October 29, 2019
Calling all gamers – the seventh annual SXSW Gaming Awards are now open for all entries through Friday, December 6.
Taking place on Sunday, March 15, the SXSW Gaming Awards ceremony honors excellence throughout the game industry within a refined list of awards categories. With participation opportunities for all games, ranging from individual developers to worldwide publishers, the 2020 Gaming Awards are sure to be the best yet.
SXSW Gaming Awards
The Gaming Awards will host 17 unique categories open to all games. 2020 will include five Game of the Year categories including Video Game, Mobile Game, Tabletop Game, XR Game, and Trending Game of the Year. With even more specialized awards to compete for, there is always an avenue for games to receive the recognition they deserve at SXSW.
Past Game of the Year winners include God of War, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and The Last of Us.
Apply for Gaming Awards
SXSW Gamer’s Voice Awards
Dedicated exclusively to independent game developers and studios, the Gamer’s Voice Awards seek to reward and showcase the best yet-to-be discovered games throughout the game industry. With very limited nominations available across each of these categories, the competition will be fiercer than ever in 2020.
Nominees will receive a complimentary exhibition space in the expo’s Gamer’s Voice showcase to demonstrate their game. Gaming Expo attendees participate in a public vote to determine the winners in each category.
Apply for Gamer’s Voice Awards
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2019 SXSW Gaming Awards – Photo by Stephen Olker
The post SXSW Gaming Awards and Gamer’s Voice Applications Now Open appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
October 29, 2019
On Thursday, October 24, StoryCorps’ Board, leadership, and supporters gathered at Capitale in New York City to reflect on the past “Year in Stories” — a year of recording, honoring, and sharing the voices of humanity — and to look together toward StoryCorps’ future and impact.
The evening’s honorees — Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP, and Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights — shared their stories of what StoryCorps means to them. The tributes to their leadership and civic contributions were framed first by the meaningful introductions made by their award presenters: actress, activist, and author Marlo Thomas to Jo Ann and ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero to Vanita. Their thoughtful remarks and reflections reminded us that listening, an act of love, is today more essential than ever. Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition, brought his intelligent voice and charm as the evening’s host. View more photos of the event here.
StoryCorps participants captivated all in attendance with their powerful stories of courage, loss, and love. Their voices have been featured in broadcasts and captured in animations that have been shared across platforms like Morning Edition, the PBS NewsHour and StoryCorps’ social media channels.
Through the outstanding leadership and generosity of our supporters, the event raised critical funds for the mission at the heart of StoryCorps – to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.
As we look toward the future service of StoryCorps to our community, we’d like to say thanks: for the opportunity to record, honor, and share your stories, and for the support you’ve given that has allowed StoryCorps to work to build a culture of listening, and to remind ourselves and our nation that every voice matters. We’re just getting started.
Top photo montage, left to right: Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP; Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Bottom photo montage, left to right: ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero; actress, activist, and author Marlo Thomas.
All photos by Margarita Corporan.
Source: SNPR Story Corps
October 28, 2019
The spookiest time of the year is almost here! If you are in need of something to watch, look no further than this post. We have a list of recommendations with something for everybody – from zombies and murder mysteries to the wonderfully weird. Take a look at our suggestions below and get your scare on!
Roxanne Benjamin‘s directorial debut is a murderous tale of a part-time State Park employee forced to endure a night of fear and suspense, deep in the wilderness.
Neo-sun worshiper Martin prepares to appease the solar Gods with ritual human sacrifice. But first he needs a spray tan.
In this visually inventive sequel to The Woman, a feral teenage girl is taken into strict Catholic care and prepared for her First Holy Communion.
Veteran producer Travis Stevens brings his directorial debut to visceral life in this disturbing horror film, with a muscular lead performance from Phil Brooks (former wrestler CM Punk).
If you enjoy perverse, anachronistic suburban satire with a penchant for exotic dental hardware and a twisted sense of humor, Greener Grass is the film for you!
This dark and wickedly fun short film stars Maika Monroe as a woman whose deepest fears seem to manifest physically when her husband leaves for the night shift.
It’s Not Custard is the darkly comic story of Louise, a teenager suffering the dual blows of unrelenting acne and bullying. She awakes one morning to find her acne gone, but this magical gift has a bizarre consequence that grants Louise the most delicious of revenges.
An extraordinary unexpected turn from Lupita Nyong’o makes this oddball zombie thriller a cut above, and an undead must-see.
Right Place, Wrong Tim follows the Bell family, a dynasty of clockmakers who run Dagenham’s infamous ‘Hells Bells’ clock shop.
The latest from Jordan Peele, starring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss. Enough said….
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
The post SXScares: What to Watch This Halloween appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
October 27, 2019
The fall specialty box office continues strong as recent openers expand to more theaters. “The Lighthouse” (A24) lead the way by jumping to more than 500 screens as “Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight) and “Parasite” (Neon) continue to perform above expectations. And two holdovers from Roadside Attractions passed the $20 million mark this weekend near the top of the specialty charts: “The Peanut Butter Falcon” and “Judy.”
But the experimental IMAX release of Kanye West’s short “Jesus Is King” (IMAX) and the Fathom Events-previewed Bruce Springsteen’s “Western Stars” (Warner Bros.) yielded lackluster results. While IMAX is pushing such alternate content onto its big screens, both films might have made more sense as streaming presentations. Meantime, “No Safe Spaces” (Atlas), a documentary featuring prominent conservative voices Dennis Prager and Adam Carolla, scored a stunning $45,000 at a single Phoenix theater.
Opening
Jesus Is King (IMAX) – Metacritic: 61
$(est.) $862,000 in 372 theaters; PTA: $(est.) 2,151
Kanye West launched this 31-minute giant-screen cinematic experience to push his upcoming high-profile album via IMAX, which charged 2D ticket prices. His most ardent fans showed up early for the Thursday preview and opening night Friday shows. It’s hard to gauge this level of gross for a gospel-music-in-church half-hour short, as it played limited showings around other movies such as “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” without a full release. IMAX reports sellouts in 17 North American cities including New York, Toronto, L.A. and Chicago, as well as others overseas, where the short grossed another $175,000 on 68 screens in 12 markets. (By contrast, 2016 concert documentary “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” scored $785,000 in 85 theaters.) Give IMAX credit for reaching out to audiences with alternative fare.
What comes next: This plays all week, which will be it for its theatrical life.
“Western Stars”
Warner Bros.
Western Stars (Warner Bros.) – Metacritic: 80; Festivals include: Toronto 2019
$560,000 in 537 theaters; PTA: $1,043; Cumulative: $1,000,000
Another top musician going cinematic to parallel his new record, co-director Bruce Springsteen also scored event treatment with initial weekend day Fathom showings–which provided a big portion of the grosses. The three-day totals at mostly top theaters came in with just over $1,000 per theater. That’s weak.
What comes next: This part-documentary, part-narrative film will end up grossing far less than several recent music star documentaries. It has a limited theatrical future.
No Safe Spaces (Atlas)
$45,000 in 1 theater; PTA: $45,000
It’s no secret that right-wing polemical documentaries have as much or more theatrical appeal as left-wing ones. This latest example initially is high end. Presented by comedian Adam Carolla and talk-show host Dennis Prager, this film claiming repression of political speech (which includes voices from many sides, including some left-wing) opened in one Phoenix theater to a staggering $45,000. These remarkable results presage interest ahead.
What comes next: This expands in Phoenix this week and opens in San Diego and Denver ahead of a wider release.
Frankie (Sony Pictures Classics) – Metacritic: 57; Festivals include: Cannes 2019
$22,941 in 4 theaters; PTA: $5,510
Director Ira Sachs has been an indie mainstay for many years. His recent “Love Is Strange” broke out ahead of his past films. This Portugal-set family drama with Isabelle Huppert got into the main competition at Cannes. But a repetition of decidedly mixed reviews took its toll for its initial New York/Los Angeles dates, with a mediocre initial result.
What comes next: SPC boasts access to key theaters and could finds more success with this film as it reaches the heartland.
Synonyms (Kino Lorber) – Metacritic: 82; Festivals include: Berlin 2019
$19,070 in 2 theaters; PTA: $9,535
Strong initial New York opening for this Israeli drama about a man trying to lose himself in France. Though other recent subtitled openers from established directors have done more business, this is above average for what similar titles do these days.
What comes next: Several new cities including Los Angeles begin the national expansion this Friday.
Going Attractions: The Definitive History of the Movie Palace (Passion River)
$1,490 in 2 theaters; PTA: $745
It’s a niche subject, but credit to Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles (which has operated some classic theaters) for showcasing this documentary about a different era of movie exhibition. It didn’t reach many people, but at least it brought notice to a cinephile subject.
What comes next: This shows in four more Laemmle locations this Monday and Tuesday before moving into other upcoming cities including Seattle.
Downtown 81 (Metrograph) (reissue)
$25,000 in 1 theater; PTA: $25,000
This documentary about painter Jean Michel Basquiat, first released to minimal gross in 2001, had a strong revival at New York’s Metrograph theater. Their distribution arm has the film for national release.
What comes next: This gross will get attention and wider national play.
“The Lighthouse”
A24
Week Two
The Lighthouse (A24)
$3,083,000 in 586 theaters (+578); PTA: $5,261; Cumulative: $3,663,000
Robert Pattinson’s starring role is boosting this specialized title far above expectations, with help from strong reviews and Oscar perennial Willem Dafoe. Thus “The Lighthouse” scored an impressive wide expansion and an overall #8 placement for the weekend. Next weekend will show more signs of how far this can cross over.
Jojo Rabbit (Fox Searchlight)
$1,041,000 in 55 theaters (+50); PTA: $18,927; Cumulative: $1,500,000
A strong second weekend big-city expansion for Taika Waititi’s fantasy about a boy in Nazi Germany. Though impressive, the PTA is not at the level of “Parasite” in its second weekend in somewhat fewer theaters. As “Jojo” expands it has every chance of reaching as wide an audience or more.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (Saban)
$219,397 in 17 (+13) theaters; PTA: $12,906; Cumulative: $1,571,000
The Kevin Smith/Jason Mewes road tour added stops in Minnesota and Iowa this weekend (with much higher than usual ticket prices) to continue the successful event presentation of this sequel to earlier series entries. Columbus, Houston, and San Antonio are up next for the in-person show.
By the Grace of God (Music Box) 2
$8,448 in 2 theaters (no change); PTA: $4,224; Cumulative: $19,603
Francois Ozon’s most recent French film added Los Angeles this weekend with this priest/ child abuse film continuing to fall short of the director’s previous releases. That’s typical of the decline of most French films in recent years.
“Judy”
Roadside Attractions
Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000)
Parasite (Neon) Week 3
$562,784 in 129 theaters (+92); Cumulative: $4,107,000
This high-end South Korean release is less stratospheric as it expands further, but the con-artist movie has already surpassed the reported grosses of any specialized subtitled release in recent years. It’s now passing the estimated total of “Roma,” which had streaming availability (and costly Netflix marketing behind it) for most of its three-month run. “Parasite” is showing strength at both top art houses but wider appeal multiplexes.
Judy (Roadside Attractions) Week 5
$1,189,000 in 1,121 theaters (-297); Cumulative: $21,515,000
This strong run — both as a theatrical and awards performer — continues with this Judy Garland portrayal looking like it should reach at least $25 million.
Pain and Glory (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4
$430,097 in 117 theaters (+50); Cumulative: $1,685,000
Pedro Almodovar’s latest in its still early stages looks to headed to the highest total of any of his films in over a decade. Its PTA in its fourth weekend is not that far behind “Parasite” in a similar number of theaters.
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (Greenwich) Week 8
$144,677 in 134 theaters (-13); Cumulative: $3,775,509
The staying power of this documentary on the iconic singer continues as it plays on late in its run. Already one of the top grossing docs of the year, it will pass $4 million easily.
The Peanut Butter Falcon (Roadside Attractions) Week 12
$115,420 in 166 theaters (-72); Cumulative: $20,079,000
Nearly three months into its run, this wrestling-world sleeper has passed the $20 million mark. That’s only the third initially platformed film to do this in 2019.
Fantastic Fungi (A23a) Week 6
$60,867 in 14 theaters (+8); Cumulative: $284,589
The PTA actually increased as more theaters were added this weekend. That’s unusual and impressive as this documentary about key life forms seems to be finding a wider audience.
Where’s My Roy Cohn? (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 6
$51,725 in 51 theaters (-15); Cumulative: $582,369
Coming off its highest grosses, this documentary on the infamous Red baiter will end up with a respectable total for a film that is meant as a feel-good entry.
Also noted:
Official Secrets (IFC) – $25,427 in 45 theaters; Cumulative: $1,957,000
Cyrano, My Love (Roadside Attractions) – $11,200 in 18 theaters; Cumulative: $321,686
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Source: IndieWire film
