Martin Scorsese is an executive producer on the four-hour documentary.
Amazon studios has acquired Sundance premiere Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary about American rock band The Grateful Dead.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the doc follows the band across a 30-year period as they experiment with music genres and eschew pop cliché.
The film will debut on Amazon Prime Video in the Us and UK in May as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced at a later date.
Long Strange Trip was produced by Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff and Alex Bavatnik, who also financed the project. Additional producers included Ken Dornstein and Justin Kreutzmann. Exec producers in addition to Scorsese were Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Rick Yorn, Andrew Heller, Sanford Heller, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Thomas J. Mangan IV, and Alicia Sams.
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the...
Amazon studios has acquired Sundance premiere Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary about American rock band The Grateful Dead.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the doc follows the band across a 30-year period as they experiment with music genres and eschew pop cliché.
The film will debut on Amazon Prime Video in the Us and UK in May as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced at a later date.
Long Strange Trip was produced by Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff and Alex Bavatnik, who also financed the project. Additional producers included Ken Dornstein and Justin Kreutzmann. Exec producers in addition to Scorsese were Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Rick Yorn, Andrew Heller, Sanford Heller, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Thomas J. Mangan IV, and Alicia Sams.
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the...
- 1/18/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Martin Scorsese is an executive producer on the four-hour documentary.
Amazon studios has acquired Sundance premiere Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary about American rock band The Grateful Dead.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the doc follows the band across a 30-year period as they experiment with music genres and eschew pop cliché.
The film will debut on Amazon Prime Video in the Us and UK in May as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced at a later date.
Long Strange Trip was produced by Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff and Alex Bavatnik, who also financed the project. Additional producers included Ken Dornstein and Justin Kreutzmann. Exec producers in addition to Scorsese were Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Rick Yorn, Andrew Heller, Sanford Heller, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Thomas J. Mangan IV, and Alicia Sams.
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the...
Amazon studios has acquired Sundance premiere Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary about American rock band The Grateful Dead.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the doc follows the band across a 30-year period as they experiment with music genres and eschew pop cliché.
The film will debut on Amazon Prime Video in the Us and UK in May as a six-part documentary, with additional territories to be announced at a later date.
Long Strange Trip was produced by Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff and Alex Bavatnik, who also financed the project. Additional producers included Ken Dornstein and Justin Kreutzmann. Exec producers in addition to Scorsese were Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Rick Yorn, Andrew Heller, Sanford Heller, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Thomas J. Mangan IV, and Alicia Sams.
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the...
- 1/18/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Amazon Studios has acquired “Long Strange Trip,” the four hour documentary about the Grateful Dead playing in the Documentary Premieres section of the Sundance Film Festival. The film is directed by Amir Bar-Lev (“The Tillman Story”) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
Read More: Sundance 2017: Netflix, Vertical Acquire ‘Berlin Syndrome’
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the Grateful Dead,” Scorsese said in a statement. “They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.”
Amazon will release the movie on May 26 on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and UK as a six-part documentary. Band members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir, as...
Read More: Sundance 2017: Netflix, Vertical Acquire ‘Berlin Syndrome’
“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of the Grateful Dead,” Scorsese said in a statement. “They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.”
Amazon will release the movie on May 26 on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and UK as a six-part documentary. Band members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir, as...
- 1/18/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
The Industry Days program at the recent Chicago International Film Festival wrapped up with a panel featuring four female film professionals who shared their experiences in the business and their thoughts on the state of gender equality in filmmaking. The panel, dubbed "Power Players: How Women Executives and Producers are Changing the Business," was moderated by Ilyse McKimmie (Labs Director, Feature Film Program at Sundance Institute) and featured Rebecca Green (producer, "It Follows"), Alicia Sams (producer, "Amreeka"), and Amy Hobby (Tangerine Entertainment). A cautious optimism permeated the room as they discussed the issue. Below are some highlights of the discussion. Read More: Attention, Female Filmmakers: The Film Fatales Are Here to Help You An uneven playing field McKimmie set the table for the conversation by bringing up some statistics. "Out of the 250 highest grossing films produced in 2014, 7% were directed by women, 23% had a...
- 11/2/2015
- by Adam Cook
- Indiewire
The UK’s Sixteen Films is joining forces with French Le Pacte, German Pandora and Egyptian Film Clinic to co-produce Palestinian filmmaker’s Sameh Zoabi Gaza-set comedy Catch The Moon.
Described as a “dramatic comedy”, it revolves around a father and son’s attempts to a get a brand new Mercedes into Gaza during an Israeli blockade, after the father promises the son’s new bride the car as a gift.
Determined to keep the promise, the pair will go to any lengths to get the prestigious vehicle into the closed territory.
Jean Labadie’s Paris-based production and distribution house Le Pacte is also handling international sales.
Zoabi, whose credits include the comic Man Without a Cellphone, will direct the film from an original first screenplay by writer Anne Koski-Wood.
“Anne’s starting point was imagining what on earth normal life could be like in Gaza… it’s a difficult concept and this evolved into a dramatic...
Described as a “dramatic comedy”, it revolves around a father and son’s attempts to a get a brand new Mercedes into Gaza during an Israeli blockade, after the father promises the son’s new bride the car as a gift.
Determined to keep the promise, the pair will go to any lengths to get the prestigious vehicle into the closed territory.
Jean Labadie’s Paris-based production and distribution house Le Pacte is also handling international sales.
Zoabi, whose credits include the comic Man Without a Cellphone, will direct the film from an original first screenplay by writer Anne Koski-Wood.
“Anne’s starting point was imagining what on earth normal life could be like in Gaza… it’s a difficult concept and this evolved into a dramatic...
- 5/13/2015
- ScreenDaily
Click here for complete coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival (Ciff 2012)
France, Germany, Hungary, Canada, Israel And The United States
Take Home The Gold
The 48th Chicago International Festival announces the winners of its competitions
news release
Chicago (October 19, 2012) – Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director, Mimi Plauché, Programming Director, and Programmers Alex Kopecky and Penny Bartlett proudly announce the winners of the 48th Chicago International Film Festival Competitions.
French filmmaker Leos Carax’s exuberant and euphoric Holy Motors leads this extraordinary group of films with three awards. Carax’s first film, Boy Meets Girl, premiered in Chicago in 1984 as part of the 20th Chicago International Film Festival’s International Competition.
Many of the winners will be showcased during the Festival’s Best of the Fest program, Wednesday, October 24 at the AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.). The Festival runs until Thursday October 25 when Closing Night film Flight (our review...
France, Germany, Hungary, Canada, Israel And The United States
Take Home The Gold
The 48th Chicago International Festival announces the winners of its competitions
news release
Chicago (October 19, 2012) – Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director, Mimi Plauché, Programming Director, and Programmers Alex Kopecky and Penny Bartlett proudly announce the winners of the 48th Chicago International Film Festival Competitions.
French filmmaker Leos Carax’s exuberant and euphoric Holy Motors leads this extraordinary group of films with three awards. Carax’s first film, Boy Meets Girl, premiered in Chicago in 1984 as part of the 20th Chicago International Film Festival’s International Competition.
Many of the winners will be showcased during the Festival’s Best of the Fest program, Wednesday, October 24 at the AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.). The Festival runs until Thursday October 25 when Closing Night film Flight (our review...
- 10/22/2012
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
All the nominees for the 62nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards:
Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
H. Jon Benjamin, "Archer"
Dave Foley, "Disney Prep & Landing"
Seth Green, "Robot Chicken"
Dan Castellaneta, "The Simpsons"
Hank Azaria, "The Simpsons"
Anne Hathaway, "The Simpsons"
Outstanding Animated Program
"Alien Earths" (Ngc)
"Disney Prep & Landing" (ABC)
"The Ricky Gervais Show" - "Knob at Night" (HBO)
"The Simpsons" - "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" (Fox)
"South Park" - "200/201" (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Short-format Animated Program
"Adventure Time" - "My Two Favorite People" (Cartoon Network)
"Chowder" - "The Toots" (Cartoon Network)
"Disney Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil" - "Racing the Schoolbus" (Disney Channel)
"The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack" - "Tee Hee Tummy Tums" (Cartoon Network)
"Robot Chicken" - "Full-Assed Christmas Special" (Cartoon Network)
"Uncle Grandpa" (cartoonnetwork.com)
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Hell's Kitchen"
"How I Met Your Mother"
"The New Adventures Of Old Christine...
Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
H. Jon Benjamin, "Archer"
Dave Foley, "Disney Prep & Landing"
Seth Green, "Robot Chicken"
Dan Castellaneta, "The Simpsons"
Hank Azaria, "The Simpsons"
Anne Hathaway, "The Simpsons"
Outstanding Animated Program
"Alien Earths" (Ngc)
"Disney Prep & Landing" (ABC)
"The Ricky Gervais Show" - "Knob at Night" (HBO)
"The Simpsons" - "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" (Fox)
"South Park" - "200/201" (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Short-format Animated Program
"Adventure Time" - "My Two Favorite People" (Cartoon Network)
"Chowder" - "The Toots" (Cartoon Network)
"Disney Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil" - "Racing the Schoolbus" (Disney Channel)
"The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack" - "Tee Hee Tummy Tums" (Cartoon Network)
"Robot Chicken" - "Full-Assed Christmas Special" (Cartoon Network)
"Uncle Grandpa" (cartoonnetwork.com)
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Hell's Kitchen"
"How I Met Your Mother"
"The New Adventures Of Old Christine...
- 7/8/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
For the Obama family and for everyone who campaigned or voted for him, By the People is a feel good memory to add to the scrapbook. Considering that this is literally yesterday's news and hasn't yet aged, the Rice-Sams card still managed to carve out an easy watch and make an overly processed in the media road to the presidency, feel somewhat dynamic. - It'll be a bittersweet viewing for plenty of folks who end up watching today's Daily Recommendation, but for the avid docu fan in me, Amy Rice and Alicia Sams' By the People: The Election of Barack Obama had me thinking of a pair of documentary films (Chris Hegedus and Da Pennebaker's The War Room and Robert Drew's Primary) that gave a far more gripping account of the campaign trail. For the Obama family and for everyone who campaigned or voted for him, By the...
- 12/13/2009
- by Ioncinema.com Staff
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago – HollywoodChicago.com recently interviewed Edward Norton on the new HBO documentary “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama” along with co-directors Amy Rice and Alicia Sams. Edward Norton served as a producer.
Question: What did this campaign and this candidate do to motivate kids (like 9-year-old Lorenzo Rivera) in such a way that they would hit the phones for Barack Obama in support?
Edward Norton.
Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris, WireImage.com
Producer Edward Norton: It’s interesting because in some ways that’s what made us want to start this (project) in the first place. When Amy (Rice) first proposed it to us, it wasn’t a campaign film.
The idea was to chronicle this junior senator as he entered into the battle of government and politics. I think what drew us to him in the same way it drew everyone else was that he was so much younger.
Question: What did this campaign and this candidate do to motivate kids (like 9-year-old Lorenzo Rivera) in such a way that they would hit the phones for Barack Obama in support?
Edward Norton.
Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris, WireImage.com
Producer Edward Norton: It’s interesting because in some ways that’s what made us want to start this (project) in the first place. When Amy (Rice) first proposed it to us, it wasn’t a campaign film.
The idea was to chronicle this junior senator as he entered into the battle of government and politics. I think what drew us to him in the same way it drew everyone else was that he was so much younger.
- 11/13/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In early 2006, filmmakers Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, along with their friend Edward Norton, the actor and activist, who had signed on as their producer, approached investors with the following idea for a documentary: chronicling the first term in office of the young, charismatic junior senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, in hopes that he might run for president in 2012. They had already been filming for a year when Obama announced his candidacy, on February 10, 2007. Their gamble paid off doubly when Obama won the democratic primary, and triply when he defeated John McCain for the presidency last November. What could have simply been a telling story of the rise and fall of a political campaign turned into a portrait of a uniquely inspiring candidate and his phenomenally effective team. And it had a happy ending. Their film, By the People, premieres on HBO tonight. Over the course of three years, Rice...
- 11/3/2009
- Vanity Fair
Good documentaries tell us--and, even better, show us--something we don't already know. This is the problem with By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, which HBO debuts tonight at 9 p.m. Et on the anniversary of Barack Obama's election to the presidency. Amy Rice and Alicia Sams' film, which is produced by Ed Norton, ends on election night 2008, and offers a solid overview of the entire campaign, and a pretty straightforward examination of...
- 11/3/2009
- by Andy Dehnart
- Reality Blurred
As we approach this week's first anniversary of Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States, it's a time for remembering the past, contemplating the future and, of course, exploiting whatever random Obamaesque goodness we can find in between. Hence By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, an ostensibly all-access documentary culled from two years in the shadows of the Obama campaign (and premiering Tuesday on HBO). Produced by Edward Norton and directed by the rookie tandem of Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, it's got class and scope to spare. Now if only it could find its teeth.
- 11/2/2009
- Movieline
A year later, it's a bittersweet experience watching Amy Rice and Alicia Sams' documentary, By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, which premieres at 9Pm Tuesday (11.03.09) on HBO. (Also depressing: There was a time in the not-so-distant past when a film like this - with this kind of access to a successful presidential campaign - would have been a theatrical release.) Starting on Election Night 2006, the film follows then-Sen. Barack Obama as he launches his presidential campaign, winning the nomination and the election after overcoming a field of better-known opponents - including the all-but-coronated Hillary Rodham Clinton - and a skeptical press corps that regularly predicted his collapse. The film goes from the 2006 election ("Are you going to run for president?") to Iowa in 2007 and on to the Iowa caucuses, continues through the primaries, then carries him through...
- 10/30/2009
- by Marshall Fine
- Huffington Post
See the trailer for HBO's "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama" which airs on HBO on November 3rd. HBO Documentary Films presents a Green Film Company presentation in association with Citi Productions, a Class 5 Films production in association with Good. Nearly a year before Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the Presidency on February 10, 2007, filmmakers Amy Rice and Alicia Sams began to roll cameras on the young Senator. Over the next 19 months, they found themselves travelling all across the country, chronicling the daily ups and downs of the campaign trail as experienced by Obama...
- 10/15/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Prepare to see stars in your local arthouse as the summer turns to fall. Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Drew Barrymore will all grace celluloid in the coming months. There are new films from star directors -- Tarantino! Campion! Soderbergh! Coen brothers! Even the new documentaries are driven by stars -- Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story," LeBron James' "More Than a Game" and Anna Wintour's "The September Issue." And then, as Matt Singer will tell you, there are breakout stars who you should start catching up with now. In between, there's epic animation ("Ponyo" and "9"), an astounding array of asskicking ("Ong Bak 2" and "Black Dynamite") and Lars von Trier's "Antichrist," proving there's there's just about something for everyone this fall at the multiplex. (And if not there, make sure to check out what films you can catch in the comfort of your own home on demand,...
- 8/6/2009
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
This week's new releases include a Latin American double bill on the nature of the fame game, a British one-two centered on the macabre and a global smattering of meditations on love young and old.
Download this in audio form (MP3: 13:04 minutes, 12 Mb) Subscribe to the In Theaters podcast: [Xml] [iTunes]
"Beeswax"
Following on the heels of well-received festival performers "Funny Ha Ha" and "Mutual Appreciation," mumblecore alum Andrew Bujalski delivers another characteristically lo-fi tale of post-grads trying to build lives for themselves. Complete with a who's who of Austin indie film players (including SXSW film fest head Janet Pierson), this Texas-set ramble centers on the unfulfilled lives of twin sisters Lauren and Jeannie (non-pros Maggie and Tilly Hatcher), the former a carefree drifting spirit, the latter a headstrong business owner.
Opens in New York.
"Bliss"
Progressive and traditionalist values clash against the barren backdrop of Eastern Turkey with the...
Download this in audio form (MP3: 13:04 minutes, 12 Mb) Subscribe to the In Theaters podcast: [Xml] [iTunes]
"Beeswax"
Following on the heels of well-received festival performers "Funny Ha Ha" and "Mutual Appreciation," mumblecore alum Andrew Bujalski delivers another characteristically lo-fi tale of post-grads trying to build lives for themselves. Complete with a who's who of Austin indie film players (including SXSW film fest head Janet Pierson), this Texas-set ramble centers on the unfulfilled lives of twin sisters Lauren and Jeannie (non-pros Maggie and Tilly Hatcher), the former a carefree drifting spirit, the latter a headstrong business owner.
Opens in New York.
"Bliss"
Progressive and traditionalist values clash against the barren backdrop of Eastern Turkey with the...
- 8/3/2009
- by Neil Pedley
- ifc.com
One of the most-speculated about documentaries made this past year was By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, a film with unprecedented access to Barack Obama's presidential campaign directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams and produced by Edward Norton. The doc (encompassing the last three years of Obama's career) will air on HBO in November, but it screened for the first time in Los Angeles last night. What are the big takeaways?...
- 7/31/2009
- Movieline
A documentary on President Barack Obama's journey to the White House -- produced by Edward Norton's Classic 5 Films -- has been bought and is coming to television. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group has obtained the rights to the documentary titled 'By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,' according to the Hollywood Reporter. The picture follows Obama from his U.S. Senate seat to his momentous election and inauguration as the first black president of the United States. The documentary -- directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams -- is scheduled to air on HBO.
[Read full story on The Insider]...
[Read full story on The Insider]...
- 4/8/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Last year, Edward Norton helped assemble a documentary about Barack Obama's campaign for the White House. That film, By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, will air on HBO, and Sony Pictures has acquired international media rights for the documentary, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Norton produced the film and is kind of the face of the project; Amy Rice and Alicia Sams did most of the work on the ground. They're the directors of the ambitious project, which followed Obama from his days as a senator announcing his bid for the highest office in the free world all the way up to the culmination of that journey last November.
Norton produced the film and is kind of the face of the project; Amy Rice and Alicia Sams did most of the work on the ground. They're the directors of the ambitious project, which followed Obama from his days as a senator announcing his bid for the highest office in the free world all the way up to the culmination of that journey last November.
- 4/8/2009
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
"By the People: The Election of Barack Obama" follows the former Illinois senator from candidacy to inauguration.
By Wrap Staff
Barack Obama is coming to the movies.
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group has picked up Edward Norton’s “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama.” The documentary, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, was produced by Norton’s Class 5 Films. It follows Obama from the announcement on Feb. 10, 2007, of his candidacy for President to his inauguration.
Norton got the idea for the documentary after watching Obama at the 2004 Democratic convention, and Rice and Sams started shooting footage even before his candidacy was officially announced.
<...
By Wrap Staff
Barack Obama is coming to the movies.
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group has picked up Edward Norton’s “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama.” The documentary, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, was produced by Norton’s Class 5 Films. It follows Obama from the announcement on Feb. 10, 2007, of his candidacy for President to his inauguration.
Norton got the idea for the documentary after watching Obama at the 2004 Democratic convention, and Rice and Sams started shooting footage even before his candidacy was officially announced.
<...
- 4/8/2009
- by admin
- The Wrap
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group has acquired all international media rights (excluding U.K. television) as well as domestic home entertainment rights to the documentary "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama."
Produced by Edward Norton's Class 5 Films and directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, the film will air on HBO, which picked up other U.S. rights in November.
The documentary follows the former senator from the announcement of his candidacy to his historic election and inauguration as the first black president of the United States.
"This remarkable film gives us a unique behind-the-scenes look at a truly transformative event; the filmmakers have done a beautiful job of creating a compelling narrative, and we are proud to be able to make the film available to the global market," Spwag president Steve Bersch said in announcing the acquisition along with Keith Le Goy, president of international distribution at Sony Pictures Television.
Produced by Edward Norton's Class 5 Films and directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, the film will air on HBO, which picked up other U.S. rights in November.
The documentary follows the former senator from the announcement of his candidacy to his historic election and inauguration as the first black president of the United States.
"This remarkable film gives us a unique behind-the-scenes look at a truly transformative event; the filmmakers have done a beautiful job of creating a compelling narrative, and we are proud to be able to make the film available to the global market," Spwag president Steve Bersch said in announcing the acquisition along with Keith Le Goy, president of international distribution at Sony Pictures Television.
- 4/7/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
by indieWIRE (January 4, 2009) Editors Note: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling dramatic and documentary competition and American Spectrum directors who have films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Muna Farah, a Palestinian single mom, struggles to maintain her optimistic spirit in the daily grind of intimidating West Bank checkpoints, the constant nagging of a controlling mother, and the haunting shadows of a failed marriage. Everything changes one day when she receives a letter informing her that her family has been granted a U.S. green card. Reluctant to leave her homeland, but realizing it may be the only way to secure a future for Fadi, her teenage son, Muna decides to quit her job at the bank and visit her relatives in Illinois to see about a new life in a land that gives newcomers a run for their money.
Amreeka
Director: Cherien Dabis...
Muna Farah, a Palestinian single mom, struggles to maintain her optimistic spirit in the daily grind of intimidating West Bank checkpoints, the constant nagging of a controlling mother, and the haunting shadows of a failed marriage. Everything changes one day when she receives a letter informing her that her family has been granted a U.S. green card. Reluctant to leave her homeland, but realizing it may be the only way to secure a future for Fadi, her teenage son, Muna decides to quit her job at the bank and visit her relatives in Illinois to see about a new life in a land that gives newcomers a run for their money.
Amreeka
Director: Cherien Dabis...
- 1/5/2009
- by brian
- indieWIRE - People
Jeff Reichert, who left his post as senior vp at Magnolia Pictures in October, is directing the documentary "Gerrymandering," an examination of political redistricting that is being executive produced by Bill Mundell, a leader in the redistricting reform movement.
The film is one of three docs being backed by New York-based Green Film Co., founded last year by indie producers Dan O'Meara and Chris Romano to make films covering a range of social issues. In addition to "Gerrymandering," Green is financing the untitled documentary about Barack Obama, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, that will air on HBO. It also has partnered with Chad Troutwine to produce "Freakonomics," a doc based on the Steven Levitt/Stephen Dubner best-seller that is being directed by several different filmmakers, including Morgan Spurlock and Alex Gibney.
Reichert became interested in the topic during the Texas congressional redistricting of 2003, which was appealed to the...
The film is one of three docs being backed by New York-based Green Film Co., founded last year by indie producers Dan O'Meara and Chris Romano to make films covering a range of social issues. In addition to "Gerrymandering," Green is financing the untitled documentary about Barack Obama, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams, that will air on HBO. It also has partnered with Chad Troutwine to produce "Freakonomics," a doc based on the Steven Levitt/Stephen Dubner best-seller that is being directed by several different filmmakers, including Morgan Spurlock and Alex Gibney.
Reichert became interested in the topic during the Texas congressional redistricting of 2003, which was appealed to the...
- 12/16/2008
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor Edward Norton has produced a documentary chronicling the journey of America’s next President Barack Obama’s to the White House. Norton’s production company Class 5 Films has closed a deal with bosses at HBO who will then plan to air the finished series in early 2009. The actor reportedly approached Obama in 2006 to document his entrance into the world of politics with his role as a senator for the state of Illinois. Directors Alicia Sams (Election Day) and Amy Rice (”Little Beauties: Ultimate Kiddie Queen Showdown”) filmed extensive footage of the Obama in his Illinois years and continued to capture the politician as he kicked off his presidential campaign in 2007. Norton tells the Hollywood Reporter, “Senator Obama’s history-making [...]...
- 11/9/2008
- by Tessa
- ShockYa
The presidential campaign of the newly-elected Barack Obama will be compiled in a documentary which will be aired by HBO. The network have secured the rights to have the campaign's behind-the-scenes from Edward Norton's production company for reportedly at least $1 million.
Directed by Amy Rice, the documentary is a year-long plan that Norton's company had initiated before Obama was even in to run for the presidential this year. Rice and a fellow director Alicia Sams reportedly saw a potential in the Democrat when his campaign became a success and they started filming in August 2006 when Obama was in a 15-day trip to Africa.
Sam Pollard who was behind HBO's Hurricane Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke", will be the editor while others from Obama's camp such as the campaign staff, friends and family contribute to the content. HBO define the documentary as "American politics and culture through the prism of (Obama's) candidacy.
Directed by Amy Rice, the documentary is a year-long plan that Norton's company had initiated before Obama was even in to run for the presidential this year. Rice and a fellow director Alicia Sams reportedly saw a potential in the Democrat when his campaign became a success and they started filming in August 2006 when Obama was in a 15-day trip to Africa.
Sam Pollard who was behind HBO's Hurricane Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke", will be the editor while others from Obama's camp such as the campaign staff, friends and family contribute to the content. HBO define the documentary as "American politics and culture through the prism of (Obama's) candidacy.
- 11/8/2008
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Actor Edward Norton has produced a documentary chronicling America's next President Barack Obama's path to the White House.
The Fight Club star's production company Class 5 Films has closed a deal with bosses at American network HBO, who plan to air the finished programme early in 2009.
Norton reportedly approached the Obama campaign in 2006 to document his entrance into the world of politics. Directors Alicia Sams and Amy Rice filmed extensive footage of the Obama in his role as Illinois' senator and continued to shoot the politician as he kicked off his presidential campaign in 2007.
Norton tells the Hollywood Reporter, "Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history."...
The Fight Club star's production company Class 5 Films has closed a deal with bosses at American network HBO, who plan to air the finished programme early in 2009.
Norton reportedly approached the Obama campaign in 2006 to document his entrance into the world of politics. Directors Alicia Sams and Amy Rice filmed extensive footage of the Obama in his role as Illinois' senator and continued to shoot the politician as he kicked off his presidential campaign in 2007.
Norton tells the Hollywood Reporter, "Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history."...
- 11/7/2008
- WENN
Actor Edward Norton has produced a documentary chronicling America's next President Barack Obama's path to the White House.
The Fight Club star's production company Class 5 Films has closed a deal with bosses at American network HBO, who plan to air the finished programme early in 2009.
Norton reportedly approached the Obama campaign in 2006 to document his entrance into the world of politics. Directors Alicia Sams and Amy Rice filmed extensive footage of the Obama in his role as Illinois' senator and continued to shoot the politician as he kicked off his presidential campaign in 2007.
Norton tells the Hollywood Reporter, "Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history."...
The Fight Club star's production company Class 5 Films has closed a deal with bosses at American network HBO, who plan to air the finished programme early in 2009.
Norton reportedly approached the Obama campaign in 2006 to document his entrance into the world of politics. Directors Alicia Sams and Amy Rice filmed extensive footage of the Obama in his role as Illinois' senator and continued to shoot the politician as he kicked off his presidential campaign in 2007.
Norton tells the Hollywood Reporter, "Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history."...
- 11/7/2008
- WENN
indieWIRE reports that HBO has acquired the television rights to a long-in-the-works documentary about Barack Obama's run for president, produced by Edward Norton, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams and edited by Sam Pollard. Pollard's oft-collaborator Spike Lee discussed the film a bit earlier this year at Silverdocs. More from Variety's Michael Jones and Jeff Wells, who thinks it's a mistake for the filmmakers to shoot the innauguration if it means the film won't be ready for release until late 2009. Meanwhile, the film's theatrical distribution rights are apparently still up for grabs. ...
- 11/7/2008
- by Karina Longworth
- Spout
indieWIRE reports that HBO has acquired the television rights to a long-in-the-works documentary about Barack Obama's run for president, produced by Edward Norton, directed by Amy Rice and Alicia Sams and edited by Sam Pollard. Pollard's oft-collaborator Spike Lee discussed the film a bit earlier this year at Silverdocs. More from Variety's Michael Jones and Jeff Wells, who thinks it's a mistake for the filmmakers to shoot the innauguration if it means the film won't be ready for release until late 2009. Meanwhile, the film's theatrical distribution rights are apparently still up for grabs. ...
- 11/7/2008
- by Karina Longworth
- Spout
HBO has closed a seven-figure deal for U.S. rights to an untitled Barack Obama documentary from producer Edward Norton.
Norton's Class 5 Films approached the Obama campaign in early 2006 about a doc chronicling the new president elect's history in politics. Directors Amy Rice and Alicia Sams were granted extensive access to film Obama before he launched his presidential run in 2007 and have continued their shoot through his historic victory this week.
HBO, which has been pursuing rights for several months, plans to air the feature-length docu next year. The footage, culled from 2 1/2 years of filming, includes interviews with Obama, his senior campaign staff, family, friends and volunteers.
"Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history," said Norton, who produced the project with Stuart Blumberg and Bill Migliore. "We believe...
Norton's Class 5 Films approached the Obama campaign in early 2006 about a doc chronicling the new president elect's history in politics. Directors Amy Rice and Alicia Sams were granted extensive access to film Obama before he launched his presidential run in 2007 and have continued their shoot through his historic victory this week.
HBO, which has been pursuing rights for several months, plans to air the feature-length docu next year. The footage, culled from 2 1/2 years of filming, includes interviews with Obama, his senior campaign staff, family, friends and volunteers.
"Senator Obama's history-making race for the White House has given our film a perfect framework to explore the pulse of the country at this vital moment in our history," said Norton, who produced the project with Stuart Blumberg and Bill Migliore. "We believe...
- 11/6/2008
- by By Gregg Goldstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Billy Bob Thornton has signed on to star in the feature film adaptation of Peace Like a River for Warner Bros. Pictures. Brad Pitt will produce for Plan B, with David Brown and Kit Golden producing through their Manhattan Project shingle. Plan B's Kristin Hahn will serve as the executive producer. Alicia Sams is the co-producer, and Courtenay Valenti is overseeing for Warners.
- 6/17/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Billy Bob Thornton has signed on to star in the feature film adaptation of Peace Like a River for Warner Bros. Pictures. Brad Pitt will produce for Plan B, with David Brown and Kit Golden producing through their Manhattan Project shingle. Plan B's Kristin Hahn will serve as the executive producer. Alicia Sams is the co-producer, and Courtenay Valenti is overseeing for Warners.
- 6/17/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Off the screen and into one's heart, the legendary West Hollywood restaurant Chasen's and its sophisticated and inspiringly dedicated staff are the meaty main courses in Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's tangy and not overcooked documentary.
The closing-night offering of the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, "Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's" was enthusiastically devoured Monday by a packed audience at the Directors Guild of America, including the likes of Rod Steiger and Martin Landau, two of the many Hollywood personalities seen in the film who made eating and socializing at Chasen's a regular habit.
In January 1995, the New York-based filmmakers fortuitously lodged at a bed-and-breakfast hosted by Raymond Bilbool, the longtime banquet supervisor at Chasen's; they learned the restaurant was scheduled to close April 1 of that year. Intrigued by the flamboyant Bilbool's stories of the countless stars and world figures that patronized Chasen's, they set out to film its final 12 days of operation.
With access to the staff, all parts of the restaurant, numerous Hollywood veterans and extensive archival material, Berman and Pulcini revel in the lore and ruminate about the significance of Chasen's closing. They get plenty of assistance from such passionate interviewees as David Brown, Chuck and Ava Fries, Tom Snyder and Michael Lerner.
Unfortunately, the founders and longtime operators of the initially modest 1940s eatery -- the late Dave and now elderly Maude Chasen -- are seen only in photographs and a few moments from a 1960 broadcast of "This Is Your Life". The high standard of personalized service to the wealthy and famous and Chasen's high-protein/high-fat specialties -- as well as the multitude of alcoholic beverages poured during the decades -- began with the Chasens and they are spoken of fondly by employees and friends in the film.
Among the many highlights that humorously underscore how seriously Hollywood likes to play and celebrate: bartender Pepe Ruiz prepares his "Flame of Love" cocktail for an attentive Ed McMahon; Rod Steiger consumes a massive quantity of food in a kingly repast; Quentin Tarantino heads the charge at Chasen's last Oscar party; and Fay Wray reads a personal lament she wrote about the restaurant's closing.
Most affected by the march of time (although Chasen's is reopening in a new Beverly Hills location April 18 and continues to hold special events at its Beverly Boulevard site) are Bilbool, Ruiz, and the other longtime staffers, many of whom worked there for decades. The film is dedicated to the late Tommy Gallagher, the fearless captain who is seen in a hilarious series of Zelig-like photographs with superstars and presidents.
As the fateful date looms, the staff grows nostalgic and the finale becomes a tear-jerker, while the filmmakers friskily scoot through the kitchen and restrooms and capture the lively atmosphere and heart-rending moments of suppressed grief.
A longtime denizen of Paramount and former producer of B westerns, A.C. Lyles elegantly professes his love of the movies and how Chasen's was part of this "fantasy world." In "Off the Menu", there's a healthy dose of reality, but in the spirit of Gallagher -- who was buried in his Chasen's uniform with a menu -- this historical and cultural feast of a documentary is unhesitatingly worth embracing.
OFF THE MENU: THE LAST DAYS OF CHASEN'S
A La Carte Films
Lobo Grande Pictures
Directors:Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Producer:Julia Strohm
Executive producers:Diandra Douglas, Alicia Sams
Co-executive producer:James Kimsey
Cinematographers:Ken Kobland, Sandra Chandler
Editor:Robert Pulcini
Music:Mark Suozzo
Color/stereo
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The closing-night offering of the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, "Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's" was enthusiastically devoured Monday by a packed audience at the Directors Guild of America, including the likes of Rod Steiger and Martin Landau, two of the many Hollywood personalities seen in the film who made eating and socializing at Chasen's a regular habit.
In January 1995, the New York-based filmmakers fortuitously lodged at a bed-and-breakfast hosted by Raymond Bilbool, the longtime banquet supervisor at Chasen's; they learned the restaurant was scheduled to close April 1 of that year. Intrigued by the flamboyant Bilbool's stories of the countless stars and world figures that patronized Chasen's, they set out to film its final 12 days of operation.
With access to the staff, all parts of the restaurant, numerous Hollywood veterans and extensive archival material, Berman and Pulcini revel in the lore and ruminate about the significance of Chasen's closing. They get plenty of assistance from such passionate interviewees as David Brown, Chuck and Ava Fries, Tom Snyder and Michael Lerner.
Unfortunately, the founders and longtime operators of the initially modest 1940s eatery -- the late Dave and now elderly Maude Chasen -- are seen only in photographs and a few moments from a 1960 broadcast of "This Is Your Life". The high standard of personalized service to the wealthy and famous and Chasen's high-protein/high-fat specialties -- as well as the multitude of alcoholic beverages poured during the decades -- began with the Chasens and they are spoken of fondly by employees and friends in the film.
Among the many highlights that humorously underscore how seriously Hollywood likes to play and celebrate: bartender Pepe Ruiz prepares his "Flame of Love" cocktail for an attentive Ed McMahon; Rod Steiger consumes a massive quantity of food in a kingly repast; Quentin Tarantino heads the charge at Chasen's last Oscar party; and Fay Wray reads a personal lament she wrote about the restaurant's closing.
Most affected by the march of time (although Chasen's is reopening in a new Beverly Hills location April 18 and continues to hold special events at its Beverly Boulevard site) are Bilbool, Ruiz, and the other longtime staffers, many of whom worked there for decades. The film is dedicated to the late Tommy Gallagher, the fearless captain who is seen in a hilarious series of Zelig-like photographs with superstars and presidents.
As the fateful date looms, the staff grows nostalgic and the finale becomes a tear-jerker, while the filmmakers friskily scoot through the kitchen and restrooms and capture the lively atmosphere and heart-rending moments of suppressed grief.
A longtime denizen of Paramount and former producer of B westerns, A.C. Lyles elegantly professes his love of the movies and how Chasen's was part of this "fantasy world." In "Off the Menu", there's a healthy dose of reality, but in the spirit of Gallagher -- who was buried in his Chasen's uniform with a menu -- this historical and cultural feast of a documentary is unhesitatingly worth embracing.
OFF THE MENU: THE LAST DAYS OF CHASEN'S
A La Carte Films
Lobo Grande Pictures
Directors:Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Producer:Julia Strohm
Executive producers:Diandra Douglas, Alicia Sams
Co-executive producer:James Kimsey
Cinematographers:Ken Kobland, Sandra Chandler
Editor:Robert Pulcini
Music:Mark Suozzo
Color/stereo
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 4/14/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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