New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The American
Music Awards recently recognized a spectrum of musicians, ranging in style, genre, and international origins. Talents from across North America, Europe, Australia, and beyond were in attendance. This unique and diverse blend of artistry is celebrated upon numerous facets of the entertainment industry. Keeping with the trend, in its last screening event of the year, NewFilmmakers LA Film Festival will be shining the light on universal talents within the independent film realm. Thirteen productions from the UK, USA, South Africa, Colombia, Australia, Belgium, and France will be featured at the film festival, which takes place on December 13th, 2014.
Details on the featured films can be found below.
INVISIBLE - Directed by Gregg Masuak
A 40 year old woman takes drastic steps to become visible.
Award-winning, Canadian-born director Masuak, has collaborated with such performing artists as
Celine Deion, Pixie Lott, the Spice Girls, Joe Cocker, Hootie and the Blowfish, Penelope Cruz, and Courtney Cox to film music videos, documentaries, commercials, and shorts. Masuak won the Gold Hugo at the
Chicago International Film Festival and received acclaim at the London International film fest for some of his prior works.
ELECTRIC INDIGO - Directed by Jean-Julien Collette
Indigo, mentally recalls her life from her birth till the event which led her to emancipate. She grew up in a family with two heterosexual fathers, Rubén, the Spaniard, and Tony, the American, united in the bonds of a non-carnal marriage, who had decided to raise their daughter together, born to a surrogate mother. But when she decides to get back Indigo, things get more complicated...
Since the age of eight, Belgian filmmaker Collette-- who also penned the script for the short film--aspired to be a film director, and today he lives out that dream quite successfully. In addition to receiving 260 nominations, "Electric Indigo" has won 55 awards: Best Film at Arouca Film Festival (Portugal), Audience Award and Critics Prize at the Brussels Short Film Festival (Belgium), Best Idea/Screenplay and Student Jury Best Film at BuSho, Budapest International Short Film Festival (Hungary), and Special Mention at the Milan International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (Italy) are a few.
ADVENT - Directed by John Bickerstaff
In the summer of 1962, humanity makes first contact with extraterrestrial life. "Advent" is the story of one family experiencing that event.
Screenwriter and director for this short film, Bickerstaff and the filmmaking crew initially teamed up with students at Emerson College. The short film won Emerson's Best Directing award for 2014, and was screened at international festivals, namely Cannes Marché du Film (France), Palm Springs International Shortfest (USA), Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (USA), Harvard College Film Festival (USA), and the New Hampshire Film Festival (USA).
THE AGE OF INSECURITY: BEANIE BROS. - Directed by Adriano Valentini
Four friends show up dressed in beanies, but only one can continue to wear it or else they'll all look hella weird at the bar.
Canadian filmmaker, Adriano Valentini graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television Production, Honors in 2008. His four-episode-long series, The Age of Insecurity, has caught the eye of fellow filmmakers, specifically Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Just weeks ago "The Age of Insecurity: Beanie Bros." was a top 10 finalist on Damon and Affleck's HBO documentary series Project Greenlight. The Palm Springs International ShortFest (USA) also recognized Valentini's production, nominating it for the Audience Award.
JOBURG PARTY - Directed by Chris Saunders and Roderick Stanley
Over two days and nights in Johannesburg, South Africa, this documentary crew traveled to rooftop parties, warehouse raves, street fashion shoots and poolside jams to meet some of the young musicians, DJs, 'zine publishers and artists set on taking the SA scene global, and asked them how the city's youth culture is changing. Features music and interviews with Dirty Paraffin, Richard the Third, Desmond & The Tutus, MJ Turpin, Jamal Nxedlana (CUSS) and Khaya Sibiya AKA Bhubessi.
This short documentary film-- a Vimeo Staff Pick-- was written by Stanley, one of the co-directors and co-producers. Stanley, while working in media, had the opportunity to engage in exclusive interviews with musicians such as the White Stripes, Bjork, and Daft Punk. Meanwhile Stanley's counterpart, co-director, and co-producer, Saunders, a photographer from Johannesburg, received the year-long grant at Fabrica, Benetton's Creative Research Facility in Italy. This grant rewarded his aptitude as a visual artist.
I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU - Directed by
Morgan Peterson
Lucy Swan is a college freshman who is raped at a party. Consequently Lucy suffers from anxiety disorder and feels abandoned by an ineffectual system. A few years later Lucy has become a successful lawyer, but when she's forced to confront her past, will she finally break her silence?
After training at the
Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City, Peterson continued her cinematic education at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where she is currently a student. Peterson's short is accompanied by the original music of
Sebastian Zuleta (Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, The Smurfs, Despicable Me, Angels & Demons, Cowboys & Aliens). "I'll Take Care of You" was a winner at the Women's Independent Film Festival and recipient of International Merit Award (Women Filmmakers) in The Best Shorts Competition. The short was also an official selection at Other Venice Film Festival.
EUGENE - Directed by Catalina Hoyos-Restrepo
Eugene, a renowned geneticist obsessed by the strength of his genetic family tree, is summoned by his younger brother to help him build the courage to propose to his girlfriend. This proves difficult when Eugene steals the girl's DNA and realizes that her genetic makeup is not up to his standards and then has to decide whether or not to help his brother overcome his fear of commitment.
Award-winner Hoyos-Restrepo, began her adult life as a Molecular and Cell Biology major at UC Berkeley. However, her creative ambitions and love for storytelling led her to pursuing a career in filmmaking. At the Madrid International Film Festival, Hoyos-Restrepo won Best Producer of a Short Film for one of her previous works. Additionally, "Eugene" has been recognized by the HollyShots Film Festival, where the short was an official selection.
THE SCOUT - Directed by Nick Everhart
A group of Raider Scouts embark on a hunt for a legendary creature called 'the snipe.' But, as night falls, the scouts soon realize that they are the ones being hunted in this period piece inspired by such Amblin films as E.T., Goonies, Jaws, Jurassic Park, and many others.
In 2006, Everhart sold his first screenplay to a French production company for $25,000. He then moved to Los Angeles where he began working as a production assistant at The Asylum. In a year at The Asylum, he worked on 12 feature films. "The Scout" was produced by Everhart, alongside co-producer Leigh Scott (Officer Down, Quantum Apocalypse) and production manager
Laura J. Hill (Begin Again, House of Bones).
CHAQUE JOUR EST UNE PETITE VIE (Translation: Every Day is a Small Life) - Directed by Albane Fioretti and Lou-Brice Leonard
Living in a modest caravan amongst the tower blocks, Rachel, 80 years old, dreams of returning to her native Algeria but her son
Simon doesn't want to know anything about it--and his daughter, Stella, doesn't want anything to do with him. Fortunately, they are surrounded by the good humor of her boyfriend Yazid, alias Gino, and that of their entire neighborhood.
The short is co-directed by Leonard and Fioretti-- who poses as a triple threat acting as co-director, screenwriter, and actress. "Chaque Jour Est Une Petite Vie" has been an official selection in over 40 film festivals in over 18 countries-- Denmark, India, Spain, Brazil, France, and the USA to name a few. The short film boasts five major awards, including the Gold BuSho at the Budapest Film Festival (Hungary), Best International Film at
Trinity international Film Festival (USA), and Best Fiction at Rencontres du court, Montpellier (France).
ASTERISM - Directed by
Brett Wagner
On a dreary stargazing trip to the mountains, an uncertain future casts a shadow over two former lovers.
Wagner, the screenwriter and director, originally created this piece as part of the advanced level classes for Point Park University's Cinema and
Digital Arts program of spring semester 2013. What started out as a homework assignment for Wagner eventually took its place as a final selection at the
Trinity Film Festival (USA).
DANILO - Directed by Jacintho Muinos
Seeking emotional stability from his unstable domestic environment, Danilo is pushed to a boiling point when he is taunted by a school bully.
Australia-based filmmaker, Muinos attended Victorian College of the Arts, studying Foundations in Film and Television. After assisting in 28 projects, Muinos, directed, wrote, produced, and edited "Danilo," which was featured at the Madrid International Film Festival and now NewFilmmakers LA Film Festival.
ELI OVER DARKNESS - Directed by
James Bachelor
The story of a 17-year-old boy who suffers from depression after his mother's suicide and how he fights against it through friendships and family support.
Bachelor-- a recent Chapman University grad-- and his brother wrote the screenplay together, and with a great deal of support on Kickstarter, they were able to bring their production to life. The premier screening took place at The LA Shorts Festival (USA). The production was later screened at the YoungCuts Film Festival (Canada) where it was nominated for Best Original Music. At that same event,
David Patty (who portrays Eli, the main character) was nominated for Best Actor.
A COOL DARK PLACE - Directed by Tiffany Frances
With the success of Walter's club Metropolis, his ego is growing but his appetite for power does not sit well with the city's mob bosses. Meanwhile, when his wife Vivienne enters the nightclub on a typical night she finds herself tortured by memories brought on by Metropolis's new act.
Frances and assistant director-producer, Guiseppe Ardizzone (Boardwalk Empire, Men in
Black 3, The Dark Knight Rises, Now You See Me), with music composer, Nathan Whitehead (Desperate Housewives, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Lord of War, House of Wax), pieced together a production that would eventually become an official selection at Brooklyn Girl Film Festival (USA), LA Femme International Film Festival (USA), Chelsea Film Festival (USA), and Cannes Film Festival (France).
Located in Downtown LA, AT&T Center is the Presenting Venue Sponsor of NewFilmmakers LA (NFMLA). Founded in 2007, NFMLA has screened over 900+ films from over 56 countries. NFMLA boasts over 20,000 supporters locally. The organization provides a forum where filmmakers can be recognized with title supporters Sony
Pictures Entertainment, TheWrap, SAG-AFTRA, Variety Magazine and LA Weekly.
For information or to reserve tickets to the NewFilmmakers LA December 13th screening, please visit https://www.newfilmmakersla.com.
