Cinefile

Indie Filmmakers Attract Distribution Interest For Web-Based Doc

Sep 06, 2010

David Dufresne and Phillipe Brault are a couple of names to remember. Why? Check out what they pulled off: They managed to get their documentary on prison reform in Colorado to go from an audio podcast concept, to a web-based documentary to finally getting picked up for distribution for television broadcast! The independent explains how the pair of doc filmmakers successfully utilized the new media platform to take DIY filmmaking and their film Prison Valley to a whole new level:

"Described by the filmmakers as a “road movie on the web,” viewers are asked to sign into Twitter, Facebook, or make an account on the film’s site in order to hop on board. The viewing experience unfolds much like the open road: the film starts with a car rumbling down Skyline Drive in Cañon City, making its way down to the valley of prisons below. Within the first few minutes, there are opportunities to turn off the main drag and take detours into additional interactive content, such as background stories on characters and additional information and news stories about prisons in America. Visitors on the site can see the names of others who are watching at the same time, encouraging a sense of community and discussion."

Gilliam's "Don Quixote" Loses Its Financing--Again!

Sep 06, 2010

This past Saturday, at the Deauville American Film Festival, director Terry Gilliam (Brazil) admitted that the financing for his latest attempt to film Don Quixote has collapsed once again. However, Variety is reporting that the director remains optimistic about the production, seeing that he still has the key actors--Robert Duvall in the title role and Ewan McGregor filling in for Johnny Depp--attached to their roles.

Gilliam: "Don Quixote gives me something to look forward to, always. Maybe the most frightening is to actually make the film."

Trailer For Long Awaited Sequel To 1973 Classic "The Wicker Man" Now Online

Sep 04, 2010

A sequel to Robin Hardy’s 1973 British horror masterpiece The Wicker Man, entitled The Wicker Tree, has a teaser trailer on the film's official site.

The film is based on the book Cowboys For Christ about to American Christians who move to Scotland on a mission for Christ. Legendary horror actor, Christopher Lee has a role in the film as "The Old Man".

If you have not experienced Hardy's first tale, it's available in a beautiful two-disc DVD set.

Questions Arise Over The Critically Injured "Transformers 3" Extra's Accident

Sep 03, 2010

Deadline Hollywood is shedding light on some alarming developments in the recent stunt accident that occurred during East Chicago/Indiana filming for Transformers 3. Movie extra Gabriela Cedillo is in critical condition after a stunt accident went awry on a highway scene for the Michael Bay film. "Cedillo's Toyota was being towed by a second vehicle and the steel cable between the two vehicles broke, then whipped around, and sliced through the woman's car and cut her head" and even worse that "a similar tow-rig setup broke the day before." So this stunt rig malfunctioned the day before and the production still went ahead with trying it again? And trying it with movie extras--who are not trained stunt personnel?

Deadline's source: "An extra doing stunts in her own car with a tow rig? Holy shit is somebody's head gonna roll over this one. SO many things against industry standards, don't know where to start! Bay should be starting to sweat right about now. 30yrs of motion pictures and never seen stunts fuck up this bad."

Maya Indie Traveling Film Festival Continues US Tour With Stop In L.A.

Sep 03, 2010

Cinema Without Borders:

"The Maya Indie Film Series, a traveling film series now in its second year, comes to Los Angeles on August 27. The films will play in repertory for one week at Manns Chinese 8 to tie in with Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.

The six films in the series include: The Kid: Chamaco, a bi-lingual drama about a Mexican boxer starring Martin Sheen, Kirk Harris, Alex Perea, and Michael Madsen; Backyard, a Mexican thriller starring Jimmy Smits, Ana de la Reguera, and Joaquin Cosio; a family film about Roberto Clemente starring Ray Liotta and Rory Culkin called Chasing 3000; a Brazilian comedy, In Therapy, starring Lilia Cabral and Jose Mayer; Michelle Rodriguez and Juan Fernandez star in Tropico De Sangre, based on the true story of the Mirabal sisters; and Solo Quiero Caminar, a thriller starring Diego Luna and Jose Maria Yazpik."

Shyamalan's "Unbreakable 2" Is Next "Night Chronicles" Flick

Sep 03, 2010

MTV spoke to Oscar nominee M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) about his new suspense franchise The Night Chronicles. The first installment, Devil, isn't due out until next Friday but you can watch the cool trailer for it over here. During the interview, MTV squeezed out some cool news regarding a sequel to Shyamalan's underrated Unbreakable!

Shyamalan : "I cannibalized the idea for the sequel to Unbreakable for one of the Night Chronicles. It was such a cool idea for a villain, and it was actually originally in the script for Unbreakable, and it was too much. There were too many villains, so I pulled this villain out and was like, 'I'll make this the second flick.'

I fleshed it out more and more, and thought, 'This could be a standalone movie.' I'll just say it: the third Night Chronicles movie is what would have been the sequel [to Unbreakable]."