Vashon Movie Institute, the non-profit group devoted to fostering impartial filmmaking within the Pacific Northwest, has introduced the movie slate for its fourth annual Vashon Island Movie Competition. The pageant is ready for Aug. 7-10, the place 9 options and 15 shorts will display screen on the Vashon Theatre. The pageant will open with a screening of the Opening Evening movie “The Balconettes,” which can display screen out of competitors.
This yr’s lineup will embody six narrative and three documentary options, together with Laurent Slama’s “A Second Life,” Ari Gold’s “Brother Verses Brother,” Ernesto Martinez Bucio’s “The Satan Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches within the Identical Field)”, Georgi M. Unkovski’s “DJ Ahmet,” Henry Bernadet’s “Gamma Rays,” Phil Moniz and Kevin Claydon’s “Racewalkers,” Ben Hethcoat and Keita Ideno’s “Coroner To The Stars,” Brittany Shyne’s “Seeds,” and Benjamin Flaherty’s “Shuffle.”
The narrative shorts will embody Alex Thompson’s “Em & Selma Go Griffin Searching,” Aisling Byrne’s “Turnaround,” Daisy Friedman’s “Unholy,” and Bianca Politti’s “Video Barn.”
This yr’s documentary shorts embody Mark Shapiro’s “The Invisible Enemy,” Lesley Loksi Chan’s “Lloyd Wong, Unfinished,” Charles Frank’s “Shanti Rides Shotgun,” Loren Waters’ “Tiger,” and Christopher Radcliff’s “We Have been the Surroundings.”
Natalia León’s “As If the Earth Had Swallowed Them Up (Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado),” Olivia Marie Valdez’ “Dormilón,” John Kelly’s “Retirement Plan,” Calleen Koh’s “My Fantastic Reside,” and Emerson Tenney’s “Vibrantea” will display screen for VIFF’s animated shorts lineup.
Friday, July 11
Stage 33 Leisure Acquires Frida Kahlo Animated Characteristic, ‘Hola Frida’
Stage 33 Leisure has acquired the U.S. distribution rights for “Hola Frida,” a Spanish-language animated characteristic movie concerning the childhood of artist Frida Kahlo. The movie will hit theaters on Aug. 8.
“Hola Frida” depicts the kid Kahlo rising up in a small Mexican village within the early 1900s. When a polio analysis leaves her bedridden, she finds refuge in her creativeness, pondering up pictures, shapes, and colours that may form her world-renowned creativity.
The movie goals to encourage and entertain, but additionally educate, because the “Hola Frida” website consists of impression sources for studying concerning the artists’ work, life, and legacy. On the acquisition, Stage 33 President Andreas Olavarria states, “If households are in search of one thing a bit of totally different in theaters this summer season, ‘Hola Frida’ offers a beautiful escape that may hold youngsters entertained and educate them a bit of one thing alongside the best way.”
“Hola Frida” relies on of the image guide, “Frida, c’est moi,” by Sophie Faucher and Cara Carmina. The movie is directed by Karine Vézina and André Kadi.
Thursday, July 10
Freestyle Digital Media Acquires ‘A Spartan Dream,’ Units Restricted Theatrical Launch
Freestyle Digital Media — the impartial movie arm of Byron Allen’s Leisure Studios — has acquired the distribution rights to “A Spartan Dream” and can launch it in choose theaters for one week, beginning Aug. 15.
“A Spartan Dream” is a romantic-comedy journey movie riddled with fantasy and fable. Based mostly on a real story, the movie follows an ancient-Greece-obsessed American who travels to the land of his ancestors to promote his outdated household homestead. Nonetheless, plans go awry when he falls in love with an attractive Greek girl; he alters course to salvage the village and alter historical past.
The movie stars Peter Bundic, Georgia Mesariti, Katerina Didaskalou, Renos Haralambidis and Nikos Tsergas, and is the characteristic directorial debut for M. Achilles. It gained consideration after profitable Finest Characteristic Movie on the 2025 Prague Actors and Filmmakers Movie Competition.
The film’s theatrical run will happen in 5 cities between Aug. 15 and Aug. 22. It is going to concurrently turn out to be out there on VOD platforms, and the DVD will launch in September.
Supernatural Horror-Thriller ‘Klifhaus’ Wraps Manufacturing
Principal images for “Klifhaus,” a psychological horror-thriller starring Nick Stahl (“Carnivàle, Within the Bed room”), Ana Ularu (“Emerald Metropolis,” “Siberia”), and Rade Sherbedgia (“Snatch,” “The Outdated Man”) has formally wrapped manufacturing. The movie relies on “Home of Horrors,” a brief story by Ben Financial institution, who additionally serves as an govt producer on the movie. The screenplay was written by Almagor, who will direct the movie, Michael HarPaz, and Marat Parkhomovsky.
“Klifaus” is ready in “a decaying Stalin-era property deep within the Japanese European Forest, the place the White household confronts buried trauma and supernatural unrest.”
Stahl will play William, a rising politician drawn into the shadows of his authoritarian lineage, whereas Ularu will play Katie, his psychologically unraveling spouse. Sherbedgia will play Levan, the property’s haunting caretaker.
“”Klifhaus” started with a query that haunted me: what if the true horror isn’t the home, however the individual you share it with?” says Almagor. “I got down to make a horror movie the place the true monster is emotional neglect, and the home turns into each a lure and a mirror. This can be a slow-burn descent into insanity, a few marriage eroded by silence, management, repression, and unmet want, the place the supernatural is solely the echo of every thing that’s gone unsaid.”
The movie is in search of international gross sales and distribution companions.
Wednesday, July 9
Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Stevens’ ‘We Are Guardians’ Documentary Raises Over $1 Million For Amazon Rainforest Safety
The “We Are Guardians” movie impression marketing campaign group has raised over $1 million in help of the Indigenous-led motion to guard the Amazon rainforest and its individuals.
The vast majority of the impression marketing campaign funds shall be directed to the forest guardians featured within the movie and Indigenous-led initiatives, together with initiatives and coaching for Indigenous ladies. The cash may also be used to construct the infrastructure crucial to attain the movie’s long-term impression objectives, help the movie’s launch, fund accessible group occasions, instructional theatrical experiences and alternatives for viewers to have interaction in individual with Indigenous motion leaders.
“The movie’s impression marketing campaign is a vital a part of the challenge,” Edivan Guajajara, the movie’s director, stated. “It’s not nearly displaying the story, however mobilizing individuals, creating strategic partnerships, influencing insurance policies, and galvanizing everybody to affix this combat. The world wants to know that defending Indigenous peoples is defending the planet. Each viewer can turn out to be a guardian. That’s our mission.”
Produced by Fisher Stevens with Leonardo DiCaprio as govt producer, “We Are Guardians” is an environmental documentary that follows the Indigenous forest protectors of the Amazon as they threat their lives to fend off unlawful loggers and land invaders.
Along with elevating cash, the impression marketing campaign has delivered drones, radios, firefighting gear and cameras to forest guardians in addition to constructing monitoring bases.
Following its premiere in June, the theatrical launch of “We Are Guardians” opens in New York on Friday and can proceed its showings nationwide via September.
Worldwide Cinematographers Guild Announce Rising Honoree Recipients
The Worldwide Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Native 600) has chosen eight honorees to obtain the 2025 Rising Cinematographer Awards (ECAs). Amongst honorees are Isaac Banks, “The Trophy King,” John B. Barrett, “Recall,” Daniel Cotroneo, “Yae: Blind Samurai Girl,” Eythan Maidhof, “Class Clown,” Mariscela Beatríz Méndez, “The Center,” Josh Pickering, “Boundless | HomeAid,” Steven Jacob Russell, “Hammer” and Alexa Wolf, “To Fade Away.”
The ECAs help the following technology of visible storytellers by spotlighting and honoring early-career and rising Administrators of Images.
“The Rising Cinematographer Awards replicate the essential values that ICG stands for — fostering expertise, mentorship, and supporting a powerful artistic group,” says John Lindley, ASC, Nationwide President of the ICG. “These honorees symbolize the way forward for our craft, and we’re privileged to raise their visions at this pivotal second of their careers.”
“By recognizing excellent expertise on the earliest phases of their careers, the ICG is proud to assist open doorways and create alternatives for rising Administrators of Images to thrive on this dynamic business,” says Steven Poster, ASC, Chair of the Guild’s ECA committee.
Eduardo Fierro, SVC, 2013 ECA alumnus who now joins this yr as the brand new Co-Chair of the ECA committee, provides, “It’s an honor to step into this function and assist proceed the custom of uplifting recent voices in cinematography. As an ECA alumnus, this has been a full circle expertise for me. The ECAs rejoice each inventive excellence and the spirit of mentorship that defines our group.”
The twenty seventh annual awards gala and reception shall be held on the Tv Academy Saban Media Middle Wolf Theatre, on Sept. 28.
Vimeo Publicizes First Brief Movie Grant Winners
Vimeo has introduced the complete record of their first Brief Movie Grant winners. This system, which was launched earlier this yr in March, is ready to supply aspiring filmmakers with business entry and the chance for distribution to Vimeo’s international viewers.
“For twenty years, Vimeo has served and impressed thousands and thousands of filmmakers and movie lovers world wide,” says Philip Moyer, the CEO of Vimeo. “We’re extremely proud to associate with business leaders, Nikon and RED, on this new grant program to speed up the way forward for storytelling and launch a brand new technology of filmmakers. Collectively we are going to present filmmakers with sources, mentorship, and a trusted platform to create distinctive quick movies and join with a world viewers.”
The 2025 winners had been chosen by a jury of business professionals together with David Lowery (“The Inexperienced Knight), Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”), Sean Wang (“Didi”), Savanah Leaf (“Earth Mama”) and cinematographer Adam Bricker. Recipients of this yr’s award will obtain $30,000 every in funding for his or her movies, in addition to private mentorship alternatives with the choice jury and the Vimeo Curation Crew. Winners may also obtain the newest Z CINEMA line {of professional} gear and a Vimeo Normal subscription.
See beneath for the complete winners record.
“Spaceboi,” directed by Andrew J. Rodriguez
“La Selva,” directed by Sofia Camargo
“I Keep in mind the Home Was Purple,” directed by Carmen Pedrero
“The Solely Man to Ever Exist,” directed by Annie Ning
“The Ineffable Hum,” directed by John C. Kelley
Monday, July 7
“Sheepwell” Wraps Manufacturing As Michole Briana White, Alix Lapri and Extra Lead Solid
Pathway Photos and SheNYC Arts have wrapped manufacturing on the darkish comedy characteristic movie “Sheepwell,” starring Michole Briana White, Alix Lapri, Connor Paolo and producer Lauren Elizabeth Harris.
Based mostly on the Off Broadway play of the identical title by Margaret Rose Caterisano, director Kim Caicedo tailored the story right into a screenplay alongside Danielle DeMatteo. “Sheepwell” is described as a feminist thriller that reveals what occurs when an overconfident traveler messes with the improper girl. Denise Grayson additionally acted within the movie.
“Upon studying the script for the primary time, I used to be instantly consumed by these ladies and the eerie, twisted Southern panorama that they’re attempting to outlive in,” Caicedo stated. “This movie is greater than only a thriller and a thriller. It’s a real-life depiction of what ladies in our society should concern and combat for daily.”
DeMatteo, who can be the founder and inventive director of SheNYC Arts, added, “Sheepwell” is an extremely particular story that’s stored all of us up at night time at SheNYC, ever since we first learn the unique play script. We had the privilege of bringing it to life on an off-Broadway stage again in 2023, and it’s going to be much more thrilling and surprising on display screen.”
