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Actor Chris Hemsworth (left) and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the nominees for the 86th Annual Academy Awards in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
credit: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Article by Marcus Siu

The Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday morning, and “American Hustle” and “Gravity”, led the pack with ten nominations each, followed closely behind by “12 Years a Slave” with nine.  “Captain Phillips”, “Dallas Buyer’s Club”, and Nebraska each had six nominations, and “Her” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” had five.

Along with Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay,  “American Hustle” was nominated in each of the acting categories, which has only happened 15 times since Oscar’s inception.  Ironically, it happened last year with “Silver Lining’s Playbook”, whose director, David O’Russell, who also directed “American Hustle”.  In his last two years, Russell has directed actors who have gone on to get an astounding eight Academy Award nominations.

For five time nominee, Amy Adams, it was the first time she was ever nominated in a leading role.  Likewise, for three time nominated Oscar winning actress from “Silver Linings Playbook”, Jennifer Lawrence, it was her first nomination in a supporting role. At 23 years old, she also becomes the youngest three time nominee ever.  Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper have been nominated previously, under the direction of David O’Russell’s previous films.

Alfonso Cuaron’s 3-D Science Fiction film masterpiece, “Gravity”, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, nabbed nominations for Best Picture, Director, and all of the technical categories, which has only happened five times.  James Cameron had quoted that this film was the “best space film ever done”.  To spur interest again to theatergoers, Warner Brothers decided to re-release “Gravity” in IMAX theatres on January 31st.

“12 Years a Slave” nabbed nine nominations, including Best Picture, Director, and two of the Acting categories.  Director Steve McQueen depicts a brutal depiction of slavery like no other film has done in a mainstream feature film.  Chiwetel Ejiofor and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o bravura performances breathed life into their unforgettable characters.  The film just took home the Golden Globe Award for Best Drama for a Motion Picture last Sunday.

It seems that Best Picture will be a tossup this year and can go to any of these three worthy films.  These risk-taking films are made with passion, integrity, and the highest level of artistry by some of the greatest filmmakers around the world.

This has been an excellent year for the small film. “Nebraska”, “The Dallas Buyer’s Club”, and “Her”, were definitely noticed by the Oscar voters.  Unfortunately, there is not enough slots to recognize many of the worthy films not nominated at all.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Actor Chris Hemsworth and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the nominations for the 86th Academy Awards yesterday (January 16).

Hemsworth and Boone Isaacs announced the nominees at a 5:38 a.m. PT live news conference attended by more than 400 international media representatives.

Academy members from each of the branches vote to determine the nominees in theirrespective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and Foreign Language Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Official screenings of all motion pictures with one or more nominations will begin for members on Saturday, January 25, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Screenings also will be held at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all categories.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on OscarSunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center  and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

NOMINATIONS:

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR

“American Hustle” Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison and Jonathan Gordon, Producers
“Captain Phillips” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca, Producers
“Dallas Buyers Club” Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter, Producers
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman, Producers
“Her” Megan Ellison, Spike Jonze and Vincent Landay, Producers
“Nebraska” Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, Producers
“Philomena” Gabrielle Tana, Steve Coogan and Tracey Seaward, Producers
“12 Years a Slave” Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen and Anthony Katagas, Producers
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Nominees to be determined

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Christian Bale in “American Hustle”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Barkhad Abdi in “Captain Phillips”
Bradley Cooper in “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave”
Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Jared Leto in “Dallas Buyers Club”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Amy Adams in “American Hustle”
Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock in “Gravity”
Judi Dench in “Philomena”
Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine”
Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County”
June Squibb in “Nebraska”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR

“The Croods” Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco and Kristine Belson
“Despicable Me 2” Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin and Chris Meledandri
“Ernest & Celestine” Benjamin Renner and Didier Brunner
“Frozen” Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee and Peter Del Vecho
“The Wind Rises” Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

“The Grandmaster” Philippe Le Sourd
“Gravity” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Inside Llewyn Davis” Bruno Delbonnel
“Nebraska” Phedon Papamichael
“Prisoners” Roger A. Deakins

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

“American Hustle” Michael Wilkinson
“The Grandmaster” William Chang Suk Ping
“The Great Gatsby” Catherine Martin
“The Invisible Woman” Michael O’Connor
“12 Years a Slave” Patricia Norris

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

“American Hustle” David O. Russell
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón
“Nebraska” Alexander Payne
“12 Years a Slave” Steve McQueen
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Martin Scorsese

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“The Act of Killing”Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
“Cutie and the Boxer” Zachary Heinzerling and Lydia Dean Pilcher
“Dirty Wars” Richard Rowley and Jeremy Scahill
“The Square” Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer
“20 Feet from Stardom” Nominees to be determined

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

“CaveDigger” Jeffrey Karoff
“Facing Fear” Jason Cohen
“Karama Has No Walls” Sara Ishaq
“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life” Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
“Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall” Edgar Barens

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING

“American Hustle” Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
“Captain Phillips” Christopher Rouse
“Dallas Buyers Club” John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger
“12 Years a Slave” Joe Walker

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR

“The Broken Circle Breakdown” Belgium
“The Great Beauty” Italy
“The Hunt” Denmark
“The Missing Picture” Cambodia
“Omar” Palestine

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

“Dallas Buyers Club” Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” Stephen Prouty
“The Lone Ranger” Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)

“The Book Thief” John Williams
“Gravity” Steven Price
“Her” William Butler and Owen Pallett
“Philomena” Alexandre Desplat
“Saving Mr. Banks” Thomas Newman

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)

“Alone Yet Not Alone” from “Alone Yet Not Alone”
Music by Bruce Broughton; Lyric by Dennis Spiegel
“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
Music and Lyric by Pharrell Williams
“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“The Moon Song” from “Her”
Music by Karen O; Lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze
“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyric by Paul Hewson

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

“American Hustle” Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Heather Loeffler
“Gravity” Production Design: Andy Nicholson; Set Decoration: Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard
“The Great Gatsby” Production Design: Catherine Martin; Set Decoration: Beverley Dunn
“Her” Production Design: K.K. Barrett; Set Decoration: Gene Serdena
“12 Years a Slave” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Alice Baker

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

“Feral” Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
“Get a Horse!” Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
“Mr. Hublot” Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
“Possessions” Shuhei Morita
“Room on the Broom” Max Lang and Jan Lachauer

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

“Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)” Esteban Crespo
“Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything)” Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
“Helium” Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
“Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)” Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
“The Voorman Problem” Mark Gill and Baldwin Li

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING

“All Is Lost” Steve Boeddeker and Richard Hymns
“Captain Phillips” Oliver Tarney
“Gravity” Glenn Freemantle
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Brent Burge
“Lone Survivor” Wylie Stateman

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING

“Captain Phillips” Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith and Chris Munro
“Gravity” Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick and Tony Johnson
“Inside Llewyn Davis” Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland
“Lone Survivor” Andy Koyama, Beau Borders and David Brownlow

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

“Gravity” Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds
“Iron Man 3” Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick
“The Lone Ranger” Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier
“Star Trek Into Darkness” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann and Burt Dalton

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“Before Midnight” Written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
“Captain Phillips” Screenplay by Billy Ray
“Philomena” Screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
“12 Years a Slave” Screenplay by John Ridley
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Screenplay by Terence Winter

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“American Hustle” Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
“Blue Jasmine” Written by Woody Allen
“Dallas Buyers Club” Written by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack
“Her” Written by Spike Jonze
“Nebraska” Written by Bob Nelson

Also included with this announcement is an official video which was posted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VlWUkpIJFw

Oscar Isaac plays the title character in “Inside Llewyn Davis” directed by the Coen Brothers.
Photo courtesy of CBS Films.

Musical biopic movies are a tricky proposition for filmmakers.  Depending on how keen the audience’s perceptions are, especially musicians, the movie’s success, depends highly on how credible the actor is.  Actors aren’t usually musicians.  Musicians aren’t usually actors.  When you have someone playing the music directly in front of you without any trick film editing, that film becomes a type of documentary and the character becomes true to life.  The challenge is finding the right actor to play the role.  For example, it took 14 years to wrap up Taylor Hackfords “Ray”, mainly because they couldn’t find the perfect “Ray Charles” that would convince an audience, until Jamie Foxx came into the picture.

Casting an actor who plays a musician can be “uncast able”, as Joel Coen said at a recent screening for his latest movie.

“During the audition process, it was difficult to cast the lead title character.  They would first audition musicians who could not act.  Then they would audition actors who could play, but not to a credible level for the audience to believe the character.  We started interviewing actors who could play, but we thought may have written a part which was uncast able, until Oscar walked in the room.  Without him it was impossible to make the film.”

Enter Oscar Isaac, an actor trained at Julliard, who also played the memorable ex-con who was part of the failed heist with Ryan Gosling in “Drive”, co-starring Carey Mulligan.  Even more importantly, he was also a singer-songwriter and lead guitarist for “The Blinking Underdogs”, which helped prepared his character and musical pacing for the title role of “Inside Llewyn Davis”, collaborating with who he calls, the “Mr. Miyagi of Music”, the legendary producer extradonaire, T-Bone Burnett, reteaming again with the Coen Brothers for the fourth time.

Shot with a documentary feel to it, “Inside Llewyn Davis” is loosely based on the Dave Van Ronk’s memoirs, “The Mayor of MacDougal Street”.   It revolves around the redefining folk scene around New York City’s Village in the late 50’s, and it’s unknown directions of post Eisenhower America; just right before the likes of the trio of Peter, Paul and Mary or individuals, such as Bob Dylan came to existence. This was an era when musicians would try out and perform folk music in front of crowds, hopefully connecting with what they presented to their audience.

Without question, the supporting roles of every Coen Brothers film, seems to produce the memorable characters for the film. “Inside Llewyn Davis” is no exception.  In this case, John Goodman as Roland Turner, may be his zaniest role ever, even with all the insane characters that he has played over the years.  Garret Hedlund, whose last role as Dean Moriarty in Kerouack’s, “On the Road”, where he probably had to learn more lines from a script than any other actor ever on screen, barely had any in this one, but is impressionistic as Goodman’s driver, Johnny Five.  Mulligan and Timberlake make the best of their believable roles as folk musicians rounding off the cast.

Perhaps the best supporting role (uncredited) has to go to Ulysses, the cat.  Unfortunately, there were a few cat doubles, which is probably why the cat‘s name wasn’t headlined on the movie poster.

“Inside Llewyn Davis”, took the Grand Prix at Cannes last May, and deservedly so.

Article by Marcus Siu

Article by Marcus Siu

As it looks right now, “Argo” has become the forerunner for “Best Picture” at this year’s Academy Awards.  The film has taken every single major Best Picture Award, including the Golden Globes, Directors Guild of America, and Producers Guild of America. 

However, it’s director/star, Ben Affleck name was not mentioned when they read the list of nominees for “Best Director” when the Academy Award nominations were announced early last month. 

Showing no bitterness at all, Affleck joked at the Golden Globes that no one felt he was snubbed for an acting nomination on “Argo,” in which he gives one of his finest performances as a CIA agent orchestrating a scheme to disguise the Americans as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations in Iran.

Ben Affleck gets the word that he was snubbed by the Academy at this years Academy Awards for Best Director for “Argo”.

For the Actor categories, Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln” for Best Actor is a no-brainer, as he was the heart and soul of the film directed by Steven Spielberg.  He tranformed light into Tony Kushner’s amazing screenplay that brought all the best character actors in Hollywood into a history in the making ; the passing of the 13th Ammendment into life.  Much of Hollywood’s best character actors showcase themselves, alongside the scene stealing Tommy Lee Jones, who deserves to take the Oscar tonight for Best Supporting Actor. 

For the Actress categories, Jennifer Lawrence has taken every major “Best Actress” award, including SAG, Golden Globes, and just recently, the Spirit Awards.  However, I am predicting that Emmanuelle Riva, the oldest actress to be ever nominated at 85, will surprise everyone and pull an upset.  I feel the Academy wants to honor, the French Film, “Amour” more than just a “Best Foreign Film”, since it had been nominated for six major categories, including Best Picture.  I also feel that the Academy knows that the 22 year old Lawrence has many more chances to win an Oscar, since she has many roles lined up ahead of her then the elderly, Riva. 

Left to Right: Jean-Louis Trintignant as Georges and Emmanuelle Riva as Anne
Photo by Darius Khondji, (c) Films du Losange, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Anne Hathaway will be the shoo-in winner for Best Supporting Actress for “Les Miserables” as Fantine. 

Since Affleck wasn’t nominated for Best Director, the Academy will probably give it to Steven Spielberg for “Lincoln”.  David O. Russell would be a close runner up for “Silver Linings Playbook”, but I think the Academy will decide on giving him the Best Original Screenplay award instead.

For Best Animated Film, I chose Pixar’s “Brave”, since it has all the elements of a classic film in the Disney tradition.  It’s a little more conservative than Disney’s “Wreck-it Ralph”, about video game characters coming to life, which took home the “Annie’s”, but may not be as suitable to the Academy’s taste.

Quentin Tarentino should pick up another Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “Django Unchained”, no matter what Spike Lee thinks.

Adele will help celebrate James Bond’s 50th birthday bash to win a few Oscars for Agent 007 tonight, as she it will definitely win for the title song from “Skyfall”.  It should take Best Sound Editing, as well.  I am also hoping for it to win Best Cinematography for the great Roger Deakins (“Fargo”, “Shawshank Redemption”, “No Country for Old Men”), who has been nominated ten times without winning one. He is definitely due.

Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” will certainly take the Visual Effects Award.  (Who knew that was a CGI Tiger on the boat?)  It should also take Best Music Score, as well.  If they don’t give the cinematography award to “Skyfall”, then they will give it to “Life of Pi”.

Here’s to you, Ben!

Congratulations to Academy Award Ben Affleck who will most likely win Best Picture for “Argo”. He will be only the fourth director in Oscar history to have not been nominated for a Best Picture winner. The last film to win without a director nomination was in 1989 for “Driving Miss Daisy”.

Picture: Argo

Actor : Daniel Day-Lewis

Actress: Emmanuelle Riva

Supporting Actor:  Tommy Lee Jones

Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway

Animated Film: Brave

Cinematography:  Skyfall

Costume: Anna Karenina

Directing: Steven Spielberg

Doc Feature: Searching for Sugar Man

Doc Short: Open Heart

Film Editing: Argo

Foreign Language: Amour

Makeup: Les Miserables

Score: Life of Pi

Song:  Skyfall

Production design: Les Miserables

Short film: Head over heals

Short film: Curfew

Sound Editing: Skyfall

Sound Mixing: Les Miserables

Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Adapted Screenplay:  Silver Linings Playbook

Original Screenplay: Django Unchained

Harrison Ford, Salman Rushdie, 4K Film,

As the worldwide, preeminent discovery ground for both cinema and media innovation, on February 26, Cinequest Film Festival 23 (CQFF23) unleashes its biggest and most impactful lineup of global films, artists, and technologies. The festival runs until March 10 in San Jose / Silicon Valley.

Highlights include:

• Maverick Spirit Award events with iconic actor Harrison Ford and renowned author Salman Rushdie. Cinequest’s highest honors go to leaders standing out from the crowd, daring to create and innovate with a personal yet global vision. It is this spirit that sums up the best of the worlds of cinema and Silicon Valley. Past guest recipients include J.J. Abrams, Kevin Spacey, William H. Macy, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jackie Chan, Sir Ian McKellen, Edward James Olmos, Robert Wise, Alec Baldwin, and Sir Ben Kingsley.
• State-of-the-art film viewing and film making technologies:  Artist & Innovator forums on Sony 4K innovations will explore leading-edge cinema exhibition opportunities for audiences in both home and theatre environments, as well as applications for film artists on all budget levels. 4K restoration will be on grand display through astonishing screenings of classic films, such as Taxi Driver, Lawrence of Arabia, and Dr. Strangelove. Barco and Sony 4K projection will infuse the festival’s top quality venues with the highest illumination quality: The California Theatre, Camera 12 Cinemas, San Jose Repertory Theatre, plus official hotels (The Fairmont San Jose, Hilton San Jose, Hyatt Place San Jose), all within four blocks of each other.
• Picture The Possibilities Season Two premiere event includes: 1) premieres of youth films from Beijing, Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico City, Hong Kong, and Silicon Valley, 2) conversations among business and entertainment leaders and the youth participants about their visions presented in the films for a better tomorrow and 3) release of 7 Powers Of Creating (written and published by Cinequest Picture the Possibilities).
• Opening (Ginger & Rosa) and Closing (Midnight’s Children) events directed by international powerhouses Sally Potter (Orlando) and Deepa Mehta (Water, Earth, Fire).
• Eighty-five World, North American and U.S. premieres from 48 countries, including star performances by Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Bening, Oliver Platt, and Christina Hendricks (Ginger & Rosa – Opening Night); Jamie Chung (Eden); Mads Mikkelsen (The Hunt); Laura Prepon and Dreama Walker (The Kitchen); Minnie Driver (Hunky Dory); Tommy Lee Jones (Emperor); Andy Garcia (as himself, Cubamerican); James Cromwell and Geneviève Bujold (Still); Chris Penn, Anthony Michael Hall, and Tony Danza (Aftermath); Clancy Brown, Chase Williamson, and Ashley Bell (Sparks); Chris O’Dowd (The Sapphires); Jessalyn Gilsig (Somewhere Slow); George A. Romero (as himself, Year Of The Living Dead); and Natalie Zea (Sweet Talk).
• Over 700 presenting artists and innovators.
• New audience engagements: audiences (expected to exceed 100,000) will engage with events, presenters, and films in fresh, exciting ways, including through audience immersive tablet applications, Knight Foundation Audience Awards ($50,000 to be allocated between top dramatic and documentary features) and new emotive segments to bring the films to the audience based on what they want to feel: Celebration, Innovation, Inspiration, Thrills, Laughs, Life, and Love.

CELEBRATION

            No matter what event or film you attend at Cinequest Film Festival, as it’s been for the past 23 years, there’s always reason to celebrate. We begin the festival with an electric evening on February 26, with Sally Potter’s (Orlando) latest, Ginger & Rosa, starring Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Bening, and Christina Hendricks in the emotionally charged story of two young women coming of age in 1960s London during the Cold War and the sexual revolution. This irresistible tale, set against the backdrop of potential global, nuclear devastation, will take place in the palatial California Theatre at 7 p.m., immediately followed by the Opening Night party at the Corinthian Event Center. Throughout the festival, there will be over 20 VIP Soirees and Maverick Meetups to stoke up the fun. And don’t miss the Maverick Spirit Award presentation to Chef Dominique Crenn at The Fairmont San Jose on Friday, March 8, from 5-7 p.m., as she takes us on a culinary journey in her vastly inventive fusion of creativity and culinary innovation. An evening of artful hors d’oeuvres, delectably complex wines, and a conversation moderated by KCBS’s food expert Liam Mayclem will whet any attendee’s appetite. We close the festival on two of the highest notes. The Closing Night event will showcase Midnight’s Children, an epic story overflowing with romance, fantasy, humor, and magic, featuring the momentous collaboration between Deepa Mehta and world-renowned novelist Salman Rushdie who wrote the screenplay based on his own Booker Prize-award-winning book. Rushdie will receive Cinequest’s Maverick Spirit Award following the screening. After the closing awards presentation, we will celebrate the night away at The Tech Museum of Innovation, sponsored and catered by Black Tie Fine Catering. But as is the case with any major celebration you don’t want to end, we will continue the festivities with Encore Day on Sunday, March 10. Cap off your tremendous Cinequest experience with an encore screening of the festival’s award-winning and audience favorite films, while also enjoying culinary offerings from the top Bay Area’s gourmet food trucks.

INNOVATION

            At the core of Cinequest is the spirit of breaking the norm, extending the boundaries, and challenging accepted ideas to improve communities. At Cinequest Film Festival 23, we will showcase every film with Sony 4K or Barco projection technologies, offering audiences and artists a thrilling, leading-edge movie experience. In true Cinequest fashion, audiences will have breathtaking opportunities to see three cinematic masterpieces restored to a splendor light years beyond the best available theatrical experiences when the films were released: David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (March 2 at 1:15 p.m.), Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (March 6 at 7:15 p.m.), and Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (March 9 at 1:00 p.m.). But while we recognize these glorious films from the past, we will also showcase the freshest talent in the industry. Join Spartan Films and their student filmmakers on Tuesday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m. in this spotlight event that includes a sneak-peak screening of their latest Always Learning, preceded by interviews with Spartan Films’ principals, Barnaby Dallas and Nick Martinez, plus the directors of All About Dad and Super Hero Party Clown.

Cinequest Picture the Possibilities (PTP) presents the world premiere of their second season of the global youth’s work from Silicon Valley and New York, to Mexico City, Jakarta, and Beijing. On Sunday March 3, our youth connect with global leaders in a conversation about the steps they passionately feel will create a better tomorrow. Preceding the premieres will be the launch of the 7 Powers of Creating book, highlighting the tools necessary for creation, from art, to science, to business. At the center of where creativity meets innovation, Cinequest presents the dynamic Artist & Innovator (A&I) Forums where esteemed art and entertainment leaders meet their counterparts from innovation and business for revolutionary discussions and visual presentations focusing on cutting-edge topics.

INSPIRATION

            Harrison Ford (Witness, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and much more) is, without question, one of cinema’s most iconic actors, approaching his art with a brilliant array of integrity, commitment, profound charisma, and authority. Join Cinequest on Sunday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. for a riveting evening with Mr. Ford, as we present him our Maverick Spirit Award. Event moderated by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, CEO of Girls Club Entertainment and director of Miss Representation.

Though film is primarily a visual medium, everything experienced in cinema began as words flowing across a page, emerging from a writer’s imagination. At the Writers Celebration, join conversations with Academy Award-winner Bobby Moresco (Crash) and several other movers and shakers in the screenwriting world for a dynamic event from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. Adding to these inspiring events, the entire line up of emotionally involving films showcase the strength, perseverance, and courage needed to achieve one’s dreams and the driving forces that motivate each individual. Andy Garcia (Ocean’s 11, The Untouchables) and San Franciscan interior designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy and San Franciscan ballet dancer Lorena Feijoo, alongside many others help create Cubamerican, a spirited narration covering 60 years of those who fled Cuba during the Revolution and how they’ve become one of the most impactful groups of the last half century. Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself is an inspirational and fascinating journey through the life of a man who seemingly did it all. Bay Area residents will revel in Stable Life, a compelling story of high-stakes, family dynamics, immigration, and life on the racetrack. And for those who believe “it” just can’t be done, we are lucky to have the world premiere of Wampler’s Ascent as Steve Wampler refuses to allow any physical or mental obstacles stand in his way. An emotionally stirring story, it documents Wampler’s journey to become the first man with Cerebral Palsy to scale Yosemite’s granite monolith, El Capitan.  Regardless of film lovers’ choice, Cinequest 23 offers films that fill the entire emotional spectrum, some of which may inspire them, or someone they know, to go beyond the confines of the norm, to do something extraordinary.

THRILLS

            A powerful storyline, suspenseful music, and a cloak of mystery are elements that thrill. We’ve lined up the perfect blend of action, suspense, and disguises to have even the most seasoned audiences white-knuckling the arms of their seats. The world premiere of Chris Penn’s (Reservoir Dogs) final film Aftermath, starring Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone), Tony Danza (The Practice), Elisabeth Rohm (Heroes), and Frank Whaley (Pulp Fiction) is a powerhouse thriller where a man finds himself plummeting down a slippery slope of violence and hired hit men when one of his employees goes missing. From our usual treasure trove of Chinese cinema comes An Inaccurate Memoir, one of the most intriguing films of the year. The Far East meets Wild West action in this breathtakingly visual and poetic tale of a group of bandits taking on the Japanese government during Japan’s occupation of China. Cinequest is honored to present the critically-acclaimed Eden, starring Jamie Chung (Suckerpunch, Once Upon A Time) in the intense tale of a kidnapped woman fighting against all odds to save herself. Rounding out some of the notable Thrills films is the world premiere of Sparks. Great power breeds greater villains in this groundbreaking and stylized superhero noir film, starring Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End), Clancy Brown (Shawshank Redemption), Jake Busey (Starship Troopers), Clint Howard (Apollo 13), Ashley Bell (The Last Exorcism), Marina Squerciati (Gossip Girls), and William Katt (Carrie, The Greatest American Hero). Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or simply want to remember what goose bumps feel like, these Thrills films will fit the bill.

LAUGHS

            Laugh ‘til it hurts – that’s always Cinequest’s aim for its comedy line-up and this year is no exception. In fact, we have an awesome slate of humor lined up for CQFF23. Laura Prepon (That ‘70s Show) and Dreama Walker (Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23) star in The Kitchen, an ensemble, break-neck romp that truly gives meaning to the phrase “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” We also the have world premieres of 7 Lives of Chance, Congratulations!, Leave of Absence, Lonely Boy, The Space Jockey Pursuit, and Twenty Million People. Ranging from the psychedelic comedy involving a red balloon to the delightfully twisted, romantic misadventures of a schizophrenic, the Laughs sections will giddily underscore its moniker and breathe some hearty guffaws into what will be a roaring good time.

LIFE

            Our most powerful program, Life, explores the inner emotions, conflicting, uplifting, messy, and mysterious, that are such an integral part of the human condition. Leading off, Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men) and Matthew Fox (Lost) star in Emperor, centered on a weighty decision General Douglas MacArthur must make when Japanese Emperor Hirohito surrenders to the Allied Forces, marking the end of WWII. Chapman beautifully captures the throes of first loves and their vital importance in discovering one’s place in the world, starring Jesse Johnson (Killing Lincoln), Chris Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle), Christine Woods (FlashForward), and Caitlin Thompson (Crazy, Stupid, Love.). Thomas Vinterberg directs The Hunt, featuring the incomparable Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) ― awarded Best Actor at Cannes for this performance ― in an intense tale of an innocent man wrongly accused of a horrendous act. Alongside this star-studded line-up and the plethora of amazing films, we have the distinct honor to host the world premiere of Idomeneo, Mozart’s personal favorite of all his operas. Presented by The Packard Humanities Institute, the recorded live performance by Opera San Jose screens at the California Theatre on Sunday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m.

LOVE

            It would be impossible for Cinequest to bring our audiences electrifying and dynamic programs year after year without a whole lot of love; love for artists, innovators, film lovers, and everyone else who adores and is passionate about cinematic art. This year, Cinequest 23 will present an extra-special selection of films evoking love in all its myriad guises and glory, from heart-felt romance and touching comedies, to the eternal and the sensual. James Cromwell (Star Trek: First Contact, American Horror Story, Babe) and Geneviève Bujold (Dead Ringers, Coma) bring tour-de-force performances to Still, a deeply affecting love story about a man attempting to provide a comfortable home for his new wife, until a government inspector makes it his personal mission to halt the construction. On the lighter side of love, One Small Hitch is a hilarious romantic comedy where one seemingly innocent white lie turns into a sticky web of deceit that’s far more trouble than the liar could have ever imagined. And in one of the most mysterious and evocative films this year, Natalie Zea (Justified, The Following) stars in Sweet Talk, where an unexpected phone call leads to unlikely destinations and resounding proof that romance can be as true as you want it to be. 

CQ23 Premium Partners: HP (NYSE: HPQ), Sony (NYSE: SNE), The San Francisco Examiner, AT&T U-verse (NYSE: T), Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT), Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR), and the City of San Jose.

CQ23 Partners: Adobe (NYSE: ADBE), CBS Radio (NYSE: CBS), Comcast (NYSE: CMCSK), Dolby (NYSE: DLB), eBay Foundation (NYSE: EBAY), Harmonic (NYSE: HLIT), Jen’s Cakes, Kaiser Permanente, Knight Foundation, Liquid Agency, Macy’s (NYSE: M), Panasonic (NYSE: PCRFF), Peet’s Coffee & Tea (NYSE: PEET), San Francisco Bay Guardian, Synaptics (NYSE: SYNA), United Airlines (NYSE: UAL), VTA, Stella Artois (NYSE: BUD), and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

For a full list of CQ23 sponsors go to: www.cinequest.org/our-partners

Ticket, event and schedule information:

• Complete lineup and schedule at www.cinequest.org.
• Tickets and passes may be purchased by phone (408) 295-FEST (3378) or online at www.cinequest.org.
• Sophisticated Droid, and iPhone applications at www.cinequest.org/mobile-home or simply by logging onto www.cinequest.org via your mobile device.
• Press releases and media guides at www.cinequest.org/news-media

CINEQUEST AT A GLANCE

CINEQUEST is a vanguard organization that fuses creativity with technological innovation to empower, improve, and transform the lives of people and communities, through Cinequest Picture the Possibilities (PTP), Cinequest Film Festival and Cinequest Mavericks Studio.

• CINEQUEST Film Festival (CQFF) showcases premier films, renowned and emerging artists, and breakthrough technology—empowering global connectivity between creators and innovators.

• CINEQUEST Picture The Possibilities (PTP) is a global youth and leadership movement to empower creativity and innovation that improves lives and communities worldwide. PTP gives youth the powers to create the world they envision.
• CINEQUEST Mavericks Studio creates innovative and transformative motion pictures, television, and distribution paradigms.

CQFF23 occurs Feb. 26 – Mar. 10, 2013

www.cinequest.org

MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 35th ANNIVERSARY IN GRAND STYLE WITH HOT LIST OF INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL PREMIERES, ATTENDING FILMMAKERS, STARS, VIP GUESTS, GALAS

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (September 12, 2012) – Presented by the California Film Institute
(CFI), the Mill Valley Film Festival turns 35 with 11 days of cinema, panels, workshops,
concerts, Spotlights and Tributes at venues in Marin County, California from October 4-
14, 2012. The internationally acclaimed Mill Valley Film Festival is greatly anticipated by
cinema aficionados and film industry professionals alike, is well known for the quality of
its programming, and is considered the West Coast’s launching pad for the annual
awards season. MVFF holds the distinction of presenting the Bay Area premieres of
three of the last four films that have gone on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture
(Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech, The Artist).

Opening and Closing Night Galas
This year’s festival opens on Thursday, October 4 with two films: SILVER LININGS
PLAYBOOK at the CinéArts@Sequoia in Mill Valley at 7:00 PM and 7:15 PM and ON
THE ROAD at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael at 6:30 PM
and 6:45 PM.

In SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, director David O. Russell, who is expected to attend
opening night, follows up his Oscar-winning drama THE FIGHTER with the story of a
bipolar Philadelphian (Bradley Cooper) who makes a concerted effort to look on the
bright side of life.

Bradley Cooper has a confrontation with Jennifer Lawrence in a scene from “Silver Linings Playbook”, directed by David O. Russell.

ON THE ROAD, directed by Walter Salles, has Jack Kerouac’s alter ego Sal Paradise
(Sam Riley), shambling after the manic, ecstatic Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) as
they crisscross the country fueled by Benzedrine-laced tea, hot barroom jazz and a
desire for sensory kicks. Salles is also expected to attend.

Jack Kerouac’s alter-ego, Sal Paradise (Sam Riley), shambles after manic, ecstatic Dean Moriarity (Garrett Hedlund) as they crisscross the country fueled by Benzadrine-laced tea, hot barroom jazz and a desire for sensory kicks in Walter Salles’ masterful adaptation of the generation-defining novel, “On the Road”.

Following the two screenings, special guests and audiences will celebrate at the
Opening Night Gala featuring local wineries, breweries and Marin chefs preparing farmto-
table cuisine, held at Mill Valley’s Downtown Plaza, from 9.30 p.m. The Opening Night
films and celebrations are proudly sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Closing Night Gala events take place October 14 with the much-anticipated epic
journey of adventure and discovery LIFE OF PI (based on the novel by Yann Martel),
directed by Ang Lee, who will be honored at MVFF with the Variety International
Filmmaker of the Year Award both for his tradition of breaking new ground and bold
artistic vision that is creating great public anticipation and excitement for this film. Ang
Lee returns to MVFF five years after his film LUST, CAUTION opened the festival in
2007. The festival wraps with its Closing Night Party at 32TEN Studios in San Rafael
from 7:00 PM. Closing Night films are sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle and
Jennifer Coslett MacCready.

Centerpiece, Spotlights, MVFF Award & Tributes
On Saturday, October 6 at 7:00 PM actor John Hawkes will be honored at the Smith
Rafael Film Center with a MVFF Award and Spotlight for his most recent film THE
SESSIONS, sponsored by Jennifer Coslett MacCready. The film will be screened
following the Spotlight. Director Ben Lewin and co-star William H. Macy will join John
Hawkes in person at the screening and at a reception at Tiburon Tavern. Portraying
poet-journalist Mark O’Brien, confined to an iron lung, Hawkes crackles with wit,
frustration and anticipation as he attempts to lose his virginity with the help of a Cheryl
(Helen Hunt), a professional sex surrogate.

On Sunday, October 7 at 6:30 PM at the Smith Rafael Film Center, Academy Award
winning director and co-star Billy Bob Thornton will be honored with a MVFF Award
and Spotlight on his work, which will include a screening of his latest film JAYNE
MANSFIELD’S CAR, sponsored by Sonnen BMW. The thick Alabama air drips with
atmosphere in Thornton’s visceral, provocative tale of a strained Southern family
meeting distant English counterparts who have come to bury their recently deceased
matriarch among “her people,” co-starring Robert Duvall and Kevin Bacon. A post
screening reception will be held at Hawk’s Tavern, Mill Valley.

Acting legend Dustin Hoffman appears on Tuesday, October 9 at 7:00 PM at the Smith
Rafael Film Center in a special Tribute to honor his career and to receive a MVFF
Award. The Tribute will include a Variety Master Class Discussion between the actor
and Variety Executive Editor Steven Gaydos, along with a clip show of his career and
screening of his directorial debut QUARTET. The film is a charming, humorous drama
that features a stellar cast including Dame Maggie Smith as a grand diva opera star,
and takes place in the heart of the English countryside at Beecham House, a home for
retired, genteel musicians. The evening continues with a dinner to benefit MVFF at
Frantoio Ristorante and Olive Oil Co., co-sponsored by Christopher B. and Jeannie Meg
Smith and Frantoio Ristorante and Olive Oil Co.

The festival will also pay a special Tribute to internationally acclaimed director Mira
Nair, who will receive a MVFF Award on Wednesday, October 10 at 7:00 PM at the
Smith Rafael Film Center, followed by a screening of one of the films from an illustrious
career that includes Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love,
and Monsoon Wedding. Her newest film is THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, a
political thriller about a young Pakistani man chasing Wall Street success who finds
himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis and his
family’s homeland. A special reception follows at Nourish at Harbor Point.

The Centerpiece Spotlight on Wednesday, October 10 at 7:00 PM at the Century
Cinema, Corte Madera will include the presentation of a MVFF Award to DreamWorks
Animation and showcase the studio’s latest RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, followed by a
conversation with DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Creative
Officer, Bill Damaschke, and the film’s director Peter Ramsey. When the boogeyman
emerges from the closet to turn children’s dreams into nightmares, childhood’s
Guardians—Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost and the Sandman—
must band together and draw on their strongest powers to combat his evil. The
Centerpiece Spotlight is co-sponsored by Technicolor and Dolby Laboratories.

Pacific Gas & Electric Company continues a tradition of sponsoring a family night film at
MVFF with a special 35th Anniversary commemorative screening of preeminent Marin
director George Lucas’ STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE. The event will be
held Monday, October 8 beginning at 5:00 PM with family festivities, film at 6:00 PM, at
the Century Cinema, Corte Madera.

Special Appearances
On Friday, October 5 at 7:00 PM at the Rafael Film Center, Ben Affleck appears in
person with his film ARGO. In the tradition of 1970s espionage thrillers, actor-director
Ben Affleck has crafted an unflinchingly tense caper film which follows the real-life
exploits of CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck) as he attempts to free a small group of US
Embassy workers trapped in Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979–81.

Documentarian Ken Burns appears in ‘A Master Class Conversation’ with Michael
Fox on Saturday, October 6 at 11:00 AM at the Smith Rafael Film Center in
conjunction with a screening later in the day at 3:30 PM at the Smith Rafael Film Center
of his new documentary THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE.

Rock ‘n’ roll’s eternally bewitching ‘Gold Dust Woman’ Stevie Nicks appears in-person
on Friday, October 12 at 6:30 PM at the Smith Rafael Film Center, opening her home
studio and creative process to music collaborator, documentarian and former Eurythmics
mastermind Dave Stewart, as the pair document the recording of Stevie’s critically
acclaimed album in Stewart’s documentary IN YOUR DREAMS-STEVIE NICKS.

Director-Actor Fisher Stevens will attend MVFF on Saturday, October 13 at 7:30 PM at
the Smith Rafael Film Center and Sunday, October 14 at 8:30 PM at the
CinéArts@Sequoia as director of his latest work STAND UP GUYS, the action-comedy
starring acting legends Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin as aging
mobsters.

Sopranos creator David Chase is expected to attend the screening of NOT FADE
AWAY, his debut feature film, a rock-infused, coming of age tale of a young man in New
Jersey circa 1964. A great ensemble of talented young performers is joined by
seasoned Sopranos star James Gandolfini, with original soundtrack produced by
Steven Van Zandt.

Local films include World Premieres of Bay Area documentaries VILLAGE MUSIC: THE
LAST OF THE GREAT RECORD STORES, directed by Gillian Grisman; REBELS
WITH A CAUSE, directed by Nancy Kelly; and California premieres of
APPROXIMATELY NELS CLINE by director Steven Okazaki and WITHOUT A NET by
Kelly Richardson.

Mill Valley ASCAP Music Café
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers joins forces with the
California Film Institute to produce the first-ever Mill Valley ASCAP Music Café, a series
of exciting, dynamic music showcases taking place at the Sweetwater Music Hall & Café
over three days, October 11-13 between 1-5pm, during MVFF. An assortment of
composers, songwriters and artists from across the music spectrum will perform,
including John Doe, Pomplamoose, Frankmusik, Nova Albion, Broken Anchor,
Cocaine 80s, and The Goods, among others, sponsored by Lagunitas Brewing
Company and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Mill Valley Children’s FilmFest
Family and kids films from around the world have been a part of the Mill Valley Film
Festival since its inception. This year’s Children’s FilmFest, sponsored by Bellam Self
Storage and Boxes, honors the Indian family film industry, along with other children’s
international feature films and kid friendly activities with a Bollywood Party and Parade,
and a children’s animation workshop. Children’s FilmFest are STANLEY’S TIFFIN BOX
(India), CHILLAR PARTY (India), LOTTE AND THE MOONSTONE SECRET (Estonia),
TALES OF THE NIGHT (France), and TANIA 3 (Brazil).

Panels and Forums at MVFF
Active Cinema: Putting Ideas Into Action and New Movies Lab MVFF’s Active Cinema program is once again presenting a series of films and events to engage and inspire audiences. The documentary and narrative feature films included in this program were chosen because they invite viewers to explore significant societal and global issues. Active Cinema events are structured around filmmakers engaging with audiences and creating a dialogue for social change. Sponsored by Bellam Self Storage and Boxes, the goal of Active Cinema is to take the passion and fearlessness of the film community and encourage others to contribute their talents and efforts to positively impact the world. Some titles include BIDDER 70 by Beth Gage and George Gage, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE by Ken Burns, WAR WITCH by Kim Nguyen, and XINGU by Cao Hamburger.

MVFF’s New Movies Lab features workshops and panels on the art, technology and
business of filmmaking with top filmmakers and industry professionals. This year panels
and forums include MVFF’s popular collaboration with Cinemasports’ Jin Joo returns with
filmmaker teams from Mill Valley competing against the clock to create, shoot, and edit a
filmic masterpiece in one day, alongside filmmakers from Taiwan, South Africa, and
Azerbaijan. Cinemasports at MVFF begins Sunday morning, October 7, 9:00 AM at the
Old Mill Park, Mill Valley culminating with a public screening same day at 8:00 PM at the
142 Throckmorton Theater in Mill Valley. At the ‘Active Cinema: Hike and Ideas
Exchange’, with Bay Area filmmakers featured in this year’s festival hosting a hike and
skills exchange on Saturday October 13, 10:15 AM-12:30 PM, meeting in the Tennessee
Valley trailhead parking lot/picnic area.

A panel and reception, ‘Independent Film in the 21st Century: Opportunity or
Challenge?’ features invited distributors, filmmakers, and industry executives including
moderator Tiffany Shlain, filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards, Music Box
Films Managing Director Ed Arentz, Roku marketing head Eric Lachter, and CEO of
Milyoni, John Corpus on Sunday, October 7 at 1:00 PM at the Smith Rafael Film
Center.

In addition to the numerous premieres, gala celebrations, musical concerts, panels,
workshops and special programs, every year MVFF hosts major actors and filmmakers
in the motion picture industry who present their latest works or receive tributes for their
illustrious careers. Recent MVFF honored guests have included actors Glenn Close,
Clive Owen, James Franco, Uma Thurman, Annette Bening, Michelle Yeoh, Edward
Norton and Tim Robbins as well as directors John Woo, Luc Besson, Ang Lee, Danny
Boyle, Sydney Pollack and Alejandro González Iñárritu, among many others.
35th Mill Valley Film Festival

Presented by the California Film Institute, the 35th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October
4-14, 2012 at the CinéArts@Sequoia (25 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley),
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center (1118 Fourth Street, San Rafael) and other
venues throughout the Bay Area. Tickets are $13.50 (CFI Members, $11), unless
otherwise noted and are available for purchase starting on September 11 for
Director’s Circle, Premier Patron and Cinema Benefactors only, September 13 for
all CFI Members only, and starting on September 16 for the general public. Regular
tickets may be purchased online at mvff.com. For additional information, please visit
mvff.com or call 877.874.MVFF (6833).

California Film Institute (CFI)
The non-profit California Film Institute celebrates and promotes film as art and education
through the presentation of the Mill Valley Film Festival and year-round exhibitions at the
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, film distribution by CFI Releasing, and building
the next generation of filmmakers and audiences through the CFI Education program.
For more information visit http://www.cafilm.org or call (415) 383-5256.

Sponsors
As a nonprofit arts organization, MVFF relies on the generosity of its community to
sustain not only the Festival, but also the year-round programs of the California Film
Institute. The invaluable support of our sponsors, foundations, and individual donors
ensures our continued success as we celebrate our 35th year.

CFI is once again proud to acknowledge the leadership support of Christopher B. and
Jeannie Meg Smith, and the continued major support of Jennifer Coslett MacCready,
Ken and Jackie Broad,The Bernard Osher Foundation, the Gruber Family Foundation,
the Marin Community Foundation, the Christine Zecca Foundation and the Horace W.
Goldsmith Foundation. We are also fortunate to have the continued contributions of the
following Major Sponsors of the Mill Valley Film Festival: Wells Fargo, Pacific Gas &
Electric Company, Maroevich, O’Shea & Coghlan Insurance Services, Frantoio
Ristorante and Olive Oil Co., Zaentz Media Center/A Wareham Development and
Bellam Self Storage & Boxes

July 12-15, 2012 at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre

It was quiet of surprise when the Oscar nominations were announced this year.  Ten nominations went to a silent film that was filmed entirely in black-and-white.  From the media buzz it received at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the surprise hit turned into a big success at this year’s Oscars. “The Artist” went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Jean Dujardin, and Best Director for Michael Hazanavicius. The last time a silent movie was awarded for an Oscar for Best Picture was 83 years ago; the World War I saga “Wings”.

Not surprisingly, “Wings”, flies its way back and returns to the big screen as the Opening night film at this year’s 17^thAnnual 2012 San Francisco Silent Film Festival on Thursday, July 12th. Restored by Paramount Pictures, the first Academy Award winner in 1929 has plenty of action and romance, along with some extraordinary visual effects, including some amazing aerial dogfight scenes. Directed by William A. Wellman and accompanied live at the classic Castro Theatre, with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra with Foley sound effects by the multiple Academy Award recipient, Ben Burtt.

Wings: Jobyna Ralston (Sylvia Lewis).

Here is the trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqOqXj2biG0

For those who are going for silent era stars, the festival offers movies with Pola Negri (The Spanish Dancer), Douglas Fairbanks (The Mark of Zorro), Emil Jannings (The Loves of Pharaoh) and Buster Keaton as an actor and co-director of “The Cameraman”.  

For those who are interested in movies from around the globe, the festival offers Chinese, German, British, in addition to American masterpieces.

For those who are going for genre the festival offers German Expressionism (Pandora’s Box) , Avant-Garde ( The Overcoat), Comedy (Mantrap) and even Animated (Irrepressible Felix the Cat!) movies.

Whatever it is that attracts you, there will be unforgettable live Cinema experience along with live music accompanied by great musicians: Denis James on the Mighty Wurlitzer, Stephen Horne and Donald Sosin on the grand piano; Alloy Orchestra, Matti Bye Ensemble and Toychestra.  

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival Award will be presented to the Telluride Film Festival for their longtime dedication to the preservation and exhibition of silent film. Telluride Directors Tom Luddy, Gary Meyer, and Julie Huntsinger will accept the award onstage at the 2:30 pm screening of THE CANADIAN on Saturday, July 14.
 

The Canadian: Thomas Meighan, Mona Palma.

Also participating this year is celebrated actor and silent film aficionado Paul McGann (WITHNAIL AND I, DR. WHO, LUTHER). As accompaniment to Frank Hurley’s magnificent documentary SOUTH, McGann will read the letters of Ernest Shackleton to Stephen Horne’s elegiac score on the grand piano. SOUTH shows Saturday, July 14 at 5:00 pm.

The San Francisco-based team team responsible for the production of the exquisite frame-by-frame restoration of PANDORA’S BOX, David Ferguson and Angela Holm, will be introduced at the Saturday, July 14 presentation of the film. Also, be prepared to see some some amazing before and after footage that will be shown before the feature.

Pandora’s Box: Louise Brooks (Lulu).

The waters were tested. Silent movies are making a comeback and are now becoming the trend.  The Silent Film Festival 2012 deserves every bit of your attention.

17 SFSFF starts on July 12 and will ends on July 15.  

Article by Lidia Thompson and Marcus Siu

Buy tickets:

http://prod3.agileticketing.net/WebSales/pages/VerboseEventList.aspx?epguid=4b5fce53-ea3c-48fa-88b8-85ac153f00b6&