Your Favorite Movies - Alex Drummond

What are Your Favorite Films?

For the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival we encourage you to Find Your New Favorite Movie! As we approach the festival we’ve started a new series on our site where we ask some Phoenix Film Festival filmmaker alumni about some of their favorite movies.

Alex Drummond is the director/writer/producer of PFF 2014 Horror Feature The Shower, a film about a group of friends who get trapped at a baby shower when a mysterious outbreak starts turning people into homicidal maniacs. However, this is not only a horror film, but a film that is “well-acted, and laugh-out-loud funny,” according to a PFF attendee review.

Michael Parsons of DC Film Dom says:

The Shower is a... crossover in the vein of Shaun of the Dead, and hopefully just the beginning... for Drummond, who understands the importance of creating likable, identifiable characters...

This week, Alex shares some of his favorite films with us. (OK, unless you’re binge-watching, your list must be getting really long!)

What is your …

• Favorite Comedy

Annie Hall is the movie that has influenced me the most. I'd put Shaun of the Dead in second place.

• Favorite Drama

Is Die Hard a drama? Pulp Fiction? (Along with Annie Hall, those are my top three.) If I had to pick one, I'd give a slight edge to Die Hard. If I had to pick a straight drama: The Godfather.

• Favorite Documentary Scorsese's The Last Waltz.

• Favorite film you saw on the circuit

I saw a bunch of great movies, but my favorite is one I saw at PFF: Chris Ethridge's The Morningside Monster. (Now called Attack of the Morningside Monster.)

• Favorite film that you think most people have never seen, but should?

My first thought is Quick Change, with Bill Murray … but, maybe a lot of people have seen it. Just in case, I'll throw in Ed Wood.

• Do you have a favorite film poster? I'm partial to the poster for Rocky. It's hanging above my TV.

Alex tells us that PFF came early in The Shower’s festival run, and they had a fun year traveling with the movie. Although, he says, no other festival he attended has a PARTY PAVILION!

He added that, “The filmmakers we met in Phoenix have been a great resource and support. Paul Osborne, Scott Storm, Gary King and Zak Forsman have been a huge help. Paul is like Yoda, but taller. Zak made our DCPs for The Shower, which are amazing.”

Alex reports that The Shower is in final stages of setting up distribution, and he hopes to have The Shower available on VOD and DVD later this year.

http://www.theshowerthemovie.com/

– Laurie Smith

Your Favorite Movies - Mark Stolaroff

What are Your Favorite Films?

For the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival we encourage you to Find Your New Favorite Movie! As we approach the festival we’ve started a new series on our site where we ask some Phoenix Film Festival filmmaker alumni about some of their favorite movies.

Sheri Lindon of The Hollywood Reporter says of The House That Jack Built, “Using Bronx locations and a strong cast of Caribbean-Latino actors, director Henry Barrial constructs a convincing portrait of a neighborhood and its Nuyorican culture, staying true to the scale and sensibility that filmmaker Joseph B. Vasquez envisioned for the movie.”

The film’s producer, Mark Stolaroff, represented at PFF 2014, accepting three awards: Best Picture; Best Director – Henry Barrial; and Best Screenplay – Joseph Vasquez (sadly, Vasquez died in 1995, never to see his last screenplay produced).

This week, Mark shares a few of his favorite films to add to your list!

What is your …

• Favorite Comedy

Monty Python And The Holy Grail.  I saw this film when it came out in the theater. I was 10, and was already a fan of the Pythons from late night TV.  I just thought this was the funniest film I'd ever seen, starting right off with the credits.  Honorable Mention:  Kentucky Fried Movie, Animal House

• Favorite Drama

This is tough, but probably The Godfather.  Just such a perfect film. I was reading a book recently on visual language and then saw the film again, and it was like seeing it anew.  There is so much going on with just the camera.  Gordon Willis was a genius. And Coppola was utterly inspired. Honorable Mention: Godfather Part 2, Chinatown

• Favorite Documentary

This is really hard because there are so many great ones, but I'm going with a film that many people aren't familiar with, despite it winning the Oscar for Best Documentary. Murder On A Sunday Morning. Brutal, enlightening, moving film.  And still so relevant.  Maybe more so today.

• Favorite film you saw on the circuit

Obvious Child.  Saw this at Sundance and fell in love with it and Jenny Slate.  A great movie for Jews!

• Favorite film that you think most people have never seen, but should?

Oh, Man, that's a hard one. I see a lot of films!  There's a great little film by a really talented filmmaker named Sean Baker called Starlet. It won some awards and got some attention, but not what it deserved.

• Do you have a favorite film poster?

Maybe the poster for 127 Hours.  In the film, the guy climbs between rock walls in the desert and then gets stuck. He only has so many hours to get free before he dies.  The poster shows a guy climbing between two rock walls, but when you look closer, you see that the rock walls form the shape of an hourglass, and the boulder in between is like a grain of sand.  I mean, how clever is that!

Following PFF, Mark tells us that The House That Jack Built played a number of festivals, and won eight more awards.  “We're showing it to distributors and we hope to have a deal soon.”   www.thehousethatjackbuiltmovie.com

– Laurie Smith

Your Favorite Movies – Jill D'Agnenica

For the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival we encourage you to Find Your New Favorite Movie! As we approach the festival we’ve started a new series on our site where we ask some Phoenix Film Festival filmmaker alumni about some of their favorite movies.

[box] Life Inside Out Director Jill D'Agnenica (left) and Producer Tessa Bell ~ with PFF's Jason Carney, Chris Lamont and Greg Hall ~ celebrating their Copper Wing Award.[/box]

Jill D’Agnenica, director of Life Inside Out, shares some of her favorite movies with us this week. Called gentle, poignant and down-to-earth, the film was a hit with PFF 2014 audiences ~ so much so that it took home the Audience Award.

What is your …

• Favorite Comedy?

Harold and Maude directed by Hal Ashby has my favorite combination of absurdity and poignancy. I saw it for the first time when I was 12 years old and have been smitten for life.

But for the biggest laughs, only amplified with each subsequent viewing, hands down it’s gotta be Roberto Benigni’s farce of mistaken identity, Il Mostro (The Monster).

• Favorite Drama?

Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders.

• Documentary?

Of the recent past (because I have so many favorite documentaries,) it’s The Cove directed by Louie Psihoyos, which pulls off the amazing trick of behaving like an action packed thriller with comedic moments while being a harrowing piece of investigative reporting.

• Favorite film you saw on the circuit?

Hmm, this is a hard one. The biggest gift for me on the festival circuit, besides sharing our film with audiences across the country, was seeing so many wonderful independent films.  Early on I saw and fell in love with Tu Seras Un Homme by Benoît Cohen and starring his real life wife and son, about a solitary, somewhat abandoned little boy whose life is transformed by a young man his father hires to be his baby sitter.

Other favorites of mine were When a Wolf Falls in Love with a Sheep by Chi-jan Hou, 45 RPM by Juli Jackson, The Big Ask by Thomas Beatty and Rebecca Fishman, and Hank and Asha by James E. Duff and Julia Morrison.

I loved the documentary The Ballad of Shovels and Rope by Jace Freeman, which follows the musician couple who are so sweet they make your teeth chatter. Okay, I promise I am stopping now, but the list could go on and on.

• What is a favorite film that you think most people have never seen, but should?

Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know. I’ve heard Miranda July speak a few times and each time she has lamented, “making movies is hard.” Well, I am so glad that it hasn’t stopped her, because she has such an original, offbeat vision. And, the French film, Tomboy by Céline Sciamma … this film explores gender identity with the softest touch. It is lighthearted and full of love and acceptance and I watched it three times when I was prepping Life Inside Out, for inspiration and encouragement.

• Do you have a favorite film poster?

From the recent past, I can’t stop raving about the poster for Gone Girl, which managed to get away without including the title of the film on the poster, just the phrase, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s...” (Something I suppose you can only do when you’ve got a highly anticipated movie, based on a best-seller.)

Jill tells us that since the 2014 Phoenix Film Festival, Life Inside Out experienced continued success.

“We had such an awesome festival run, and met so many wonderful audience members and fellow filmmakers.”

The film screened at 18 festivals, winning 14 awards (including six for Best Narrative Feature, four Audience Awards, Best Music, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor), and has been doing a limited theatrical release in select cities, with a run at Quad Cinema in NYC coming up this weekend through Thursday – January 16-22. If you still miss it, Monarch Home Entertainment is releasing Life Inside Out on DVD and VOD in the coming months!

www.lifeinsideouththemovie.com

                                                – Laurie Smith

Your Favorite Movies - Matt Rabinowitz

For the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival we encourage you to Find Your New Favorite Movie! As we approach the festival we've started a new series on our site where we ask some Phoenix Film Festival filmmaker alumni about some of their favorite movies. In case you missed the first one, you can see Eddie Jemison's here.  

Next up, Director Matt Rabinowitz. His film The Frontier (Phoenix Film Festival 2014 Official Selection) has been lauded by film critics with high praise. Among the kudos, Martin Tsai of the Los Angeles Times calls the film, “An intimate family drama that subtly and delightfully subverts expectations... Refreshing and astute.”

What is your …

• Favorite Comedy?

Picking a favorite in any genre is always such a difficult task and can be so dependent on how I feel in the moment I'm asked, but the movie that is almost always right there for me regardless of genre is The Jerk. Growing up in the era of Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey, I've always been drawn to character driven comedies, so after my millionth viewing of Ace Ventura or Billy Madison as a film obsessed 10-year-old, my dad forced me to watch The Jerk, "to see how it's really done". It changed my life. I had never seen something so stupid, but so smart. You can do both? At the same time?!?!? It's just perfect, I can quote any line – and I do often, much to the annoyance of everyone I know. Anytime I've named a dog since then it's been a struggle not to name them "Shithead", that's how much The Jerk has affected me.

• Favorite Drama?

There Will Be Blood is my favorite drama; even though I'm almost positive it's a secret comedy … I mean it's hilarious. It's the kind of movie that is just so perfect that it makes me giddy to think about it. I smile the entire runtime to the point where my face cramps. It's genius.

• Documentary?

I'm going to cheat and give two because it's too hard to pick one. Errol Morris' The Thin Blue Line is everything you could ask for in a true crime doc— great story; excellent characters; beautiful filmmaking; and it had an actual impact on the case it illuminates. My other favorite is Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, I love this one for very different reasons, as it's basically a nonfiction Spinal Tap, it's so great. So funny, so epic.

• Favorite film you saw on the circuit?

The thing about the circuit is that you meet so many great people and excellent filmmakers that your opinions of the films and the people behind them merge into one so you can't judge the films objectively, so here's a list of some of the films I've loved made by new friends: The Big Ask, King of Herrings, Little Hope Was Arson, Surviving Cliffside, 10,000km, Fort Tilden, The House That Jack Built.

• Do you have a favorite film poster?

I love the original Citizen Kane one sheet with "It's Terrific!" scrawled across it. I love it so much I stole the quote as my production company name.

Matt reports that since PFF 2014, The Frontier screened at more festivals where they continued to meet a lot of great people, and gathered an impressive array of awards including Best Feature, Awards of Excellence and Best Actor in a Feature (Max Gail). And, the film may soon be available online! “We're in talks now with a company that wants to distribute the film … and, we're working on the next one.” http://www.thefrontierpicture.com/

                                                – Laurie Smith

Your Favorite Movies - Eddie Jemison

For the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival we encourage you to Find Your New Favorite Movie! As we approach the festival we're starting a new series on our site where we ask some Phoenix Film Festival filmmaker alumni about some of their favorite movies.  

First up, Eddie Jemison, whose film King of Herrings received rave reviews from enthusiastic audiences at the 2014 festival … and beyond! Eddie, along with co-director Sean Richardson (both of whom wore many hats) snagged the Dan Harkins Breakthrough Filmmaker Award at PFF 2014.

What is your …

• Favorite Comedy?

The Graduate ~ Mike Nichols, Director 

There's something so funny and so sad about Benjamin Braddock. Dustin Hoffman just has to stand there, and you see both. He's too sincere for the world he's growing into, and has no clue how to open the door and enter adulthood.

• Favorite Drama?

Fanny & Alexander ~ Ingmar Bergman, Director

This movie has everything! It's impossible to pin down its strengths. Long beautiful scenes. The meanest stepfather in the world. A little boy who finds magic just when he needs it. There's good. Evil. A man plays a woman. A woman plays a man (who lives locked in a room and just might be Jesus). An adult story from little boy's perspective.

• Documentary?

Salesman ~ Albert & David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, Directors

Black and white, cinema verite about the utter desperation of door-to-door Bible salesman at the end of the 60s. They press on with so little evidence of hope. Kinda what's it's like being an actor.

• Favorite film you saw on the circuit?

Favor ~ Paul Osborne, Director

Tense, taut, super smart indie thriller that documents the crumbling facade of friendship and what it means to be loyal. An indie film with hints of classic noir, written with more subtlety and finesse than most of what Hollywood offers today.

• Do you have a favorite film poster?

Manhattan ~ Woody Allen, Director

So simple. So moody.

King of Herrings is scheduled for official release on January 20, 2015 by Devolver Digital!  Look for it on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and a bunch of other digital platforms! http://www.kingofherrings.com/

– Laurie Smith

Join us for Amica Insurance Kids' Day!

Join us on Saturday, April 5th, 2013 from 9am to 2pm for Amica Insurance Kids' Day!

Kids' Day at the Phoenix Film Festival is a great way for kids of all ages to come out and experience the festival. They can select from a series of hands-on activity stations focusing on different aspects of film production and geared to various age and ability levels. Stations are age-appropriate and run the full gamut of the filmmaking process. And best yet, it's FREE! Check out just some of the cool things to do:

• Walk the red carpet and get your paparazzi photo taken from our friends at Bookmans.

• Miss Katie from the Musical Instrument Museum will help kids explore different sounds as they create a musical soundtrack to a fun film.

• Mr. Jesse from the Phoenix Public Library is back to read stories, talk about books that are made into movies and have fun with the littler festival fans.

• Write the next best-selling screenplay "Mad Lib" style.

• Test out your acting chops against a green screen.

• Older kids will create their own short film!

$5 Family Friendly Films

Saturday also has two family-friendly screenings of films at the Harkins 101 -- only $5 for our Kids' Day participants:

9:20 AM

The Pirate Fairy

When a misunderstood dust-keeper fairy named Zarina steals Pixie Hollow's all-important Blue Pixie Dust, and flies away to join forces with the pirates of Skull Rock, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to return it to its rightful place. However, in the midst of their pursuit of Zarina, Tink's world is turned upside down. She and her friends find that their respective talents have been switched and they have to race against time to retrieve the Blue Pixie Dust and return home to save Pixie Hollow.

1:20 PM

Disneynature Bears.

In an epic story of breathtaking scale, Disneynature's new True Life Adventure "Bears" showcases a year in the life of a bear family as two impressionable young cubs are taught life's most important lessons. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, their journey begins as winter comes to an end and the bears emerge from hibernation to face the bitter cold. The world outside is excitingbut riskyas the cubs' playful descent down the mountain carries with it a looming threat of avalanches. As the season changes from spring to summer, the brown bears must work hard to find foodultimately feasting at a plentiful salmon runwhile staying safe from rival male bears and predators, including an ever-present wolf pack. "Bears" captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet's last great wildernessesAlaska! Directed by Alastair Fothergill ("Earth," "African Cats" and "Chimpanzee") and Keith Scholey ("African Cats"), "Bears" arrives in theaters April 18, 2014, to celebrate Earth Day. 

Phoenix Film Festival looking for interns

2014 Phoenix Film Festival Internships

The Phoenix Film Festival is looking for interns for the 2014 festival. The internships are unpaid but include festival passes and can be done for school credit. Multiple interns are accepted for each position.

Festival Administrative Intern

This internship will provide the candidate a wide variety of experience working on all aspect of the festival. This will give the intern extensive experience in hospitality and event planning.

• Work directly with the Festival Director on planning of the Festival and other events associated with it. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Work with Filmmaker Relations in planning travel to Festival including air, hotel and ground transportation.
  • Correspond with filmmakers to ensure their needs are all met and that the festival receives all needed materials from them.
  • Work with Events Department on execution of all four major festival parties including entertainment, vendors and logistics.
  • Build web content for films selected to the festival to market the event.
  • Become assistant editor for the printed Festival Program which is a 72 page booklet about the event.
  • Work with Guest Relations on creation of ticketing process including online sales, passes and printed tickets.
  • Coordinating sponsorships with Sponsorship Director including getting materials to and from sponsors.
  • Manage events leading up to the festival that promote the event.

Production Intern

This internship will provide the candidate a wide variety of production experience working on video production aspects of the festival. This will give the intern experience in video production.

• Work directly with the Festival AV Director on execution of production needs for the event. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Capturing video from short films selected to play at the festival from video files on discs, drives and submitted electronically.
  • Assist in producing compilations of the short programs on BluRay.
  • Involved in building BluRays for the opening trailer for the festival programs.
  • Serve as crew for production of video spots broadcast during the festival.
  • Involved with preparing the online video spots for the website.

If you're interested in either of these internships, please contact Jason Carney at 602-955-6444 or jason@phxfilm.com

Kids' Day presented by IFP-Phoenix Returns

Join us on Saturday, April 6th, 2013 from 9am to 2pm for Kids' Day. Kids' day is a great way for children ages 5 to 12 to come out and experience the festival. They can select from a series of hands-on activity stations focusing on different aspects of film production and geared to various age and ability levels.

From coloring black line reproductions of the festival poster for the youngest to acting and creating their own short films for the oldest, kids will love this action-packed morning.  Everyone will get a kick out of the soundtrack station, where they create a musical soundtrack to a fun film, and the screenwriting station, where they write a script  “Mad Lib” style.

Stations are age-appropriate and run the full gamut of the filmmaking process.  At the conclusion of the activities, the whole family is invited to view the family-friendly film screenings that morning and afternoon.

Trailer : "Suspicion"

Suspicion Official Trailer from Tea, Earl Grey, Hot Productions on Vimeo.

2011 PFF selection, "Suspicion" will be opening at Harkins Valley Art on March 2nd. Here's the trailer.

Trailer: "Come Follow Me"

COME FOLLOW ME TEASER from APAIRUS COMPANY on Vimeo.

See the trailer for "Come Follow Me". See the short as part of the Arizona Shorts Program at the 2012 Phoenix Film Festival.