The Inbox (Apr. 12-18, 2014)

Every week, I get several press releases, screening invitations and other notifications from a handful of studio contacts. While I won’t be sharing any information regarding my screening invites, some of the press releases might be of interest to my readers, so I thought I’d start sharing them in toto with all of you. These could include new image galleries for various films or important updates to upcoming releases from various smaller studios and art house production companies.

Press Release: 2014 MTV Movie Awards Opens to Record

CONAN O’BRIEN HOSTS AN EPIC 2014 “MTV MOVIE AWARDS” WITH A RECORD-BREAKING OPENING, EXPLOSIVE PERFORMANCES AND FLAMING POPCORN

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” Wins Three Golden Popcorns; “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “We’re the Millers” Take Home Two

Los Angeles, CA (April 13, 2014) – Comedic genius Conan O’Brien emerged from a 5,000 pound flaming bucket of popcorn to kick-off an epic 2014 “MTV Movie Awards” by breaking the world record for the most celebrity cameos in a show open. Conan masterfully film-bombed 50 of the biggest and most eclectic names in pop culture including Taylor Swift, Sir Anthony Hopkins, the cast of “The Big Bang Theory,” Adam Sandler, Katy Perry, Andy Samberg, Jack White, Ashton Kutcher, Martin Scorsese, Demi Moore, Emma Watson, Russell Crowe, Paul Rudd, Jessica Alba, Lupita Nyong’o and Skrillex. Telecast from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, the evening celebrated fan-favorite movies with comedy, action, music and of course, Hollywood superstars.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” captured the most golden popcorns of the evening, with Josh Hutcherson grabbing “Best Male Performance,” Jennifer Lawrence winning “Best Female Performance,” and Johnny Depp presenting the star-studded cast with the coveted “Movie of the Year” award. The cast of “Entourage” reunited for the first-time on-stage to honor actor and producer Mark Wahlberg with the “Generation Award” for his extensive, diverse body of work in the film and television industry. Quintessential leading man Channing Tatum won the third annual “Trailblazer Award.” Jordana Brewster honored Paul Walker with a heartfelt, personal speech that introduced a moving tribute spotlighting his career.

Zac Effron won “Best Shirtless” award, just before Rita Ora helped him show the world exactly why he was worthy of this accolade. Conan mashed up two of the most popular award categories by debuting the first-ever “best kissing fight” with Will Arnett. Later in the evening, Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly won “Best Fight” for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” “Best Kiss” went to the lip-smacking threesome of Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter for “We’re the Millers,” while presenters Zac Efron, Seth Rogen and Dave Franco hosted their own kissing contest with two women from the audience, and even Seth Rogen’s mom. Shailene Woodley won the first-ever “Favorite Character” award, which was voted on socially, for her role in “Divergent.”

The evening was also infused with unforgettable musical performances. Grammy® Award-winning, multi-platinum superstars, Eminem and Rihanna re-teamed for an emotionally charged first live performance of their #1 smash single “The Monster.” Backed by a full piece band and a nightmare-come-to-life backdrop, the duo brought the audience to their feet with an explosive performance that blended dark and surreal imagery with raw emotion.

Fresh from the stages of Coachella, Ellie Goulding and Zedd brought the Divergent soundtrack to life. Goulding delivered a stripped down version of her new hit single, “Beating Heart,” featuring Zedd on piano. The DJ then took the turntables for a high-octane performance of “Find You” alongside Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant. Surrounded by a masked fan army, MTV Artists to Watch twenty one pilots delivered a stark and haunting introspective performance of their new single, “Car Radio,” which built to a pulsating crescendo. For more information on Eminem, Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, Zedd and twenty one pilots go to MTV Artists on the web, iOS or Android.

Winners of the 2014 “MTV Movie Awards” are as follows (*denotes new category)

MOVIE OF THE YEAR
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Lionsgate)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Producers: Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Lionsgate)

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Lionsgate)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Will Poulter – We’re the Millers (New Line Cinema)

BEST KISS
Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter – We’re the Millers (New Line Cinema)

BEST FIGHT
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Warner Bros. Pictures) – Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly vs. Orcs

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street (Paramount Pictures)

BEST SCARED-AS-S**T PERFORMANCE
Brad Pitt – World War Z (Paramount Pictures)

BEST ON-SCREEN DUO
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker – Fast & Furious 6 (Universal Pictures)

BEST SHIRTLESS PERFORMANCE
Zac Efron – That Awkward Moment (Focus Features)

#WTF MOMENT
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street (Paramount Pictures)
Leonardo DiCaprio’s iconic portrayal of excessive Wall Street player Jordan Belfort takes a turn for the insane when he takes his Lamborghini for a spin.

BEST VILLAIN
Mila Kunis – Oz The Great and Powerful (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)

FAVORITE CHARACTER
Shailene Woodley – Divergent (Summit Entertainment)

BEST MUSICAL MOMENT
Backstreet Boys, Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen and Craig Robinson – This is the End (Columbia Pictures)
Spoiler alert! Backstreet Boys reunite in heaven to perform “Everybody” with signature boy band moves and flair for this unforgettable apocalyptic ending.

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE
Rihanna – This is the End (Columbia Pictures)

BEST HERO
Henry Cavill as Clark Kent – Man of Steel (Warner Bros. Pictures)

MovieAwards.MTV.com is the official site for the 2014 “MTV Movie Awards” where fans can get up-to-date info on this year’s show, watch video of the biggest occurrences, get the full list of 2014 show winners, and check out fashion and celebrity commentary from the red carpet.

The “2014 MTV Movie Awards” aired across MTV’s global network of more than 60 channels reaching more than half a billion households around the world. In addition, its convergent programming and content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV’s more than 200 digital media properties around the world.

Official sponsors of the 2014 “MTV Movie Awards” include Aquafina® FlavorSplash®, Chevrolet, GEICO®, Revlon®, Taco Bell®, T-Mobile® and Unilever.

Jesse Ignjatovic serves as Executive Producer for the 2014 “MTV Movie Awards.” Garrett English serves as Executive Producer and Executive in Charge for MTV. Lee Lodge and Jen Jones serve as Executive Producers. Wendy Plaut serves as Co-Executive Producer and Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent. Amy Doyle is Executive in Charge of Music and Celebrity Talent. Joanna Bomberg is Executive in Charge of Music Talent.

About MTV:
MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy®, Grammy® and Peabody® award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV’s sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to www.mtvpress.com.

About Den of Thieves:
Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager to create, develop and produce original television, Den of Thieves has emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, their credits cover a vast array of formats and include VH1’s “The T.O. Show,” Comedy Central’s “Russell Brand in New York City”, Bravo’s “Start-Ups: Silicon Valley,” as well as the CMT Country Awards.

Press Release: Rights for “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” Acquired by Kino Lorber

KINO LORBER ACQUIRES ALL US RIGHTS TO MOHAMMAD RASOULOF’S IRANIAN DRAMA MANUSCRIPTS DON’T BURN

NEW YORK, NY – April 14, 2014 – Kino Lorber is pleased to announce the acquisition of all US rights to writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof’s (Iron Island, Goodbye) Manuscripts Don’t Burn, an Iranian drama about state-based censorship.

Mr. Rasoulof’s latest film continues his defiant return to filmmaking after being sentenced by the Iranian Revolutionary Court (in 2010) to six years in jail and a 20-year prohibition from filmmaking. (The prison term was later reduced to one year.) Much like he did with his previous film Goodbye (2012), Rasoulof filmed Manuscripts Don’t Burn without federal permission – and in order to maintain the safety of the film’s crew, their names have been removed from the film’s final credits.

Manuscripts Don’t Burn screened at last year’s Cannes (Un Certain Regard) and won the festival’s coveted FIPRESCI Prize. The film also played at the Toronto International Film Festival, in the Contemporary World Cinema section, and is now slated for a one-week theatrical premiere at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in mid June – before it opens in key art house markets throughout the United States. Kino Lorber will release the film on the educational market, as well as on VOD, home media and SVOD later this year.

This highly charged political thriller draws on real events to tell a unfortunately common tale or repression in contemporary Iran. Kasra, an Iranian author who’s been secretly writing his memoirs, is under strict monitoring by the country’s security service. His stories are related to his time in jail as a political prisoner and to other events connected to his life as an intellectual in Iran. After preparing his writings to be published as a book, Kasra gets ready to leave the country – but the security service apparatus uncovers his plan before he leaves the country. Next on their agenda: destroy his manuscripts.

After flying to Iran in September, 2013, with the intent to return to Hamburg in late September, Mr. Rasoulof had his passport confiscated and remains unable to leave Iran until this day.

This deal was negotiated between Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber and Adeline Fontan Tessaur at Elle Driver.

About Kino Lorber:
With a library of 800 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its KinoLorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award® nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 70 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases under its 5 house brands, distributes a growing number of third party labels, and is a direct digital distributor to all major platforms including iTunes, Vimeo, Netflix, HULU, Amazon and others.

Press Release: 2014 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Winners Announced

2014 INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

FANDRY receives Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, POWERLESS receives Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary. Best Short Film winner, ALCHEMY, will receive a cash grant from HBO.

Audience Choice Awards go to SIDDHARTH, FAITH CONNECTIONS, and KUSH

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 14, 2012) – The 12 annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) concluded on Sunday evening (April 13) with a red carpet and gala fete that included the Los Angeles premiere of Amit Gupta’s JADOO and the presentation of the festival’s Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards.

This year the festival showcased more than 30 film features, documentaries, and shorts at ArcLight Hollywood, home of IFFLA since its inception. “The awards are bittersweet, as this means the festival has reached its conclusion,” said IFFLA Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. “We’ve had an incredible six days celebrating Indian cinema, creating dialogue between our filmmakers and our wonderful Los Angeles audiences, and building bridges for our filmmakers with industry professionals.”

FANDRY, directed by Nagraj Manjule, took home the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, with an honorable mention for Richie Mehta’s SIDDHARTH. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary went to co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar for POWERLESS.

The prize for Best Short, which included a cash grant from HBO, was presented to ALCHEMY, directed by Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, and Janmeet Singh. An honorable mention was given to LOVE. LOVE. LOVE., directed by Sandhya Daisy Sundaram.

The Narrative Films jury stated: “All of the films were a pleasure to watch. We are in awe of and inspired by the stories that the filmmakers brought to us. So many of the films dealt with the exploitation of children, such as child labor. The film we chose – FANDRY – features stunning cinematic quality and powerful story-telling, capturing the inner life of its young hero, and providing a detailed and intimate illustration of the social power structure of his village.”

The statement from the Documentary Film Jury reads: “For its portrayal of a community faced with a power struggle over limited resources and its complex web of stories, the jury gives the documentary award to POWERLESS.”

Regarding the Short Film Awards, the jury stated: “The Honorable Mention goes to LOVE. LOVE. LOVE., a well crafted documentary from a fresh filmmaking voice that seamlessly transports us from character to character and touched our hearts along the way. The Grand Jury Prize is presented to ALCHEMY. Culturally rooted and formally inventive, this film used mixed media to create a one of a kind film-going experience.”

The 2014 narrative film jurors were: award winning actress Shoreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog, House of Saddam), writer and prolific television actress Meera Simhan (Miss India America), Variety film journalist and educator David Chute, and Head of Digital Development for Crackle and Sony Pictures Television John Orlando. The Best Documentary Award was decided by award-winning writer, producer, and director Brian Knappenberger (The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz), film festival programmer Dilcia Barrera (Sundance, AFI FEST, LACMA), and producer Chris Salvaterra (The Visitor, Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck). Judging the short films were Senior Vice President of Post-Production at HBO Entertainment Gena Desclos, award-winning director and writer Kamal K.M.(I.D.),and Sundance and Palm Springs International ShortFest programmer Heidi Zwicker.

GRAND JURY AWARDS
BEST FEATURE: Fandry
HONORABLE MENTION: Siddharth
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Powerless
BEST SHORT FILM: Alchemy
HONORABLE MENTION: Love. Love. Love.

AUDIENCE AWARDS
BEST FEATURE: Siddharth
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Faith Connections
BEST SHORT: Kush

ABOUT IFFLA
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.

Press Release: Documentary of 79-Year-Old Boston Marathon Runner

One year after Boston Marathon bombings, documentary tells inspiring story of iconic 79-year-old runner Bill Iffrig

“The Finish Line” is the newest Sports On Earth documentary produced by the “Sonicsgate” filmmakers

SEATTLE, Wash. — One year after the Boston Marathon bombings, a new Sports On Earth documentary titled “The Finish Line” tells the inspiring story of Bill Iffrig. The 79-year-old marathon runner was 20 feet from the finish line when the first blast went off, and images of him laying on the concrete during the ensuing chaos became the iconic image of the tragedy.

“I was so damn lucky, that’s how I think,” Iffrig said in the 12-minute documentary.

“There are some things in life that you don’t have any control of, so somehow or another, you’ve got to make your way to get through them.”

Iffrig is a native of Lake Stevens, Wash., where he still trains and runs several marathons a year. Injuries to his hearing and right quadriceps as a result of the bombing have not stopped Iffrig from running races. His story of getting up to finish the 2013 Boston Marathon has inspired many, and “The Finish Line” shows there is much more to this man than the iconic photograph seen by millions.

“There are some things in life that you don’t have any control of,” Iffrig said in the documentary. “So somehow or another, you’ve got to make your way to get through them.”

Please direct media inquiries to the contacts listed at the top of this release.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
“The Finish Line” is the third short documentary the filmmakers behind the Webby Award-winning “Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team” have produced for Sports On Earth (SoE) this year, working with SoE General Manager Stephen Madden.

Their first SoE film, “Mr. Irrelevant,” examines the final pick of the NFL draft and was recently named a 2014 Webby Awards Honoree.

Their second SoE film, “Breaking The Ice,” tells the true story of the 1988 Jamaican Bobsled team.

Press Release: Jonathan Demme Presents “Horses of God”

Jonathan Demme Presents HORSES OF GOD, A Drama of Young Moroccans Turned Islamic Martyrs

US Theatrical Premiere on Wednesday, May 14 at Film Forum

New York, NY, April 17, 2014 – Kino Lorber is proud to announce the New York theatrical opening of Horses of God, a film directed by Nabil Ayouch and presented by award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), who first watched the film while in Marrakesh and has championed its release ever since.

Based on the eponymous best-selling novel by Mahi Binebine, Jonathan Demme Presents Horses of God will have its US theatrical premiere on Wednesday, May 14, at New York’s Film Forum. The film will expand nationwide after its New York premiere.

A drama set in a slum on the outskirts of Casablanca, and based on a horrific 2003 bombing (12 young men attacked multiple targets, leaving 45 dead), Horses of God is more a character study of children growing up without hope than it is a portrait of terrorists-in-training.

Yachine and Nabil, inseparable friends, fall under the influence of Yachine’s violent older brother, Hamid, after the latter is released from prison on drug charges, now a newly-minted Islamic fundamentalist.

These are street kids from poor families where everyday violence, mental illness, corruption, and dope-dealing compete with fantasies of escaping to Western Europe to earn scads of money or dreams of making it as a professional soccer player. They are subject to the lure of religious fanatics who blame their misfortune on “the imperialist Zionist conspiracy” and offer a “community of new brothers” to those who will submit to the discipline of martyrdom.

Nabil Ayouch’s deeply moving film has been lauded for its “brutal poetry” and the realism with which it depicts how insidiously and cynically fundamentalists ply their trade. The film was presented as part of Un Certain Regard at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Please, R.S.V.P. to Adam Walker (at Adam@FilmForum.org) in order to attend one of the following press screenings. (Both screenings will be held at Film Forum, located on 209 West Houston Street, NY, NY.)

ABOUT KINO LORBER:
With a library of 800 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award® nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 70 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases under its 5 house brands, distributes a growing number of third party labels, and is a direct digital distributor to all major platforms including iTunes, Netflix, HULU, Amazon, Vimeo and others.