2009 Student Academy Award Winners

Alice’s Attic (top); Pajama Gladiator (2nd from top); Bohemibot (2nd from bottom); Elkland (bottom)

The 2009 Student Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will be held on Saturday, June 13, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Twelve students from eight U.S. colleges and universities have been named winners in the competition. One film student from Sweden has been voted the Honorary Foreign Film Award.
The U.S. winners know they will each receive an award, but their placement – Gold, Silver or Bronze – will be revealed only at the June 13 ceremony. Gold Medal winners receive cash grants of $5,000, Silver Medal winners receive $3,000, and Bronze Medal winners receive $2,000. The [...]

UP and THE HANGOVER Top Box Office

Pixar’s Up topped the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend with $44.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Playing at 3,818 locations, the Pete Docter-directed animated adventure brought its domestic gross to $137.3 million after a strong two-week run. The plot follows a 78-year-old widower who takes his entire house on a trip to South America.

Debuting in second place with $43.2 million from 3,521 locations was Todd Phillips’ latest comedy, The Hangover. The R-rated film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helm and Zach Galifianakis as three guys who lose their best friend on a night out in Vegas.

Following at a distant No. 3 was Brad Silberling’s [...]

UP Tops Box Office

Pixar’s Up safely landed at the No. 1 spot at the North American box office this weekend with $68.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Directed by Peter Docter, the animated adventure tale opened at 3,766 locations, scoring an average of $18,109 per theater. The story follows a 78-year-old widower who, wishing to fulfill his dream, takes his entire house on a trip to South America.

Last week’s champion, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, dropped to second place. The Ben Stiller vehicle earned another $25.5 million for a domestic total of $105.2 after a strong two-week run.

Debuting at No. 3 with $16.6 [...]

Cannes 2009: Out of Competition Films, Special Screenings

Cannes 2009: Out of Competition Films / Special Screenings
Below is a sample of out-of-competition films, special screenings, and midnight screenings at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.
 

Pete DOCTER, UP (Opening Night Film)

Anne AGHION, MY NEIGHBOR, MY KILLER

Alejandro AMENABAR, AGORA

Terry GILLIAM, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

Robert GUÉDIGUIAN, L’ARMÉE DU CRIME (The Army of crime)

Sam RAIMI, DRAG ME TO HELL

Marina de VAN, NE TE RETOURNE PAS (Don’t look back)

Jan KOUNEN, COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY (Closing Night Film)
 
Photos: Courtesy Festival de Cannes

 

Student Academy Awards 2009 Finalists

Sebastian’s Voodoo (top), The Last Mermaids (middle), Bohemibot (bottom)

Thirty-six students from 20 US colleges and universities have been selected as finalists in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2009 Student Academy Awards competition. Academy members will pick the winners after watching the competing films at special screenings.
Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards, along with accompanying cash prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, may be presented in each of the four categories below. The winners will later take part in a week of industry-related and social activities, including the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 13, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
The finalists are (listed alphabetically by film title):

Alternative
Alice’s Attic, [...]