owl and the sparrow Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Pictured: Alan Cumming receives the 2007 Golden Apple Award and talks about Suffering Man's Charity at the film's New York premiere during the 4th Annual Big Apple Film Festival.

Last night I attended opening night of the Big Apple Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas here in New York City. It was a good time, the place was packed for both opening night films -- Owl and the Sparrow and Suffering Man's Charity -- and actor/director Alan Cumming was on hand to receive their annual Golden Apple award. Nice guy, and one who should be commended for coming out to support a homegrown fest like this, currently in its fourth year. You'd be surprised at how many celebs feel they're too good, too important, too awesome to come mingle with the locals or attend an event without any paparazzi. And Cumming, who was also attending the premiere of his new Sci-Fi show Tin Man uptown, went out of his way to leave that event and drive clear across the city to show up and speak to a bunch of moviegoers about his film, his career and his life. No press. No media red carpet. Just a filmmaker and his fans. Bravo. If only more folks were like that. But anyway ...

I have to give a shout out to two guys who came up to me in the theater lobby afterwards. I've been writing for Cinematical for over two and a half years now, and I've never actually met one of our many many readers in person. But this guy came up to me, all giddy and whatnot, because he had found out that I wrote for Cinematical. The smile on his face -- man, I felt like I was a celebrity. He was a huge fan, and when he walked out with two other people, another guy ran back in: "Hey, sorry, but he just told me who you were and I needed to shake your hand." I felt like saying, "Dude, I write a movie blog. But when I save the world, I'll be sure to let you know." Regardless, I was really blown away by their enthusiasm for the site, for my writing and for the hard work all of us put into bringing you tons of movie news each and every single day. A week does not go by without reading at least four comments from people who either a) want me dead or b) want me to stop writing and go shovel sh*t for a living. So, I just wanted to thank those two guys (who never told me their names) for reminding me why we do what we do. Cheers!

For those of you in and around the New York City area, might I suggest swinging by Tribeca Cinemas later this week for the fourth annual Big Apple Film Festival. For the first time in our history, Cinematical is co-sponsoring a film fest, which means we'll be in attendance, watching films, sitting on panels and getting our drink on at some of the fest's rockin' after parties. Did you say panels? Yes, I did. This coming Saturday, yours truly will be sitting on a panel at Tribeca Cinemas (at 12PM) along with Peter Goldwyn (Vice President Acquisitions Samuel Goldwyn Films), Clémence Taillandier (Head of Theatrical Sales, Zeitgeist Films) and Brian Chirls (Four Eyed Monsters), in which we'll be talking about film distribution in the new age. I'll be the guy in the Cinematical t-shirt who's quietly pretending to know what he's talking about.

Apart from the panel discussion, The Big Apple Film Fest will open this year's slate on Wednesday with a pretty slick double billing: First up is the New York premiere of Owl and the Sparrow (LAFF Audience Award Winner) followed by the New York premiere of Alan Cumming's Suffering Man's Charity. Cumming will also be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A and to receive this year's Golden Apple Award. Other films screening throughout the week include The Last New Yorker (closing night film), Greetings from the Shore and Farm Girl in New York, as well as 54 short films from around the country and throughout the world. I'll be back later in the week with photos and what have you, but definitely swing by at some point and say hello. Some people consider Big Apple to be the true Tribeca film fest since, ya know, it actually takes place in Tribeca, but I just like to consider it one of the city's hidden gems. Do check it out.

With so many film festivals to choose from, I tend to drift toward the ones that are short in length (four to seven days, at the most) and remain in one theater throughout. For a guy that doesn't like to make too many decisions or travel too far, the Big Apple Film Festival is a perfect fit. For the first time in our history, Cinematical will be co-sponsoring a film festival this year, and we decided to pop our co-sponsoring cherry (so to speak) with a little gem currently heading into its fourth year. From the Big Apple Film Fest website: "The BAFF is dedicated to showcasing and promoting the highest quality films from the New York City independent film community, as well as additional specially selected films from across the country and around the world. Additionally, each year, we are proud to honor a variety of New York City based filmmakers, writers, actors and artists who have played an influential role in the growth of independent filmmaking in the Big Apple."

This year, the festival runs from November 14-17, and, as always, all films will be screened at the historic Tribeca Cinemas in lower Manhattan. Opening the festival will be two films that have garnered major buzz on the fest circuit so far: Owl and the Sparrow (Audience Award winner at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival) and Suffering Man's Charity, directed by Alan Cumming, and starring Cumming, Anne Heche and Carrie Fisher. Cumming will also be on hand to receive BAFF's annual Golden Apple Award. This year, a total of 54 films will screen over the course of four days, with everything from feature narratives, shorts, documentaries and student films to check out. In fact, yours truly will also be sitting on a panel on Saturday, November 17, where I'll talk (along with others) about new media distribution. It's a pretty fun festival, there's an opening night and closing night party held inside Tribeca Cinemas (free drinks!), and -- better yet -- you'll get to hang out with some of your favorite Cinematical peeps (that's me, right?). Tickets go on sale this November 1st, and you can check out the entire program (as well as find information of purchasing tickets) over here. See ya there!

Once upon a time I encountered a tiny group of people who wanted to see more Asian films on screens in Dallas, Texas. Rather than just belly-aching about the shortage, they put up their own money and mounted the Asian Film Festival of Dallas in 2002. The first festival screened 10 films over a weekend; some of the screenings sold out and others drew just a handful. The organizers bravely pressed on and now the sixth edition of a very fine showcase for Asian films is upon us. The festival gets under way tonight with Justin Lin's Finishing the Game.

Finishing the Game is said to be an affectionate mockumentary about the hilarious search for a stand-in for Bruce Lee after the legendary star died before filming on Game of Death was completed. Cinematical's Scott Weinberg saw it at Sundance and felt it was "a pretty funny little diversion." Check out the film's MySpace page to see more people dressed up in Lee's trademarked yellow track suit., not to mention a plethora of video clips. Lin made the terrific Better Luck Tomorrow before "going Hollywood" and directing Annapolis and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, so it's very nice to see him returning to his roots, as it were. Lin and actors Roger Fan and Sung Kang are scheduled to attend. IFC Films will release Finishing the Game in limited engagements in October.

Other highlights include Thai drama Dorm, Japanese "family portrait" The Taste of Tea and Vietnamese comedy-drama Owl and the Sparrow, which our own Kevin Kelly was very glad he saw at the Los Angeles Film Festival, calling it "a wonderful, character-driven story." Director Stephane Gauger will attend the screening. The program continues through next Thursday, August 30; check out the official site for more information. I hope to write more about the films as the fest continues through the week.

Having survived criticism for agreeing to showcase Michael Bay's Transformers and, on the other end of the artistic spectrum, losing the US premiere of a Romanian prize-winner, reportedly due to an anxious distributor, the Los Angeles Film Festival prepares to open on Thursday with the world premiere of Talk to Me. The latest film by Kasi Lemmons, Talk to Me stars Don Cheadle as Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene Jr., an "underappreciated hero of the civil rights movement." Lemmons is a member of the Board of Directors of Film Independent, the organization behind the festival, but she's also an acclaimed filmmaker in her own right, having made the excellent Eve's Bayou and The Caveman's Valentine, and the trailer for Talk to Me looks great. A rich variety of entertainment -- including live music, filmmaker talks and free outdoor screenings -- has been arranged throughout the festival, which runs from June 21 through July 1.

Still, the heart of any festival is the film programming, and the line-up is stellar. The Narrative Competition includes August Evening, which has the potential to be exceptional; it features lyrical photography and a hypnotic sense of place as an older man faces the dissolution of his family. Owl and the Sparrow also looks promising; from the trailer it appears to be a lively tale of a young girl who runs away to Saigon and gets involved with a flight attendant and a zookeeper. Summer Previews include Julie Delpy's 2 Days in Paris and Steve Buscemi's Interview, while the International Showcase will screen Ad Lib Night from South Korea ("amazingly powerful," according to one knowledgeable reviewer) and Guilty Pleasures will give audiences the chance to see Flight of the Living Dead; all you need to know is "zombies on a plane." About 40 trailers are available for viewing on the festival's web site; in all, more than 230 features, shorts and music videos will screen before the Closing Night presentation of Danny Boyle's Sunshine.