Yoav Shamir’s DEFAMATION Opens in NY/LA

European Film Award nominee and a very likely contender for the 2010 best documentary feature Academy Award*, Yoav Shamir’s Defamation opens on Friday, Nov. 20, in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities across the United States.
The film info below is from distributor First Run Features’ website:
"Intent on shaking up the ultimate ‘sacred cow’ for Jews, Israeli director Yoav Shamir embarks on a provocative — and at times irreverent — quest to answer the question, ‘What is anti-Semitism today?’ Does it remain a dangerous and immediate threat? Or is it a scare tactic used by right-wing Zionists to discredit their critics?
"Speaking with an array of people from across the political spectrum (including [...]

London Film Festival Awards 2009

Star of London for Best Film: Jacques Audiard’s A PROPHET
On behalf of the London Film Festival jury, Anjelica Huston stated: “A masterpiece: Un prohète has the ambition, purity of vision and clarity of purpose to make it an instant classic. With seamless and imaginative story-telling, superb performances and universal themes, Jacques Audiard has made a perfect film.” In A Prophet, Tahar Rahim stars as a prison newcomer who learns how to become that realm’s top dog.

Special mention: John Hillcoat’s THE ROAD

Best British Newcomer: Jack Thorne, screenwriter of the film THE SCOUTING BOOK FOR BOYS

Sutherland Award for most original and imaginative first feature: Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani for AJAMI

Grierson Award for Best Documentary: Yoav Shamir for [...]

Oscar 2010: Early Predictions – Best Documentary

BEST DOCUMENTARY

The Beaches of Agnès, Agnès Varda
Veteran filmmaker Agnès Varda remembers her life’s beaches, sand dunes, sun rays, and more.

Burma VJ, Anders Østergaard
In 2007, thousands of monks took to the streets of Burma to protest the military government’s brutal anti-democratic policies.

The Cove, Louie Psihoyos
Beautiful, intelligent dolphins are abused and slaughtered to provide entertainment and fodder for ugly, stupid people. The bloody cove of the title is located near Taijii, Japan, where the government does nothing to stop the slaughter.

Food, Inc., Robert Kenner
The distasteful food industry and their government accomplices vs. your health

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Daniel Ellsberg, the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers, undemocracy at work, [...]

European Film Awards 2009: Best Documentary Nominations

The European Film Academy has announced the ten non-fiction features up for the 2009 Prix Arte for Best European Documentary.

The nominated documentaries are:

THE BEACHES OF AGNES (Les Plages d’Agnès)
Agnès Varda, France

BELOW SEA LEVEL, Gianfranco Rosi, Italy / USA

BURMA VJ, Anders Østergaard, Denmark

COOKING HISTORY (Ako Sa Varia Dejiny)
Peter Kerekes, Slovakia / Austria / Czech Republic

THE DAMNED OF THE SEA (Les Damnés de la Mer)
Jawad Rhalib, Belgium

DEFAMATION, Yoav Shamir, Denmark / Austria / Israel / USA

THE HEART OF JENIN (Das Herz von Jenin)
Leon Geller & Marcus Vetter, Germany

PIANOMANIA, Lilian Franck & Robert Cibis, Germany / Austria

THE SOUND OF INSECTS – RECORD OF A MUMMY
[...]

Tribeca Awards 2009

Tribeca Film Festival Awards 2009
Tribeca Film Festival 2009: April 22-May 3, 2009

 
The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature: About Elly / Darbareye Elly, directed and written by Asghar Farhadi
Best New Narrative Filmmaker: Rune Denstad Langlo for North / Nord, written by Erlend Loe
Best Actor: Ciarán Hinds in The Eclipse, directed and written by Conor McPherson
Best Actress: Zoe Kazan in The Exploding Girl, directed and written by Bradley Rust Gray
Best Documentary Feature: Racing Dreams, directed by Marshall Curry
Special Jury Mention: Defamation / Hashmatsa, directed by Yoav Shamir
Best New Documentary Filmmaker: Ian Olds for Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi
 
New York Competition
Best New York Narrative: Here and There / Tamo i ovde, directed and written by Darko Lungulov
Best New York Documentary: [...]