’s smash indie films.
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BOYS OF BONNEVILLE screens Wednesday, May 4, at 6 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 7.
Buy tickets here:
http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=355266
Or watch the trailer on YouTube, here:
By Kelly Strodl
For today’s edition of Filmmaker’s Five I spoke with Richard Gabai, director of Insight, a thrilling story of altered states of mind and messages from beyond! While ER nurse Kaitlyn attempts to resuscitate a critically wounded stabbing victim, she is accidentally electrocuted with a defibrillator and nearly killed. After recovering from the shock, Kaitlyn starts to experience memories that are not her own. Haunted by visions of a crime that ended an innocent woman's life, she takes it upon herself to try and solve the grisly murder and unravel a terrifying mystery that threatens her own sanity.
Teaming up with the detective on the case, Kaitlyn begins to weave her way through the victim's past – discovering as much about herself as the crime she’s seeking to solve.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
Adam Gentry from the Festival called inviting me to submit the film - telling me that they'd "heard about it" - very mysterious...
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
The script was brought to me by my Dp Scott Peck. I read it in one go which for me is rare. Right away I wanted to make the film - it's much more than a murder mystery. The writers I think really succeeded in exploring some of the questions we all have a bout life, death, what is real, and what isn't.
INSIGHT screens on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 2. And Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 6. Cast and crew will be at the screening for a Q&A following the film.
Buy tickets for Saturday’s showing here:
http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=355330
Buy tickets for Thursday’s showing here:
http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=355331
Or watch the trailer on YouTube, here:
By Kelly Strodl
Today I spoke with Nicolas Simonin, director of the short film DERAILED. The film, part of a collection of short films called DETOUR.FR, a project that will take the watcher into a dark side of Paris. In DERAILED, An anonymous man finds himself lost on the no man's land of railways in a strange train station at night, in Paris, as he tries to help a woman. A woman who is not all that she seems.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
I heard about the New Port Beach Festival few months ago in France while I was searching for Festivals to submit my movie to. I found the previous selection of movie interesting and the place really great. New Port Beach is a really nice set for Networking and for enjoying movies.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
DERAILED is part of a collection of short stories I wrote a year ago. My goal is to make one or two shorts per year. All the stories share the same concept: “a dark story happens the same night in a large western city like Paris, London, or Sao Paolo”. What’s important is, it always starts with a simple situation that turns to scary life-to-death situation. I am currently working on the feature version of the short ‘DERAILED’.
Making an Horror movie on real locations was very challenging but it worth it. With DERAILED I had to deal with a lot of elements: the weather, the windy cold, the security of the set and of the actors. My first DA fainted the second day of the shooting. I had no choice but to continue shooting the movie without DA. But at the end, we had amazing images and a really scary atmosphere…as scary as it was on the real set.
Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
DERAILED is my second short movie. I am a ‘traveling’ film maker. I did my first short in Argentina few years ago. Then with DERAILED I moved to the United States. I am originally an Engineer who switches 8 years ago for a career in the movie industry.
I have been working as a producer assistant in France for 3 years, then as a professional screenwriter for the French TV networks for 5 years. Now I am moving my career toward the Feature movie industry with a first movie in development in France and a lot of projects here in the US. DERAILED is my first success with already 5 official selections since January and two Awards (Honor Award at the NPB Festival and “Best Foreign Film” at the Fearless Film Festival Forth Worth, Texas).
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
Hubert Benhamdine is a well known actor in France. He has done lot of TV shows. His physical performance on the set was so great. He did all the stunt performances. He was so involved physically on the set, that the last day Hubert’s legs were almost paralyzed by the cold.
Julie Louart who plays the Creature of the rail tracks, did an amazing job. We did a lot of rehearsal to built the Creature gestures and movements. She stayed incredibly resistant to the cold. We filmed the movie during 4 cold winter nights in Paris and she was wearing almost nothing during the whole shooting.
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
By day, I work as a social media consultant and graphic designer. Internet has always been my thing since 6 years now. I also work as a professional TV screenwriter for France.
THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE FILM: www.DETOUR.FR I suggest Internet users have a look to www.detour.fr : we’re building an Interactive game that will allow Internet users to try to save the main character of the short from his curse. The game will start in late summer on this website. You can Join us on Facebook.
JOIN the film's Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=72869249417&ref=ss
Or check out the film's official blog www.aboutderailed.com
Find Simonin on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2144991/resume
Today I spoke with Jason Victor Everett, director/writer/producer of the Sitdown, a short film showcased in the “Find Your Voice” set of films that screened the final day of the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. This short film asks the question: How do concerned foster parents cope with today's generation of violent wayward youth? What guidance can be offered to the adopted offspring of abusive homes and troubled streets? Perhaps delivering a few stern words is still the best place to start...
A: We've been hearing good things about the festival from various sources for a while now, but the Newport Beach festival was portrayed in an especially good light in the documentary entitled "Official Rejection," which we saw about two months ago. After attending this year, we can happily attest to the festival's rave reviews. They really care a lot about the filmmakers and audiences at NBFF.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
A: THE SITDOWN is a short comedic piece we put together in early 2009. It's about a concerned foster parent providing advice to a troubled wayward youngster. We shot it over the course of two weekends in my living room.
Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
A: Seems like it's been a long road, since I had sort of an unfortunate detour along the way known as law school. While working in the legal world in the years since graduation and trying to pay down huge student loans, I attended film classes at night and started up a small production company named Sound & Fury Productions. We were lucky to start playing the festival circuit with THE SITDOWN in late 2009, which was the first short film out of that venture. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of Olivia Lee, a very talented graphic designer by day, who helped immensely with THE SITDOWN in terms of both the production and promotional process.
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
A: Hmmm ... well given that the lead performance was from a non-actor (unfortunately yours truly), I'd have to say the acting was especially weak!
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
A: Well, as I have a very very long way to go before ever making a "smash indie film," I'd say in my spare time (what is that? some kind of foreign concept?) I'm doing my best to hopefully make semi-competent short films. But most of the time I'm working the non-film day job, which is both a blessing (glad to be working in this economy) and maybe a curse, since it takes up so much time and energy. In sum, I truly believe I have consumed enough 5-Hour Energy over the past two years that I could be their official spokesperson by now.
By Kelly Strodl
The festival may have come to a close, but we’re still talking with a number of the filmmakers whose work showed at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. Stay tuned there are many more interviews to come.
Today I talked with Todd Giglio, director/writer/star of DRAWING WITH CHALK a film about a mid-life coming of age. Jay and Matt are two 40-year-old musicians who want to jump start their stalled careers. As Matt's middle-age anxiety sets in, Jay struggles to find a balance between his music and family, all while negotiating the minefields of friendship and marriage when the two worlds don't fit together. The film was written by Giglio and Christopher Springer and became a family affair, featuring Giglio’s own son, Brennan Giglio playing his film son.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
A: We first heard about the Newport Beach Film Festival from a documentary about Film Festivals called OFFICIAL REJECTION (which I highly recommend btw). Oh yeah, the NBFF has it's shining moment in the doc.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
A: DRAWING WITH CHALK is a film about dreams and responsibilities and what happens when the two collide.
Based loosely upon our (Christopher Springer and myself) own struggles with the entertainment business, DWC is a story of two near 40 year old friends trying to give their dreams of being rock stars one last chance. We shot the film with a very small crew and basically wore every hat in the production: from writing to directing, acting to the music.Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
A: Chris and I were great friends back in college (we were both theater students). Later we moved to NYC and shared an apartment together as we hit the streets looking for acting work. Eventually I strayed away from the acting seen and tried my hand at a more lucrative career: being in a rock band :). Chris continued to pursue acting work (via voice overs). I got married and moved out of NYC, and Chris married my wife's sister and also ended up moving out of NYC. Years later we really reconnected and started hanging out watching movies and listening to music in my basement. One night we were discussing how quickly time had passed and what had really happened with our 'careers'. Determined to not give up, we decided to write a story (originally based off of a song I had written years earlier ironically called NOWHERE). Our story (and the film) proves that you should never give up on your dreams.
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
A: Ah, the performances!! Yes, they all ROCKED! (of course I have to say that... we played the main roles :)). Seriously, we were very pleased with all of the performances in the film. Since we basically cast ourselves (and my son Brennan) as well as some other working actors (all trying to gain a name for themselves) we had to make sure that all performances were authentic, charismatic and memorable. It's hard enough to make a film with known actors, but to make one with unknowns? You better damn well believe in the characters or you'll never get out of the gate.
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
A: What do we do? Do we really have to say it? Just kidding. We are both waiters during the night and we raise our kids during the day. All other hours are spent trying to get this film out there. Believe us, our wives can attest to this!
Watch the trailer to DRAWING WITH CHALK here: