Please forgive my duplicate-blogging. I put this on the Festival Focus blog but I can’t resist adding it here too since Obama played such a large role in this year’s Sundance for me. The film was made by my wonderful condo mates Shooting People’s Jesse Epstein and Chicken & Egg Pictures’ Natalie Difford with music by Force Theory.

I love Helvetica and am really looking forward to seeing Hustwit’s latest film, Objectified, at SXSW in March. I can see long lines for this film too. I nearly didn’t get into the Helvetica screening at SXSW in 2007. The line went all the way through the convention hall because it was a joint Interactive/Film screening and everybody was going crazy over fonts. Look I have proof!

Here’s the trailer for Objectified.

I posted footage and photos from the Cinema Eye Honors nominations over on the Festival Focus blog since I attended the announcement in Park City earlier this week. Here’s the full list of nominees. Congratulations to all!

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION FEATURE FILMMAKING

MAN ON WIRE
Directed by James Marsh
Produced by Simon Chinn
view website

MY WINNIPEG
Directed by Guy Maddin
Produced by Jody Shapiro and Phyllis Laing
view website

ORDER OF MYTHS
Directed by Margaret Brown
Produced by Margaret Brown and Sara Alize Crossview website

ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED
Directed by Marina Zenovich
Produced by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Lila Yacoub and Marina Zenovich
view website

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
Directed by Ari Folman
Produced by Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli and Roman Paul
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION

Werner Herzog
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
view website

James Marsh
MAN ON WIRE
view website

Guy Maddin
MY WINNIPEG
view website

Margaret Brown
THE ORDER OF MYTHS
view website

Ari Folman
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

Henry Kaiser
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
view website

Simon Chinn
MAN ON WIRE
view website

Hilary Sandison and Marc Silvera
STRANDED, I’VE COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINS
view website

Carl Deal and Tia Lessin
TROUBLE THE WATER
view website

Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli and Roman Paul
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ellen Kuras
THE BETRAYAL (NERAHKOON)
view website

Peter Zeitlinger
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
view website

Jody Shapiro
MY WINNIPEG
view website

Michael Simmonds
THE ORDER OF MYTHS
view website

Wang Shi Qing
UP THE YANGTZE
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

Jinx Godfrey
MAN ON WIRE
view website

John Gurdebeke
MY WINNIPEG
view website

Michael Taylor, Margaret Brown and Geoffrey Richman
THE ORDER OF MYTHS
view website

Joe Bini
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED
view website

Nilli Feller
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ANIMATION

Adina Sales and the team at Blacklist
AMERICAN TEEN
view website

Brian Oakes
I.O.U.S.A.
view website

Andy Smetanka
MY WINNIPEG
view website

Lasse Jarvi
SURFWISE
view website

Lewis Kofsky and the team at Curious Pictures
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN?
view website

Yoni Goodman
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC COMPOSITION

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
THE ENGLISH SURGEON
view website

Kelli Scarr
IN A DREAM
view website

Eric Liebman
LIFE. SUPPORT. MUSIC.
view website

Danny Elfma
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
view website

Bela Fleck
THROW DOWN YOUR HEART
view website

Max Richter
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

THE ENGLISH SURGEON
Directed and Produced by Geoffrey Smith
view website

MY WINNIPEG
Directed by Guy Maddin
Produced by Jody Shapiro and Phyllis Lang
view website

STRANDED, I’VE COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINS
Directed by Gonzalo Arijon
Produced by Hilary Sandison and Marc Silvera
view website

UP THE YANGTZE
Directed by Yung Chang
Produced by Mila Aung-Thwin and John Christou
view website

WALTZ WITH BASHIR
Directed by Ari Folman
Produced by Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli and Roman Paul
view website

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DEBUT FEATURE

Sascha Gervasi
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
view website

Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
THE BETRAYAL (NERAHKOON)
view website

Christopher Bell
BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER*
view website

Jeremiah Zagar
IN A DREAM
view website

Yung Chang
UP THE YANGTZEview website

AUDIENCE CHOICE PRIZE

AMERICAN TEEN
Directed by Nanette Burstein
view website

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Directed by Werner Herzog
view website

GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON
Directed by Alex Gibney
view website

MAN ON WIRE
Directed by James Marsh
view website

TROUBLE THE WATER
Directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin
view website

UP THE YANGTZE
Directed by Yung Chang
view website

YOUNG@HEART
Directed by Stephen Walker
view website

HONORED SHORTS

BREADMAKERS
CITY OF CRANES
KIDS + MONEY
ONE DAY
THE TAILOR

Here’s the list. I’m really pleased that Waltz with Bashir has been nominated in the Best Foreign-Language Film category because if it wins, and I think it should, then two docs can win big Oscars.

Best picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best supporting actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Best actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt

Best supporting actor
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt

Best actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best original screenplay
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
WALL-E

Best adapted screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best cinematography
Tom Stern, Changeling
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Chris Menges, Roger Deakins, The Reader
Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire

Achievement in art design
James J Murakami, Gary Fettis, Changeling
Donald Graham Burt, Victor J Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando, The Dark Knight
Michael Carlin, Rebecca Alleway, The Duchess
Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt, Revolutionary Road

Achievement in visual effects
Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton, Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin, The Dark Knight
John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick, Shane Mahan, Iron Man

Achievement in editing
Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight
Mike Hill, Dan Hanley, Frost/Nixon
Elliot Graham, Milk
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire

Achievement in costume design
Catherine Martin, Australia
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
Danny Glicker, Milk
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road

Achievement in makeup
Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione, Jr, Conor O’Sullivan, The Dark Knight
Mike Elizalde, Thom Floutz, Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Best foreign-language film
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Best documentary feature
Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath, The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser, Encounters at the End of the World
Scott Hamilton Kennedy, The Garden
James Marsh, Simon Chinn, Man On Wire
Tia Lessin, Carl Deal, Trouble the Water

Best animation
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Best original song
Down to Earth, WALL-E
Jai Ho, Slumdog Millionaire
O Saya, Slumdog Millionaire

I’m blogging over on Shooting People’s Festival Focus blog for the next week or so, along with Jesse Esptein. So go over there right now!
Move along now.
Nothing to see here.

I’m knee-deep in accounts (such fun!) but wanted to mention this free Rooftop Films screening of David Modigliani’s Crawford in Chelsea Market tonight, Monday January 12th. Live music at 7pm (Matteah Baim), film starts at 7.30pm. Free beer! It’s a special screening to say farewell to Bush – now that’s something I can drink to!

It really saddens me that calls for fair coverage of the situation in Gaza in the US press leads to accusations of anti-Semitism which then seems to stop any possible dialogue dead in its tracks. This really is the “mobius-strip of issues” right now and that can’t be good for anyone. Surely any possible solution requires that the situation is discussed openly with all the issues on the table, which is just a teeny bit difficult if the evidence is so one-sided and nobody is willing to have the conversation in the first place.

Thank goodness for Jon Stewart.

Awards are a bit like weddings. You sort of wish that everyone would just get together and throw a party and pay attention to each other just because it’s a nice thing to do but you really have to add a little something extra into the mix to get people to rent hotel rooms and buy toasters and china and, well, I guess my point is that sometimes, although the competition aspect of film award events doesn’t sit so well with me, it is a great way to draw attention to films and filmmakers. And the Cinema Eye Honors, celebrating their second year in 2009, are a breath of fresh air in the awards world, drawing attention to the full scope of documentary filmmaking practice and to all aspects of the craft.

Final nominations will be announced on January 19th in Park City during Sundance. The shortlist is as follows:

AMERICAN TEEN – Nanette Burstein, dir
THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON) – Ellen Kuras & Thavisouk Phrasavath, dir
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD – Werner Herzog, dir
THE ENGLISH SURGEON – Geoffrey Smith, dir
FORBIDDEN LIES – Anna Broinowski, dir
IN A DREAM – Jeremiah Zagar, dir
MAN ON WIRE – James Marsh, dir
MY WINNIPEG – Guy Maddin, dir
THE ORDER OF MYTHS – Margaret Brown, dir
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED – Marina Zenovich, dir
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE – Errol Morris, dir
STRANDED, I COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINS – Gonzalo Arijon, dir
TROUBLE THE WATER – Carl Deal & Tia Lessin, dir
UP THE YANGTZE – Yung Chang, dir
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Ari Folman, dir

The Cinema Eye Nominations Committee was comprised of 15 of the top festival programmers of nonfiction films.  This year’s committee members are:

Meira Blaustein, Woodstock Film Festival
Phoebe Brush, Full Frame Film Festival
David Courier, Sundance Film Festival
Heather Croall, Sheffield Doc/Fest
Sean Farnel, Hot Docs
Tine Fischer, CPH:DOX (Copenhagen)
Tom Hall, Sarasota Film Festival
David Kwok, Tribeca Film Festival
David Nugent, Hamptons Film Festival
Janet Pierson, SXSW Film Festival
Thom Powers, Toronto International Film Festival
Rachel Rosen, LA Film Festival
Sky Sitney, AFI Silverdocs
David Wilson, True/False Film Festival
Brit Withey, Denver Film Festival

Congrats to all the shortlisted filmmakers and to AJ Schnack and Thom Powers and everyone else involved in Cinema Eye for doing such sterling work for documentaries. You are probably already familiar with Schack’s All These Wonderful Things blog but Powers has a great new-ish blog for Stranger Than Fiction so subscribe to it today! The Winter Season of STF runs from January 13th till March 1st at NYC’s IFC Center, and it kicks off on Tuesday with Ben Kempas’ Upstream Battle. See you there!

Oh dear. I’m a terrible blogger. I went back to England for a while over the holidays and fell off the map. Sorry everyone. I just had this very un-American need to go underground for a while and re-charge my failing batteries. AJ Schnack who is definitely NOT a terrible blogger recently wrote a post about all the documentary bloggers who fell silent this year. I have to agree with Agnes Varnum (who is also NOT a terrible blogger) that it is often really difficult to find the time when you are also doing other work to pay the bills. But having said that I am also determined to write more regularly in 2009 because I know it is going to be a tough year and I agree with Creative Capital’s Ruby Lerner who recently said that “Now is the time we have to be more ambitious and more audacious.” I feel like I have been in a permanent recession all my life so this is no time to lie down in the snow. If anything, I think that independent filmmakers should be fully prepped for optimism and ingenuity in the face of financial peril!

But before we get down to business and apropo of absolutely nothing (for this is one of the joys of having your own blog), here are some photos of statues of politicians outside Westminster that I took on a bright and freezing day in London just before New Year.