PRESSURE COOKER - a hot ticket!

• by Raphaela Neihausen, December 10, 2008

A completely sold out theater enthusiastically ate up PRESSURE COOKER, a film codirected by NY locals Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker. Powers introduced the film by saying “this is a film that pulls at your heart strings.  And if you don’t feel moved, you have no heart.”  A high bar to set, but luckily most audience members were relieved to discover that they did have a heart. 

On the way out of the theater, one of our STF members caught a really sweet exchange between the film’s director Mark Becker and D.A. Pennebaker where Becker was telling Pennebaker how much Pennebaker’s films inspired him to get into documentary when he was a kid and Pennebaker was telling Becker how much he really loved the film (see photo below - Chris Hegedus, Mark Becker, D.A. Pennebacker)

A magical night of storytelling chez Richard Leacock

• by Raphaela Neihausen, December 09, 2008

A full house greeted the 87 year-old Richard Leacock as he made a special visit to Stranger Than Fiction from Paris.  Among the luminaries in the audience were Albert Maysles and D.A. Pennebaker (see photo on left), Chris Hegedus, Robert Drew, George Stoney, Kevin Rafferty, and many others.  Titled THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF RICHARD LEACOCK, the evening was a sampling of various films and clips from Leacock’s illustrious career.  The evening started out with a screening of Leacock’s very first film - CANARY BANANAS (1934) - shot when he was only 13 years old.  This 7 minute short was intended to convey the “bliss” of his life in the Canary Islands to his classmates in his boarding school in England.  “Instead”, he laughs, “it became a commercial for my father’s banana plantation”.  The next film THE CHILDREN WERE WATCHING (1961) tells the story of a white New Orleans school legally forced to integrate four black students, and the surrounding hatred and racism of the situation.  Leacock describes one scene, where he is in the house of a family supporting integration while outside the anti-integration people are banging on the windows and doors, as being “more frightening than being a combat photographer in WWII.”  The last clip was from his most recent film MUSICAL ADVENTURE IN SIBERIA which he shot with his daughter Victoria in 1996. 

In addition to his film career, Richard Leacock also discussed the book he has been writing for the last several years, describing the experience as “just as enjoyable as making films”.  The electronic book will feature 97 films that can be interactively accessed while reading.  We all impatiently await its release!

Robert Drew joined Leacock on stage as they discussed some of their earlier collaborations (which include PRIMARY, CRISIS, THE CHAIR and others). 

The IFC Center marquee announcing Leacock’s attendance

I couldn’t resist this photo opp. - Me and Mr. Richard Leacock!

Filmmakers Ian Olds and Andrew Berends at 99 Below for the post-film reception.

Editor and producer Christine Giorgio with fellow editor Brad Kimbrough at 99 Below.

Related Film/Screening:
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF RICHARD LEACOCK by Richard Leacock

Hide

STF Winter 2009 Passes Now On Sale!

• by Raphaela Neihausen, December 05, 2008

“A TABLE IN HEAVEN” at Le Cirque

• by Raphaela Neihausen, December 03, 2008

A lush culinary feast accompanied the screening for the newly-HBO-acquired documentary A TABLE IN HEAVEN. True to expectation, the buffet style stations featured a mouthwatering menu of tender roasted beef, asparagus risotto, and a vast array of other savory items.  As for the desserts - there were too many to count! In case there were any doubts, I must say that Le Cirque definitely lives up to its reputation.

Martha Stewart was one of many socialites and Le Cirque patrons in attendance

Sheila Nevins of HBO with founder of Le Cirque and star of A TABLE IN HEAVEN Sirio Maccioni (in the yellow tie) and others

Ryan Harrington and Liz Ogilvie of Indiepix Films

L to R: a squinty version of myself, Stephanie Sharis of SnagFilms, filmmaker and writer Kate Novack, A TABLE IN HEAVEN director Andrew Rossi, and Andrew Mer of SnagFilms.

Related Film/Screening:
A TABLE IN HEAVEN by Andrew Rossi

Hide

Gotham Film Party

• by Raphaela Neihausen, December 02, 2008
• Leave a comment (1 so far)

Held at the Tribeca Cinemas, the annual Gotham Film Party was hosted by Kodak and featured many familiar faces.  Here are a few snapshots from the night.

  Ann Rose of the Sundance Channel with Dia Sokol.

Thom Powers with filmmaker Sandi Dubowski (TREMBLING BEFORE G-D and A JIHAD FOR LOVE).

Film publicist Charlie Olsky with former NewFest programmer Basil Tsiokos.

Hide