And the Oscar goes to...

The slightly modified version -- posted approx. 85min before start time!

Here we are again... doesn't feel at all like an entire year has gone by since we posted our prediction that ARGO would earn Ben Affleck and his team the Oscar for Best Picture, leaving Spielberg's epic LINCOLN in its Civil War dust.  Well, this year, while most Oscar prophets are calling the race assigned to 12 YEARS A SLAVE in the top category, we all wonder if the 'wonder' of the space epic, GRAVITY, doesn't pull a full coup and triumph bigger than any film in the last several years... One of the last Oscar sweeps in recent history came a decade ago, when LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, cleaned house with 11 wins out of 11 nominations.

Here now, is our full list of Oscar predictions for this year's race, featuring the top choice as the likeliest winner, followed by our 2nd possibility choice, and a third choice for the longshot honoree:

Best Picture
Will win:  12 YEARS A SLAVE
Could win:  GRAVITY
Longshot:  AMERICAN HUSTLE

Director
Alfonso Cuaron  GRAVITY
Steve McQueen   12 YEARS A SLAVE
David O'Russell   AMERICAN HUSTLE

Actor
Matthew McConaughey  DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Bruce Dern  NEBRASKA
Leonardo DiCaprio  WOLF OF WALL STREET

Actress
Cate Blanchett  BLUE JASMINE
Amy Adams  AMERICAN HUSTLE
Judi Dench  PHILOMENA

Supporting Actor
Jared Leto  DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Barkhad Abdi  CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Jonah Hill  WOLF OF WALL STREET

Supporting Actress
Lupita Nyong'o  12 YEARS A SLAVE
Jennifer Lawrence  AMERICAN HUSTLE
June Squibb  NEBRASKA

Original Screenplay
HER
AMERICAN HUSTLE
BLUE JASMINE

Adapted Screenplay
12 YEARS A SLAVE
WOLF OF WALL STREET
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Animated Feature
FROZEN
THE WIND RISES
THE CROODS

Foreign Language Film
THE GREAT BEAUTY
THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
THE HUNT

Documentary Feature
20 FEET FROM STARDOM
THE ACT OF KILLING
THE SQUARE

Documentary Short
THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE
FACING FEAR
CAVEDIGGER

Live Action Short
HELIUM
THE VOORMAN PROBLEM
JUST BEFORE LOSING EVERYTHING

Animated Short
GET A HORSE
FERAL
ROOM FOR THE BROOM

Cinematography
GRAVITY
NEBRASKA
THE GRANDMASTER

Editing
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
GRAVITY
12 YEARS A SLAVE

Costume Design
THE GREAT GATSBY
12 YEARS A SLAVE
AMERICAN HUSTLE

Production Design
THE GREAT GATSBY
HER
GRAVITY

Original Score
GRAVITY
PHILOMENA
HER


Original Song
"Let It Go"  FROZEN
"Ordinary Love"  MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
"The Moon Song"  HER

Makeup & Hairstyling
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
JACKASS PRESENTS BAD GRANDPA
THE LONE RANGER

Visual Effects
GRAVITY
THE HOBBIT
THE LONE RANGER

Sound Editing
GRAVITY
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
ALL IS LOST

Sound Mixing
GRAVITY
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
THE HOBBIT

VISIONFEST 14 ARRIVES MAY 14-18...






VF14, the 14th annual edition of VISIONFEST: The Other Festival is only three months away and if you haven't submitted your film or screenplay this year, there's still a little time to do so... but hurry, final deadlines are closing in.  Follow this link to submit your film:  http://domanivision.org/submit/  Or if you're submitting a screenplay, go to:
http://domanivision.org/submit/screenplay/

DOMANI VISION FILM SOCIETY IS SUPPORTED BY 3 PEOPLE LIKE THIS PODCAST!

The Society has a new sponsor!  The trio of 3 PEOPLE LIKE THIS PODCAST has agreed to offer its social media outlets as a means to promote the upcoming edition of VISIONFEST.  The podcast, which launched in the latter part of 2013, has a solid Facebook presence, with over 16,000 unique likes, and a staggering Twitter following, considering the short time that has passed since its inception, with over 6,000 people tweeting and many more signing up on a daily basis.  As part of this new alliance, VISIONFEST will be featuring 3 PEOPLE LIKE THIS ads in its commemorative VF14 program booklet and may even have some special, surprise appearances during its upcoming May run.  To check out samples of the podcast, please visit:

www.3peoplelikethis.com

VF14 Campaign Launches with New Fest Images!

Domani Vision Film Society has just published some of the new images accompanying its 2014 film festival campaign on its official Website at:  www.visionfest.com.

A new "call for entries" for both, film and screenplay submissions, is set to open on August 1, 2013, via Withoutabox.com and official film festival dates will be announced on that same date...

VISIONFEST WRAPS 13TH ANNUAL RUN & ANNOUNCES IVA WINNERS!

Future VF organizer, Rain Derlin, poses for rare photo op.

VISIONFEST 13 smiles on HAPPINESS with 3 Independent Vision Awards

Narrative features HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME,

TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE, and PALACE LIVING round out the

Festival’s a multiple award winners!

LOVE SCENE: THE LOVE STORY OF VIVIEN LEIGH & LAURENCE OLIVIER

by Bethany Ashton Wolf, crowned winner of Feature Screenwriting Competition.

New York City – July 1, 2013 – VISIONFEST 13: THE OTHER FESTIVAL (VF13), which wrapped its five-day run last night, announced its 2013 IVA (Independent Vision Award) winners, immediately following its Closing Night Selection screening, in a fairly short ceremony hosted by VF co-director, Bruno Derlin.  The event, which ran just shy of thirty minutes, sustained suspense and momentum with the reading of each nominated film and each recipient was welcomed to the stage with enthusiastic cheers and applause. 

The short subject narrative, HAPPINESS, written and directed by Chris King, walked off with 3 IVA statuettes, making it the evening’s biggest honoree, thus marking only the second time in VF history, that a short subject film led the winners’ list.  Described by its creator as the “intense story of one woman’s life in the cubicle world and the way her work life causes her to rethink who she is and what she wants,” the film was also well received by the VF audience, which was enthralled in a breathless silence throughout the duration of the screening.  In addition to its Outstanding Achievement in Short Subject Filmmaking award, the film took home statuettes for its lead actress, Sierra Hersek, and its editor, Chris King, who wore the bulk of the hats during the film’s production.  Melody Ladd accepted the awards on behalf of Chris King, reading from his notes, that: “Happiness was an amazing filmmaking adventure and we are just so honored to once again be able to screen our humble little films at one of the finest festivals on the planet, Visionfest.  Thank you very much.”  To this, Bruno Derlin, who was visibly moved, quickly replied:  “You see, we get awards too.  That was very kind. Thank you.”

The festival’s top prize, the Domani Vision Award for Emerging Talent – Filmmaker of the Year, was bestowed upon Morgan K. Nichols for his narrative feature, HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME, which also received an IVA for its Writing.  Mr. Nichols accepted his Domani Vision Award, stating:  “I’m deeply touched and honored by this.  The film is about trying to encourage people to make films outside the system with as little money as they possibly can. We shot this film for $25,000 in three weeks and we won.  I feel that this says that anyone who’s sitting here, not sure that they can make a film because their resources are limited, let this be a testament to the fact that you can.” 

TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE, the narrative feature from one of the several sold out shows at VF13, nabbed honors for its director, Michael Ferrell, and editor, Chris Prine – whose award also marked this edition’s only tie win, prompting Mr. Derlin, to pronounce the winners as “the two Chrisses, Prine and King.”  Accepting his Directing award, Mr. Ferrell clarified that:  “I directed the movie in name only, but the three of us (referring to his co-stars and co-producers, Devin Sanchez and Chris Prine) really did do everything together.  It really was a team effort.”

PALACE LIVING, which rounds out the multiple award winners, saw producer Biljana Ilic take home the Production award, along with a Certificate of Award for the film’s production designer, Ioannis Scohorakis.  An expecting mom-to-be, Ms. Ilic humorously quipped:  “I’m so excited.  I think this baby is going to be born tonight by how she is kicking.”  She then thanked the festival for the recognition and referenced her cast and crew, stating that: “Without them, I would not be able to be here accepting this award.”

The film festival’s only other narrative feature, BROKEN SIDE OF TIME, was honored for its cinematography, winning Gorman Bechard, who also wrote and directed the film, the first Abe Schrager Award for Cinematography (sponsored by the ASC) bestowed upon a film entirely shot using DSLRs.  Mr. Bechard humbly thanked the festival and then proceeded to credit his lead actress, Lynn Mancinelli, for her amazing talent and for her photogenic qualities, adding that:  “I don’t think that anything or anyone in the world could make Lynn look bad.”

Actor Clark Middleton, whose riveting performance in the Adam Hall short, MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN, won him the Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance award, stated:  “I’ve always been the runner-up for these sort of things.  This (award) is my first, so thank you very much.”  The festival’s other acting award, recognizing Outstanding Achievement in a Male Lead Role, went to Joel Nagle for the short, PALIMPSEST.

A special Grand Jury Prize, voted by the Domani Vision Film Society Board of Trustees, went to Katie Halper, for her documentary feature, COMMIE CAMP, one of the festival’s hottest tickets, with two sold out, “World Premiere” shows.  In addition to a Certificate of Award, Ms. Halper received a weekend camera package rental, courtesy of festival sponsors, AbelCine, valued at $1,000 and a custom jewelry gift certificate offered by GueGue Creations.

The award for Documentary Filmmaking went to THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR, which led the film’s director, Larry Brand, a previous IVA Writing Award winner from VF10, to joke that:  “The last time I won an award here, I think I was wearing this same shirt.  So it’s either, my lucky shirt or it’s the only one I have with sleeves.”

Rounding out the film awards list with Certificates for various categories were:  Jessica Hester’s ILLUSION (DVFS Visionary Award), BJ Blue – VI (Short Form Score), Kieran Valla & Brett Swanson for LIFT (Short Form Screenwriting), William D. Caballero for SEED STORY (Sound Design), and the Social Consciousness Award to DRIVING BLIND.

The Feature Screenwriting Competition winner was Bethany Ashton Wolf for her sweeping, epic screenplay, LOVE SCENE:  THE LOVE STORY OF VIVIEN LEIGH AND LAURENCE OLIVIER, which, along four other screenwriting finalists, will receive a special services prize from festival script competition sponsor, InkTip.com.  LOVE SCENE is also eligible to be staged in a “live” public reading in New York City, pending on the author’s schedule and availability.

Many of the awards handed out during the evening had additional services attached to them.  Among these, in addition to the ones already mentioned, was a new color correction software offered by Technicolor.

The full list of IVA winners follows below:

 

Domani Vision Award for Emerging Talent

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Production

PALACE LIVING (Biljana Ilic)

Directing

Michael Ferrell (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Writing

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Special Jury Prize

Katie Halper (COMMIE CAMP)

Short Subject Narrative

HAPPINESS

The Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance Award

Clark Middleton (MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN)

Acting (Male Lead)

Joel Nagle (PALIMPSEST)

Acting (Female Lead)

Sierra Hersek (HAPPINESS)

The Abe Schrager Award for Cinematography

Gorman Bechard (BROKEN SIDE OF TIME)

Documentary

THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR

Editing  (tie)

Chris King (HAPPINESS)

Chris Prine (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Production Design

Ioannis Scohorakis (PALACE LIVING)

DVFS Visionary Award

Jessica Hester (ILLUSION)

Short Form Score

B.J. Blue (VI)

Short Form Screenwriting

Kieran Valla & Brett Swanson  (LIFT)

Sound Design

William D. Caballero  (SEED STORY)

Social Consciousness

DRIVING BLIND

FEATURE SCREENWRITING COMPETITION

1st Place:  LOVE SCENE – THE LOVE STORY OF VIVIEN LEIGH & LAURENCE OLIVIER by Bethany Ashton Wolf

2nd Place:  DEAD DOLORES by Michael Yagnow

3rd Place:  THE LOOPHOLE by Sonja Greenlee & Martha Pinson

4th Place:  BIOTERROR CONSPIRACY by Louis Lio

5th Place:  HANCOCK PARK by Steven Wolfson

For additional information, please contact Kate Mistretta via e-mail: press@visionfest.com

VF13 ANNOUNCES IVA NOMINATIONS!

VISIONFEST announces 2013 Independent Vision Award nominees:

HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME and HAPPINESS lead the pack with

7 nominations each, including top prize: The Domani Vision Award

Narrative features, TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE, PALACE LIVING, and

BROKEN SIDE OF TIME follow close behind with multiple nominations!

New York City – June 27, 2013 – VISIONFEST 13: THE OTHER FESTIVAL, which kicked off last night with a ‘standing room only’ screening, announced its 2013 IVA (Independent Vision Award) nominees immediately following the ‘kick-off’ show, in the Tribeca Cinemas’ Varick Room.

Festival co-director, Bruno Derlin, officially revealed the honor roll to enthusiastic applause and cheers, as participating filmmakers present kicked back with some cocktails and chatter during the festival’s after-party.  The narrative feature, HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME, by Morgan K. Nichols, and the short subject, HAPPINESS, by Chris King, led the nominations list with 7 nods apiece, with Official Opening Night Selection, TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE, by Michael Ferrell, following close behind with 6 mentions.  “I’m actually glad we switched our awards template two years ago to announcing nominations on opening night, as this process generates a truly electric and buzzing atmosphere throughout the film festival,” stated Bruno Derlin, adding that: “It promotes a sense of friendly competition and often finds filmmakers starting friendships with others nominated in their categories – not to mention the fact that it stirs each filmmaker’s desire to see those other nominees.”  Asked about the films that did not receive nominations, Derlin quickly replied:  “We have a rigid pre-selection process during our programming stages and just being in the VF line-up is a challenge that each participating filmmaker has already conquered.  To me, all the films in our line-up are the cream of the crop.  The IVA nominations just single out some areas of outstanding achievement; they’re not saying that any one film is better than the next, but that there are individual contributions that, we feel, elevate the overall attributes of the film being singled out.”

Among some of the distinctions achieved with this year’s IVA nominations, are the fact that both of the top nominated films are directed by VF alumni and that both are up for the festival’s top prize, which is the Domani Vision Award.  Both filmmakers, Morgan K. Nichols and Chris King, are also competing in the Directing and Writing categories.  With narrative features traditionally copping the majority of nominations, it was quite refreshing to see short subjects, such as HAPPINESS, THE FIRST HOPE, PALIMPSEST and MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN get into the mix with multiple nominations in many of the top categories, although the other VF narrative features: TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE, PALACE LIVING, and BROKEN SIDE OF TIME, also pulled some fine numbers, with six, five, and three nods, respectively, and all in major categories.  Another very refreshing factoid revealed itself in the Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance Award, a special statuette named after the late, legendary Lynchian thesp, Jack Nance, to honor acting performances that touch on “scene stealing” attributes.  Three of that category’s nominees:  Davis Desmond and Lili Reinhart, both singled out for their star-making turns in Jeremy David White’s THE FIRST HOPE, and Sophia Rose Vail, nominated for I FEEL STUPID, are under the age of 18, and one of them, Davis Desmond, whose resume` showcases his availability to play roles within the ages of 8 and 12, is the youngest actor ever nominated for this award.

The IVA Ceremony will take place at Tribeca Cinema 2, on Sunday, June 30, 2013, at approximately 8:30 p.m. following the ‘Official Closing Night Selection’ screening.  Admission is free, however, seat reservations are highly recommended, and these can be made with festival staff, at the VF Hospitality desk at Tribeca Cinemas.  The full list of nominees follows below:

THE 2013 INDEPENDENT VISION AWARDS (IVA) NOMINATIONS

Domani Vision Award
Gorman Bechard (BROKEN SIDE OF TIME)

Larry Brand (THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR)

Chris King (HAPPINESS)

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Adam Hall (MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN)

Production
THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR (James Carpenter / Rebecca Reynolds)

PALACE LIVING (Biljana Ilic)

PALIMPSEST (Ben Nabors)

TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE (Michael Ferrell, Chris Prine, Devin Sanchez)

VI (Andrew Fairbank)

Directing

Katie Halper (COMMIE CAMP)

Sang Kim (FAREWELL JIMMY)

Chris King (HAPPINESS)

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Michael Ferrell (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Writing

Chris King (HAPPINESS)

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Adam Hall (MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN)

Zack Ordynans (PALACE LIVING)

Michael Ferrell (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Short Subject Narrative

FAREWELL JIMMY

THE FIRST HOPE

HAPPINESS

I FEEL STUPID

PALIMPSEST

The Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance Award

Davis Desmond (THE FIRST HOPE)

Lili Reinhart (THE FIRST HOPE)

Elizabeth Lardie (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Sophia Rose Vail (I FEEL STUPID)

Clark Middleton (MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN)

Acting (Male Lead)

Michael Andolini (FAREWELL JIMMY)

Michael Dix Thomas (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Aaron Refvem (LIFT)

Joel Nagle (PALIMPSEST)

Michael Ferrell (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Acting (Female Lead)

Lynn Mancinelli (BROKEN SIDE OF TIME)

Sierra Hersek (HAPPINESS)

Alyssa Mann (PALACE LIVING)

Kathleen Wise (PALIMPSEST)

Devin Sanchez (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

The Abe Schrager Award for Cinematography

Gorman Bechard (BROKEN SIDE OF TIME)

Ryan James Detzel (DRIVING BLIND)

Per Kvanbeck (GOLDEN)

Owen Donovan (PALACE LIVING)

Eduardo Fierro (SIDE EFFECTS)

Documentary

COMMIE CAMP

THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR

DO NOT DUPLICATE

DRIVING BLIND

SYSTEM PREFERENCES

Editing
Larry Brand (THE COEXIST COMEDY TOUR)

Chris King (HAPPINESS)

Morgan K. Nichols (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Anya Belkina (SYSTEM PREFERENCES)

Chris Prine (TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE)

Production Design
Roberto DiPietrantonio (HOW TO MAKE MOVIES AT HOME)

Jace Ford (ILLUSION)

Ioannis Scohorakis (PALACE LIVING)

Brian Rzepka (SIDE EFFECTS)

Eric Davis (VI)

DVFS Visionary Award

Jeremy David White (THE FIRST HOPE)

Jason House (THE GASKETTES)

Milena Pastreich (I FEEL STUPID)

Jessica Hester (ILLUSION)

Justin S. Lee (IRIS)

Short Form Score

Anna Drubich  (THE COLLECTOR’S GIFT)

Jace Ford (ILLUSION)

Nathan Matthew David (IRIS)

Jherek Bischoff (MY PAIN IS WORSE THAN YOUR PAIN)

B.J. Blue (VI)

Short Form Screenwriting

Sang Kim (FAREWELL JIMMY)

Austin Reynolds  (THE FIRST HOPE)

Kjell Kvanbeck  (GOLDEN)

Kieran Valla & Brett Swanson  (LIFT)

Alex Lubliner (PRETTY)

Sound Design
Jean Tsai  (THE COLLECTOR’S GIFT)

Credits t.b.d. (HAPPINESS)

William D. Caballero  (SEED STORY)

Ken Calhoun  (SYSTEM PREFERENCES)

Lars Rasmusen  (37)

Two other “Special Jury” prizes, one for Overall Technical and Creative Achievement and one for Social Consciousness are scheduled for announcement at the IVA Ceremony, but those are not revealed in advance, as they are not based on Jury votes, but are selected by the Board of Trustees of the Domani Vision Film Society.  VF runs thru June 30, at Tribeca Cinemas, NYC.

For additional information, please contact Kate Mistretta via e-mail:  kate@visionfest.com

VISIONFEST 13 PROUDLY ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH TECHNICOLOR!

Domani Vision Film Society is proud to welcome back Technicolor to its roster of VISIONFEST partners, as an "awards and media sponsor" of this year's event.

Remember when coloring used to be fun?

The company that is synonymous with "color" as it pertains to film, has recently released a software product called TECHNICOLOR COLOR ASSIST, under its Technicolor Cinestyle banner.  The affordably priced software tool is being touted as having "easy and intuitive color correction with power."  It is compatible to use with Final Cut X (as well as 7), Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects (versions CS5.5 and CS6) and it provides render-free playback and advanced controls for professional results.  Complimentary copies of the software are being presented to select Independent Vision Award recipients at this year's film festival, as part of a promotional campaign designed to encourage filmmakers to use TECHNICOLOR COLOR ASSIST, so that they too may join the countless, proud artists whose films are labeled as having "Color by Technicolor."

VISIONFEST & DOMANI VISION FILM SOCIETY WELCOME NEW SUPPORTING SPONSOR!

As the festival dates near, Domani Vision Film Society and Visionfest are bringing on new partners... This one, a real estate entity based in New York City, has just joined this year's roster... DVFS & VF13 gratefully acknowledge this support and proudly present this logo, introducing E2Squared...


http://www.esquaredny.com/