August 10, 2016
Watch: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kobe Bryant & More Salute John Williams
Back in June, movie maestro John Williams took to the Dolby Theatre stage in Hollywood to accept the AFI Life Achievement Award before an audience of his closest friends and collaborators — including award presenter Steven Spielberg, who has collaborated with the composer on more than 25 projects. The night’s starry guests and speakers also included actors Drew…
August 2, 2016
LISTEN: Our John Williams Playlist on Spotify
As AFI gets ready to salute John Williams for the 44th AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute on June 9, look back at the storied sounds from the great film composer. From classic tracks from the STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES films, to highlights from Williams’ E.T. The EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, SCHINDLER’S LIST and SUPERMAN scores and themes…
July 19, 2016
FRONTMAN Wins VIZIO + Dolby Vision Filmmaker Challenge
VIZIO, Inc. has announced today that AFI Conservatory Class of 2015 Cinematographer Todd Sheridan’s FRONTMAN (an AFI thesis film directed by Matthew Gentile, Class of 2015) is the winning selection in the VIZIO + Dolby Vision™ Filmmaker Challenge. FRONTMAN scored highest out of five finalists by a panel of judges. Clinching the top prize, Sheridan…
July 14, 2016
Congrats to AFI Conservatory’s Emmy-Nominated Alumni
Thursday morning’s 68th Annual Primetime Emmy® Awards announcement featured 22 AFI Conservatory alumni up for a total of 20 nominations. A record total of 50 alumni worked on 25 nominated programs — adding to a 2016 winning streak that has included 12 Television Critics Association Award nominations, three Cannes Film Festival prizes, five Academy Award®…
June 30, 2016
Stream These 10 AFI FEST Short Films
In anticipation of the final submissions deadline next week (July 15), AFI FEST showcases some of the short films that have screened at the festival in previous years. These shorts range from narrative to documentary to animation and even border on experimental. The AFI FEST programming team loves to champion shorts that are a little on...
June 27, 2016
Announcing the AFI DOCS 2016 Audience Award Winners
The American Film Institute has revealed the AFI DOCS 2016 Audience Award winners, concluding the five-day festival in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, MD. This year’s Audience Award for Best Feature went to MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE, directed by Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules (U.S.). This year’s Audience Award for Best Short went to…
June 23, 2016
The AFI DOCS Interview: SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Director Tal Amiran
In SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, Paul Saxton reflects on a long life behind the counter of his North London newspaper stand, 365 days a year at 4:40 a.m. for the last 36 years. The film won the Londonist Award for Best London Short Film at the London Short Film Festival. Ahead of the film's AFI DOCS...
June 22, 2016
The AFI Interview: CONTEMPORARY COLOR Directors Bill and Turner Ross
Bill and Turner Ross are AFI FEST alumni with their film TCHOUPITOULAS (AFI FEST 2012). We caught up with them to talk about their latest documentary, CONTEMPORARY COLOR, which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and will be screening this week at AFI DOCS. The film documents the Contemporary Color concerts organized by David Byrne, pairing a…
June 21, 2016
The AFI DOCS Interview: TRAIN SURFERS Director Adrien Cothier
In Adrien Cothier’s short film TRAIN SURFERS, thrill-seeking young men tempt fate doing stunts on Mumbai’s high-speed trains. AFI spoke to director Adrien Cothier ahead of the film’s AFI DOCS premiere. He is a New York-based filmmaker who cut his teeth working on the set of Wes Anderson’s FANTASTIC MR. FOX. What led you to documentary…
June 21, 2016
The AFI DOCS Interview: FAREWELL FERRIS WHEEL Directors Jamie Sisley & Miguel “M.i.G.” Martinez
There are many parallels between the lives of a migrant laborer and a carnival worker. FAREWELL FERRIS WHEEL is a year in the life of men who are both. Allotted controversial H-2B visas, the workers are grateful for the opportunity to provide for their families in Mexico, but also subject to little wage and labor…
June 21, 2016
The AFI DOCS Interview: SOLITARY Director Kristi Jacobson
In SOLITARY, director Kristi Jacobson takes viewers deep into Virginia’s Red Onion State Prison for a yearlong submersion in one of the most controversial aspects of America’s modern prison-industrial-complex: solitary confinement. Red Onion is just one of 40-plus supermax prisons, which force prisoners to spend 23 hours of every day alone. The film focuses on…
June 20, 2016
The AFI DOCS Interview: CHECK IT Directors Dana Flor & Toby Oppenheimer
In the heart of the nation’s capital, the Check It is a street gang comprised of gay and transgender teens who support each other in the face of outside bullying, attacks and discrimination. The group struggles with an existence underscored by violence, poverty and prostitution, but when a young mentor comes into their lives, he…
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