http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact Shadow and Act from IndieWire en en indiewire/shadowandacthttp://feedburner.google.com http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/letoya-luckett-damien-wayans-lesley-ann-brandt-join-single-ladies-cast Mon, 20 May 2013 21:14:16 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/letoya-luckett-damien-wayans-lesley-ann-brandt-join-single-ladies-cast Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T21:14:16Z A new season of VH1's hit series Single Ladies is set to debut this summer, although without creator/executive producer/showrunner Stacy A. Littlejohn, who left the show to pursue other projects late last year. The Queen Latifah-produced series was renewed for a third season, after averaging a healthy 3.2 million total viewers per episode, up 10% from season 1, which means even more of you watched it than during the first season.  And for season 3, add new cast members in Letoya Luckett, Damien Wayans and Lesley-Ann Brandt.  Luckett will play Felicia Price, described in the press release as the icy and aloof founder... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/nairobi-half-life-producers-begin-production-on-next-project-kenya-set-political-thriller-veve Mon, 20 May 2013 20:28:03 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/nairobi-half-life-producers-begin-production-on-next-project-kenya-set-political-thriller-veve Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T20:28:03Z A 4th collaboration between German filmmaker Tom Tykwer's One Fine Day Films, and Nairobi (Kenya)-based Ginger Ink, has begun production in Nairobi. S&A has covered every film that's been developed under the One Fine Day Films/Ginger Ink banners - Soul Boy, from director Hawa Essuman, Nairobi Half Life, from director David Tosh Gitonga, and most recently, Something Necessary, from another Kenyan filmmaker in Judy Kibinge.  After launching a casting call for actors early last month, the production companies are currently shooting their next feature, which is titled Veve, and is written by Natasha Likimani, and is being... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/first-look-clips-at-forest-whitaker-orlando-bloom-in-south-african-crime-drama-zulu Mon, 20 May 2013 19:48:17 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/first-look-clips-at-forest-whitaker-orlando-bloom-in-south-african-crime-drama-zulu Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T19:48:17Z It'll close the 66th Festival Canne Film Festival this week, where it's making its World Premiere. Here's your first look at Zulu, a film that we've been tracking for about a year now, since it was first announced, starring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom in a Cape Town, South Africa-set crime drama, which is based on French author Caryl Férey’s award winning novel of the same name. The film is directed by French helmer Jérôme Salle - his first film in English. Recapping... Set against the backdrop of post-apartheid South Africa, Whitaker and Bloom play two South African police officers on opposing sides of... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/review-fast-furious-6-is-well-loud-and-crazy-and-thats-mostly-a-good-thing Mon, 20 May 2013 19:15:34 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/review-fast-furious-6-is-well-loud-and-crazy-and-thats-mostly-a-good-thing Dan Simolke 2013-05-20T19:15:34Z "The Fast and the Furious" series is one of the few where I have little problem shutting my brain off for two hours. It’s at least based in some sort of reality, there are no superheroes, although Vin Diesel can certainly withstand a lot of pain, and the supernatural isn’t a possibility. At this point, it’s also probably the longest-running and most expensive soap opera ever released theatrically. I wonder if something like “Sons of Anarchy” (which is decidedly darker material) would exist on television without it. The interesting thing about the series is that no matter how outlandish it gets, it stays firmly rooted in its theme of family above all else. The movies aren’t brilliant from a... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/trailer-for-award-winning-gbenga-akinnagbe-narrated-caribbean-windsurfing-doc-children-of-the-wind Mon, 20 May 2013 19:00:08 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/trailer-for-award-winning-gbenga-akinnagbe-narrated-caribbean-windsurfing-doc-children-of-the-wind Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T19:00:08Z Here's a trailer for a new documentary titled Children Of The Wind, which is currently touring the film festival circuit, most recently screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival in late April. As the filmmakers state, from the email I received: We have had quite a run on the festival circuit winning 6 awards in 5 festivals including 3 awards at the biggest sports action film festival in the world, X-Dance in Salt Lake: Best Documentary, Best Emerging Filmmaker: Daphne Schmon, and Best Original Score: Phillip Lober [...] Our film centers on three young men from the tiny Caribbean island of Bonaire who come from abject poverty to become three of the best freestyle... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/film-africa-londons-largest-african-film-festival-announces-2013-call-for-entries Mon, 20 May 2013 18:34:10 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/film-africa-londons-largest-african-film-festival-announces-2013-call-for-entries Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T18:34:10Z Film Africa, London's largest African film festival, has announce a call for entries for its 2013 edition, which will take place from November 1 - 10 at venues across London. They are currently accepting submissions for all Film Africa categories, including: - Feature length and short fiction films - Feature length and short documentaries - Feature length and short experimental films  Key criteria includes that the filmmaker be African (whether living in continental Africa, or outside), or films by non-African filmmakers about Africa. To submit your film for consideration, either send a vimeo link to info@filmafrica.org.uk, or a DVD screener by mail to the following... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/city-life-film-project-initiative-aims-to-train-at-risk-youth-to-tell-their-stories-via-filmmaking Mon, 20 May 2013 17:51:09 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/city-life-film-project-initiative-aims-to-train-at-risk-youth-to-tell-their-stories-via-filmmaking Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T17:51:09Z I met these folks after a panel I was a part of at the Tribeca Film Festival last month, and was impressed with what they were all about, from the conversation we had. In their own words:CITYLIFE is aimed at empowering at risk youth with the training, skills and infrastructure to create films from their own voices, and more importantly to help them gain the valuable industry working experience that they would be eventually be surrounded by if they choose film & TV as a career. We surround them not only with mentors and teachers but when it comes to production they create their films with professional crews and post production facilities. We are in our third year in the program and... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cory-hardrict-joins-morgan-freeman-in-sci-fi-thriller-transcendence-starring-johnny-depp Mon, 20 May 2013 17:26:42 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cory-hardrict-joins-morgan-freeman-in-sci-fi-thriller-transcendence-starring-johnny-depp Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T17:26:42Z Cory Hardrict is a name that doesn't get mentioned often, when conversations are had about upcoming or even existing young black male actors. I'd readily admit that I haven't been watching his career as closely as I probably should; although I plan to invest time watching some of his most recent performances to catch up, ahead of roles in upcoming features, including this one, recently-announced. Hardrict has joined the cast of the sci-fi thriller Transcendence, which stars Johnny Depp. Morgan Freeman co-stars in the film, which is DP Wally Pfister's directorial debut, based on a script by Jack Paglen, developed... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/sequel-to-south-african-sports-doc-streetkids-united-in-the-works-streetkids-brazil-2014 Mon, 20 May 2013 16:46:10 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/sequel-to-south-african-sports-doc-streetkids-united-in-the-works-streetkids-brazil-2014 Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T16:46:10Z A sequel to the 2011 Berlinale Generation selection documentary Streetkids United, is in development, with Amsterdam's F&ME, Brazil's TV Zero and the UK's JaJa Filmproductions teaming on the deal. To be titled Streetkids United II – Brazil 2014, like the first doc, in what is to become a franchise, the sequel will center on the familiar tale of primarily black youth for whom sports, in this case football (or soccer as it's known here in the west) might be a way to more promising futures.  The sequel (given its title) is obviously being made to coincide with next year's World Cup event which Brazil will host. Says F&ME’s Mike... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/egypts-ismailia-international-film-fest-launches-first-co-production-platform-for-filmmakers-everywhere Mon, 20 May 2013 16:01:49 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/egypts-ismailia-international-film-fest-launches-first-co-production-platform-for-filmmakers-everywhere Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T16:01:49Z Producer & scriptwriter Mohamed Hefzy, the appointed director of the Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts has announced the launch of the first round of the new Ismailia Documentary Platform, the first Arab co-production forum primarily dedicated to documentaries. The 16th round of the festival which will take place from June 4 - 9, 2013.  The Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts is one of the Arab world's major film festivals, and the first to be exclusively dedicated to documentaries and shorts. The festival was first launched in 1991 under the presidency of Kamal Abdel Aziz director of the Egyptian Film Center, which is... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-south-africa-kenya-film-commissions-partner-on-initiative-to-tell-authentic-african-stories Mon, 20 May 2013 15:34:18 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-south-africa-kenya-film-commissions-partner-on-initiative-to-tell-authentic-african-stories Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T15:34:18Z Yesterday, at Cannes, South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation’s and the Kenya Film Commission signed what they're calling a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU’s purpose is to afford filmmakers from both countries an opportunity to access facilities, promote filmmakers from both countries, encouraging skills transfer, conducting business together, with the all-around goal being to work collectively to tell African stories by Africans, in order to help better position the continent on the global film stage. National Film and Video Foundation’s CEO Zama Mkosi said: “As African countries we are steadily earning a place on the global stage, and working... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/essence-msnbc-team-for-2013-fourth-of-july-weekend-festival Mon, 20 May 2013 15:06:31 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/essence-msnbc-team-for-2013-fourth-of-july-weekend-festival Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T15:06:31Z Interesting... I wonder if the presence/emergence of black hosts/commentators on the network (Al Sharpton, Tamron Hall, Melissa Harris-Perry, Joy Ann Reid)  is in part responsible for this partnership...  Details via press release below: The Nation's Most Influential African-American Women's Brand and The Country's Fastest Growing News Network Will Partner for Three Days of Live Programming at the Premier Forum for Black Women Featuring MSNBC Hosts and Contributors Rev. Al Sharpton, Tamron Hall, Melissa Harris-Perry, Chris Matthews, Alex Wagner, Chris Hayes, Ed Schultz and Joy Ann Reid NEW YORK, May 20, 2013 -- ESSENCE, the number one media brand... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/la-rebellion-chicago-screening-of-compensation-w-zeinabu-irene-davis-thursday-5-23 Mon, 20 May 2013 14:58:40 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/la-rebellion-chicago-screening-of-compensation-w-zeinabu-irene-davis-thursday-5-23 Sergio 2013-05-20T14:58:40Z The 8th in the ongoing series of the Chicago screenings of the L.A. Rebellion touring film series, will continue on Thursday May 23 with a screening of filmmaker Zeinabu irene Davis’ touching and powerful 1999 feature film, Compensation. Ms. Davis, who is also a professor at the Department of Communication at the University of California San Diego, was inspired by a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and tells the stories of two relationships during two different periods of time between one couple at the turn of the 20th Century and another contemporary couple in Chicago, who are deaf. Zeinabu’s use of silence in her film is strikingly original, and can be seen as a metaphor... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/first-trailer-for-cws-post-apocalyptic-series-the-100-isaiah-washington-co-stars Mon, 20 May 2013 14:50:16 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/first-trailer-for-cws-post-apocalyptic-series-the-100-isaiah-washington-co-stars Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T14:50:16Z The CW did pick up the post-apocalyptic series The 100, which is based on an upcoming novel written by Kass Morgan. Isaiah Washington co-stars in the thriller from creator Jason Rothenberg, which is set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization. A spaceship housing the lone human survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth to investigate the possibility of re-colonizing the planet.  Washington plays a character named Jaha, who's described as the leader of the remaining human race now living in the orbiting spaceship. He's a member of a cast that includes Henry Ian Cusick, Bob Morley, Eli Goree, Marie... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/dennis-haysbert-ernie-hudson-bill-duke-werewolf-thriller-wards-island-gets-a-trailer-title-change Mon, 20 May 2013 14:32:56 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/dennis-haysbert-ernie-hudson-bill-duke-werewolf-thriller-wards-island-gets-a-trailer-title-change Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T14:32:56Z Recapping... the thriller was previously titled Wards Island, when we first alerted you to it last October. It's apparently now called Battledogs. I think I like the old title more. The film, which stars Dennis Haysbert, Ariana Richards, Ernie Hudson, Craig Scheffer, and Bill Duke, centers on a viral outbreak in New York City that turns the infected into werewolves. Alexander Yellen is its director - a cinematography primarily, making his directorial debut. The film was shot in Buffalo, which stood in for New York City, where the real Ward Island is located. Haysbert plays Lt. General Christopher Monning; Bill Duke plays... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-adff-announces-1st-recipients-of-sanad-fund-2013-several-north-african-projects-included Mon, 20 May 2013 14:21:17 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-adff-announces-1st-recipients-of-sanad-fund-2013-several-north-african-projects-included Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-20T14:21:17Z Grant recipients from the first cycle of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival’s SANAD Fund for 2013 have been announced at the Cannes Film Festival with 16 projects chosen to receive grants, out of the 112 who applied. ADFF also announced that one of the latest film projects to benefit from a SANAD grant will be featured in the Un Certain Regard section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. This narrative film received a SANAD development grant in 2012, and an additional post-production grant in this first cycle of 2013 awards. Submissions for the second and final cycle of SANAD fund grants 2013 can be made between June 1 – July 1 2013. The full list of winners, which includes projects from... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/weekend-bo-may-17-19-whats-a-disappointment Sun, 19 May 2013 17:58:01 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/weekend-bo-may-17-19-whats-a-disappointment Sergio 2013-05-19T17:58:01Z Only in the film business can a movie make $84 million over the weekend and still be considered a disappointment. But that’s what some people are saying about Star Trek: Into Darkness. Since it opened Weds night, the film has grossed that amount, which is about equal to what the previous Star Trek reboot made, during its first weekend in 2009, adjusted for today dollars. There were originally predictions of a $100 million weekend, but it fell short. Still $84 million is definitely nothing to sneeze at. Iron Man 3 has already passed the $1 billion mark worldwide which explains why Robert Downey is reportedly asking for the moon from Marvel Productions and... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/malcolm-x-was-born-today-watch-orlando-bagwells-comprehensive-doc-malcolm-x-make-it-plain-now Sun, 19 May 2013 16:09:30 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/malcolm-x-was-born-today-watch-orlando-bagwells-comprehensive-doc-malcolm-x-make-it-plain-now Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-19T16:09:30Z Today in history... May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little/Malcolm X/El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the 4th of 7 children, to Earl Little and Louise Norton. Of course, I'm sure we all know of Spike Lee's 1992 film based on the life of the man - a film that will rest among the nation’s treasures in the world’s largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings; just over a year ago, it was inducted for preservation in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.  And by the way, it's now officially on Blu-ray, finally released in that format last year. So you can pick up a copy if you haven't yet. You can also watch Orlando Bagwell's 2 1/2 hour... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-season-2-episode-1-of-roomieloverfriends-from-black-sexy-tv-issa-rae-prod Sun, 19 May 2013 14:51:00 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-season-2-episode-1-of-roomieloverfriends-from-black-sexy-tv-issa-rae-prod Courtney 2013-05-19T14:51:00Z A new season of Roomieloverfriends, the web series created by the Black & Sexy TV team (aka Dennis Dortch and Numa Perrier), and executive produced by Issa Rae (aka Awkward Black Girl) via her Issa Rae Productions.  We here at S&A totally love what these folks are doing within the web series space, building a strong library of work, giving audiences (especially black audiences) varied slices *our* varied experiences mostly ignored by the mainstream.  So take advantage of their offerings. And even if this one doesn't appeal to you specifically, there are others to choose from within the Black & Sexy TV/Issa Rae... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/morgan-freeman-diane-keaton-will-play-couple-caught-in-real-estate-bidding-war-in-life-itself Sat, 18 May 2013 19:16:24 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/morgan-freeman-diane-keaton-will-play-couple-caught-in-real-estate-bidding-war-in-life-itself Courtney 2013-05-18T19:16:24Z Morgan Freeman has signed up to co-star with Diane Keaton in a dramedy titled Life Itself, which is based on a novel by Jill Ciment titled Heroic Measures.  Here's Amazon's description of the novel: New York City is on high alert—a gasoline truck is “stuck” in the Midtown tunnel and the driver has fled. Through panic and gridlock, Alex and Ruth must transport their beloved old dachshund—whose back legs are suddenly paralyzed—to the animal hospital, using a cutting board as a stretcher.  But this is also the weekend when Alex and Ruth must sell the apartment in which they have lived for most of their adult lives. Over the course of... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-lance-gross-michael-beach-in-action-in-1st-trailer-for-nbcs-political-thriller-crisis Sat, 18 May 2013 18:50:43 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-lance-gross-michael-beach-in-action-in-1st-trailer-for-nbcs-political-thriller-crisis Courtney 2013-05-18T18:50:43Z Titled Crisis, NBC has set Sunday nights at 10pm to broadcast the Lance Gross thriller from writer/executive producer Rand Ravich. Gross stars alongside Dermot Mulroney and Gillian Anderson, in what is described as an emotionally-charged political action thriller set in Washington DC, that will follow Marcus Finley (played by Gross), an idealistic Secret Service agent who finds himself at the center of an international crisis on his first day on the job as the President’s son’s protection, when the son, along with several of his schoolmates, are kidnapped.  Here's NBC's official synopsis for the series: It’s... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/can-we-talk-new-forms-of-content-exhibition-vs-old-where-and-how-are-you-watching Sat, 18 May 2013 01:35:00 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/can-we-talk-new-forms-of-content-exhibition-vs-old-where-and-how-are-you-watching Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-18T01:35:00Z I like to do this once in every year or so, just just gauge any shifts in trends...  In recent years, there've been numerous editorials by various industry insiders and outsiders, experts, declaring a shift in the way audiences are consuming content, and thus, how content creators are, or should be delivering their content. Some have even been so bold as to predict the death of cinema as we've known it, whatever that means. Others have pointed towards a future in which the mobile web dominates, rendering the theatrical and television experiences near-obsolete. I don't think anyone really knows where we're headed with absolute certainty. It seems that, right now, we're... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-first-poster-for-idris-elbas-nelson-mandela-biopic-long-walk-to-freedom Sat, 18 May 2013 01:26:46 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/cannes-2013-first-poster-for-idris-elbas-nelson-mandela-biopic-long-walk-to-freedom Courtney 2013-05-18T01:26:46Z At Cannes earlier today, Harvey Weinstein unveiled The Weinstein Company's 2013 lineup of upcoming films, to attendees, and one of the films on the company's slate is Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Idris Elba's Nelson Mandela biopic, directed by Justin Chadwick, which highlights Mandela's early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison. S&A isn't at Cannes this year, so we obviously weren't present for the showcase. But thankfully Twitch Film was and they published a write-up of the event, which included trailers for each. So they got to see the first trailer for Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, and seem impressed by it: Perhaps the most compelling... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/4th-annual-malcolm-x-on-film-panel-discussion-in-celebration-of-his-88th-birthday Fri, 17 May 2013 20:20:32 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/4th-annual-malcolm-x-on-film-panel-discussion-in-celebration-of-his-88th-birthday Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-17T20:20:32Z Taking place tomorrow, Saturday, May 18th, starting at 4:30pm, the Maysles Cinema and United Muslim Alliance presents the 4th Annual Malcolm X On Film & Panel Discussion in celebration of the 88th birthday of Malcolm X.Then & Now, The Legacy of Malcolm X-El Hajj Malik El Shabazz Lives On  Co-sponsored by the People's Survival Program 4:30pm Dinner 5:00pm Malcolm X Book/Video and Art Fair 6:00pm Malcolm X Speaks: The Speeches of Malcolm X 1997, color & B/W 41 min. Malcolm's speeches from 1963-1965 including several legendary Harlem speeches such as "The Ballot Or The Bullet" and "By Any Means Necessary." 7:00pm Autobiography Of Malcolm X: His Own Story As It... http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/trinidad-tobago-film-festival-2013-call-for-entries-no-submission-fee-deadline-imminent Fri, 17 May 2013 18:59:04 GMT http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/trinidad-tobago-film-festival-2013-call-for-entries-no-submission-fee-deadline-imminent Tambay A. Obenson 2013-05-17T18:59:04Z The call for submissions for the 2013 edition of the trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff), which takes place from September 18 to October 1, will close on May 31, and filmmakers who wish to submit a film are urged to do so no later than that date. The ttff seeks to highlight excellence in filmmaking through the exhibition of dramatic, documentary and experimental feature and short films made in T&T, the Caribbean and its diaspora. The Festival therefore accepts submissions from Caribbean filmmakers, Caribbean filmmakers in the diaspora, and international filmmakers with films from or about the Caribbean or its diaspora.  Submissions must have been produced after January 1,...