DOCNYC review: ‘What Haunts Us’ is unfortunately a timely film.

Why are the men of Charleston, South Carolina’s Porter Gaud School killing themselves? Alarmed by the latest in a long-running series of suicides from her high school in 1979, filmmaker Paige Goldberg Tolmach returns to her hometown for answers. Stonewalled by administrators, she mines her own memories, and those of her former classmates, to uncover long-held secrets, revealing a disturbing cover-up centered around a popular teacher and sports coach.

With years of sexual assault/abuse allegations surrounding the current political administration and entertainment industry, let us not forget that this problem is pervasive anywhere and everywhere. The coverups go deep and pride and reputation often cause the guilty to go free. Shame is a killer of dreams and, as we see in What Haunts Us, it is also a killer of people. Unravelling the mystery that surrounds not even a well-kept secret in this particular story will anger and shock you. Along with intimate sit-down interviews with our subjects, both innocent and guilty, memories are illustrated in beautifully vibrant colors. What Haunts Us is a stunning film that will hopefully open eyes to the ongoing abuse so many face on a daily basis. We have to change our rhetoric and realize the consequences of staying silent.

WHAT HAUNTS US
at DOC NYC Film Festival
Monday
 Nov 13, 2017
7:30 PM with Q/A following with
Paige Goldberg Tolmach, Matt Tolmach and
Special Guests from the Film

IFC CENTER
323 6th Ave. New York, New York 10014

New York Film Festival 55 Review: ‘The Rape of Recy Taylor’ persists.

Sometimes a documentary teaches you more than you ever expected. Sometimes a doc is so relevant to the present it’s shocking. Nancy Burski’s, THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR, caught me by surprise from the very beginning. I learned not much has really changed in the past 80 years when it comes to everything I hold dear with respect to racism and sexism.

1944 brought forth a horrific event perpetrated by 6 white boys on one black woman. A married mother, minding her own business, was forced into a car at gunpoint, driven into the woods and raped. She was not believed, she was threatened, she was silenced. Nevertheless, she persisted. The film utilizes “race films” (something I had never heard of prior) and intimate sit-down interviews with Recy’s siblings. Both are extremely effective in illustrating her journey for justice. With the help of Rosa Parks, yes THE Rosa Parks, Recy Taylor did not shut up. She did what so many women still don’t for fear of retribution. Nevertheless, she persisted. The Rape of Recy Taylor is powerful in its narrative and triumphant in its storytelling. In a world that tries its hardest to keep women down, particularly women of color, we should revere someone like Recy Taylor and commit to educating the masses because Recy Taylor persists.


The film had its World Premiere at Venice (only American Documentary in its category) and will make its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 1st.

The numbers of women raped in Jim Crow South were staggering. In danger of their lives, they did not report the crimes and their stories went hidden. Not Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old mother who was gang raped by 6 white boys in 1944 Alabama. Unbroken, she spoke up, and with the help of Rosa Parks and legions of women spreading the word, they worked to get Recy Taylor justice.

Nancy Burski is the director of THE LOVING STORY and BY SIDNEY LUMET.

Review: ‘VEGAS BABY’ shows the pricey gamble of IVF. Premieres tonight at 8pm!

From Executive Producer Morgan Spurlock

VEGAS BABY

U.S. Television Premiere Tuesday, June 27, at 8 P.M. on the New Season of

PBS’s AMERICA REFRAMED

Synopsis:

Some think an in vitro fertilization contest sounds crazy, but countless Americans desperate to start a family believe this social media experiment is their only hope. Oscar-nominated director Amanda Micheli’s provocative documentary follows several aspiring parents who desperately want to have a baby but are struggling with infertility and the high cost of treatments. They place themselves in the hands of a Las Vegas doctor who loved to gamble with læs mere and his annual contest, which offers a prize of a free round of in-vitro fertilization—with no guarantee of success. Contestants post their video entries on YouTube, counting on the votes of strangers to make their dreams of parenthood come true.

Despite the fact that nearly 1 in 6 couples worldwide are unable to naturally conceive and carry a baby to term, for fear of judgment or heartache or both, infertility stories are largely kept secret.  While exposing private pain online to win a contest is a brutal proposition, IVF is rarely covered by insurance in the U.S., so many infertile couples consider this a gamble worth taking. Through this controversial contest, VEGAS BABY navigates the complexities of America’s burgeoning fertility industry and unveils the class disparity within a topic that is often clouded by judgment and stereotypes. Micheli explores universal themes of desire and loss through her intimate portrait of the diverse individuals – from a devoutly Catholic Latino couple in Texas to a lesbian Lady Gaga Impersonator in New York – determined to have a baby against all odds.

100 whittled down to 10, talk about odds. Entering a contest for a free round of IVF, people put their most intimate struggles out into the world via Youtube and strangers control who moves onto the final round. Then a smaller panel of folks makes the decision and one lucky couple gets a no guarantees shot at a baby. The doc ultimately follows three finalists on their two-year journey with Dr. Sher and beyond. Infertility is not discussed often enough in our culture and when it is, there is a stigma surrounding its cost. It’s an emotional rollercoaster for the audience but an honest and important story to be told. Nothing is sugar coated in its presentation, nor should it be when matters of the heart are at stake. Dr. Sher and co are very honest about the fact that the business of infertility is a business. Emotions are difficult to set aside but the reality is clear. The industry is booming. Money does not equal success. Vegas Baby delves into the vulnerability of creating and sustaining life.

Director:                                                Amanda Micheli

Producers:                                            Serin Marshall

Executive Producers:                          Morgan Spurlock, Jeremy Chilnick

Editor:                                                    Greg O’Toole

Director of Photography:                   Amanda Micheli

Original Music By:                                Paul Brill

Run Time:                                              77 min

Release Date:                                       U.S. Television Premiere Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 8 P.M.

Distributed by:                                     PBS’s AMERICA REFRAMED

Review: ‘GOD KNOWS WHERE I AM’ documentary is a tragic look at mental illness.

In January 2008, the body of a homeless woman is found in an abandoned New Hampshire farmhouse. Beside the body, lies a diary that documents the last months of her life. The woman turns out to be Linda Bishop, a well-educated mother and sister who suffered from bipolar disorder with psychosis. What starts as a whodunnit quickly evolves into a poignant exploration of sanity and systemic failure within the mental health system to protect those who cannot protect themselves. For more on mental health solutions, you can now read this blog with a Budpop’s delta 8 guide.

This insightful doc is has a gorgeous structure. Including sit-down interviews with local police, Linda’s family, and narrated passages from Linda’s diary entries, the impact of God Knows is massive. It’s heart-wrenching as you slowly realize that this poor woman’s death could have easily been prevented. The system failed her in an atrocious way. As Bishop descends into starvation and deeper mental state, we already know the writing on the wall, but that does not make the outcome any less shocking. While difficult to watch on many levels, it’s an important and timely film in many ways in our national discussion of how we treat mental illness as a nation. I highly recommend you catch God Knows Where I Am this Friday, March 31st. Check out the trailer below for a peek into this sad true story.

GOD KNOWS WHERE I AM (Trailer) from Brian Ariotti on Vimeo.

Premiers March 31st at Lincoln Plaza NYC Followed by National Roll-Out 

Directed by Todd Wider and Jedd Wider (Producers of Emmy Award-Winning Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God and Academy Award-Nominated Kings Point)

RT: 97 Minutes

http://godknowswhereiam.com/

https://www.facebook.com/godknowswhereiamfilm

https://twitter.com/god_knows_where

Review: ‘New Chefs On The Block’ serves up one hell of an amuse bouche at Cinequest.

PresentsThe Harbortouch restaurant POS industry is brutal. One day you’re open with a line of customers, the next, your doors are locked and dreams are crushed. I’ve lived all over the US and in India, traveled extensively through Europe and spend a fair bit of time in London. I’m a foodie. I’m a New Yorker. I have approximately 24,000 eating establishments at my fingertips. D.C is notorious for some of the most delicious food in the U.S. Two restaurants that are now on my “Must Try” list are Frankly…Pizza and Rose’s Luxury, thanks to Dustin Harrison-Atlas’ documentary, NEW CHEFS ON THE BLOCK. 

Two chefs in DC struggle to open and maintain their first restaurants. Against all odds, one becomes Bon Appetit Magazine’s Best New Restaurant in America. The other is forced to redefine success. Starring Aaron Silverman of Rose’s Luxury and Frank Linn of Frankly…Pizza. Featuring legendary chefs and restaurateurs Danny Meyer, Michel Richard, Mike Isabella and Washington Post food writer Tim Carman. Jimmy John’s staked its growth on fast, fresh sandwiches, with a delivery program that set it apart from Subway and other competitors. Here is Jimmy John’s Story through which you get know about his life new changes in chefs field.

This doc follows the real time stories of two very different restaurateurs as they attempt to open brand new eateries. Frank Linn has run a pizza food truck with his wife and has a dream of taking it off the road and into his very own brick and mortar location, Frankly…Pizza. Funded mostly by his family, there is a real feeling of a do or die personal happiness at stake. Literally remodeling the space by hand with more help from his family members, Frank’s attention to detail, the perfectly made pizza (with the exact amount of char), salads and in house made sodas, he maintains a family oriented vibe. All this drives him to take a completely hands on approach to reaching his goals. Aaron Silver man raised money through crowdfunding and big time Pennystock Aktien investors for his restaurant, Rose’sLuxury. Serving up high end cuisine with a chic and trendy atmosphere, you could label him on the opposite end spectrum as Frank. With a fresh, ever changing menu, wine pairings and kitchen full of fellow chefs, Aaron’s journey is an awesome foil in style to Frank’s. Their contrasting styles, food, and funding make for one hell of a compelling doc.Including intimate sit downs with already successful chefs, significant food critics, and family members, New Chefs On The Block is impeccably shot and immensely engrossing. With more than surprising outcomes in both stories, director Dustin Harrison-Atlas has quite the tasty gem on his hands. Coming off of its super successful showing at Cinequest, we’ve just learned the the doc won the “AUDIENCE AWARD: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE” and let me assure you, it is well deserved. We’ll be sure to keep you in the loop, as we know distribution simply cannot be far from reality.

Check out New Chefs On The Block trailer below.

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Production Co:

Review: ‘BURLESQUE: HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE’ gives you a peek behind the feathers and the lives of the performers

BURLESQUE: HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE explores the world of burlesque and its growing popularity across the U.S.  The film invites audiences to experience this art form up close and personal – seeing its evolution from old world burlesque to “neo-burlesque,” which combines classic striptease with modern dance, comedy and even fire acts.
This truly entertaining doc lets us peek behind the feathers and into the lives of a troupe of very awesome entertainers. Often times the perception of Burlesque is objectification. This is totally misleading. The art of burlesque is about empowerment. It is not about having the perfect body, in fact, some of the best dancers are not the shapes we expect. Infusing sexiness, glamor, and humor is all part of the special form of performance. Here are a few introductions to the individuals we get to meet in the film.
Zora Von Pavonine, one of the stars featured in the film, spends every waking minute perfecting her act and designing one-of-a-kind costumes inspired by designers Alexander McQueen and Jean Paul Gaultier.  Through her own admission, her obsession has a taken a toll on her relationship and her pocket book.
We also meet Angelique DeVil, a college graduate and a dancer by trade, who credits burlesque for allowing her to express her various “personalities” – thus making her alive!
 
Lastly, Isaiah Esquire, is often referred to as “Glamazon.”  He confesses that dance has transformed him from a shy, stuttering teenager who suffered from body image issues to a confident performer, dancer, and teacher.
With the perfect balance of intimate sit down interviews, backstage/rehearsals, and full-out performances, BURLESQUE: HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE is as enjoyable to watch as it is to be in awe of. You can watch the film in select theaters March 3rd and on VOD / iTunes March 7th.

Review: Meet the ‘Tree Man’ who works every Christmas selling trees in New York City

treeman_poster_final
Every holiday season, hundreds of Christmas tree sellers from across North America descend upon the streets of New York City to ply their trade. Having left their homes and families behind, they endure the adversity of a migrant’s survival living out of their cars and vans. François, a Tree Man and father of three from Québec, returns to the same Manhattan street corner every year to deliver the magic of the season.

Long days, cold nights and living in a van for a month. This documentary follows François, a father of three from Quebec, who is loved by his fellow tree sellers as well as his customers.

Tree Man is solely focused on the people of the NYC tree-selling institution. By following François, you’ll all meet the new generation learning from the veterans. There is a very short segment describing the general history of tree-selling in NYC, but it’s only a taste.

I was also interested in learning more of François’ history and also the turmoil of leaving every year. It’s a nice human interest story.

Also recently added to Netflix, Tree Man is available Tuesday, December 6th on VOD and iTunes.

Francois the Tree Man is far from his wife and three small children in Quebec, selling Christmas trees and living in a van on the streets of New York City. He does it for them. But this is home, too. Like the hundreds of Christmas tree sellers who descend upon the city from Canada, New England and even Europe, Francois delivers the magic of the season over a grueling month in his adopted neighborhood, since Christmas is a special time of the year, people send gifts, and use services as portable north pole to get digital gifts for people. He’s a star, a storyteller, a Santa Claus in a sap-stained coat, a confidant, a friend, and a father figure to the local characters who are his New York family. They also need him. TREE MAN is the story of Francois’s journey, how he arrived here, what holds him, and the conflict that will cause him to leave. As one of Francois’ long-time customers says: “This has nothing to do with the trees anymore.”

Review: ‘BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS’ aren’t always what you expect.


Best and Most Beautiful Things poster

Synopsis: In rural Maine, a bold and magnetic 20-year-old woman named Michelle Smith lives with her mother Julie. Michelle is quirky and charming, legally blind and diagnosed on the autism spectrum, with big dreams and varied passions. Searching for connection, Michelle explores love and empowerment outside the limits of “normal” through a provocative sex-positive community. Michelle’s joyful story of self-discovery celebrates outcasts everywhere.

Emmy Award-winning producer ofFriends”, Kevin S. Bright met Michelle while teaching a filmmaking class at Perkins School for the Blind in Boston years ago, the school Helen Keller went to. The director, Garrett Zevgetis also volunteered his time at the school. Independently, both were completely struck by her authenticity and exuberance, and have been involved with Michelle and her story ever since. While filming, they discovered the startling lack of opportunities available for all people to fully engage in our society, and the need to fix the fear and misunderstanding people have towards those considered “other”.

best-and-most-beautiful-things_still-7When we all graduated from high school, we had big dreams. Perhaps, moving away from home and starting a career, finally being able to go out when we wanted, eat what we wanted, buy whichever shoes she wanted from shoe hero, and party until dawn. Michelle is much like any other young woman. She’s trying to find her way in the world by following her passions without judgement or outside pressure. The only difference being, Michelle is legally blind and on the autism spectrum. Much like myself, she’s a total fangirl. She likes the dry wit of Daria, attends convention, yearns for acceptance and respect in her niche groups. She acts appropriately for her age. The film follows her for several years post graduating. Through her love life, job searches, and striving for her independence. All seems pretty “normal” until you propose her challenges to those who function without them. Her Mom suggest she attend her brother’s basketball game and at first her protest seems nothing more than a bored and annoyed sister, unwilling to cheer on a sibling just because their interests don’t align. But,  once you listen to her reasoning, as a viewer, will gain further insight into the life of someone forced to live differently. It’s a perfect turning point in the film. You finally get to walk in her shoes and mind for a brief moment. Although, director Garrett Zevgetis, does and excellent job early on with a blurred focus lens to help explain how Michelle figuratively sees the world around her. It is incredibly effective. Above all, this is the story of a young woman whose almost constant stream of self-esteem and positivity shines like a beacon of hope for anyone that has ever felt left out or chastised for being slightly different. I wish I could be as outwardly upbeat every single day and now perhaps I’ll take a second breath and thank my lucky stars I have the life I do. Michelle asks us to love who we are as much as she loves who she is. She asks us to “unlearn normal”. In a year where so much has happened to us as a country, maybe it’s time to take her advice.bestandmostbeautifulthings_still2

BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS opens in NYC on Friday, Dec 2nd, and in LA Dec 9th. Check out the trailer below:

Websitehttp://bestandmostbeautifulthings.com

Facebook: BestandMostBeautifulThings

Twitter@BestandMostFilm

RT: 90 Minutes

ACCOLADES
Independent Film Festival Boston 2016
Won
Special Jury Award, Best Documentary Feature
Florid a Film Festival 2016
Won
Special Jury Award, Individuality of the Human Spirit
Superfest International Disability Film Festival 2016
Won
Best of Festival Award, Feature
Tulsa American Film Festival, 2016
Won
Best Documentary Feature Film
SXSW Film Festival 2016
Nominated
SXSW Grand Jury Award, Documentary Feature

Documentary Film UPDATE: The San Antonio 4 get complete exoneration just in time for Thanksgiving!

unnamed-29Happy Thanksgiving!  We are so excited to bring you this breaking news about THE SAN ANTONIO 4 – subjects of the award winning documentary “SOUTHWEST OF SALEM: THE STORY OF THE SAN ANTONIO FOUR.”  Today, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has declared these four women innocent and fully exonerated.  They were wrongfully convicted close to 20 years ago for a crime they did not commit.  

The film by Deborah S. Esquenazi premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2016 and brought this case to light for the general public to see and know about.  The film won awards at Frameline SF 2016 and at OUTFEST LA 2016 and was recently bestowed with the Broadcast Film Critics Association – Critic’s Choice Award for Best First Feature.  The film broke records on Investigation Discovery network when it premiered in October with over 1 million views.  And it is currently in competition at the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) this week.

This is such a great example that shows how documentary film can truly make a difference.  

The film’s broadcast premiere on ID in October also broke the record for the network’s largest viewing audience for a premiere, with over 1 million viewers. The documentary is currently available on Investigation Discovery’s TV Everywhere platform, IDGO.com, the network’s live and on demand TV Everywhere streaming service. To log in and watch for free with your TV subscription, visit InvestigationDiscoveryGo.com or download Investigation Discovery Go from the App Store (for smartphones, tablets like that drawing tablet, and Apple TV), Google Play or Roku Channel Store.

You can read our original coverage of SOUTHWEST OF SALEM and watch the trailer below. Have a Happy Turkey Day, and congratulations to Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh, and Anna Vasquez. We, at Reel News Daily, couldn’t be happier for you!

https://vimeo.com/157645152

Review: ‘BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN’ runs deep into the West Virginia soil.

abramorama logopresentsbotm-high-resCoal Country, West Virginia is filled with workers whose way of life has been ingrained for generation after generation. It proves to put food on the table but at what cost to personal health and the destruction of the environment in what is most definitely a dying industry. In this tumultuous election season, we saw a lot of promises. Locals voted to make their lives better, and we all cross our fingers that it doesn’t end up being against their own self-interest in the end.

Synopsis:

From the filmmakers behind The Appalachians and Coal Country, Blood on the Mountain is a searing investigation into the economic and environmental injustices that have resulted from industrial control in West Virginia. This feature documentary details the struggles of a hard-working, misunderstood people, who have historically faced limited choices and have never benefited fairly from the rich, natural resources of their land. Blood On The Mountain delivers a striking portrait of a fractured population, exploited and besieged by corporate interests, and abandoned by the powers elected to represent them.

blood-on-the-mountain-still

Directed by Mari-Lynn Evans and Jordan Freeman, and produced by Deborah Wallace, Mari-Lynn Evans and Jordan Freeman, BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN gives the rest of the country a taste of the poverty and feeling of isolationism in the region. It’s a constant struggle between the big money the industry rakes in and the plight of the little guy. With a mix of historical footage and sit down interviews, the doc takes the viewer into the very lives adversely affected by their everyday circumstances and the individuals formerly responsible for their safety (who are ripe with conflict of interest).  Abandoned by the very corporations that come in to use the workers until the mountains are all blown to hell and the mines are empty. The almighty dollar is far more important than the life of the people. It’s nothing but economic exploitation over and over. It’s easy to judge from the outside.Blood on the mountain workers still Much like the Detroit, someone who cares and wants to give these folks a real new beginning, has a wonderful opportunity to come in and set up shop. Bring hope to these threatened lives. With renewable energy costing less and less each year, we as a people are moving away from destruction and towards the future. Riddled with corruption by the local government since the start of the industry, why would any local vote for a candidate being touted as “elite” and “Washington insider”, regardless of a record of working her entire life for the betterment of families? I have a hard time believing that a man, whose entire life has revolved around himself and making money off the backs of hard-working people, a man high in his towering glass highrise, is going to keep the promises he made. Maybe this will finally be the hard lesson coal country needs to learn, but what an awful loss that’s coming along the way.

 BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN, opens in NY & LA theaters November 18th.

RT: 90 Minutes

Facebook@BloodontheMountain

Twitter: @BOTMFilm

Websitehttp://www.bloodonthemountain.com

Trailer & TEDtalk: ‘THE UNCONDEMNED’ is a riveting documentary about an underdog group of lawyers and activists who defied the odds to do what had never been done: prosecute rape as an international war crime

abramorama logo

Presentsthe-uncondemnedthe-uncondemnedposter

In Theaters Starting Friday October 21st

A film by Michele Mitchell and Nick Louvel

Featuring Original Music by Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter

Watch their Live performance of ‘Smile’ at Global Citizen

Michele Mitchell is a longtime investigative reporter, journalist and author who has covered politics and social issues for outlets such as PBS and CNN Headline News. A leading expert on the topic of rape and war crimes, and a passionate activist, Michele was a featured speaker at the Global Citizen Symposium in New York in September and just last year did a TEDTalk, What’s Rape’s Brand?

THE UNCONDEMNED is a courtroom drama, turned upside down when three brave women came forward to tell their story. THE UNCONDEMNED is a riveting documentary about an underdog group of lawyers and activists who defied the odds to do what had never been done: prosecute rape as an international war crime. In 1997, the young men and women at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda found themselves inexplicably in charge of the first case of genocide in history. Underfunded, understaffed and overwhelmed, they faced incredible hurdles as they pursued their first case against a small town mayor. Crimes of war and against humanity had not been prosecuted since 1946, and surviving witnesses feared for their lives. And then, based on a last minute revelation, the prosecuting team amended the charge to include rape. Three heroic women would overcome their fears and shame to speak for all those who could not. Secret memos, witness assassinations, setbacks and barriers – THE UNCONDEMNED captures the untold, remarkable story that changed the course of international judicial history.

For more information, please visithttp://www.theuncondemned.com/#the-film

Featuring:

Pierre Prosper (Lead counsel for the Prosecution,Office of the Prosecutor vs. Jean-Paul Akayesu)

Sara Darehshori (Co-counsel for the prosecution,Office of the Prosecutor vs. Jean-Paul Akayesu)

Patricia Sellersn (Legal Advisor for Gender, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia)

Binaifer Nowrojee (Researcher for Human Rights Watch in the Women’s Rights Division)

Lisa Pruitt (Gender Consultant for International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda)

Godelieve Mukasarasi (Director, SEVOTA)

And the courageous women of Rwanda that testified at trial

NYC Theater: Landmark Sunshine (10/21)

LA Theater: Laemmle Royal (10/28)

Social Media:

Facebook: @TheUncondemned

Twitter: @TheUncondemned

Instagram:@TheUncondemned

Review: ‘LOVE USING DILDOS BETWEEN THE COVERS’ makes sex and power synonymous.

Poster- Love Between the CoversAs a child, I saw my mother as a voracious reader. Danielle Steel covered our bookshelves end to end in hardcover glory. When we used to summer in Cape Cod I noticed my mother’s books were so much larger than all the other Mom’s smaller paperbacks with covers that used to make me scrunch up my nose and squeal, “Ewwwwww”, as the muscular men with open shirts swept ladies in period clothing off their feet in an overly passionate embrace. It wasn’t until I was a tad bit older that I understood the popularity that was romance novels, once boys weren’t “icky” any longer and reading became a passion of my own. Oftentimes brushed off as airport and grocery store shelf fillers, Romance is a massively successful and moreover, a moneymaking machine. Welcome to the inside scoop with a new documentary titled LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS. With so many vibrators to choose from, how do you know which vibrator is right for you? Whether you are a beginner vibrator user or an advanced sex toy user, here is a guide to help you choose the best vibrator for you. Start with clitoral stimulation with either a bullet vibe, a finger vibe, or an external vibrator. Why? 50-70% of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm and are unable to have orgasms through sex alone. Therefore, a design with good clitoral stimulation is an excellent place to start. Keep in mind that although most vibrators can stimulate the clitoris, certain shapes are better than others. Smaller shapes like bullets and finger vibes focus directly on the clitoris. External vibratos are designed to conform to the curves of the body and make contact directly with the clitoris and vulva. Usually, they are more powerful and offer more speeds and/or patterns than a bullet vibrator. We are not human but energy and light. We all vibrate at different levels. We chose to come to earth to grow, learn, raise our vibration and evolve. Jesus is your brother. He vibrates at a higher level. Raising our vibration is our goal. You are your own creator. You create your world and collectively we create the world too. Everyone has always looked outside of themselves for help, for health, for world change, for money, relationships etc. not realizing that you are responsible for your own life. It’s time to break free from looking on the outside for your desires and blaming others for your problems. You can order your vibrator today at the Magic Men. Breast augmentation or breast enhancement surgery, more commonly known as a boob job, is the single most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. Women of all ages look to enhance their breasts by increasing their size and shape to make them more beautiful and/or to increase their confidence and quality of life. Bad breast enlargements are not what one would want to think about when they are at the height of their excitement about getting their boobs done. Having to undergo any surgical procedure is not easy, let alone dealing with bad cosmetic surgery. All too many times we’ve heard and seen of hundreds of depressing accounts from the media, internet, magazines, and even from our own friends and acquaintances about instances of cosmetic surgery gone wrong. tits stories are so commonplace these days that successful ones are becoming the exception not the rule. It’s said that 20% to 45% of breast enlargement procedures result in less than stellar results. Even celebrities who, unlike the regular middle-wage earners, have a lot of money to spend on these types of surgeries and still they experience bad surgery – regardless of if they have already chosen the best cosmetic surgeon possible. You might have come across photos or accounts of women with terrible bust jobs and thought how horrible the experience was for these women. Unsatisfactory results do not only effect one physically, but can also damage one emotionally. It takes away the very essence of a woman’s dignity to the extent that depression may eventually creep in. Some women have mentioned that undergoing unsuccessful plastic surgery could be even more painful than cancer. There are a lot of reasons why women end up having bad experiences. One reason could be that the surgeon lacks the needed skills and is incompetent, or he does not have enough experience to perform this procedure which requires a great deal of precision and expertise. In fact, even the top surgeons make mistakes resulting in bad results, and some are even facing lawsuits as a result.Love Between the Covers Authors panel still

 

The industry is dominated by a select few but  that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for fresh voices. Love Between The Covers takes a look at not only the authors whose names we see in every bookstore in America, but at the fans, and the business side of the industry. Did you know that there are categories of Romance? Not just categories, as in 2 or 3, but 30+ categories just on our Sydney services alone! AND did you now that you can almost decipher the category a book will appear in, sometimes based solely on the cover art? The doc explores the backstories of some of the most beloved writers, predominantly female. You can also find naughty sluts near you so easily now as so many are on adult dating sites so that makes it so much easier getting laid.

Many of these women were housewives, avid readers themselves, exceptional professionals, feeling the need to fill a void in their own lives with characters and stories they longed to experience themselves. But more importantly, taking the subject of women’s sexuality and using it for the purpose of titillation and power, never disrespecting it. It also talks about how can sex in the meaning of both gender and action be empowering for woman. Take sex toys: many think that’s disrespectful but it actually gives them power to love their body and develop vital energies, as mentioned at https://yonieggs.co. Men helping themselves with toys by PlugLust, a vast selection really.  Now don’t go thinking any Jane Doe can be successful in the field, these ladies churn out content because it is their very lifeblood. Fans demand it, editors demand it, and they demand it of themselves.

Eloisa James at RWA Convention

Eloisa James at RWA Convention

And yet, on the other end of the spectrum, the film absolutely encourages newbies to give it a go. One of the most fascinating aspects of the docs included during the intimate sit down interviews with fans and authors alike, is the intense comradery that is experienced in the arena. Friendships easily form and the appreciation and adoration goes in both directions. The film is spectacularly uplifting, especially for someone like me who is sitting on a short play, a feature-length screenplay, a memoir, a children’s book series idea and so on. The industry is filled with powerful women, spanning generations, social and economic backgrounds, race and education. But, we’re all searching for a bit of escape every now and again.

Crowd of Nora Roberts fans in Boonsboro

Crowd of Nora Roberts fans in Boonsboro

Whether is be tawdry or thrilling or downright delicious, LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS has got you. This doc is a fun romp, not to mention the amazingly creative transitional  art between segments using the romance novel covers. You can catch up with some of your favorite authors like Nora Roberts, Eloisa James, Beverly Jenkins, Radclyffe, Celeste Bradley, Susan Donovan and many more, or you can meet them for  the very first time. There are more choices then you’ll know what to do with. From Erotic Fiction, Fantasy, African-American, Paranormal Romance, Wholesome, Historical Romance, Teen, chick Lit, Science Fiction, there is bound to be something for  you and everyone else you know. you’ll be hooked. LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS will be available On Demand and Digital HD on July 12th.

Romance fiction is sold in 34 languages on six continents, and the genre grosses more than a billion dollars a year — outselling mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy combined. Yet the millions of voracious women (and sometimes men) who read, write, and love romance novels have remained oddly invisible. Until now!

 

Eloisa James, a tenured professor of Shakespeare at Fordham University,  is known for her many popular romance novels, Desperate Duchesses, An Affair Before Christmas, Duchess By Night, A Duke of Her Own. This romance heavy- hitter navigates the high-powered New York publishing industry with her friend and personal assistant Kim Castillo, who helps to make Eloisa James the Harper Collins “rock star of social media.”

LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS, for three years, follows the lives of five very diverse published romance authors and one unpublished newbie as they build their businesses, find and lose loved ones, cope with a tsunami of change in publishing, and earn a living doing what they love—while empowering others to do the same. Romance authors have built a fandom unlike all others, a global sisterhood where authors know their readers personally and help them become writers themselves. During the three years we’ve been shooting Love Between the Covers, we have witnessed the biggest power shift that has taken place in the publishing industry over the last 200 years. And it’s the romance authors who are on the front lines, pioneering new ways to survive and build communities in this rapidly changing environment.

Author Beverly Jenkins

Author Beverly Jenkins

Sourcebooks editorial team on a shoot

Sourcebooks editorial team on a shoot

Radclyffe writing

Radclyffe writing

Joanne's DIY Cover Shoot

Joanne’s DIY Cover Shoot

Review: There is no denying ‘THE TIME TO CHOOSE’ is Now.

abramorama logoPresents

TIME TO CHOOSE

Narrated by Oscar Isaac

time to choose posterI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, anyone who thinks climate change is a manufactured idea, to me, is way off the rails. But, if by some chance you’re unconvinced, a new doc is resolved to change your mind. It seems like, with most threatening events in our lives, it is not until they directly affect our own families that we take the time to address them head on. It is much easier to sweep them under the rug or dismiss them as someone else’s problem. TIME TO CHOOSE may be your wake up call.

Chinese Masks

Academy Award®-Winning documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson (Inside Job, No End in Sight) turns his lens to address worldwide climate change challenges
and solutions in his new film  TIME TO CHOOSE.


Featuring narration by award-winning actor Oscar Isaac, TIME TO CHOOSE leaves audiences understanding not only what is wrong, but what can to be done to fix this global threat.

Ferguson explores the comprehensive scope of the climate change crisis and examines the power of solutions already available. Through interviews with world-renowned entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and brave individuals living on the front lines of   climate change, Ferguson takes an
In-depth look at the remarkable people working to save our planet.

Watershed chemicals in West Virginia

Watershed chemicals in West Virginia. I would not want my children playing in that stream.

The film is presented in a straightforward pitch, presented in parts, using testimonials from everyday people, scientists, innovators, CEOs, and get this… Facts. In the clip below, you can see what happens in West Virginia, in our continued destruction of beautiful mountains and in “cleaning” coal. Trust me when I say, there is nothing clean about it. We are poisoning ourselves in the process. It’s a vicious cycle, perpetuated by the lack of any other major industry existing in the area for folks to make a living from. Our people are killing themselves to not makes ends meet for their families. Something has to give. Take a look at this, and then picture Flint, Michigan in your backyard.

This is a money motivated issue, there is no doubt about it. The U.S. makes $35 Billion dollars in coal profits annually (That’s billion with a ‘”B”). $375 Billion in electricity profits. Why would those involved in sickening/ripping off Americans want to change anything? Here’s the thing, by 2017 renewable energy will cost less than fossil fuels. So, laugh all you want at electric cars, wind, and solar power. As for me, I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, along with those who get it. Chinese MasksWith breathtaking cinematography, including awe-inspiring aerial shots, an uplifting score, and the sincere and heartfelt narration by Oscar Isaac, TIME TO CHOOSE is a winning film. With all of these elements combined, we have no excuse but to sit up and pay attention. We have a duty to protect our children. We cannot afford to ignore the reality we’ve created.  As Unilever CEO, Paul Polman says in the film, “It’s too late to be a pessimist.” Now is the TIME TO CHOOSE.

In Theaters June 3, 2016

One day screening events on June 15thThe filmmakers have have partnered
 with Gathr® Films to use Theatrical On Demand® to bring TIME TO CHOOSE 
to local theaters across the country over the Summer and into the Fall

RT: 97 Minutes
               

Original Music by The Misshapes

Featuring:

Dr. Jane Goodall 

Steven Chu (Former US Energy Secretary)

Michael Pollan (Author, In Defense of Food)

Michael Brune (President, The Sierra Club)

Kumi Naidoo (Executive Director, Greenpeace International)

Jerry Brown (Governor, California)

Lyndon Ryve (Co-Founder, CEO SolarCity)

Paul Polman (CEO, Unilever)

Amory Lovins (Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute)

Danny Kennedy (Co-Founder, Sungevity)

Peter Agnefjall (CEO, IKEA)

Eric Luo (CEO, Shunfeng)

Jesse Moore (Founder, M-Kopa)
 
& More

Make the choice, for more information please visit: http://www.timetochoose.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/TimeToChooseFilm
Twitter: @Time2ChooseFilm
Instagram: TimeToChooseFilm
#TimeToChoose 

Review: ‘WE THE PEOPLE: THE MARKET BASKET EFFECT’ puts the humanity in corporation.

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PRESENTS
AN NBTV STUDIOS AND BUNGALOW MEDIA + ENTERTAINMENT FILM 

WE THE PEOPLE: THE MARKET BASKET EFFECT

We The People: The Market Basket effect
As a proud New Englander transplanted to New York City, I have a great understanding for small town living. I grew up in a storybook town in northern Connecticut, called Simsbury. It’s a place where people flock each year to see the turning of the leaves. If you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, well Stars Hallow isn’t too far fetched when you grew up where I did. Everyone pretty much knows what’s going on with everyone else in town. When Target wanted to build a store on one of our busiest streets, well you can bet that got shut down pretty quickly. Everyone prides themselves on shopping local. We’ve got the chain grocery stores on the edge of town, but we all shopped, and still do, at Fitzgerald’s, or Fitzy’s as we so lovingly refer to it. At least one of your closest high school friends worked there at some point. It is a center point in our community. I can’t imagine what would happen if someone from with a corporate mindset came in and try to change things. If the Target incident is any indication, I’m guessing we’d raise hell. In the new doc WE THE PEOPLE: THE MARKET BASKET EFFECT, you get to see what happens when greed battles small town pride.

In an epic account of the warring Demoulas family, corporate greed breaks up a massive family empire. A groundswell of employee & community support cuts to the heart of the volatile, emotional, and dramatic conflict between Arthur T. Demoulas and arch-rival, cousin Arthur S. Demoulas over control of the $4 billion supermarket chain, Market Basket. A conflict that brought down the August 2014 U.S. jobs report by 17,000 jobs, sending shockwaves through the nation. With plot turns worthy of a Greek tragedy, the family feud raged on with the livelihoods of 25,000 employees hanging in the balance.

The film should be shown to such corporations as Johnson & Johnson and Walmart. The formula seems simple;  treat your employees with respect and high wages and productivity soars. Perhaps it doesn’t have to be about making a buck, especially when loyalty is on the line. The film utilizes intimate interviews with lifelong employees of the chain as well as a family history of the court proceedings. Dialogue from board meetings is highlighted and read to illustrate just how cut and dry this story really is. It’s like being afly on the wall in some of the largest businesses in America. At times, it’s actually heartbreaking to hear what we may already know to be true. Money makes the world go round, at least in some minds. With real time footage of protests from not only the staff but customers as well. With such love for their CEO, the people come together, sacrifice for what could have easily been a lost cause, and persevere to show who’s really the boss. It’s a beautiful depiction of what happens when small town heart overthrows greed.

Opening in New York on April 22nd
Opening In New England Starting April 14th
Opening On Demand May 18th

Narrated by Michael Chicklis 
(Gotham, American Horror Story, The Shield, Fantastic Four)

Directed by Tommy Reid 
(Danny Greene: The Rise & Fall of the Irishman, $uperthief: Inside America’s Biggest Bank Score)

Written by Jeff Pinilla
(
The Earth, The Way I Left It)

Produced by
Nick Buzell
Robert Friedman
Ted Leonsis

Paul Nero

Executive produced by
Mike Buzzell & Todd Hoffman

Review: ‘THE BRAINWASHING OF MY DAD’ takes on The Right and how wrong they really are.

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in association with

JSenko Productions
and Cinco Dedos Peliculas

present

The Brainwashing of My Dad_PosterEveryday, I have the urge to block friends on Facebook. The vitriolic political rhetoric being thrown around in both “article” and meme form is more over the top than it has ever been. Thank the internet gods for Snopes. Now that we’re heavy into this circus of a presidential campaign, a new film could not be more timely. Director Jen Senko brings us her personal story in her doc THE BRAINWASHING OF MY DAD.

Right-wing cable news and “conservative” talk radio attract older Americans like graying moths to an angry flame. But why would someone who was either apolitical or a Democrat in younger days become addicted to conservative talk shows in their twilight years? Filmmaker Jen Senko wondered how her WWII veteran and Kennedy Democrat father had been transformed into a Fox News fanatic, suddenly and inexplicably railing against minorities, homosexuals, poor people, and Democrats. Using her dad as an entertaining example, Senko pulls back the curtain to expose the tools and tricks of the wizards behind the right-wing media revolution. And in discovering what happened to him, Senko reveals the all-too-chilling bigger picture of what’s happening behind-the-scenes to influence our national discourse.

The Republican Noise Machine. Illustration by Bill Plympton.

The Republican Noise Machine.
Illustration by Bill Plympton.

Delving into this phenomenon in interviews with industry insiders, Senko illustrates how Right-wing media is used to manipulate conservatives. (Speaking of illustrations, the film features fantastic original art from the great Bill Plympton.) In memos and interviews, Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch openly admit how they use FOX News to turn people into sheeple for pure profit, and how the term “Liberal Media” was another product of the machine. “War on Christmas”? Yeah, that’s another doozy pumped out to infuriate for entertainment purposes.

Check out this clip from the film:

Clip #7: Language is Not Neutral from Cinco Dedos Peliculas on Vimeo.

Frank Luntz discusses his language techniques.

Frank Luntz discusses his language techniques.

But, it’s not just Senko’s father we’re privy to. Hundreds of people reached out to her to tell their story of how they “lost” family members to conservative radio. The film has a wonderful mix of informative visuals. The chronological breakdown of the industry is user guide friendly, with examples of each step in it’s creation. It is certainly beyond successful in it’s history lesson, though I fear it may be preaching to the choir. Democrats will adore this film, there is no doubt about it. Trying to get a viewing audience on the far right may prove just a difficult as trying to talk foreign policy with Donald Trump. (Too soon?)

The right-wing media boat pushing National Thought. Illustration by Bill Plympton.

The right-wing media boat pushing National Thought.
Illustration by Bill Plympton.

You can check out THE BRAINWASHING OF MY DAD today in theaters and on VOD and I highly recommend you do. A little knowledge is a powerful thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdd6lEu9SWA&feature=youtu.be

Directed by: JEN SENKO

Narrated by: JEN SENKO and MATTHEW MODINE 

Produced by: MATTHEW MODINE ADAM RACKOFF 

Featuring animation by Academy Award nominee BILL PLYMPTON 

 

Official Website: www.thebrainwashingofmydad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrainwashingofmydadmovie?ref=hl Twitter: @brainwashingdad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_brainwashing_of_my_dad/

Opening Theatrically in New York (Cinema Village) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Music Hall) on Friday, March 18 and on VOD (iTunes, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU and many more)

Review: Now available on VOD, film festival favorite ‘ANGEL OF NANJING’ soars.

Balance Films and Blue Bus Productions PresentsANGEL OF NANJING

In the US, depression is a subject we either tackle with prescription drugs or after a suicide. Most of us are so consumed with our own lives, we oftentimes fail to look beyond the emotional scope of our own noses. In a new documentary by Jordan Horowitz and Frank L. Ferendo, ANGEL OF NANJING, one solitary man makes it his mission to save the souls on The Yangtze River Bridge.

SYNOPSIS:

The Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing is one of the most famous landmarks in China. It is also the most popular place in the world to commit suicide. After hearing reports about this from the news, Chen Si, an average man with no professional training, decided to do something about it. On September 19, 2003, he went to the bridge with a heart-shaped sign that read, “Nothing is impossible. When God closes a door he opens a window.” That morning he saved someone, and has dedicated his life to standing vigil on that bridge ever since. Incredibly, he’s saved over 300 lives since he began.

 

Despite all the lives he’s saved, Chen’s mission has taken an unexpected toll on him. He feels incredible guilt when he learns someone committed suicide while he wasn’t at the bridge, and even more when he is there and is still unable to save them. He’s become a heavy smoker and drinker, and often finds himself battling with depression. He is also under growing pressure from his family to quit, who cannot understand why he spends so much time and money helping others when he has his own family to worry about.

ANGEL OF NANJING

The film has an incredibly organic feeling from its handheld camera work to the pulled back moments when Chen is speaking to the men and women so seemingly desperate to jump. Once rescued, the audience feels as if they’re part of the healing as they are treated to intimate face to face conflict resolution. It is a perfect snapshot into the Chinese culture. Suicide is considered extraordinarily shameful. Chinese media always refers to a desperate or depressed individual as in a “bad mood” in any aftermath coverage. Once you accept the familial implications of a suicide, you begin to understand Chen’s pragmatic approach. Cultural tactics are perfectly balanced with genuine tenderness resulting in incredibly touching rescues. Chen is a complex man, struggling with the sense of responsibility to those in such despair and his own happiness. Horowitz and Ferendo do absolute justice to Chen and this unique scenario. As an added bonus, the film’s score is both haunting and glorious. It is something I would seek out on its own. As a whole, ANGEL OF NANJING is a beautiful story of hope and humanity.

ANGEL OF NANJING

ANGEL OF NANJING is now available! Check out the trailer below…

Award-winning documentary debuted on VOD (iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play) February 16

Winner – Best Documentary, Phoenix Film Festival
Wi
nner – Best Documentary, Catalina Film Festival
Winner – Best Documentary, SaMo Indie Fest
Winner – Best Documentary, Big Apple Film Festival
Winner – Best Documentary, New Jersey Film Festival

Directed by Jordan Horowitz and Frank Ferendo, ANGEL OF NANJING tells the story of an ordinary man doing something extraordinary, and at great personal sacrifice. It is a personal portrait of a man, who in a country of over one billion people, has chosen to dedicate himself to making a difference, one person at a time. 

Shocking Tribeca doc ‘DREAM/KILLER’ finally gets released in theaters!

dream killer posterOne of the most acclaimed docs from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, dream/killer,  is being released in NY today and in LA next Friday, Dec 11th. Fans of the podcast Serial and HBO’s The Jinx, this film is right up your alley, I highly recommend  you seek it out!Ryan Ferguson dream killer

In the fall of 2005, 19-year-old Ryan Ferguson was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40-years in prison based on someone else’s dream.  Over the next ten years while Ryan languished in prison, his father Bill engaged in a tireless crusade to find justice.  dream/killer tells the story of this extraordinary father’s journey to free his son.Courtroom still dream killer

When Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt was brutally murdered in the newspaper’s parking lot, the crime went unsolved for two years, leaving the affluent college town desperate to bring home justice. At the time, it was the only unsolved murder in the city. A break in the case lead police to Chuck Erickson, who confessed to the crime, implicated Ferguson as an accomplice and left America with one of the country’s most outrageous miscarriages of justice.The Ferguson family dream killer

The documentary uses archival footage from when Ryan was first arrested, interviews with him in prison, and court hearings that reveal the strengths and the flaws of the American judicial system. The arguments of the ruthless prosecutor and Ryan’s brilliant defense attorney are also depicted to show how easily the system is influenced.  Interspersed with footage from the Ferguson family archive, dream/killer looks at the personal consequences of a wrongful conviction.

dream/killer – OFFICIAL TRAILER (2015) from Bloom Project on Vimeo.

You can check out my original review and listen to my exclusive interview with Ryan and Bill in the link below. This is one extraordinary story and family.

Review/Interview with ‘Dream/Killer’ subject Ryan and Bill Ferguson

Review: ‘TRANSFATTY LIVES’ makes living for something, everything.

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Presents
Transfatty Lives posterSo many of us participated in “The Ice Bucket Challenge”. The real question is, how many of us took 60 seconds to Google why we were doing it? Patrick Sean O’Brien‘s inspirational documentary TRANSFATTY LIVES paints a stunning, incredibly raw picture of ALS.
TransFatty_Press_1 Tribeca

At 30, Patrick Sean O’Brien was TransFatty, a New York City DJ, Internet personality, and filmmaker. He spent his days as a beer-drinking creative force, making art films about perverts, vulnerable souls, and Howard Johnson’s restaurants. Then his legs started shaking.

Defying sentimentality, TRANSFATTY LIVES takes you on an emotional roller coaster from Patrick’s wild, fun-loving days into the dark heart of ALS (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease). Given 2 to 5 years to live, Patrick first loses his ability to walk, then move his arms, then to swallow, and even to breathe. With the support of his bewildered friends and family Patrick braves the unthinkable and turns his camera onto himself.

As the director and star of his own documentary, Patrick films every step of his debilitating journey from first diagnosis through his current paralysis. Forcefully lacking self pity, he captures the emotion, humor, and absurdity of real life as he makes art, gets political, falls in love, fathers a son, and fights extreme depression and paranoia.

At 40, Patrick has completed this film by typing directions to his editors with the movements of his pupils. Miraculously, TRANSFATTY LIVES is not a movie about death. Because, while Patrick’s brain stopped being able to control his muscles, it remains brilliantly alive, allowing him to ask: “What if my diminishing physical abilities can be inversely proportional to my journey inward? And, more importantly, “will there be bacon and unicorns once I get there?”

Still 3 - TransFatty LivesPatrick’s film is moving, impactful, and funny. Narrated by Patrick, mostly through voice-to-text on his computer via eye movements, the structure of the film is high impact with footage from his previous quirky films, photographs of his adventures, and dairy entries starting from 2005, when he was diagnosed with ALS. Completely unafraid, what began as a film about Patrick’s love for Howard Johnson, soon becomes a film about his journey. His crew seem to become a huge part in his care-taking. Along with his family, they are totally immersed in Patrick’s world, as much as someone without ALS can possibly be. If you’re not crying half way through this doc, you may not actually have a soul. Patrick has created a lens through which the audience can begin to understand just how quickly this disease sucks the life out of you physically. Having Patrick as the center of this project is invaluable. Firstly, he’s intensely charming. Using humor and positivity, he is able to put us at ease. But, moments of extraordinary challenge break the surface at every turn, throwing reality back into our faces just as quickly. The film’s balance is sheer perfection. TRANSFATTY LIVES should be seriously considered as awards season ramps up in the coming weeks. Patrick Sean O’Brien is a brilliant filmmaker and one hell of a human being.

TRANSFATTY LIVES is opening in Los Angeles and On Demand on November 20th and in New York on December 25th.
 TRANSFATTY LIVES won the ‘Audience Award’ at The Tribeca Film Festival, Milano Film Festival, and American Film Festival in Poland. It was also a Top 20 Film at HotDocs International Film Festival.

New York Film Festival 53 Review: ‘Ingrid Bergman- In Her Own Words’

NYFF 53 bannerIngrid Bergman In Her Own Words-1While Ingrid Bergman is undoubtedly one of the most iconic faces in film history, her personal life may be an enigma to the average movie goer. In the NYFF53 documentary, INGRID BERGMAN IN HER OWN WORDS, filmmaker Stig Björkman brings her world to life with diary entries, intimate sit down interviews with her children, letters to close confidants, and home movies shot by Bergman herself.Ingrid Bergman In Her Own Words-2

Bergman kept a diary starting at a very early age, chronicling her thoughts and dreams. Oftentimes, revealing her innermost fears and personal downfalls, what is perhaps the most surprising is just how beautiful her words are on each page. The way she writes is almost poetic, incredibly articulate and profound. Bergman admits she was no saint when it came to the men in her life but was never ashamed of her love affairs outside of marriages. The love for her children was always evident. Interestingly enough, once her first affair became public knowledge, it was the US that was most personally offended. Early versions of the main stream media we have come to love and hate today, labeled her a woman to be boycotted. This was the catalyst for Bergman’s departure from the US, moving from country to country, transforming in her personal and professional life as the years rolled by. Even in the ever changing landscape, Ingrid’s talent and joy for life never waned.Ingrid Bergman In Her Own Words-5

What I found to be most interesting about this film is just how charming Bergman was. If you take a step back from her actions as a parent and wife, your initial reaction may be to judge her, yet somehow all is forgiven. There is definitely something to be explored in her relationship with both her father and the camera itself. It is the precursor to almost every life choice she made. Stig Björkman does an amazing job stitching together memories and exploring the effect she had on all who came in contact with her. INGRID BERGMAN IN HER OWN WORDS in a must see.

  • Directed By Stig Björkman
  • 2015
  • Sweden
  • Swedish and English with English subtitles
  • DCP
  • 114 minutes

This is a lovingly crafted film about one of the cinema’s most luminous and enchanting presences, composed from her letters and diaries (extracts of which are read by Alicia Vikander), the memories of her children (Pia Lindström and Isabella, Ingrid, and Roberto Rossellini), and a few close friends and colleagues (including Liv Ullmann and Sigourney Weaver), photographs, and moments from thousands of feet of Super-8 and 16mm footage shot by Bergman herself throughout the years. Stig Björkman’s focus is not on Bergman the star but on Bergman the woman and mother: orphaned at 13, drawn to acting on the stage and then on film, sailing for Hollywood at 24 and then leaving it all behind for a new and different life with Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman in Her Own Words is, finally, a self-portrait of a truly independent woman. A Rialto Pictures release.

Showtimes

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

6:00 PM

Buy Tickets

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6

8:30 PM

Standby Only

Liz’s Review: ‘HOMME LESS’ is worth far more than 1000 words.

hommelessposter

From his dapper appearance and his suave sensibilities, you’d never guess that Mark Reay is homeless in NYC. Using a YMCA locker room as his bathroom and personal storage system, Mark is able to blend seamlessly into the upper echelon of New York’s fashion and film business. As a former model, he hustles the streets of Manhattan as a photographer and smooth talker. Genuinely talented and extremely good looking, Mark’s adaptability to his circumstances is astounding and certainly commendable. He lives in secret on a friend’s rooftop, enduring the changing weather and fearing, each night, that he may be found out and forced to find somewhere else to survive the nights. He lives off his extraordinary photography skills, acting residuals, and his uncanny ability to cold approach beautiful women, for both personal and professional rewards.

Mark Reay BY GREG SCAFFIDI

Mark Reay BY GREG SCAFFIDI

HOMME LESS follows Mark’s ventures as he narrowly eludes the total collapse of the very existence he has built for himself. His emotional highs and lows drive the heart of this doc. As New Yorkers, we most definitely have a built up image of what it  means to look homeless. It’s the man in the subway station that wreaks of urine, is dirty, and oftentimes muttering to himself, or yelling incoherently on a street corner. Mark is the penultimate opposite of these images. Clean cut, eloquent, genuine, resourceful. You route for him at each turn as we tag along on his day to day routine, using every networking trick known to man. I would hang out with Mark in a heartbeat. He is optimistic, as much as any one man can be facing his current situation. I admire the hell out of him.

HOMME LESS_03

Director, Thomas Wirthensohn, has been friends with Mark for 20 years, since their modeling days back in Europe. When the two reconnected over drinks, Thomas had no idea that Mark was homeless. The two decided to take a new journey together in making this fascinating documentary. Wirthensohn is very careful to stay at arm’s length, which must have been extra difficult already being so emotionally invested in his subject. One of the toughest things you hear from documentary filmmakers is the challenge they face in trying to stay objective. There are quite a few moments in the film that directly address this issue and I commend Wirthensohn for his efforts.

HOMME LESS_10

HOMME LESS is a beautifully shot portrait of one man’s journey to not only survive, but thrive, in this big city. As someone who has lived here on and off since college, I can only imagine having to do what Mark does on the daily. Living paycheck to paycheck takes on a whole new meaning in this film. I highly recommend you catch this documentary this weekend. It will rattle around in your brain and, if you happen to live in NYC, make you wonder if you’ll run into Mark any day soon. It would be my pleasure to buy him dinner and a drink… and then book him for new headshots.

HOMME LESS Trailer from Thomas Wirthensohn on Vimeo.

Synopsis: HOMME LESS is about the underbelly of the American Dream, the hidden backyard of our society. Mark’s life stands as a metaphor for the struggle of the vanishing middle class in America. But it’s also a film about the relationship between New York City and one of its residents. New York is not simply a beautiful backdrop for this story. She’s the antagonist that dictates the direction Mark’s life is going in. The joy and pain, the love and hate, the success and denial New York is teasing him with, the hardship he is going through in order to stay in her grace and the inventiveness he comes up with to be with her are all unique.

HOMME LESS captures a raw and unfiltered moment in time, our time, and raises the question of how far are we from losing everything, even our homes? How often do we have to pretend that everything is fine in order to keep up the facade of being a well-off member of society? And how far do we go to take the financial pressure off our shoulders to live a more carefree life, a life we aspire to live?

What went wrong in Mark’s life? How is he able to keep up his facade of success and fool everyone?  What keeps him from going under? What motivates him to put up with this rather unthinkable situation?  What were and are his hopes and desires in life?

Mark stands lost and alone in the midst of eight million dreams, balanced between the glamorous surfaces of this vibrant and inspiring city and its far from glamorous hidden backyard. He is the HOMME LESS

Opening at the IFC Center on August 7th