Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that presents the Los Angeles Film Festival and Spirit Awards. This year’s festival ran from June 14-June 24. The winners were announced this past Sunday.
In the category of Best Performance in the Narrative Competition the award went to Wendell Pierce, Emory Cohen, E.J. Bonilla and Aja Naomi King for their performances in Joshua Sanchez’s Four. Wendell Pierce is a New Orleans native and has acted in countless television shows and starred in many films. Pierce will be starring as B.B. King in the 2012 drama B.B. King and I.
The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Beasts of the Southern Wild directed by Benh Zeitlin. The film was filmed in New Orleans and starred Louisiana natives Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry. This past Monday, the film premiered in New Orleans with the assistance of Scene Magazine.
There were many awards given to well deserving films this year at the Los Angeles Film Festival and you can take a look at the rest of the list here.
Benh Zeitlin and some of his young stars photo by Kelli Binnings
Congratulations to Beasts of the Southern Wild for their successful New Orleans premiere. The Scene Team was very proud to be a part of Monday night’s premiere, which garnered tons of local and national press for the Southern fairy tale film.
Cast and crew, the majority of which were Louisiana natives, gathered at the historic Joy Theater, walking the red carpet for photographers and journalists from all over the nation. New York native and New Orleans transplant Benh Zeitlin directed the film, winning the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize earlier this year. After working long and hard filming his feature debut just south of Houma, Zeitlin arrived to see his film up on the marquee and the enthusiastic faces of those who helped him bring the story to life.
Gracing the red carpet was an eclectic mix that included cast, crew, the film’s young star Quvenzhane Wallis, local actors, Zeitlin and the film’s co-writer Lucy Alibar. 500 guests watched the film, many of which helped make it and were seeing it for the first time. The film will open in limited release Friday. New Orleans residents can see the film in theaters beginning July 4th.
The red carpet event saw articles and photos published in national publications. Take a look at some of the coverage below.
Scene Magazine will be hosting the premiere for Beasts of the Southern Wild in New Orleans next week. ”Stay Right Here” is a clip from the film that was shot in Louisiana. It was directed by Benh Zeitlin and stars Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly. Quvenzhané Wallis stars as Hushpuppy, a six year old girl, who prepares for the end of the world while her father’s health is failing.
This Saturday, Scene will be celebrating French Quarter Fest at Whiskey Blue in the W Hotel New Orleans. Those looking to escape the madness of Bourbon Street will find Whiskey Blue’s posh and calm atmosphere a welcome change. Featuring musical performances by DJ G and Drummer Eric Rogers, Be Scene at Whiskey Blue is the place to end the night.
WHO: Louisiana-based models. Men and women over 18 years old who would like to be considered for Scene’s upcoming photo shoots and events. No experience necessary. Physical fitness requested. All heights encouraged to submit. All ethnicities desired. Please know your sizes. Current headshots and bodyshots may be submitted in advance to fashion@scenelouisiana.com. If you do not currently have a headshot or body shot, photos will be taken at the casting call. All applicants must appear in person to be considered. Disclaimer: Coming to this open casting call, does not guarantee you will be cast.
WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 2012. 10am to 5:00pm.
WHERE: Scene Magazine Corporate Offices, Raleigh Studios at the Celtic Media Centre, 10000 Celtic Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
WHY: With a groundbreaking number of fashion events and editorial photo shoots planned for 2012, Scene Magazine is casting for the entire year at once.
Project Runway alum Anthony Ryan Auld will also be present, casting for a large fashion event to be announced shortly, presented by Scene Magazine.
Join Scene Magazine on January 28, 2012 for
The Abeille NOLA Fashion Show
We invite you to join us January 28 at Republic New Orleans for the Abeille NOLA Fashion Show featuring brands like BCBGeneration, Aryn K., Genetic Denim & more. VIP & General Admission tickets available at www.republicnola.com.
Before the Scene is where we all start. In a small town with our families. In front of a mirror with our friends. The days spent sleeping on a couch. The nights working at a bar. Living with the unknown and surrounded by uncertainty. It’s about the times that define us. It’s about the darkness just before the limelight.
Peter Bogdanovich is an Academy Award-nominated director, writer and actor. His most acclaimed films include The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon and They All Laughed. He is also the author of This is Orson Welles, the authoritative biographical work on the legendary director of Citizen Kane. His next project as an actor is The Tell-Tale Heart.
What made you want to become a filmmaker? Oh, I don’t know. I thought I was going to be an actor. And I wanted to be a movie star. For a while when I was a child, I decided to be an actor and I started in the theatre first. I started living in New York and at some point, I decided I wanted to direct and not act. I think the first time I became aware of a movie director was seeing Citizen Kane when I was about sixteen. I suppose it was because Orson was up there acting, and I figured out he was also directing. That interested me. That’s sort of how I got in to thinking about it.
What was your biggest fear? That I wouldn’t get to make pictures. Or at least, the pictures I wanted to make.
What was your lowest point? That’s a complicated question because I had success in the theatre first. Then, I had a big flop in the theatre, which was a low point. Then we moved to California, mainly because I had a big flop in New York. I realized that I did most of the writing about Hollywood subjects. I really wanted to make movies not plays. I didn’t want to direct plays; I wanted to direct movies. Then, it was sort of an upward climb to make Targets and, eventually, The Last Picture Show. I don’t think there was a real terrible downer, like the play flopping. That was terrible. Continue reading…
Not one to be pigeonholed by her good looks, Rose McGowan’s resume is anything but boring. After the brunette beauty first burst onto the big screen in the early ‘90s, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role in the indie, The Doom Generation. She came to the attention of the masses in Wes Craven’s Scream with a memorable death-by-garage-door. After taking over the small screen with Charmed, McGowan returned to the big screen in 2007 with Grindhouse, a double dose of 1970s-style awesome. And after the late summer release of Conan the Barbarian, in which she starred as the half-witch Marique, McGowan arrived in New Orleans to shoot The Tell-Tale Heart, a new take on the classic tale of psychological terror from Edgar Allan Poe. The beautiful queen of quirk spoke with Scene over the phone, just before flying back to New Orleans.
MH: Rose! What’s going on?
RM: You’re going to laugh: I’m actually driving on the freeway to go to LAX to New Orleans.
MH: Oh, that always sounds like fun! What are you coming down for?
RM: Just to visit some of the people on the crew and a couple friends I made. There’s a girl on the set who was my stand in and I want to do a short film with her. I want to direct a short film.
MH: Have you been to New Orleans before working on The Tell-Tale Heart?
RM: I saved up my money when I was nineteen. And just took myself there, just because I always felt this strong kinship to it and never knew exactly why. I went and I wandered around the city by myself for about four days. And then I went back later to do the Elvis miniseries that shot there. I played Ann-Margret in that and that was fantastic. It was me and Jonathan Rhys Meyers who just did such a tremendous job, as always.
MH: Were you able to meet Ann-Margret prior to playing her?
RM: I wasn’t, and I was okay with that, ‘cause it was just daunting enough. The strangest thing was that the director said, “For more universal appeal I don’t want you to do the Ann-Margret voice.” I was like, “Well she was kind of known for her voice but okay.” Odd. Continue reading…
