News

Power Book II: Ghost star Michael Rainey Jr. and Grammy Award-nominated singer and actress Chloe Bailey are set to star in a new horror film titled Goons. More on this upcoming movie below.

Production on Goons is currently underway in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's a movie from American filmmaker Gerard McMurray, who co-wrote the script with Hodge K. Johnson. He is also signed on to direct. McMurray is best known for co-writing the screenplay for and helming the Netflix drama film Burning Sands. In addition, he directed the action horror film The First Purge.

Film producer and director Tommy Oliver will produce and fully finance Goons via his Confluential Films banner, which will make the movie under its new genre label, New Fear Unlocked Productions. McMurray's Buppie Productions will also produce the film together with Confluential/New Fear Unlocked.

Sadly, plot details are being kept secret at the moment, but...

Exclusive: The Hate You Give and Fences actor Russell Hornsby is joining Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Woman in the Yard at Blumhouse/Universal.

Previously announced cast for the story under wraps genre movie is Danielle Deadwyler and Okwui Okpokwasili.

Hornsby’s previous feature credits include Creed II, Get Rich or Die Trying, the Sundance Grand Jury Award nominated title Luv. He recently wrapped a leading role in the upcoming Searchlight film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, opposite Aunjanue Ellis and Sanaa Lathan.

TV credits count the Hulu limited series Mike, where he played the infamous Don King; Netflix’s Seven Seconds; and Showtime’s The Affair. Hornsby currently leads the mega-hit Starz series Bmf, produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, with season 3 currently airing now and the series already greenlit for season 4. Hornsby also directed two episodes of Bmf with more to follow. Other TV credits include the ABC Family show...

Alan Arkin etched many indelible performances over his long career in movies. From heroin-snorting grandfathers (“Little Miss Sunshine”) to ornery movie producers (“Argo”) to harried dentists (“The In-Laws”), Arkin, who died on June 29 at the age of 89, played an extraordinary range of roles with great gusto.

But it’s fair to say that none of it would have been possible were it not for 1966’s “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming,” a Cold War comedy that marked Arkin’s first major screen role. It’s the film that earned him the first of four Oscar nominations (he’d win for 2006’s “Little Miss Sunshine”) and a part that launched his career as a shape-shifting character actor.

And it was Norman Jewison, riding high on the success of “The Cincinnati Kid,” who took a bet that Arkin, a gifted Broadway actor but movie novice, could make the transition from stage to screen.

Alan Arkin, the versatile actor who finally won an Oscar — for Little Miss Sunshine — after making a career of disappearing into characters with turns that could be comic, chilling or charming, has died. He was 89.

His sons, Adam, Matthew and Anthony, announced the news in a joint statement. “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man,” they said. “A loving husband, father, grand and great-grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

He had heart trouble and died Thursday at his home in San Marcos, California.

In his first significant role in a feature, Arkin received a rare best actor Oscar nomination for work in a comedy when he played a Russian sailor whose submarine is marooned off the coast of a New England fishing village in Norman Jewison’s The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming (1966).

Two years later,...

Alan Arkin, who won an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, was nominated for Argo and two other films, scored six Emmy noms and won a Tony Award, died Thursday at his home in San Marcos, CA. He was 89.

The news was announced Friday morning by his sons, actors Adam, Matthew and Anthony, in a joint statement. Matthew Arkin told The New York Times that his father had suffered from heart ailments.

The statement read: “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

Related: Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries

In addition to his Oscar-winning film work, Arkin won a Tony Award for acting in Enter Laughing) and was Tony-nominated for directing The Sunshine Boys. He also was nominated for a half-dozen Emmy Awards spanning 53 years,...

Acting legend Alan Arkin is dead at age 89.

The Oscar, Tony, Emmy, BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe winner passed away at his home.

Perhaps best known for his roles in “Glengarry Glen Ross” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award, Arkin began his acting career in 1957 — and ended up with a body of work of startling range. Arkin was an early member of the Second City comedy troupe and starred on Broadway with his Tony-winning turn in 1963’s “Enter Laughing.”

His film breakout was via comedy as well: in his first major onscreen role in Norman Jewison’s 1967 Cold War caper “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming” he plays the “political officer” on a Soviet submarine that runs aground on a small New England island of only 200 residents. The sub’s captain, too embarrassed to radio the motherland for help, sends...

Exclusive: Richard Roundtree (Family Reunion) and Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show) have been tapped for recurring roles opposite Henry Simmons and Joy Bryant in season 2 of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s and Ava DuVernay’s anthology drama series Cherish the Day. Additionally, Angel Kristi Williams (Really Love), Sheldon Candis (Baltimore Boys) and Merawi Gerima (Residue) will direct episodes this season.

Cherish the Day, from DuVernay, Array Filmworks and Warner Bros. Television, is an anthology series that chronicles the relationship of one couple, with each episode spanning a single day. In season two, the rekindling of a romance is told — the love story of Ellis Moran (Simmons) and Sunday St. James (Bryant), who fell in love in high school but find themselves reunited in beautiful New Orleans. Ellis is a former basketball player who is now a single father of two, and Sunday is a vegetarian celebrity chef on the cusp of fame.

When screen acting pioneer Lillian Gish was presented with an honorary Academy Award exactly 50 years ago, she broke new ground as the first female director to receive one, having helmed “Remodeling Her Husband” over half a century earlier. Within the last four years, internationally renowned filmmakers Agnès Varda and Lina Wertmüller have followed her lead. Now, the academy has chosen to recognize the eclectic career of multihyphenate Elaine May, thus making her a member of this exclusive club.

Along with Danny Glover, Samuel L. Jackson, and Liv Ullmann, May is set to be honored at the upcoming 12th annual Governors Awards. The 89-year-old has earned this accolade because her “bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers.” Often cited as a revolutionary comedic genius, her work ethic and achievements have only garnered more respect and admiration over time.

As a child of stage actors,...

Murray Schisgal, whose writing brought a 1964 Tony Award nomination for the Broadway play Luv and a 1982 Oscar nomination for the hit Dustin Hoffman comedy Tootsie, died Oct. 1 at a nursing home in Port Chester, New York. He was 93.

His death was announced by his son Zach Schisgal. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Schisgal, a Brooklyn native, first came to public notice in 1963 with the popular Off Broadway plays The Typists and The Tiger. Two years later his Broadway debut, the absurdist hit comedy Luv, was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play and for Best Author of a Play. Directed by Mike Nichols, Luv starred Eli Wallach, Ann Jackson and Alan Arkin.

A 1967 film version of Luv, starring Jack Lemmon, Elaine May and Peter Falk, directed by Clive Donner, was largely ignored, as was 1967’s The Tiger Makes Out, the film version of Schisgal’s play The Tiger starring Wallach and Jackson,...

Murray Schisgal, the comedy writer who received two Tony nominations for his work on the 1960s Broadway hit Luv and an Oscar nomination for his contribution to the screenplay for Tootsie, has died. He was 93.

Schisgal died Thursday in Port Chester, New York, his son, Zach, told The New York Times.

Luv, a three-hander that opened in 1964 and ran for more than 900 performances, starred husband and wife Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson opposite Alan Arkin. Mike Nichols won the Tony for best direction of a play, with Schisgal nominated for best play and best author of a play.

Luv was then adapted for ...

Murray Schisgal, the comedy writer who received two Tony nominations for his work on the 1960s Broadway hit Luv and an Oscar nomination for his contribution to the screenplay for Tootsie, has died. He was 93.

Schisgal died Thursday in Port Chester, New York, his son, Zach, told The New York Times.

Luv, a three-hander that opened in 1964 and ran for more than 900 performances, starred husband and wife Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson opposite Alan Arkin. Mike Nichols won the Tony for best direction of a play, with Schisgal nominated for best play and best author of a play.

Luv was then adapted for ...

Rajkumaar Rao is back again with his upcoming film. He was last seen in ?Made in China? opposite Mouni Roy and Shimla Mirchi opposite Rakul Preet Singh. Both the films didn?t workout as planned.

Chhlaang? poster featuring Rajkumaar Rao and Nushrat Bharucha looks promoising and another unique concept added to his feather. His collarboration with Hansal Mehta for the fifth time is a delight to watch.

Also Read:?Rajkummar Rao surprises fans with his quirky look

The makers shared a poster and captioned, ?Lambi #Chhalaang Ke Liye, Lambi Neend Zaroori Hai! Releasing on 13th March.?

In the poster, Rajkummar Rao is seen sleeping on a chair while Nushrat Bharucha and other kids in school uniforms and watching him sleep. Rajkummar? is caught sleeping on the job , his head on the football.The kids are giving confused reaction in the poster. The film also features Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Saurabh Shukla and Satish Kaushik.

The 2020 Sundance Film Festival has broken a record weeks before it begins: Of the 16 films in Dramatic Competition, seven tell stories primarily about the lives of black characters: “The 40-Year-Old Version,” “Charm City Kings,” “Farewell Amor,” “Miss Juneteenth,” “Nine Days,” “Sylvie’s Love” and “Zola.”

Surveying the last 30 years of Sundance, there’s usually been at least one in-competition film with black leads. In 1992 and 1989, there was one black film in competition, while 1993 had two. But prior to 2020, there had never been more than five.

Black filmmakers saw a renaissance in the late ’80s and early ’90s, a period that introduced Spike Lee, Wendell B. Harris Jr, Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Julie Dash, Matty Rich, the Hudlin Brothers, Leslie Harris, and others. Some of their films premiered and competed at Sundance, but even then they never composed a significant presence.

Between 1989 and 1993, a total of 10 films with black leads...

‘Bonnie the Elephant’.

Filmmaker Holly Hargreaves is on the look out for short animations focused on love, relationships and break ups for an anthology she is curating, titled Luv.

Hargreaves’ most recent project is the Screen Australia-supported web series Bonnie the Elephant, which will feature in the anthology. Overall, she has six confirmed films but is on the look out for another 10 more to round out the project, with a focus on stories that are funny or emotional.

The anthology is intended for submission to international and domestic festivals, and for digital release on iTunes. Each accepted film will get a share of profits.

“I’m a big fan of anthologies and animation. There are a lot of horror anthologies out there but few animation anthologies so I decided to make one,” she tells If.

“Love is a reoccuring theme in all of my work.”

Holly Hargreaves.

Bonnie the Elephant,...

On March 26, 2019, Oscar winner Alan Arkin will celebrate his 85th birthday. The actor shows no scenes of slowing down though since he has just had rave reviews and nominations for the Netflix comedy series “The Kominsky Method.” An Emmy win would place Arkin in the rare group known as the Triple Crown of Acting winners.

SEEOscar Best Supporting Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History

Arkin started his career with the acclaimed Second City Comedy troupe in Chicago. He would make his Broadway debut with that group in the fall of 1961. Two years later he would rise to theatrical fame in the play “Enter Laughing” as a young man who aspires to be an actor despite his families objections. He would win the Tony Award in 1963 as Best Featured Actor in a Play for that role. He would score another Broadway triumph the following year with the highly praised and popular play “Luv.

On March 26, 2019, Oscar winner Alan Arkin will celebrate his 85th birthday. The actor shows no scenes of slowing down though since he has just had rave reviews and nominations for the Netflix comedy series “The Kominsky Method.” An Emmy win would place Arkin in the rare group known as the Triple Crown of Acting winners.

Arkin started his career with the acclaimed Second City Comedy troupe in Chicago. He would make his Broadway debut with that group in the fall of 1961. Two years later he would rise to theatrical fame in the play “Enter Laughing” as a young man who aspires to be an actor despite his families objections. He would win the Tony Award in 1963 as Best Featured Actor in a Play for that role. He would score another Broadway triumph the following year with the highly praised and popular play “Luv.”

He would then go onto become one...

Mike Nichols would’ve celebrated his 87th birthday on November 6, 2018. One of the few people to complete the Egot, the acclaimed director excelled in film, television and theater until his death in 2014. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at all 18 of his movies, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1931 in Berlin, Germany, Nichols got his start as one half of the comedic improvisational act Nichols and May, working alongside Elaine May. In 1960, the two opened the Broadway show “An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May,” winning a Grammy in 1962 for the LP version. Their partnership ended just a year later, though they would collaborate several times thereafter, including on “The Birdcage” (1996) and “Primary Colors” (1998).

Nichols began his directing career on Broadway, gaining fame for his productions of such Neil Simon classics as “Barefoot in the Park” (1964) and “The Odd Couple” (1965). Both would bring him...

Mike Nichols would’ve celebrated his 87th birthday on November 6, 2018. One of the few people to complete the Egot, the acclaimed director excelled in film, television and theater until his death in 2014. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at all 18 of his movies, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1931 in Berlin, Germany, Nichols got his start as one half of the comedic improvisational act Nichols and May, working alongside Elaine May. In 1960, the two opened the Broadway show “An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May,” winning a Grammy in 1962 for the LP version. Their partnership ended just a year later, though they would collaborate several times thereafter, including on “The Birdcage” (1996) and “Primary Colors” (1998).

Nichols began his directing career on Broadway, gaining fame for his productions of such Neil Simon classics as “Barefoot in the Park” (1964) and “The Odd Couple” (1965). Both would bring him...

Canadian hip-hop artists Tory Lanez and Drake squashed their beef last May, and Lanez has had time to reflect on the impact of their truce. The “Luv” singer told Beats 1‘s Zane Lowe that making amends with Drake was among his favourite memories of working with a fellow artist. “As far as me and Drake kind...

Check out the below new, timely short film from writer/director Sheldon Candis (“Luv”), presented by the Sundance Now Doc Club, which examines America’s love affair and easy accessibility to guns. The piece, titled “Who Will Survive America,” is part of… Continue Reading →...

Released digitally today and on CD August 14, the original soundtrack for Sundance 2012 drama "Luv" features 18 original tracks from Portuguese composer Nuno Malo.  Recorded with the Budapest Symphony in Hungary, the score tracks "a cinematic emotional journey for a boy and his conflicted Uncle. The nostaglia of Icelandic band Sigur Ros and the unsettling bass beats of Baltimore's BlaqStarr are the textures of the movie I wanted audiences to feel," says director Sheldon Candis.  The soundtrack can be found on iTunes here and Amazon here.  In celebration of its release, the film has released two new limited edition art prints, which fans can tweet...

Rainey can be seen in upcoming seasons of "Power" as Tariq, son of crime kingpin Ghost St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), and "Orange is the New Black" as the son of trans inmate Sophia, played by Laverne Cox.  Now we've learned that the young actor will join the third installment of Ice Cube's "Barbershop" franchise, playing the role of Cube's son. Indie film fans will remember Rainey from the 2012 Sundance drama "Luv," where he starred opposite Common as a boy who grows up fast when he spends the day with his ex-convict uncle.  He'll rejoin his old co-star in the new sequel, as Common's involvement in "Barbershop 3"...

Disney Channel is developing an original movie based on the life of 13-year-old baseball player Mo’Ne Davis, who made history in 2014 by becoming the first female to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series. “Throw Like Mo,” written by Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson (“Luv,” “A Slave in the White House”), will be executive produced by Debra Martin Chase (“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” Disney Channel’s “The Cheetah Girls” series). Davis and the female-centric Espnw will consult on the film. “There are so many great things happening to me right now, and it’s a very exciting time.

What do feature directors do in between films? There are lots of answers of course, but one of them is commercial work. Like Spike Lee's short film on Mo'ne Davis for Chevrolet or Ava DuVernay's piece for Fashion Fair, another director has stepped into the commercial world, this time with lauded ballerina Misty Copeland.  Sheldon Candis, who directed the 2012 Sundance film "Luv," has directed a web series with Copeland for Under Armour Women called "I Will What I Want." In it, she describes her inspiration and the challenges as the first black woman in two decades to be a soloist at the American Ballet Theatre. This is the latest in a growing group of...

The Lionsgate subsidiary has struck a first-look deal with Luv producer Datari Turner.

Under the deal Codeblack gets all distribution rights to Turner’s microbudget productions for North America, which Turner will produce through his Datari Turner Productions.

His credits include Sundance 2012 selection Luv (pictured), It’s A Disaster starring Julia Stiles and America Ferrera and the James Franco drama About Cherry.

“Datari has quickly established himself as a prolific producer with a keen ability to make powerful films that connect with moviegoers,” said Codeblack Films president Jeff Clanagan.

Luv and It’s A Disaster producer Datari Turner has scored a first-look deal with Codeblack Films, Lionsgate’s specialty arm geared toward black audiences. The agreement gives Codeblack all North America rights to Turner’s slate of microbudget films via his Datari Turner Productions shingle.

Since founding the company in 2010, Turner has produced Sundance pics Another Happy Day, Salvation Boulevard, and Luv, as well as the James Franco starrer About Cherry. In that short time he’s also produced indie releases It’s A Disaster starring Julia Stiles, Kilimanjaro starring Brian Geraghty, crime drama Kid Cannabis, Video Girl starring Meagan Good, and ensemble comedy Dysfunctional Friends. “Datari has quickly established himself as a prolific producer with a keen ability to make powerful films that connect with moviegoers,” said Codeblack Films president Jeff Clanagan, who founded the label in 2012. “The Codeblack family is proud to work with him as part...

Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films has entered a first-look deal with indie producer Datari Turner, the company announced Wednesday. Codeblack will have all distribution rights to Turner’s microbudget film productions in the U.S. and Canada under the new agreement, and Turner will produce all films through his Datari Turner Productions banner. Turner has produced a variety of films in recent years, including Sundance hit Luv starring Common and Danny Glover; dark comedy It’s a Disaster with Julia Stiles and America Ferrera; comedy Dysfunctional Friends; Meagan Good-starrer Video Girl; and James Franco drama About Cherry. “Datari has quickly established himself

read more...

The 4th annual Napa Valley Film Festival (Nvff), scheduled for November 12-16, 2014, announced its Narrative and Documentary feature film competition lineups as well as Jury members. The 2014 Festival will screen 22 feature films in competition. The full film program line-up, including out-of-competition special presentations, sneak previews of awards season contenders, and narrative, documentary and animated shorts, will be announced in September.

“Our thoughts are with everyone in the Napa Valley who have suffered losses from the recent earthquake,” said Co-Founder/Artistic Director Marc Lhormer. “We are proud to be part of a community that rallies in support of each other in such a generous and big hearted way. As they say in the business, the show must go on.”

“This is an exceptionally strong year for both the Narrative and Documentary competition programs,” said Program Director Herb Stratford. “These filmmakers have created new works that provoke, inspire, educate and entertain. They are the heart of our program each year, which includes more than 100 new independent films and advance studio screenings, and we are excited to announce their participation in the festival.”

Directors of the Narrative and Documentary films in competition participate in Nvff’s unique Artists-in-Residence Program presented in partnership with the incomparable Meadowood Napa Valley. Directors stay at the luxury resort for six nights during the festival and are treated to special events and workshops with their competition group and industry mentors. Serving as faculty for a set of Master Classes at Nvff 2014 are producer Ted Hope ( Adventureland, 21 Grams); writer/director Joshua Michael Stern (Jobs, Swing Vote) writer/director Joe Carnahan (The Blacklist; The Grey, Smokin’ Aces); producer Pam Koffler (Killer Films); and producer J. Todd Harris ( The Kids are All Right; Bottle Shock); Ryan Harrington (Tribeca Film Institute); producer Jason Berman (Struck by Lightning, Luv); producer Anne Carey (Archer Gray Productions); executives Tom Quinn (RADiUS) and David Glasser (The Weinstein Company). Meadowood Napa Valley will also award $10,000 to the winning filmmakers in both the Narrative and Documentary competition categories at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 16.

Narrative Competition Section

Films in the Narrative competition section feature actors Anne Hathaway, Billie Joe Armstrong, Elizabeth Banks, Tate Donovan, Rachael Harris, Zoe Kravitz, Stephen Lang, Leighton Meester, Debra Messing, Dev Patel, Kyra Sedgwick, Chloe Sevigny and Paul Wesley, among others. The 12 films selected include:

"Thank You A Lot"- Music agent and manager Jack Hand has a bad reputation and an even worse track record. He has only two clients left: an indie band on the verge of a breakup and a part-time hip-hop artist. Jack’s future hinges on signing the one person he is barely on speaking terms with — his estranged father, a respected and reclusive country singer/songwriter. "East Side Sushi"- Juana‘s work – preparing fruit for the family’s sidewalk cart – is steady, but hardly her life’s calling. Despite the objections and concerns of her family, Juana decides to pursue her dream of becoming an expert sushi chef, to go where her heart tells her, not where she is expected to be. "Fall To Rise" - Principal dancer Lauren Drake is beautiful, talented and famous. When Lauren is released from her company after being sidelined by an injury, she quickly becomes frustrated with her new domestic lifestyle. At a performance by another dance company, she meets and teams up with Des, a former dancer who is also eager to have a second chance in the dance world. "Little Accidents" (Isa: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment) - In a small West Virginia town reeling from a recent tragic accident in the local mine, a fresh unfortunate incident in the woods leaves a young boy dead. Meanwhile Owen, an injured miner struggling to adjust to his new life aboveground, joins the search for the first boy who is presumed lost in the woods. "Like Sunday, Like Rain" - Reggie Kipper is a sweet, awkward cello prodigy, a composer and overall genius. He’s about to graduate from high school and enroll at MIT — and he’s is only twelve years old. Eleanor Fallon is a 23-year old struggling musician who meets Reggie when she is hired to be his au pair, and the unlikely duo embarks on a summer adventure that neither of them ever expected. "Sun Belt Express"- Allen King, a man living on the Arizona/Mexico border, finds out what his breaking point is when his ex-wife demands money, and his job teaching at a college south of the border evaporates. Allen then finds a unique way to supplant his income by transporting illegal aliens in the trunk of his car. "Sam & Amira" (Isa: Preferred Entertainment) - Sam is an army veteran struggling to assimilate into normal life stateside. He works a variety of odd jobs, tries his hand at stand-up comedy, and is recruited by his cousin into some shady investment dealings. Sam’s already complicated life is made more so by Amira, an Iraqi woman dealing with her own issues who is the daughter of an old army colleague. "Song One" (Isa: Lotus Entertainment) - Estranged from her family, Franny returns home when an accident leaves her brother comatose. Retracing his life as an aspiring singer-songwriter, she tracks down his favorite musician, James Forester. Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s music scene, Franny and James develop an unexpected relationship and face the realities of their lives. "The Road Within" (Isa: Panorama Media) - Vincent has Tourette Syndrome. When his mother dies, he becomes obsessed with scattering her ashes by the ocean. Too much for his father to handle, Vincent is sent to a residential treatment center in Nevada where he befriends two other “inmates” struggling with their own personal issues. "Kinderwald" - Pennsylvania wilderness, 1885. John Linden, a hard-working German immigrant, is making a go of homesteading with his brother’s widow and her two young sons. John’s visually and spiritually idyllic world is thrown into utter chaos when the two boys go missing while off playing in the woods. "Wildlike" (Isa: Panorama Media) - Mackenzie is a fourteen-year-old girl whose father died last year. When her struggling mother checks herself into a recovery center, Mackenzie is sent from their Seattle home to live with her uncle in Alaska. At first he seems a supportive caretaker, but when his infatuation crosses a sexual line, Mackenzie runs away. With no one else to turn to, she shadows a solitary backpacker, Bartlett, a widowed man with scars of his own, into the beauty and danger of America’s last frontier.

Documentary Competition Section

"American Native" - For years, the legend of the Jackson Whites tribe has been told, passed down from generation to generation of New Jersey suburbanites. While the garish stories and tall tales have never been hard to find, the truth behind them has. Accessing the community is not easy; few outsiders have been able to penetrate the insular walls formed from centuries of discrimination. "Botso" - Dr. Botso Korisheli, 91 and still teaching music along with his unique philosophy, has a fascinating and unforgettable life story. Born in the former Soviet State of Georgia, Botso witnessed his father imprisoned under orders from Josef Stalin while his home was taken over by the Kgb. Forced to dig ditches for the Soviet army, Botso was then captured by the Germans. "Flying The Feathered Edge" - Robert A. “Bob” Hoover, age 92, is considered by many to be our greatest living aviator. Nicknamed “The Pilot’s Pilot” by his peers, Bob is largely unknown outside aviation circles despite his staggering array of accomplishments. Following a storied career during WWII as a fighter pilot, Bob continued to serve for years as one of our best test pilots. Mr. Hoover will be in attendance for screenings and Q&As. "Happy Valley" (Isa: Submarine Entertainment) - Few sports dynasties in the modern era have had a larger and longer-lasting profile than college football’s Penn State and its legendary coach Joe Paterno. State College, Pennsylvania, is in the heart of an area known as Happy Valley, ground zero of a proud football tradition for decades. When the shocking sex abuse scandal of assistant coach Jerry Sandusky rocked that town and college in 2011, the impact was unprecedented. "Havana Curveball" - At age 13 and preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, Mica takes to heart his rabbi’s injunction to help “heal the world.” Mica imagines himself a hero for other kids, and hatches a grand plan to send baseballs, bats and gloves to Cuba. Mica knows only that Cubans are poor and love baseball, and that Cuba “saved” his grandpa’s life when he was escaping from Nazi Germany. "States of Grace" - Dr. Grace Dammann’s life was forever altered when a driver crashed head-on into her car on the Golden Gate Bridge. After a seven-week coma and numerous surgeries, Grace miraculously regained consciousness, with her cognitive abilities almost entirely intact, but her body left shattered and severely disabled. "Underwater Dreams" - The epic story of four teenage boys from the Arizona desert who dare to go up against college engineering students from MIT. Inspired by two energetic high school science teachers, the boys build a robot from hardware store parts and enter an underwater robotics competition sponsored by Nasa. "An Honest Liar" - For as long as there have been magicians and illusionists, there have been doubters and debunkers making sure that the general public doesn’t get taken for a ride. One of the greatest illusionists of his era was “The Amazing Randi,” who made the shift from magic and escape acts to exposing the frauds who prey on unsuspecting victims. "Compared to What: The Improbable Journey of Barney Frank" (Isa: Preferred Content) - Few members of the U.S. Congress have ever been as polarizing and revolutionary as Barney Frank has been over the past 40 years. Compared to What: The Improbable Journey of Barney Frank examines the career, passions and legacy of our first openly gay Congressman. This rare and intimate documentary is entertaining, enlightening and thought-provoking. "#chicagoGirl: The Social Network Takes On A Dictator" (Isa: Preferred Content) - In #chicagoGirl, we meet freedom fighters in the streets of Homs and Damascus along with the stateside collection of exiles working to return Syria to a stable and human rights-respecting country. Will 21st century tools of change stand up to guns and violence and terror in the streets? Narrative Features Jury

Christine Vachon , (Producer, "Boys Don’t Cry," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," "Far From Heaven")

Peter Baxter ( Co-founder/Director Slamdance Film Festival)

Dierk Sinderman (Hollywood Foreign Press Association)

Lisa Truitt ( Producer, James Cameron’s "Deepsea Challenge 3D,""Mysteries of Egypt")

Don Lewis (Producer; Editor Film Threat)

Documentary Features and Shorts Jury

Morgan Neville ("Twenty Feet From Stardom")

Tiffany Shlain ("The Tribe; Connected: An Autobiography About Love," "Death & Technology")

Freida Lee Mock ("Anita. G-Dog,""Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision," "Return with Honor")

Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine ("Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden,""Ballets Russes").

Narrative Shorts Jury

Joshua Michael Stern ("Jobs,""Swing Vote," "Neverwas")

Ralph Macchio (Actor, "The Karate Kid;" Director, "Across Grace Alley")

Neil Berkeley ("Beauty in Embarrassing;" Founder Brkl)

Animated Shorts

Bill Plympton (The King of Indie Animation)

Adam Glick (Amazon Web Services)

Ryan Tudhope (Atomic Fiction)

About The Napa Valley Film Festival

The Napa Valley Film Festival (Nvff) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California. The ultimate celebration of film, food and wine, Nvff lights up the picturesque towns of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga at the most colorful time of year. Nvff features over 100 new independent films and studio sneak previews screening in 12 beautiful venues throughout four walkable villages, as 300 visiting filmmakers interact with audiences at screenings and intimate events. Attendees enjoy film panels & culinary demonstrations, wine tasting pavilions, the spectacular Festival Gala, Celebrity Tributes, Awards Ceremony, and an array of parties, VIP receptions and winemaker dinners and more. For information or to buy passes, visit NapaValleyFilmFest.org...

Last night, the Hollywood Black Collaborative (Hbc) hosted an informative panel discussion on the distribution methods of black independent films. Moderated by SAGIndie National Director Darrien Michelle Gipson, the panel included filmmakers Charles Murray (Things Never Said), Matthew Cherry (The Last Fall), Marta Cunningham (Valentine Road), Sheldon Candis (Luv), and Effie T. Brown, who produced the recent Sundance hit Dear White People. Panelists discussed the various funding models for their films, highlighting the roles of personal investment and working with investors and influencers. They also shared the importance of staying active and involved when working with a...

He broke into the Sundance Film Fest U.S. Dramatic Comp back in 2010 with The Dry Land, and not surprisingly, shooting on his sophomore safely began in March of this year. For this time out, writer/director Ryan Piers Williams once again works with actress/wife America Fererra, and manages once again to pull in some of the better indie players on the circuit in Melonie Diaz, Dree Hemingway, Ann Dowd alongside Jon Paul Phillips, Adam Rapp, Maria Dizzia, David Harbour and the hiphop artist and not too shabby in his own right thesp, Common. Nowhere close to Texas, the NYC backdrop and a score via Fall On Your Sword, X/Y is the type of certified indie film that stands a good chance at breaking into the fest – especially when you have a team of four editors mashing up the interconnectedness of the plot.

Gist: The character-driven drama explores...

My crystal ball says this might be 2014′s answer to Winter’s Bone, where tragedy, economics and backdrop are just as strong a character set as the array of players themselves. You can’t get a more perfect Park City “package” than Sara Colangelo’s debut film. Spawned from her award-winning short of the same name (it played at the fest’s 2010 edition) and which would serve as the basis for a feature that became a part of the Sundance Institute’s 2011 June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, before Little Accidents got its mid summer production start, the West Virginia set project attracted the attention of a who’s who of producing talent, Fruitvale Station‘s cinematographer Rachel Morrison and Production Designer Chris Trujillo. Starring Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny, Jacob Lofland, Josh Lucas and indie queen starlet Alexia Rasmussen, this will be among the films to beat in the comp.

With Shonda Rhimes already an established brand at the network (2 successful shows on the air, and at least 3 or 4 more greenlit), and with Kevin Hart very recently selling an untitled divorce comedy based on his stand-up routine, and maybe I should throw in the recently greenlit A Slave In The White House series with Luv director Sheldon Candis adapting, is ABC becoming friendlier to so-called 'black-themed' content from black content creators? Might this be due, in part, to the success of Scandal? Maybe not since the early to mid-1990s, when Hanging With Mr Cooper, Sister, Sister, and Family Matters were all on air on ABC, have we seen this many shows...

As “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” continues its sleeper hit success, ABC has decided (per Deadline) to produce a limited series focused on a different White House servant, Paul Jennings. Adapted from Elizabeth Dowling Taylor’s “A Slave in the White House,” the show would focus on Jennings, a Virginia-born slave, as he simultaneously acts as President James Madison’s personal valet and as an anti-slavery activist. The show will be written and co-executive produced by “Luv” filmmakers Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson, with Candis also handling directorial duties as he did on their first film. For now, the show’s only eyed as a 12-hour limited series though, as “Under the Dome” showed, the life of the show can always be extended in the event of runaway success. Fans of fat men falling down, rejoice! Variety is reporting that Kevin James has worked out a deal with Lionsgate to return...

ABC is developing a limited series based on Elizabeth Dowling Taylor's book A Slave in the White House, the true story of Paul Jennings, a slave who worked for President James Madison as a child and eventually bought his own emancipation from Daniel Webser. Jennings wrote the first White House memoir, A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison, published in 1865, and lived to see his sons fight for the Union. According to Deadline, the twelve-hour miniseries will be written and co-executive produced by Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson, the duo behind the 2012 Sundance drama Luv. Sounds educational!

Exclusive: Following the success of Lee Daniels’ The Butler, ABC has put in development a limited series about another famous black White House servant. A Slave In The White House, from filmmakers Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson (Luv) and Deborah Spera and Maria Grasso’s One-Two Punch Prods, is a 12-hour limited series based on the true story of Paul Jennings, a Virginia-born slave who served as personal valet to President James Madison while at the same working behind the scenes as a subversive anti-slavery activist. Based on Elizabeth Dowling Taylor’s bestselling book, A Slave In The White House chronicles Jennings’ relationship with the Madison family, becoming the President’s surrogate son, and his journey to procure his own family’s freedom. Jennings spent his entire life in and around the White House from age 10 and, after buying his freedom at age 46, wrote the first White House memoir, A...

2012 Sundance festival drama Luv follows 11-year-old Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.) as he spends a day with his troubled ex-convict Uncle Vincent (Common). As the film is set to make its world television broadcast premiere on Bet tonight, August 7th at 9Pm Et/Pt with limited commercial interruption, director Sheldon Candis previously spoke with S&A about the process behind the film.   S&A: Tell me about the inspiration for Luv - where the story came from, how the project started. Sc: Luv is a fictional story inspired by a true relationship that I had with one of my uncles when I was growing up in Baltimore. He was my hero. I was probably 9...

On the heels of the successful debut of Bet Premiere Cinema's original movie, Being Mary Jane, the Network will air the world television broadcast premiere of Sheldon Candis' Luv, which stars Common, and introducing Michael Rainey Jr.   Exclusively sponsored by the 2013 Toyota Avalon, Luv debuts on Bet tonight, August 7th at 9Pm Et/Pt with limited commercial interruption. Candis' feature film debut, which made its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the dramatic competition section, was acquired by Indomina Entertainment, and saw a limited theatrically in the USA earlier this year. The film's official...

Sure, Sunday tends to be overcrowded with high-end TV, including "True Blood," "The Newsroom," "Low Winter Sun," "Dexter," "Ray Donovan" and more, but what to watch the rest of the time? Every Monday, we bring you five noteworthy highlights from the other six days of the week. "Nine for IX": "The Diplomat" Tuesday, August 6 at 8pm on Espn Both Espn and NBC have Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan documentaries in the works, but before we relive that drama, Jennifer Arnold and Senain Kheshgi direct this doc about another figure skater from slightly before their era -- East Germany's Katarina Witt, "the most beautiful face of socialism," whose fame and success in the sport also earned her constant surveillance from the Stasi. "Luv": Broadcast Premiere Wednesday, August 7 at 9pm on Bet Sheldon Candis' indie film, which premiered at Sundance last year, makes its world premiere on Bet after...

On the heels of the successful debut of Bet Premiere Cinema's original movie, Being Mary Jane, the Network has announced the world television broadcast premiere of Sheldon Candis' Luv, which stars Common and introducing Michael Rainey Jr.   Exclusively sponsored by the 2013 Toyota Avalon, Luv debuts on Bet on August 7th at 9Pm Et/Pt with limited commercial interruption. Candis' feature film debut, which made its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the dramatic competition section, was acquired by Indomina Entertainment, and saw a limited theatrically in the USA earlier this year. The film's official...

As usual... These aren't necessarily recommendations; consider it more of an Fyi - films we've talked about recently that are streaming on Netflix, that you might want to check out for yourselves. As with last week's list, the films on this week's list were all released in the last year, and only recently became available on Netflix to stream. So you're getting newer titles here.  But without further ado, here's this week's list of 5: 1 - Sheldon Candis' feature film debut, Luv, which made its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the dramatic competition section, stars Common and Michael Rainey Jr. Indomina Entertainment acquired...

Sheldon Candis' feature film debut, Luv, which made its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the dramatic competition section, stars Common and Michael Rainey Jr. Indomina Entertainment acquired the film after its Sundance premiere, and opened it in a limited theatrically in the USA on January 18th, 2013. It was also picked up by Bet for its eventual TV debut. The film's official synopsis reads: An orphaned 11-year-old boy is forced to face the unpleasant truth about his beloved uncle during one harrowing day in the streets of Baltimore.  Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Michael K. Williams, Meagan Good and Charles S....

Check out what's new to rent and own this week on the various streaming services such as cable On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, and, of course, Netflix. Cable On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pre-theatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods Luv (urban drama; Common, Michael Rainey Jr.; rated R) Erased (action thriller known as The Expatriate outside the U.S.; Aaron Eckhart, Olga Kurylenko; pretheatrical release on April 5; rated R) The Story of Luke (comedy; Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green; same day as theatrical on April 5; rated PG) Venus and Serena (sports documentary; Venus and Serena Williams; pretheatrical; rated PG-13) Streaming/Digital Download: Rent from $4-$7 or own from $15-$20 (HD may cost more than...

Read More...

This week: The long-delayed "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One — Avengers Assembled" box set with "Marvel's The Avengers," "Thor," "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Iron Man," "Iron Man 2" and "The Incredible Hulk" plus geek-worthy collectibles is finally here.

Also new this week is the urban coming-of-age drama "Luv," the bath-salts crazy "John Dies at the End" and the horror-comedy "Stitches" featuring a killer clown.

'Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One — Avengers Assembled'

Box Office: $1.75 billion (six movies)

Rotten Tomatoes: N/A

Storyline: This limited edition 10-disc, 6-movie set has both Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D copies of "Marvel's The Avengers," "Thor" and "Captain America: The First Avenger." Also included on Blu-ray only are "Iron Man," "Iron Man 2" and "The Incredible Hulk" encased in a handsome metallic-looking case with collectibles and a bonus disc.

Extras! The movies come packaged with prop reproductions and artifacts from the films, including a glowing Tesseract of your very own.

The coming-of-age film “Luv,” starring Common, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert, Meagan Good, Charles S. Dutton and newcomer Michael Rainey, Jr., will be out on DVD, VOD and digital release April 2, thanks to Indomina Releasing. The film, directed by Sheldon Candis, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and won the title of Best Independent Feature at the 2013 Black Reel Awards. The special features that you’ll be able to get on the Blu-ray include deleted scenes, director and writer commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of Luv” and “See Luv,” Common and Rainey’s opinions on the film. ShockYa is proud to hold a giveaway, [ Read More ]

The post Win A Copy Of Luv From ShockYa! appeared first on Shockya.com.

DVD, VOD and Digital Release Date: April 2, 2013

Price: DVD $19.97

Studio: Indomina/Vivendi

Common (r.) gives his nephew some life lessons in Luv.

Common (The Odd Life of Timothy Green), Danny Glover (Death at a Funeral) and Meagan Good (Think Like a Man) star in the 2012 coming-of-age drama Luv.

In the film, Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.) lives with his grandmother (Lonette McKee, The Cotton Club) and longs for his family to be reunited. His charismatic Uncle Vincent (Common) has just returned home after eight years in prison, determined to straighten out his life. One morning, instead of dropping Woody off at school, Vincent decides to give the boy a tutorial on how a man gets things done. Woody jumps at the chance to join his father figure for the day. Their time together changes from optimistic to desperate as Vincent’s plan to open a restaurant is crushed and his past...

Dennis Haysbert has booked a co-starring role in the CBS drama pilot Backstrom, from writer Hart Hanson, based on the Swedish book series that centers on Everett Backstrom, an overweight, hot-tempered detective who tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior. Haysbert will play John Almond, a detective working with Backstrom. Haysbert, most recently seen on the big screen in Sheldon Candis' Luv, will next appear in a thriller titled Wards Island, alongside Ernie Hudson and Bill Duke, which centers on a viral outbreak in New York City that turns the infected into werewolves; and also he's replaced the late Michael Clarke Duncan in the follow-up film to the...

Wondering who will wind up on stage at the Indie Oscars? This much we know: Jason Bateman, Salma Hayek, Common (Luv), and New Girl star Jake Johnson (Safety Not Guaranteed) will be among the presenters at the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards, EW has learned. Two cast members from Parks and Recreation, Rashida Jones (Celeste and Jesse Forever) and Aubrey Plaza (Safety Not Guaranteed), also will log some podium time at the Santa Monica-based ceremony.

The awards show, which airs Feb. 23 (IFC, 10 p.m.), will be hosted by SNL alum Andy Samberg, who stars with Jones in Celeste and Jesse Forever.

Film Independent has selected eight filmmakers for its 12th annual Directing Labs, which will give the group of directors access to digital cameras and other production resources to pursue their latest projects. Mentors will also help the filmmakers with script feedback, editing and other tools for their films. This year's mentors include James Ponsoldt, director of 2013 Sundance hit "The Spectacular Now" and Angela Robinson, writer and director for TV shows such as 'The L Word." Past lab participants include Sheldon Candis for "Luv," which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival,...

Film Independent has announced the filmmakers and projects selected for its 12th annual Directing Lab, an intensive program that helps directors develop new feature films and improve their craft. Among this year's Lab Mentors are Karen Moncreiff ("The Trials of Cate McCall," "The Dead Girl"), James Ponsoldt ("The Spectacular Now," "Smashed") and Angela Robinson ("True Blood," "The L Word"). In the Directing Lab filmmakers gain access to a wide variety of production resources, receive script feedback, are able to cast actors to workshop scenes, and collaborate with cinematographers. After completion of the program the accepted directors become Film Independent Fellows and receive year-round support. Among the recent projects created through the Directing Lab are Sheldon Candis' "Luv", which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and Robbie Pickering's "Natural Selection,"...

An artist within Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music camp has told The Huffington Post that there will be no "Cruel Winter" compilation album.

Malik Yusef, a Grammy-winning songwriter and spoken-word artist who appears on "Cruel Summer," adds that the term is instead being used to describe "a Donda movement of art, including music and fashion." (Donda is West's all-purpose design and innovation firm, named after his late mother.)

The new information comes on the heels of label signee Common's assertion that G.O.O.D. Music's rappers, singers and producers are working on their solo material. "'Cruel Winter' is this frantic pace of getting our collective powers moving," Yusef said. "It's a spiritual thing."

"We all have 2013 offerings and initiatives coming," he added. Yusef has been working on music, Common starred in "Luv" and rumors of a solo West album have been percolating for some time now.