July 13, 2014
AFI FEST: Director Joel Potrykus Talks American Indie BUZZARD
Joel Potrykus’ second feature, BUZZARD, follows Marty (played by Joshua Burge), a mortgage office temp in Grand Rapids, Michigan with almost no ambition other than to scam his way to the middle, eat frozen pizza and craft a homemade Freddy Krueger glove. When he steals a stack of checks from work, his paranoia begins to…
July 12, 2014
The AFI FEST Interview: Director Mike Leigh Talks MR. TURNER
In MR. TURNER, British auteur Mike Leigh follows the latter half of the life and career of iconoclastic landscape painter J.M.W. Turner. Played by Timothy Spall in a Cannes Best Actor-winning performance, Turner is at once charming and a repulsive brute of a man, using unusual methods to craft stunning masterpieces while employing considerably less…
July 12, 2014
The AFI FEST Interview: Director Gabriel Mascaro Talks World Cinema Entry AUGUST WINDS
The only Brazilian selection at AFI FEST 2014 presented by Audi, Gabriel Mascaro’s AUGUST WINDS encapsulates the spirit of innovation and experimentation that characterizes many of the films in the World Cinema section of this year’s festival. AUGUST WINDS is a lyrical journey, set on an island off the coast of northeastern Brazil, where a…
July 12, 2014
The AFI FEST Interview: Director Sarah Adina Smith Talks THE MIDNIGHT SWIM
In THE MIDNIGHT SWIM, three half-sisters – Isa (Aleksa Palladino), Annie (Jennifer Lafleur) and June (Lindsay Burdge) – return to their childhood waterfront home to handle their mother’s affairs after she disappears in the mysterious Spirit Lake. June, the youngest, obsessively films the reunion in an attempt to deal with past psychological issues that threaten…
July 11, 2014
Meet the New Director of AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS, AFI’s annual documentary festival in Washington, DC, is excited to announce a new Director: filmmaker and Executive Director of the International Documentary Association (IDA), Michael Lumpkin. We’re happy to welcome Michael to the AFI family. He’s a filmmaker with nearly three decades of experience in the film community and not only brings a…
July 11, 2014
The AFI Interview: WHIPLASH Director Damien Chazelle
Damien Chazelle’s WHIPLASH is currently drumming up excitement among audiences nationwide, but its road to the big screen was not an easy one – requiring of its director a dedication that mirrors that of his protagonist, a young musician determined to be one of the jazz greats. In 2012, the screenplay was featured on the…
July 10, 2014
The AFI FEST Interview: Co-Director Wash Westmoreland Talks STILL ALICE
One of the many powerful films screening at AFI FEST 2014 presented by Audi is STILL ALICE, a drama co-directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer. The film, based on the novel by Lisa Genova, stars Julianne Moore as prominent linguistics professor Alice Howland, whose life takes a devastating, unexpected turn when she’s diagnosed with…
July 9, 2014
Wes Craven Explains The Origin Of Freddy Krueger’s Glove
When people think of Freddy Krueger, some picture the boogeyman’s dark fedora hat or his tattered red and green striped sweater. But, more likely, most people will immediately think of something even more unmistakable: that glove. The four-bladed weapon instantly made its mark on audiences when movie-goers first encountered it on screen in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, which celebrates its 30th...
July 9, 2014
The AFI Interview: Charlie McDowell and Justin Lader
THE ONE I LOVE isn’t just another movie about relationships. This exuberant film, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, is a love story with a sci-fi plot twist that’s surprising but earned. The movie stars Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass (who also serves as a producer on the film) as a...
July 8, 2014
And the Honorees are…
It's that time of year again. AFI is honoring the most outstanding films and television programs of the year with AFI AWARDS. The non-competitive AFI AWARDS acknowledge the collaborative nature of film and TV production, bringing the community’s creative teams together in a unique celebration of their work. This year's list includes 10 television programs and, for...
July 8, 2014
AFI FEST Shorts Present Bold Visions With Brief Runtimes
An annual celebration of world cinema, AFI FEST presented by Audi serves as a showcase for both established auteurs and new voices – with the latter represented nowhere better than in the festival’s various Shorts programs. These capsule narratives capture the diverse perspectives of their respective makers, giving life to tales that span the spectrum...
July 7, 2014
THE AFI FEST Interview: Director Josephine Decker Talks THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY
Josephine Decker’s film THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY is a poetic piece of psychosexual filmmaking framed against the backdrop of a quiet country farm. Akin (Joe Swanberg) has taken a summer job on Jeremiah’s (Robert Longstreet) farm and develops an attraction to Jeremiah’s daughter, Sarah (Sophie Traub). The budding relationship unveils Jeremiah’s jealousy. But Akin…
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