Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Dances With Films LA Filmmaker Award Winners 2024

Dances With Films LA Filmmaker Award Winners 2024
By José Alberto Hermosillo

Dances With Films Los Angels is one of the best and most prominent independent film festivals in the country. The impressive lineup of 232 films showcased in two screening rooms included 117 world, international, North American, or U.S. premieres. Three films announced distribution deals during the festival. 

The effervescent festival wrapped up its 27th edition with an exciting awards night at the TLC Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

The 2024 Dances With Films LA Filmmaker Award Winners:

GRAND JURY PRIZES

GRAND JURY - NARRATIVE FEATURES
BETWEEN THE LIGHTS
Director/Writer: Michael Groom
Producers: David Groom, Michael Groom

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
DREAMING OF YOU
Director/Writer: Jack McCafferty
Producers: Bridgett Greenberg, Jack McCafferty

Tallywalcker Q&A. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA


TALLYWACKER
Director/Writer: Brendan Boogie
Producers: Jeremy Dubs, Chris Goodwin, Brendan Boogie

GRAND JURY – DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
A LITTLE HOPE FOR CHICAGO
Director: Leon Lozano
Writers: Kevin Nichols, Leon Lozano
Producers: Garrett E.B. Thompson, Kevin Nichols, Leon Lozano

HONORABLE MENTION:
SPYRAL
Director/Writer: Bill Guttentag
Producer: Jennifer Hutchins

GRAND JURY PRIZE - NARRATIVE SHORTS
BLACK SILK
Director/Writer: Patrick Michael
Producers: Patrick Michael, Josh Akin, Tiffany Gist, Samuel Skeen

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
KOI
Director/Writer: Taige Shi
Producer: Tianyu Yang

THE RUNT
Director/Writer: Christy Stratton
Story by: Christy Stratton, Mark Norberg
Producers: Katrina Rotondo, Daniela Inés Calvo and Christy Stratton

INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS

INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (UNDER 40’)
IS IT BECAUSE I’M A GIRL
Director: Peter Decherney
Producer: Peter Gitau

 "Fight Like a Girl."  Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA


INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (OVER 40’)
FIGHT LIKE A GIRL
Director/Writer: Matthew Leutwyler
Producers: Anton Laines, Innocent Munyeshuri, Yvette Gayle, Serge Ibaka

The Art of the Pitch - Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA

FEVER PITCH SHORT SCRIPT CHALLENGE

WINNER: JUDAS KISS by Sean Cage

RUNNER UP (TIE)
IN THE POCKET by Antjuan Ward
MERRY CHRISTMAS, COLONEL SHOUP by Ed Lawrence Robinson

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA


COMPETITION (NARRATIVE) FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
THE MAN WHO SAVED THE INTERNET WITH A SUNFLOWER
Directors: Ori Yardeni, Emil Ben Shimon
Writers: Oren Safdie, Izhar Har-Lev, Ori Yardeni
Producers: Kobi Hoffmann, Zehava Shekel

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
SAVING JONES
Director/Writer: Rebecca Corry
Producer: Stand Up For Pits Foundation with Angel Forever

FUSION FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
THE DISINVITED
Director: Devin Lawrence
Writers: Devin Lawrence, Matthew Mourgides
Producer: Matthew Mourgides

DOWNBEAT AUDIENCE AWARD
BED BY 9
Director: Christian Klein
Writer: Max Castillo
Producer: Olivia Isabel Comas

DANCES WITH KIDZ PRO AUDIENCE AWARD
SURVIVED BY
Director/Writer: KD. Chalk
Producers: Nicole Crespo, Pinar Binay

PILOTS AUDIENCE AWARD
EXPOSED
Directors: Reece Melber, Rachel Othon
Writer: Hannah Merritt
Producer: Sina Crenshaw

COMPETITION (NARRATIVE) SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
I APPROVE OF THIS MESSAGE
Director: Craig Newman
Writer: Michael Barringer
Producers: Craig Newman, Michael Barringer

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
EL REGRESO
Director: Samantha Ramirez-Hererra
Producer: Sam Bathrick

FUSION SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
PUPPY LOVE
Director: Daniel Rashid
Writers: Daniel Rashid, Elizabeth Valenti
Producers: Reilly Anspaugh, Daniel Rashid, Elizabeth Valenti

Dances With Films will return for its third New York City edition in December. For more information, please go to https://danceswithfilms.com/.

The Art of The Pitch - DWF

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Friday, May 31, 2024

“Jim Henson: Idea Man”: The Life Behind The Genius Creator of “The Muppet Show”

 By José Alberto Hermosillo


“Jim Henson: Idea Man” is a fresh new approach to address the life and body of work of the genius creator of “The Muppet Show” Jim Henson. The documentary is awe-inspiring, entertaining, and quite enjoyable.

Ron Haward. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA
 
In “Jim Herson: Idea Man,” Award-winning director Ron Howard (“A Beautiful Mind,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Thirteen Lives”) presents a linear, structured narrative mainly focusing on the work of the Muppets creator, not on his personal life. People who adored the show can consider it a treasure. Not so much for hardcore fans who say that plenty more information is missing, including Jim’s cause of death. A bacterial infection at the age of 53 - even though this documentary is a Disney Plus movie, not Pixar’s “Coco,” a profound animation that reaches the other side of the world of death. 
 
The main reason Ron Howard selected the material light-handedly in the documentary on Jim Henson is that he wanted to keep it hopeful and not sentimental. Howard felt like he was offering a real insight into the life of the creator of the puppets of “Sesame Street.” Howard saw the paradox between his material and Henson’s experimental films, which were very optimistic, human, and revealing.
 
After years of struggle, the young puppeteer with an enormous desire to work in television had his first successful attempt with the inclusion of his Muppets characters interacting with humans in “Sesame Street” during the Summer of 1969. 

Time magazine featuring Big Bird in 1970. Cover credit: Bill Pierce.

A year later, Time magazine featured his Big Bird on the cover with the quote: “… It’s not only the best children’s TV show in history, it is also one of the best parents’ shows as well.”
 
After the “Sesame Street” success, Henson could not find producers to make the “Muppets Show” a reality in the United States. Then, the production took a more international approach when Sir Lew Grade, the owner of the British ATV Starion, produced two specials with him: “Julie on Sesame Street” and “Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.”
 
Sir. Grade was familiar with puppet television programs and offered Henson a deal to record “Muppets Show” at the Elstree Studios in England. The deal also included an international broadcasting contract with more than one hundred countries to air the show. 

Before departing to the U.K., Henson set aside his syndication and other union contracts with the Writers’ Guild and started production in London as soon as possible.
 
During the show’s taping, the producers followed and succeeded in booking big Hollywood stars such as Diana Ross, Henry Belafonte, and Tina Turner to participate as special guests of “The Muppet Show.”
 
Aired on Sundays, “The Muppet Show” had an astronomical acceptance. During the last three months of 1976, it was viewed by 14 million in Great Britain.
 
Before making the documentary, the Henson family was reluctant to have the creative patriarch’s image and private life going public for numerous reasons. Looking at the archive, Ron Howard saw different options to approach his newest adventure. He focused on the entire family behind the creator and, of course, on the unforgettable characters.

Howard unfolds almost a biographical story that includes fabulous archival clips, treasured interviews, glorious footage behind the cameras, and some staggering and boundless graphic material that will keep us wondering more about the conception and embodiment of those dear and unforgettable characters and the creator himself. Disney Plus and a dozen other producers, counting members of the Henson family and the estate’s heirs, proceeded to produce the new documentary.

The music, produced by Hans Zimmer and composed by David Fleming (Blue Planet), is driven by playfulness and joy. Fleming adjusted to the time compression and moved around emotions dealing with ambition, creativity, a higher spirit, and Henson’s joyful place. Fleming focused on the diversity of the characters and the universality of the inspiring creations.

"Jim Herson: Idea Man" Panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA

In the documentary, the evolution of Henson’s story connects with our memories of “The Muppet Show” and our personal childhood experiences at that time as we identified with Jim and his diverse characters.

The editor cleaned up the interviews with the Henson family using AI (Artificial Intelligence). The interviews give a unique flow to the linear structure. Those recordings were demanding and energizing for everyone, including the animation crew. According to the panel presented by Deadline at Vidiots in Eagle Rock, California, everyone who participated in Henson’s documentary wanted to make it right.

Jim Henson and his Muppet characters. 

The documentary was made to keep Jim’s voice active in a preservation form and to denote the evolution of Mr. Henson from his participation in “Sesame Street” into “The Muppets Show” and subsequently in the feature films proceeded and produced by the Jim Henson Company.
 
The interviews recalled the experiences of working with Mr. Henson with Academy Award-winners Jennifer Connelly and Rita Moreno, which are essential for audiences to sympathize with the main character and his creations. Late in the game, the producers of “Idea Man” continue finding more material regarding Henson’s work.

Ron Howard continues finding subjects with stories that really matter, and it is fascinating to discover, in this case, Jim’s early work. This documentary is about Henson’s journey and the challenges of risking everything he had to deliver one of the most transcendental shows in history for the entire family.

 

I applaud Howard’s team’s courage and tenacity in bringing to light the work and creations of the “Idea Man,” who, by creating one of the most influential TV shows, helped millions of children and parents learn, accept, and make this world a better place to live.


Vidiots screening, Eagle Rock, California. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA

Jim Henson Idea Man | Official Trailer | Disney+


Vidiots’ Jim Henson’s movies on DVD display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 FestivalinLA

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Friday, March 22, 2024

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING - OSCAR WEEK 2024

 By José Alberto Hermosillo


BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING 2024 PANEL

To select the Best Makeup and Hairstyling nominees, the Makeup Academy Branch has its own implicit statutes, which require choosing an element from these three categories: a period piece, a contemporary/dramatic film, and a fantasy/Sci-Fi movie. 

Established in 1981, the Makeup and Hairstyling category has recognized some of the most iconic character transformations in history. 

In recent years, a strong connection between the winning actor/actress and the winner of the Makeup & Hairstyling category has grown. 

For instance, in 2007, “La Vie En Rose” won Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Marion Cotillard took the Best Actress award for playing the quintessential French singer Êdith Piaf. In 2012, “The Iron Lady” won Makeup and Meryl Streep Best Actress. In 2014, “Dallas Buyers Club” won Makeup, and Matthew McConaughey earned his first Best Actor Oscar. In 2017, “The Darkest Hour” won Makeup and Gary Oldman Best Actor. In 2022, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” got Makeup and Jessica Chastain Best Actress. In 2023, Brendan Fraser won Best Actor, and “The Whale” won Best Makeup and Hairstyling. In 2024, “Poor Things” won Best Makeup, and Emma Stone won her second Oscar for playing Bella Baxter in the gothic female version of Frankenstein. 

The 2023 selected films meeting the criteria are: “Golda,” “Maestro,” and “Oppenheimer,” which are period pieces; “Poor Things” can be considered fantasy, and “Society of the Snow” in the drama category. 

THE BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING NOMINEES ARE:

“Golda”
“Maestro”
“Oppenheimer”
“Poor Things” WINNER!
“Society of the Snow”

“Golda”

Academy Award-winning actress Hellen Mirren (“The Queen,” “Gosford Park,” and “The Madness of King George”) as Israel’s Prime Minister Golda Meir faces one of the most challenging crises of her government, The Yom Kippur War in 1973.

"Golda” poster, makeup panel ©2024 Festival in LA

"Golda” makeup panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees: Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby, and Ashra Kelly-Blue.

“Golda” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Golda” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA


“Maestro” 

Bradley Cooper directed and portrayed the life of the first American-Jewish conductor-composer and music instructor, Leonard Bernstein, in this intense, elegant, and educative film.

"Maestro,” makeup panel. Photo ©2024 Festival in L

“Maestro,” makeup panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in AL

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees: Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou, and Lori McCoy-Bell.

“Maestro,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Maestro,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Maestro,” makeup panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Maestro,” makeup panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Maestro,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Oppenheimer” 

Irish actor Cillian Murphy brings to life the American scientist and physicist  J. Robert Oppenheimer and the crucial moment in history of developing the atomic bomb.


"Oppenheimer,” makeup panel. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Nominee: Luisa Abel.

"Oppenheimer,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

"Oppenheimer,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

"Oppenheimer,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Poor Things” 

Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter in the gothic female version of Frankenstein.

"Poor Things," Poster ©2024 Festival in LA


"Poor Things," makeup panel with Willem Dafoe. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
“Poor Things,” makeup panel with Willem Dafoe. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier, and Josh Weston. WINNERS!!!

“Poor Things,” makeup panel with Willem Dafoe. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Poor Things,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Poor Things,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Poor Things,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

“Society of the Snow” 

Spanish director J. Antonio Bayona produced and directed the third version of the survival drama of the Uruguayan rugby players who crashed in the Los Andes region of South America. “Survive!/Supervivientes de los Andes” was the first version produced by Mexico in 1976. Then, in 1993, “Alive” was made in Hollywood in English. 

"Society of the Snow," Poster ©2024 Festival in LA

"Society of the Snow," makeup pane. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
“Society of the Snow,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Nominees: Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí, and Montse Ribé.

"Society of the Snow," makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
“Society of the Snow,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

"Society of the Snow," makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
“Society of the Snow,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

"Society of the Snow," makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
“Society of the Snow,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA

"Society of the Snow," makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA
 “Society of the Snow,” makeup display. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2024 Festival in LA


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Festival in LA ©2024

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