Gravitas Ventures has acquired the global rights to Isaac H. Eaton’s 2023 crime thriller “Welcome to Redville” starring Jake Manley, Highdee Kuan and Chris Elliott. Gravitas, The Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company, has set the film’s VOD release for August 29.
“Welcome to Redville” tells the story of a robbery-gone-wrong and the couple forced on the run in a small desert town called Redville. As drama and death ensues, couple Leo (Manley) and Toni (Kuan) discover that Redville and its strange townspeople are hard —if not impossible — to shake off.
The film was written by Eaton and Danny DeVoto. It was produced by Eaton and Frank Zanca and was executive produced by Brad Kramer and Alice Abernathy. Bill Guentzler, Gravitas Ventures VP of acquisitions, helmed the deal with Ramo Law.
Telluride Film Festival Unveils 50th Anniversary Festival Poster By Luke Dorman
Telluride Film Festival has unveiled the poster for its 50th anniversary. Designed by Luke Dorman, principal graphic designer at Meow Wolf, the poster aims to capture the rich history of TFF over the last half a decade. TFF takes place this year from August 31 to September 4 in Telluride, Colo.
In creating the art for this year’s festival, Dorman redrew select moments from the previous 49 event posters and quilted them into a single brand-new design. “50 years is a momentous milestone. It’s an incredible honor to be asked to return as the poster artist for such a monumental anniversary and to be able to contribute to such a special festival,” said Dorman in a statement.
“One of the most joyful posters we’ve had was Luke’s first rendition from 2021, just after the dark year of 2020,” said TFF director Julie Huntsinger in a statement. “It provided the extra lift we needed. It reminded us that so much of what we do is about the love and passion for cinema, and to be exuberant. As we were approaching our big year, the festival’s 50th birthday, we decided to ask him to conjure more of that joy again, and he has surpassed our expectations by a mile.”
‘Jumanji’ Location Manager Dow Griffith to Be Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award at LGMI Awards
Veteran location manager Dow Griffith is set to receive the Location Managers Guild International’s (LMGI) Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Annual LMGI Awards taking place on Aug. 26, the guild announced Wednesday.
With a lifetime career defined by over 65 motion pictures, Griffith is being honored for his rich creativity and enthusiasm that have “set the scene for movies sites literally around the world.” Griffith’s movie credits span across titles including “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” “Jumanji,” “And Justice For All,” “Proof of Life,” “Carrie,” “Dinosaur,” “Mission to Mars” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” among others.
“We regard Dow to be the quintessential location manager as we have followed his adventures across the globe,” said Robin Citrin, supervising location manager. “Well-traveled and full of tales, Dow can be dropped off anywhere in the world and he will return with stories and must-go places. He is resourceful, personable, and highly adaptable to any situation with a lifetime of rich escapades. He is most deserving to be honored with this year’s LMGI Lifetime Achievement Award.”
He is set to be honored at the LGMI Awards taking place at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica. The annual awards show honors creative visual creatives in the film, television and commercial industries across the world.
HIFF Announces 10 Films to Be Featured in Festival’s 2023 Lineup
Hawaii International Film Festival has unveiled 10 films featured in this year’s festival lineup. The 43rd annual HIFF will take place from October 12 to November 2 across multiple Hawaiian islands.
“HIFF43 is a celebration of Pacific voices and powerful storytelling. We are curating an exceptional lineup of some of the most anticipated films from major festivals to our home audience here in Hawai‘i.” said Beckie Stocchetti, HIFF executive director. “We are so excited to invite attendees back into the theaters to showcase thought-provoking and captivating films that ignite conversations, equalize audiences, bridge cultures and forge connections.”
Here are the 10 announced films: “A Great Divide” by Jean Shim, “Aum: The Cult At The End Of The World” by Ben Braun and Chiaki Yanagimoto, “Enter The Clones Of Bruce” by David Gregory, “Join or Die” by Rebecca Davis, “Monster” by Hirokazu Kore-eda, “My Partner” by Keli’i Grace, “Pacific Mother” by Katherine McRae, “The Delinquents” by Rodrigo Moreno, “The New Boy” by Warwick Thornton and “Twice colonized” by Lin Alluna.
African American Film Critics Association to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop With Summer Screenings
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is commemorating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a slate of film screenings that showcase how the genre has shaped cinema. Between July and October, screenings will be held across the country in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. This is the AAFCA’s sixth annual summer screening series, featuring films that highlight the African American experience.
“As hip hop celebrates fifty years, the members of AAFCA are thrilled to pay homage to the culture that the art form has inspired,” says Gil Robertson, president of the organization. “With deliberate intention given to the sounds, dance, and storylines inherent to the genre, hip hop has made rich contributions to the cinematic landscape, which have captivated audiences in the States and around the world.”
In the fall of 2023, Los Angeles’s Mark Taper Auditorium will host both screenings and conversations about hip-hop. It aims to “celebrate films that represent the spirit of the hip-hop generation.” These titles include “Brown Sugar,” “Dope,” “Eight Mile,” “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” “He Got Game,” “The Wood,” and more. Rick Famuyiwa is the writer-director behind “Brown Sugar,” “Dope,” and “The Wood,” and he will participate in Q&As after the screenings.
Visit aafca for updates on the commemorative programming.
ICG Announces 2023 Honorees for the 25th Emerging Cinematographer Awards
The International Cinematographers Guild has announced the honorees for the 25th Emerging Cinematographer Awards. The honorees and their respective films will be showcased at the ECA on Oct. 1 at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center.
The eight winning filmmakers and their films are:
Petros Antoniadis, Camera Operator — “Flickering Souls Set Alight”
Connor Van Bodell, Film Loader — “Nisei”
Dawson, Camera Operator — “For Those Who Don’t Know How”
Edward Guinn, Camera Operator — “Torn”
Brook Lee Karner, Digital Utility — “The Coop”
Grant MacAllister, Camera Operator — “Blood Positive”
Sarah Anne Pierpont, Camera Operator — “Juliet”
Yusuke Sato, 1st Assistant — “White Now Please”
Film submissions are open to all Local 600 members not yet classified as union DOPs. Projects submitted were all under 30 minutes in length and winning films were selected by ICG members from across the country. “The ECA’s are unique because Local 600 is the only organization that honors our newest talent,” said Steven Poster (ASC), chair of the ECA committee, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to give our members what is often the first recognition they will receive in their likely long and storied cinematography careers!”
