FUTURESTATES Theatrical World Premiere at SXSW

Plan on attending South by Southwest (SXSW)? If so, you won’t want to miss the theatrical world premiere of FUTURESTATES –– ITVS’s new fictional series that explores what life will look like in America in the decades and centuries to come.

Join us on Sunday, March 14 at 5:00 PM, where we’ll be screening the following FUTURESTATES mini-features:

Mister Green, directed by Greg Pak
Plastic Bag, directed by Ramin Bahrani
The Rise, directed by Garret Williams
Silver Sling, directed by Tze Chun
Tent City, directed by Aldo Velasco
Tia & Marco, directed by Annie Howell

This is a unique opportunity to see these groundbreaking new films on the big screen at the one-of-a-kind SXSW Film Festival in high definition. Filmmakers Greg Pak, Annie Howell, Aldo Velasco, and Garret Williams will also be in attendance for a Q&A session, in addition to members of the ITVS staff.

This is your chance to ask all your pressing questions and learn more about this innovative project that’s unlike anything you’ve seen in public media.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Learn more about the FUTURESTATES screening at SXSW >>

Tags: Austin, film festival, SXSW, Texas

ITVS Films at SXSW 2010

Held annually in Austin, Texas, South by Southwest (SXSW) is considered one of the world’s premiere festivals, recognizing the best of film, music and interactive projects. This year’s festival takes place March 12-21.

We’re really excited about this year’s festival! You won’t want to miss the world premiere of six episodes of our new online fictional series FUTURESTATES on March 14. These narrative mini-features explore many of today’s complex social issues by imagining how they play out in the world of tomorrow.

Learn more about FUTURESTATES on Beyond the Box >>

Also be sure to check out these four other compelling ITVS films at SXSW this year.

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Tags: Austin, film festival, SXSW, Texas

Six Films From ITVS’s FUTURESTATES to Premiere at SXSW

Held annually in Austin, Texas, South By Southwest (SXSW) is considered one of the world’s premiere festivals, recognizing the best of film, music, and interactive projects.

SXSW recently announced its 2010 film line-up and this year six ITVS films from our new online fictional series FUTURESTATES will have their theatrical premiere at the festival. These films include Mister Green by Greg Pak; Plastic Bag by Ramin Bahrani; The Rise by Garret Williams; Silver Sling by Tze Chun; Tent City by Aldo Velasco; and Tia & Marco by Annie Howell.

These narrative mini-features explore many of today’s complex social issues by imagining how they play out in the world of tomorrow.

Beginning March 2010, FUTURESTATES will be accessible exclusively online via ITVS’s redesigned website and will be available for free –– via streaming video –– on the new site’s enhanced broadband video player.

Learn more about these films and others at SXSW >>

Tags: film festival, independent film

The Oath Honored at the Sundance Film Festival

Director Laura Poitras and crew at the Sundance screening of The Oath.

The Sundance Film Festival, held annually in Park City, Utah, is one of the largest and most prominent festivals for independent filmmakers.

Thirty-four films were awarded prizes in 29 categories, honoring both veteran and first-time filmmakers from around the world. Taking home the Excellence in Cinematography Award for U.S. Documentary was The Oath, by Laura Poitras. The film will have its television premiere later this year on P.O.V. on PBS (check local listings).

Filmed in Yemen, The Oath is a family drama about Al Qaeda and Guantanamo Bay Prison. This documentary is the second in a trilogy about America post 9/11. The first film, My Country, My Country, documented the U.S. occupation of Iraq from the perspective of an Iraqi family. The third film will focus on domestic surveillance.

Get the full list of winners at Sundance >>

In the video below, Laura Poitras sits down and gives an in depth look at her film, which she hopes will help people gain a better understanding of Al Qaeda and Guantanamo.

Tags: Al Qaeda, Guantanamo, P.O.V., Sundance

Reflections From the Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival, held annually in Park City, Utah, is one of the largest and most prominent festivals for independent filmmakers. This year, three ITVS films made their world premiere at the festival, which brings the total number of ITVS funded films that have screened at Sundance to 69 since we first attended in 1994. Lois Vossen, ITVS vice president and Independent Lens series producer, shares her reflections on this year’s festival, which wraps up this weekend.

Between screenings, Lois discovers Banksy art behind the Egyptian Theater in Park City, Utah.

Marquee at the Egyptian Theatre

Arriving in Park City, Utah at 8:00 AM on Friday morning, January 22, a couple of things were clear: it was doubtful that I would get caught up on sleep here. The list of documentaries I needed to screen in the next five and a half days was growing faster than the snowdrift that lay between me and our condo front door –– and this was going to be a snowy Sundance.

Three ITVS funded films were featured at 2010 Sundance: Last Train Home by Lixin Fan, The Oath by Laura Poitras, and My Perestroika by Robin Hessman. My colleagues Claire Aguilar and Cynthia Kane attended their screenings and I headed out to find new shows for Independent Lens acquisition consideration.

Seventeen films, countless shuttle rides, bad sandwiches on the run, and many snowstorms later, here’s what I remember now that I’m back in sunny San Francisco.

• Discovering Banksy street art on Main Street at 8:00 AM, Monday morning, en route to an early morning screening. I know there has to be more so I’m in hot pursuit…
• The Impact Partners party on Saturday night. Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, is in the house. We end up talking about the now-canceled TV show Life, and the joys of working with Adam Arkin with whom she starred.
• Unique offerings at Sundance 2010: Utopia in Four Movements by Sam Green; Double Take by Johan Grimonprez; and Saint Louis Blues by Dyana Gaye, a 48-minute musical documentary from Senegal. Too long but totally unexpected.
• Finding out when the next special screening of Exit Through the Gift Shop will take place. Banksy pursuit continues…

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Tags: film festival, independent film, P.O.V., Sundance

At the Toronto International Film Festival: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which kicked off last week, is considered one of the top festivals in the world. This year, two ITVS films are in competition. Read the article below from the TIFF blog, by Heidy Morales, about the ITVS film THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers and the audience’s reaction.

The Vietnam War has been the subject of many documentaries. Daniel Ellsberg is a quintessential figure of the time; he helped shed light on the atrocities and the necessity to stop this war by leaking the “Pentagon Papers.”

The film––THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers––is a personal account of the changes Ellsberg experienced throughout this time, his relationship with his wife Patricia and the many friends who helped him the most important decision of his life. Ehrlich and Goldsmith combine Ellsberg’s own narrative with that of other key players and some very poignant images of the time.

The audience responded very well to the film. We were lucky to have both Mr. and Mrs. Ellsberg in the audience for the world premiere. After the film, they joined the filmmakers for a Q&A session. It was great to see how pleased they were with the film. Mrs. Ellsberg, as remarkable a person as Mr. Ellsberg, shared with us the fact her husband is still her hero and realizes this everyday. She has never stopped being impressed by him.

Visit the TIFF blog to watch a video clip from the premiere >>

Find screening times >>

COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, airing on the upcoming season of Independent Lens, will have its world premiere on Saturday. Learn more >>

Tags: Daniel Ellsberg, independent film, TIFF, Vietnam

At Tribeca All Access with ITVS Vice President of Programming Claire Aguilar

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded as a response to the events of 9/11 to help Lower Manhattan recover after the tragedy and to celebrate the vitality and diversity of New York City through filmmaking. Tribeca All Access has been an integral part of the film festival and has supported relationships between filmmakers from underrepresented communities and film industry executives. Read about ITVS’s involvement with Tribeca All Access from ITVS vice president of programming Claire Aguilar.

ITVS vice president of programming Claire Aguilar.

ITVS-funded filmmakers Marco Williams and Hugo Perez.

ITVS has been involved with Tribeca All Access (TAA) since its beginning in 2004, and we continue to appreciate and rely on it as a resource for exciting projects from filmmakers of color. TAA elicits a vibrant atmosphere every year, not only because of the excellent quality projects in development, but also because of Tribeca’s commitment to diversity. So amid the glamour and excitement of Tribeca Film Festival––the festival’s opening film was Woody Allen’s Whatever Works––there was the simultaneous excitement of 31TAA filmmakers excitedly pitching their films in development.

This year I met with new documentary producers who were part of Tribeca All Access, but the group also included many ITVS-supported producers. The three days of meetings take the form of 30-minute one-on-ones with the producing team, and I was able to meet with all nine documentary project teams. TAA also supports narrative projects, but because of limited time I only met with docs this time. For six years, TAA has been fostering these producers not only with setting up these initial development meetings with them, but continuing to support the TAA “alumni” with year-round support, often culminating in screening the finished film at the festival.

There are a myriad of connections between the TAA producers and ITVS. Not only does TAA provide the genesis of a future project and relationship, but it can branch off in many different ways. ITVS-funded producer Nicole Opper pitched her film OFF AND RUNNING: A Very American Coming of Age Story at TAA in 2008 and it is premiering at this year’s festival. Another ITVS-funded filmmaker, Marco Williams, received development support for his documentary The Immigration Project, and was selected at this year’s TAA to meet with industry. Hugo Perez, selected to pitch at TAA for his narrative project, Immaculate Conception. He has been working with ITVS on a screenplay of a short fiction online film called Seed, as well as a documentary completed last year, SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON. And producer Phil Bertelsen, also selected to pitch at TAA for his narrative project Ghost Days with producer Tanya Hamilton, has been awarded development funding for his documentary on Black Hollywood, Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams. Jason DaSilva, who was awarded ITVS funding early this year for his documentary WHEN I WALK presented his film about living with multiple sclerosis. Accompanied by his brother/co-producer Leigh DaSilva, Jason spoke about his project and the blogging and behind-the-scenes online films that will be part of the project.

-Claire
ITVS vice president of programming

Tags: film festival, Tribeca All Access

Watch TAKING ROOT Tonight on Independent Lens

How does the simple act of planting trees lead to winning the Nobel Peace Prize? Ask Wangari Maathai of Kenya. In 1977, she suggested rural women plant trees to address problems stemming from a degraded environment. Under her leadership, their tree-planting grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, defend human rights and promote democracy and brought Maathai the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

“Lisa Merton and Alan Dater’s Kenyan TAKING ROOT… attests to the seismic changes wrought by women of different religions and ethnicities working together. [A] Lucid, lovingly crafted pic, which won the audience award at Hot Docs,” Daily Variety

Check out the trailer below:

TAKING ROOT: The Vision of Wangari Maathai airs tonight at 10:00 PM on Independent Lens on PBS (check local listings)

Tags: Africa, environmental, women

ITVS Joins Filmmakers and Partners to Take Indie Lens’s LIONESS to Congress

Staff Sgt. Ranie Ruthig of the film LIONESS is interviewed by local DC Fox affiliate for the evening news.

Director of Communications Dennis Palmieri joined ITVS president and CEO Sally Fifer, Senior VP for Content Management Jim Sommers and VP of International Distribution Tamara Gould for a special ITVS-sponsored presentation to Congress of the Independent Lens film LIONESS, which looks at war through the eyes of women and the U.S. military policy that bans them from combat, by Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers. Read Dennis’s report below from today’s Capitol Hill screening.

Filmmakers Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers at the Capitol Hill screening of their film LIONESS.

It was a packed room in the House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing Room for the LIONESS screening.

The women soldiers profiled in LIONESS make their remarks during the panel discussion.

Over the years, ITVS has had the opportunity to bring a number of films to Capitol Hill to help Congress better understand the roles of public broadcasting and independent producers in educating and engaging the American public. Today’s presentation of LIONESS was a dramatic and highly impactful event that set the stage for a groundbreaking conversation about the role of women in the military—specifically women in combat situations, and the support and services (and recognition!) needed when they come home.

The event was made possible through a unique partnership between ITVS and two leading veterans’ service organizations––Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)––and of course the LIONESS filmmakers Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers who’ve spent years building partnerships in the veterans’ community.

Held in the House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing Room, the event drew more than 150 people (standing room only, tightly packed in a room that seats only 88), including members of Congress, dozens of Congressional staff, veterans’ service organizations, numerous veterans and active duty soldiers, along with representatives from PBS, Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and ITVS.

The event opened with brief remarks from four members of Congress, led by Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA), followed by Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), Susan Davis (D-CA) and Judith Biggert (R-IL). Each praised the service of the four “Lionesses” who were present and thanked the filmmakers for bringing the story to light.

Members opening remarks were followed by short presentations from CPB President Patricia Harrison, who spoke eloquently about the metaphor of the “Lioness” and the unique role of public broadcasting in telling this story. Pat was followed by Dr. Betty Mosely Brown, associate director of the Center for Women Veterans at Department of Veterans Affairs, and Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Filmmakers McLagan and Sommers created a special 20-minute version of their film, which included key scenes and background information, providing a thorough synopsis of the issues—a remarkable feat of editing and storytelling. The selection also included candid, personal footage of the women, which allowed the audience to form a bond with the characters.

The event concluded with a panel discussion that featured the four “Lioness” soldiers: Maj. Anastasia Breslow (currently stationed in Korea), Staff Sgt. Ranie Ruthig, Spc. Becky Nava and Spc. Shannon Morgan. Their straight talk and fearless honestly about their experiences––both in Iraq and back at home––was riveting.

The “Lionesses” and both filmmakers were presented with American flags that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol—a gift of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose representative was on-hand to make the presentation.

There are many days when I am very proud to work in public broadcasting, when I feel like we make a real difference, and when I see clearly the important role of independent media makers in bringing these untold stories to life. But today has definitely been the best day yet.

-Dennis

Check out a clip below of today’s event on Fox 5 News (Washington, DC):

Tags: Capitol Hill, Military, women

Filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly at SXSW

PBS Engage hosted a “Social Media & Online Video Studio” at the recent South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive & Film conference in Austin, Texas.

Filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly discussed their film THE WAY WE GET BY, which was recently funded by ITVS through the LINCS funding initiative and will air this year on P.O.V. on PBS.

Since March 2003, almost 700,000 soldiers and marines from across the country have been greeted at the Bangor International Airport. THE WAY WE GET BY follows a group of senior citizens who are making history by using handshakes and hugs to play a critical role in the Iraq war.

Check out the video and learn more about their film:

Visit the P.O.V. Web site to find out more information >>

Tags: Iraq, Maine, SXSW