‘The Marching Band,’ ‘Souleyman’s Story’ Top Winners at American French Film Festival – Film News in Brief
The Franco-American Cultural Fund has unveiled the nine award winners from the American French Film Festival, which took place in Hollywood from Oct. 29- Nov. 3.
Taking home top prize for the audience award was “The Marching Band,” directed by Emmanuel Courcol. Boris Lojkine’s “Souleyman’s Story” took home the critics award while Louise Courvoisier’s “Holy Cow” nabbed the first film award. Taking home the American students award was “The Count of Monte Cristo” written and directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patellière. David Hertzog Dessites’ doc “Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand” won the documentary film award.
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In the television category, “The Blissful” from director Stanislas Carré de Malberg won the TV movie award. Isaure Pisani-Ferry’s series “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” won the TV audience award. “Samber” from creator and writer Alice Géraud won the jury series award and Émilie de Monsabert’s “Suzzane” won the short film award.
Thursday, Nov. 7
Cherokee Nation to Dub and Subtitle Prime Video Content in Cherokee
The Cherokee Nation has partnered with Prime Video to dub and subtitle a select number of its original titles in Cherokee. The first series to be made available in the language will be “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
“In our efforts to preserve, share and promote our language, Cherokee Nation continually illustrates the importance of immersing both speakers and learners in Cherokee as much as possible, and not just in a classroom,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “This is the first of many endeavors in what we envision as an incredibly beneficial and long-term relationship with our allies at Amazon. Together, we are making great strides to bring the Cherokee language to a global audience.”
The pilot episode of “The Rings of Power” produced in Cherokee will premiere on Nov. 9 during a special screening event at Cherokee Casino Tahlequah. The entirety of Season 1 will be available to watch in Cherokee by spring 2025.
29th Annual Red Nation International Film Festival Kicks off Nov. 8-16
The 29th annual Red Nation International Film Festival, a Los Angeles-based festival highlighting Native and Indigenous filmmakers, will take place Nov. 8-16. Screenings will be hosted in person at AMC The Grove and virtually on Red Nation Television Network Nov. 1-30.
“This year, we’ve significantly elevated our festival experience with a new home at AMC The Grove,” said RNIFF founder Joanelle Romero. “The entertainment industry is finally recognizing the value of our stories and acknowledging them as bankable assets.”
RNIFF has partnered with Netflix and National Geographic for its 2024 edition to highlight two Native Indigenous documentaries: Critics Choice Award nominee “Sugarcane” directed by Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat and “Yintah” directed by Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell and Michael Toledano.
This year, RNIFF will feature six feature films, 21 docs, 25 documentary shorts, 14 narrative shorts, four animated films and four episodic projects for a total of 76 selections. 25 Indigenous Canadian films will also premiere at the festival.
Todd McIntosh and Peter Tothpal to Receive Lifetime Achievement Awards The Make-up Artist & Hair Stylist Guild Awards
The 12th Annual Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards will honor two long-time Hollywood artisans with the MUAH Lifetime Achievement Award. Emmy-winning make-up artist Todd McIntosh, who has worked on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Memoirs of a Geisha” and Peter Tothpal, also an award-winner, who has worked on “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” The event will occur during the gala on Feb.15 at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel.
McIntosh has over 30 years of experience in the industry, having worked on countless films like “Venom” and the Netflix show “Griselda.” He has won two Primetime Emmys and has 12 nominations. Likewise, Tothpal has been in the industry for countless years working on the creation of many recognizable characters, including those in the “Avengers” films, “Terminator” and “Iron Man 3.”
Wednesday, Nov. 6
‘New Blood‘ Documentary Sets Canadian Release Date
New Blood Films Inc. has revealed that Adam Solway’s documentary “New Blood” will premiere nationwide in Canada on Nov. 22 before heading on an international festival run. In addition, Peter Gabriel, whose music is featured in the film, is serving as executive producer.
According to an official logline, the film “celebrates the life and legacy of Chief Vincent Yellow Old Woman and the New Blood Dance Show; a high school theatre production inspired by a poem written about his life and experiences in residential school, struggling with addiction as a young man, and eventually becoming Chief of Siksika Nation.”
“What drew me to ‘New Blood’ was its beautiful story rooted in my community of Siksika Nation,” said writer-director Solway. “It’s a story about our elders, our youth and how we’re trying to move forward against what we experienced in residential school.”
“New Blood” is co-written, produced and edited by Austin Ladouceur. Sheila Peacock produces for CBC while Dawn Nagazina and Kelsey Andries serve as consulting producers. “New Blood” was produced in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, with the assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Media Fund, Rogers Documentary Fund, the government of Canada and Calgary Arts Development.
Tuesday, Nov 5
‘Cobra Kai’ Star Hannah Kepple Joins Romantic Comedy ‘The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo‘
“Cobra Kai” actor Hannah Kepple will star alongside newcomers Anna Mirodin and Alexandro Byrd in the romantic comedy “The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo.”
“Based on a true story, ‘The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo’ is a coming of age romantic comedy set in the suburbs of NY in 1984. It’s the story of a 16 year old girl who hosts a larger-than-life male Spanish exchange student who proceeds to hook up with most of the girls in her school while she falls in love with him,” reads the film’s logline.
Directed by Michael Walker, “The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo” is written by Walker and Susan Gomes. Michael Goodin and Alfred Sapse serve as producers. The cast also includes Lena Pepe, Chase Vacnin, Ben Heineman, Evan Guerrera, Julia Tulchin, and Jonathan Auguste.
Kepple is best known for her portrayal of Moon in “Cobra Kai.”
Monday, Nov. 4
Colman Domingo Honored With Spotlight Award at Palm Springs International Film Festival
For the second year in a row, Colman Domingo is set to receive the Spotlight Award for actor at the Palm Springs International Film Awards. The awards ceremony will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3, the second night of the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs Jan. 2-13.
Domingo will be honored alongside stars Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez as well as director Jacques Audiard of “Emilia Pérez,” previously announced as the recipient of the Vanguard Award.
“We are so thrilled to honor the remarkable talent of Colman Domingo at the Palm Springs International Film Awards for the second year in a row. In ‘Sing Sing,’ Colman Domingo delivers another outstanding performance based on the true story of the wrongfully convicted Divine G, who finds purpose in prison through stage acting,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “For this incredibly raw and captivating performance, it is our honor to present the Spotlight Award, Actor to Colman Domingo.”
In A24’s “Sing Sing,” Domingo’s character Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer played by Clarence Maclin. Domingo also executive produced “Sing Sing,” which is directed by Greg Kwedar.
Past recipients of the Spotlight Award, Actor include Bryan Cranston for “Trumbo,” Brendan Fraser for “The Whale” and Andrew Garfield for “Hacksaw Ridge” along with Domingo himself for “Rustin” last year. All four received Oscar nominations for Best Actor, with Fraser receiving the Best Actor award.
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