At Anime Expo Lite, Disney+ announced the names of the seven Japanese anime studios bringing their unique talent and perspective to “Star Wars: Visions”.

A collection of animated short films from Lucasfilm that will stream exclusively on Disney+ – and offered fans an exciting special look.

The anime studios revealed were Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), Trigger, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production IG. Each studio will use their signature animation and storytelling styles to realise their own visions of the galaxy far, far away.

Lucasfilm’s Jacqui Lopez (Executive Producer), James Waugh (Executive Producer), Josh Rimes (Executive Producer), and Qubic Pictures’ Justin Leach (Co-Executive Producer) and Kanako Shirasaki (Producer) were on hand at the event to reveal each studio and give fans a special look at the environment and concept art as they debuted the title and first details of each short.

+ Kamikaze Douga – The Duel 
+ Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – Lop and Ochō
+ Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – Tatooine Rhapsody
+ Trigger – The Twins
+ Trigger – The Elder
+ Kinema Citrus – The Village Bride
+ Science Saru – Akakiri
+ Science Saru – T0-B1
+ Production IG – The Ninth Jedi

As a first formal venture into anime, each “Star Wars: Visions” short bears a unique Japanese sensibility, which in many ways aligns with the tone and spirit of Star Wars storytelling. From the beginning, stories told in the Star Wars galaxy have counted Japanese mythology and the films of Akira Kurosawa among their many influences, and these new visions will further explore that cultural heritage through the unique animation style and perspective of each anime studio.

All episodes of “Star Wars: Visions” will be released on Disney+ September 22, 2021.

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A comedic gore filled ode to the classics.

Scare Package is a film comprised of seven short films by seven differing directors.

Breaking the fourth wall with the characters, realising they are actors in a film, within a film, there is an overarching story, where video store owner Chad hires a new staff member in Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium and educates him on differing films throughout the rental stores vast library.

Each synopsis of a film that Chad gives is one of the seven horror-comedy short films.

Scare Package is perfectly packaged, and touches on pretty much every horror genre and horror film ‘rule’ you can think of.

While acting, at times is a wee bit questionable (I think this was intentional to retain that 80’s / 90’s cheap horror-flick feel) there is more slaying, blood gushing, monsters and killers than there has ever been in any horror film to date.

Now streaming on Shudder I give Scare Package a full recommend to watch, not one, not twice, a few times over.

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Works selected across the Indie Episodic, Shorts and Special Events sections of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival were announced today, underlining Sundance Institute’s commitment to showcasing bold independent storytelling regardless of form, format or length.

Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming, said “Our newly-expanded programming team took in a full spectrum of human experience across genres and formats in creating this year’s Festival program. Following the success of last year’s inaugural Indie Episodic section, we’re immensely proud to showcase these stories told across installments, alongside several provocative, conversation-starting Special Events.”

Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, said “This year’s crop of shorts are rowdy, reflective, visionary — we are excited to discover so many new voices and perspectives on today’s world.”

Of the projects announced today, 53% were directed or created by one or more women, 51% were directed or created by one or more filmmaker of color, and 26% by one or more people who identify as LGBTQIA. 12 were supported by Sundance Institute in development, whether through direct granting or residency Labs.

73 short films will screen at the Festival from 33 countries and chosen from 9,443 submissions – 4,720 from the U.S. and 4,723 international.

The Institute’s support for short films extends internationally and year-round, with select Festival shorts presented as a traveling program at seventy-five theaters in the U.S. and Canada each year, and short films and filmmakers taking part in regional Master Classes geared towards supporting emerging shorts-makers in several cities. Among the shorts the Festival has shown in recent years are World of Tomorrow, Thunder Road, Whiplash, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, Gregory Go Boom and Edmond.

This marks the seventh year of YouTube’s presentation of the Sundance Film Festival’s Short Film program, part of their ongoing support for short-form filmmakers.

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Leon Narbey will be the Guest Selector for the New Zealand International Film Festival’s (NZIFF) only competition strand, the New Zealand’s Best short film competition.

Five to six selected New Zealand shorts will premiere in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch where audiences are encouraged to vote for their favourite short from Narbey’s shortlist. Previous Guest Selectors have included Gaylene Preston (2017), Lee Tamahori (2016), Christine Jeffs (2015), Andrew Adamson (2014), Alison Maclean (2013) and Roger Donaldson (2012).

Leon Narbey is one of New Zealand’s finest cinematographers and has worked closely with many of New Zealand’s greatest filmmakers. After studying Sculpture and Lighting at Elam School of Fine Arts his first films Room 2 and A Film of Real Time were completed in 1968 and 1971 respectively. He went on to shoot TV news and then he collaborated on important early documentaries Te Matakite O Aotearoa: The Maori Land March (Geoff Steven) and then Bastion Point: Day 507 (with Merata Mita and Gerd Pohlmann) before making his own Man of the Treesquestioning the destruction of the world’s forests. In 1987 he directed his award-winning feature Illustrious Energy. As cinematographer Narbey has shot many feature films and documentaries including Desperate Remedies, The Price of Milk, Whale Rider, Colin McCahon: I Am, Perfect Creature, Rain of the Children, No. 2, My Talks with Dean Spanley, and The Dead Lands which was his fourth collaboration with Toa Fraser. He has worked extensively with Shirley Horrocks since the early 1990s, and more recently he has worked closely with writer /director Tusi Tamasese on his films Va Tapuia, The Orator / O le Tulafale and One Thousand Ropes.

Leon Narbey

“We’re delighted to have Leon join as this year’s Guest Selector for the New Zealand’s Best Short Film competition. Leon has a great eye for film and he has a wealth of expertise across an important cross section of NZ cinema. We look forward to receiving his selection of shorts for the competition.

We received 84 submissions which my programming colleagues Sandra Reid, Michael McDonnell and I have shortlisted to 12 for Leon to consider,” says NZIFF Director Bill Gosden.

This year’s NZ’s Best finalists will be eligible for three prizes. Madman Entertainment will again support the title award, the Madman Entertainment Best Short Film Award. The cash prize of $5,000 NZD is donated by the Australasian distribution company. The winner will be chosen by a three-person jury appointed by NZIFF and Madman Entertainment.

Sir James Wallace

The participation of Sir James Wallace together with the Wallace Foundation and Wallace Productions Ltd will continue the Friends of the Civic Award. The Wallace Foundation stepped in three years ago to fund the award after the dissolution of the longstanding donors, the Friends of the Civic. The Wallace Friends of the Civic Award will be a cash prize of $4,000 NZD and a Golden Elephant Trophy awarded to the film or contributor to a film deemed to merit special recognition.

The Audience Choice Award will be selected by audience members who attend the NZ’s Best screenings in Auckland and Wellington. Audience members will be invited to rank the finalists and the film that receives the highest rating will win a 25% share of the box office takings from the New Zealand’s Best screenings in the four main centres. In 2017 this prize was $4,500 NZD.

NZIFF is run by a charitable trust and encourages lively interactions between films, filmmakers and New Zealand audiences in 13 towns and cities around the country. The full NZIFF programme will be available from Tuesday 26 June for Auckland, and Friday 29 June for Wellington. NZIFF starts in Auckland on 19th of July 2018 and in Wellington from 27th of July 2018.

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Bringing the best of French cinema to New Zealand from the 1st of March to the 18th of April 2018, the Alliance Française French Film Festival has revealed their 2018 Opening and Closing night films.

Launching in Auckland on the 1st of March 2018, the 2018 Festival will open with the effervescent C’est la vie! (Le Sens de la fête) by Olivier Nakache and Éric Tolédano (The Intouchables). An entertaining look at a disastrous day in the life of a wedding planner, the lead role was written for and stars the legendary Jean-Pierre Bacri. A brilliant comedy of errors, C’est la vie! will provide a grand opening night experience for audiences across the country.

Celebrating rich French talent and a diverse programme, the Festival will close with Mrs. Hyde (Madame Hyde) by Serge Bozon, a fantastic and surreal reinterpretation of Robert L. Stevenson’s literary classic The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

C’EST LA VIE

Starring the iconic Isabelle Huppert as an eccentric science teacher who is struck by lightning while in the lab, this deadpan comedy blends the inspirational teacher genre, 1980’s science fiction and contemporary social criticism. Huppert was awarded Best Actress at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival for her brilliant performance. Screening exclusively as the closing night film, Mrs. Hyde is undoubtably a must-see.

“We feel honoured once again to present you with a diverse selection of some of the best contemporary French and Francophone cinema. Our Opening and Closing night films perfectly sum up what the Festival has to offer: innovative, exciting, moving and surprising cinéma français. Come along and enjoy!” says Festival director Dorothée Basel.

MRS. HYDE (c) Les Films Pelleas

The 2018 Alliance Française French Film Festival programme will showcase 37 French-language feature films, offering audiences a chance to immerse themselves in one language, and a world of emotions. 

The full 2018 programme will be available online from Thursday the 8th of February and in print at screening venues from Friday the 9th of February 2018.

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