48 Hour Film Fest Screens “Best of Minneapolis”

The Twin Cities edition of th e 48 Hour Film Festival will premiere this year’s best entries at the Riverview Theater at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 28. Twelve entertaining shorts are scheduled to be screened at the Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Street S., Minneapolis, MN. The screening will be followed by a wrap party at the nearby Global Market. For more, visit the contest web site and my previous post.

Wow! Minnesota Shot “Sweet Land” Wins Independent Spirit Award

Minnesota-produced Sweet land was honored with an Independent Spirit Award in the “Best First Feature” category. Sweet Land is the first winner of the category to be honored despite the fact that it doesn’t have a distributor.

Congratulations to Director Ali Selim and the many talented Minnesotans in the cast and crew.

The Independent Spirit Awards recognize films that were produced outside the studio system for less than $20 million. The awards were presented on Saturday, February 24th, in Santa Monica , California, and broadcast on the Independent Film Channel.

More from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minnesota Filmmakers Win Slamdance Award

Minnesota filmmakers JoEllen Martinson and William Rees‘ short “The Mallorys Go Black Market” received the Spirtit of Slamdance award.  The award goes to the film that best represents the spirit of the edgy alternative film festival.

Their Eye Candy Factory web site provides a lot of information about Martinson, Rees and their films.

I’ll Wait Till They Show Up on Cable

The Razzies, the annual awards program that honors the year’s worst films and performances, has announced this year’s nominations. The Sharon Stone vehicle, Basic Instinct 2, and the Wayans brothers laugh-free comedy, Little Man, led the nominations with seven each.

Officially called The Golden Raspberry Awards, the Razzies are announced the night before the Academy Awards at the Ivar Theater in Hollywood. They are given by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation. This is the 27th annual award program, so they’ve been around for a while. Anyone can join at the basic membership rate of $25 per year, which allows you to vote for the awards.

The complete list of nominations is available at:
www.razzies.com/history/27thNoms.asp.

I’m feeling pretty good about myself. I haven’t seen any of the “Berry Worst” nominees, which include, in addition to Basic Instinct 2 and Little Man, Wicker Man, Lady in the Water and Bloodrayne.

Is there a worst trailer competition?

Another Nomination for “A Prairie Home Companion”

The Chicago Film Critics Association has nominated Minnesota-made A Prairie Home Companion in their best adapted screenplay catagory. Garrison Kellor’s script is up against The Departed, Little Children, Notes On A Scandal and Thank You for Not Smoking.

The complete list of nominees is available at:

www.chicagofilmcritics.org/nominate.html.

Minnesota Produced Films Up for Spirit Awards

Two Minnesota-produced features are nominated for Film Independent’s Spirit Awards. Robert Altman, a “best director” nominee for his final film, A Prairie Home Companion, is sure to be a sentimental favorite. Minnesotan Ali Selim‘s Sweet land is nominated in the “best first feature” category. Elizabeth Reaser is nominated for “best female lead” for her performance in Sweet Land.

The awards will be presented on Saturday, February 24th, during a broadcast on the Independent Film Channel. A complete list of nominations is available at filmindependent.org/spiritawards/nominees/nominees.php.