Listen up, the IDA is proud to host a screening of Neil Young Trunk Show, the next great concert film that dares to capture rocker Neil Young on and off stage. The Wed. Nov 4, 10:30 pm screening takes place at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood as part of the AFI FEST 2009. The screening (as are all AFI FEST 2009 screenings) is free.
After months of battling, Dole Food Company, Inc. has announced that it is dismissing its defamation lawsuit against filmmakers Fredrik Gertten, Margarete Jangard and WG Film AB in the Los Angeles Superior Court, relating to the film "Bananas!*." Read about some of the drama here. Dole stated that it made its decision “in light of the free speech concerns being expressed in Sweden, although it continues to believe in the merits of its case.” (from indieWIRE)
Hot on the heels of the release of their most recent movie, The Yes Men Fix the World (and a much-publicized stunt involving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), the activists-pranksters Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, (known collectively as The Yes Men) are receiving their own channel on Babelgum. The channel will feature behind-the-scenes planning of The Yes Men's pranks and media post-mortems for past stunts not seen in their films, The Yes Men and The Yes Men Save the World. Check it out here: www.babelgum.com/yesmen.B-Side Entertainment announced that it has acquired Alex Vlack and Damani Baker's portrait of soul legend Bill Withers Still Bill, which will be released via the distributor's Theatrical-on-Demand program where individuals and organizations can host a screening of any size, in any location, at any time. Still Bill's website will allow audiences to sign up to host their own screening of the film. (via indieWIRE)
Can we pick 'em or what? A Walk To Beautiful, which won the 2007 IDA Award for Feature Documentary also walked away with an Emmy last month for Outstanding Informational Programming -- Long Form thanks to an airing on NOVA. The filmmakers said thanks with the following release: "Thanks to many of you for watching the film at its initial small screenings, and then at the film festivals - first one then two then 30 and growing - then in theaters during our feature release, additional requested screenings across the country and internationally, and then on television when it was broadcast (in shorter form) on NOVA, and to those of you who supported our efforts in other important ways behind the scenes. Winning the Emmy Award is a huge achievement particularly considering this was produced without major broadcaster support until late in the process and took four years to produce." Missed the movie? Pick up a DVD at http://www.walktobeautiful.com.