Monday, June 8, 2015

“The Challenger” Opened Dances With Films 18

By José Alberto Hermosillo,

On a never-ending “green carpet” the cast and crew of 140 participating films paraded for a photo and an interview opportunity. The vibe was positive. The opening night of Dances With Films was a big cinematic celabration with the premiere of the boxing film "The Challenger."

Actors and filmmakers arrived to Hollywood eager to make their dreams come true. 

Everyone will have their time to shine at Dances With Films.  


“Dances With Films” is the coolest film festival in the world, so trendy than no matter what, you will fell good watching so many amazing movies during the 10 days of the festival. 

People from all over the US and other countries will visit the heart of Hollywood to participate or to support a loved one in the festival. 

Every year “Dances With Films” brings the most truly independent films made by talented people with hopes and dreams.

Accordingly to the Dances With Films founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent: "The festival’s purpose is to be the prime source of undiscovered, incredible talent, and undistributed entertaining films, that is and will be the fountain of the future cinema.”

The film chosen to open the Hollywood's most popular film festival was “The Challenger.”

Actor/Director Kevin Morgan, The Challenger. Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo.

"The Challenger” is a powerful, compelling and entertaining boxing movie, from the Bronx to the world.

"The Challenger" is the story of a young mechanic, Jaden Miller (Kent Morgan) from the Bronx, struggling with bills, eviction notice, a sick mother, and hostile environment. His desire is to participate in the neighborhood boxing event and to get out of his difficult situation.

He meets  a boxing trainer, Duane Taylor, played by Academy Award nominee Michael Clarke Duncan (“The Green Mile”). This marks Duncan's last movie before he passed a few months after shooting.

in the ring, Jaden discovers the power of his fist, skills in ring, and his true identity. 

Soon, Miller will be named “The Kid from the Bronx.” it's when a small TV network becomes interested in his life and will follow him 24/7 making a “reality show” out of his struggle. 

When he discovered a connection between his trainer and his mother things turned uneasy for the three main players: the trainer, the mother and the boxer.
Actor/Director Kevin Morgan, The Challenger. Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo.
“The Challenger” follows the tradition of great boxing movies like “Rocky,” “Raging Bull,” “The Fighter,” and other independent films such as “The Kid: Chamaco,” and “Fighter.” Those movies are the ultimate underdog stories that make us believe in the force of one man to overcome adversity to accomplish his purpose in life. 

The power of “The Challenger” is in its own compelling story, fast paced editing and a marvelous music score, that make up for some of its melodramatic lines and clichés. 
Actor/Director Kevin Morgan, The Challenger. Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo.
Actor/director Kent Morgan challenged himself by keeping his training up by running 15 miles every day, even during the shooting.

Hoping for distribution, this inspirational independent film deserves a chance to be shown in theaters across America.

“The Challenger” is a true champion movie and it's worth its weight in gold to watch it on the big screen.

More films will be premiering at Dances With Films 18.

For the complite line up visit: www.danceswithfilms.com






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Saturday, June 6, 2015

PLATINO AWARDS NOMINATIONS SNUBBED MEXICAN FILMS


By Jose Alberto Hermosillo,

Photo: Jose Alberto Hermosillo.
Los Angeles, CA. 05-27-2015. The Second Annual Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema announced its nominations with the notorious absence of Mexican films in the top categories. Even with the lack of nominations, Mexican Stars Kate Del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez and Alessandra Rosaldo attracted the media that crowded the trendy Andaz Hotel on the Sunset Strip.
Photo by: Jose A. Hermosillo.
The nominations clearly favored the Spanish productions and co-productions. Almodovar's El Deseo co-produced with Argentina "Wild Tales" got 10 nominations. The Spanish film “La Isla Minima/Marshland” got nine. “Conducta/Behavior” from Cuba got eight. “Mr. Kaplan” the dark comedy from Uruguay got seven, and “Pelo Malo/Bad Hair” from Venezuela, which was shown at Outfest 2014, got six nominations.

Elvi Cano (Executive Director of EGEDA USA and Premios Platino) introduced the event, saying they chose Los Angeles because is the most cinematic city in the world.

The ceremony will air live on 17 channels of the 23 participating countries, including the USA, Latin-America, Spain and Portugal. 

Iberoamerica produced 760 films last year, some of those were taken in consideration for the awards. Elvi added: “This year the Platino has four new categories: cinematography, editing, sound, and art direction.”

Gonzalo Elvira (filmmaker and representative of FIPCS Mexico) announced that the second edition of the awards will be in Marbella, Spain July 18th.

Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo.
Eugenio Derbez (“Instructions Not Included”) spoke about the award in a funny way, comparing it’s shape with the one of a Cuban woman. 

Minutes after, Eugenio handed out a well deserved trophy to the American Cinematheque for their unconditional support of Latin films. 
Rick Nicita, Chairman of the American Cinemateque.




Kate Del Castillo. Photo by Jose A. Hermosillo.

 


The Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient was announced by Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo (“Julia,” “Under the Same Moon”), it went to one of the greatest Latin actors, Antonio Banderas. 


Actress and singer Alessandra Rosaldo and Juan Carlos Arciniegas read the nominations. It was strange not to hear any Mexican productions on the top categories.

The most competitive category is the best Original Score with legendary film composers such as Roque Baños (“Old Boy,” “Cantinflas”) for “El niño,” two times Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla for “Wild Tales,” and L.A.’s Symphonic Conductor Gustavo Dudamel’s “Libertador.”

Spanish actor Oscar Jaenada was nominated for Best Actor for the big Mexican production “Cantinflas,” the film failed big time to get recognition in other categories including best art direction, a decision that makes no sense in comparison with other nominees such as the Cuban film “Conducta/Behavior” that have natural scenarios, rooftops and beach scenes.

 

In the technical categories the nominations were subjective and unfair, giving them to the nominees for best picture only, an unfair practice for not recognizing the diversity of other Latin films worth to mention in other categories. 

Latinos are fighting to get recognition in Hollywood, but failed to recognize each other at the Platino Awards.








Mexican productions got only two nominations on the small categories: best documentary: Gael García Bernal's “Who is Dayani Cristal?” And for best animated feature: “La leyenda de las Momias de Guanajuato.”


It was a big shame that the Mexican films and filmmakers that have been recognized all over the world weren't good for Premios Platinos. 


Some of this year's great Mexican movies were left out, such as: the winner of best director in the San Sebastian Film Festival “Club Sandwich”, this year Ariel winner for best picture “Güeros,” the box office hit “Buen Día, Ramón,” the amazing performances of Harold Torres and Carlos Bardem in “González,” the Goya submission “La Dictadura Perfecta,” and the documentaries: “Quebranto,” “Purgatorio,” and “H2Omx.”

Other marvelous Latin films of 2014 snubbed out too were: Colonbia's “Manos Sucias,” Brazil's “The Way He Looks,” Bolivia's “Olvidados,” Chile's “To Kill a Man,” Costa Rica's true story “Red Princesses,” Dominican Republic's  “Cristo Rey,” Bolivia's “Silence in Dreamland,”Panama's "Invation," and Spain's “Living is Easy with the Eyes Closed.” 

Our hope for the next year Premios Platino could be more “Academic” and with more categories, perhaps, including best supporting actor and supporting actress, best original song, best makeup and best scrip adaptation.

The awards should be much more inclusive and more democratic that also can include Latin productions made in other languages such: Maya, English, or any other language: this year Cannes’ winner for best screenplay “Chronic,” Guatemala’s “Ixcanul,” the Berlin winner for best debut film “600 Miles,” and the Sundance sensation “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl.” 

The award ceremony, the location, and the organization were looking spectacular like last year's hosted in Panama. 

We hope Premios Platino continue growing and bringing together films, filmmakers, film critics, and film lovers from all Iberoamerica and from other places of the world.

And the Nominees for the Second Annual Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema are:

Best Iberoamerican Feature Film:
CONDUCTA, d. Ernesto Daranas, Cuba
LA ISLA MÍNIMA, d. Alberto Rodríguez, Spain
MR. KAPLAN, d. Álvaro Brechner, Germany, Spain, Uruguay
PELO MALO, d. Mariana Rondón, Venezuela, Perú, Germany, Argentina
RELATOS SALVAJES, d. Damián Szifron, Argentina, Spain
Best Director:
ALBERTO RODRÍGUEZ (Spain) for LA ISLA MÍNIMA
ÁLVARO BRECHNER (Uruguay) for MR. KAPLAN
DAMIÁN SZIFRON (Argentina) for RELATOS SALVAJES
ERNESTO DARANAS (Cuba) for CONDUCTA
MARIANA RONDÓN (Venezuela) for PELO MALO

Best Performance by an Actor:
BENICIO DEL TORO (Puerto Rico) for ESCOBAR, PARAÍSO PERDIDO
JAVIER GUTIÉRREZ (Spain) for LA ISLA MÍNIMA
JORGE PERUGORRÍA (Cuba) for LA PARED DE LAS PALABRAS
LEONARDO SBARAGLIA (Argentina) for RELATOS SALVAJES
OSCAR JAENADA (Spain) for CANTINFLAS

Best Performance by an Actress:
ÉRICA RIVAS (Argentina) for RELATOS SALVAJES
GERALDINE CHAPLIN (USA) for DÓLARES DE ARENA
LAURA DE LA UZ (Cuba) for VESTIDO DE NOVIA
LEANDRA LEAL (Brazil) for O LOBO ATRÁS DA PORTA
PAULINA GARCÍA (Chile) for LAS ANALFABETAS
SAMANTHA CASTILLO (Venezuela) for PELO MALO

Best Original Score:
ADÁN JODOROWSKY (Chile) for LA DANZA DE LA REALIDAD
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL (Venezuela) for LIBERTADOR
GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA (Argentina) for RELATOS SALVAJES
JUAN A. LEYVA, MAGDA R. GALBÁN (Cuba) for CONDUCTA
JULIO DE LA ROSA (Spain) for LA ISLA MÍNIMA
ROQUE BAÑOS (Spain) for EL NIÑO

Best Animated Feature Film:
ATÉQUE A SBÓRNIA NOS SEPARE Director: Otto Guerra, Ennio Torresan Jr., Brazil
DIXIE Y LA REBELIÓN ZOMBI Director: Beñat Beitia, Ricardo Ramón, Spain
LA LEYENDA DE LAS MOMIAS DE GUANAJUATO Director: Alberto Rodríguez, México
MEÑIQUE Director: Ernesto Padrón Cuba, Spain
MORTADELO Y FILEMÓN CONTRA JIMMY EL CACHONDO Director: Javier Fesser, Spain
O MENINO E O MUNDO Director: Alé Abreu, Brazil

Best Documentary:
¿QUIÉN ES DAYANI CRISTAL? Director: Marc Silver, México/United Kingdom
2014, NACIDO EN GAZA Director: Hernán Zin, Spain
EL VALS DE LOS INÚTILES Director: Edison Cajas, Argentina/Chile
O SAL DA TERRA Director: Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Brazil/France/Italy
PACO DE LUCÍA, LA BÚSQUEDA Director: Francisco Sánchez Varela, Spain

Best Screenplay:
ALBERTO RODRÍGUEZ, RAFAEL COBOS (Spain) for LA ISLA MÍNIMA
ÁLVARO BRECHNER (Uruguay) for MR. KAPLAN
DAMIÁN SZIFRON (Argentina) for RELATOS SALVAJES
ERNESTO DARANAS (Cuba) for CONDUCTA
MARIANA RONDÓN (Venezuela) for PELO MALO

Best Iberoamerican Feature Film Debut:
10,000 KM, Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet, Spain
CIENCIAS NATURALES, Director: Matías Lucchesi, Argentina/France
LA DISTANCIA MÁS LARGA, Director: Claudia Pinto, Spain/Venezuela
MATEO Director: María Gamboa, Colombia/France
VESTIDO DE NOVIA Director: Marilyn Solaya, Cuba.

Best Cinematography:
ALBERTO ALEJANDRO PÉREZ for CONDUCTA
ALEX CATALÁN for LA ISLA MÍNIMA
ÁLVARO GUTIÉRREZ for MR. KAPLAN
MICAELA CAJAHUARINGA for PELO MALO
JAVIER JULIÁ for RELATOS SALVAJES

Best Sound Direction:
CONDUCTA
LA ISLA MÍNIMA
MR. KAPLAN
PELO MALO
RELATOS SALVAJES

Best Editing:
CONDUCTA,
LA ISLA MÍNIMA,
MR. KAPLAN,
PELO MALO,
RELATOS SALVAJES,

Best Art Direction:
CONDUCTA,
LA ISLA MÍNIMA,
MR. KAPLAN,
PELO MALO,
RELATOS SALVAJES.

Lifetime Achievement Award: ANTONIO BANDERAS

 
Other Articles:

The Top Ten Mexican Movies in Hola Mexico 2015

16 Latino Submissions for the Academy Awards® 2015

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