Jason Blum Honored With American Cinematheque Power of Cinema Award – Film News in Brief

Jazz Tangcay and Selome Hailu
·8 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Jason Blum has been selected by the American Cinematheque to receive this year’s Power of Cinema Award. Blum and his company will be honored for achievements in the motion picture industry at the top of the Cinematheque’s annual benefit. Ryan Reynolds will be honored with the career achievement award at this year’s benefit, which takes place Nov. 17 at the Beverly Hilton.

“Jason Blum and Blumhouse are ideal recipients of the American Cinematheque’s Power of Cinema Award in the world and culture of 2022. They make high-quality films at suitable budgets that have wide commercial appeal and are the best examples of their genre. They have promoted and increased the appeal of the theatrical experience and entertained an expansive range of audiences. They have captured the zeitgeist in our changing times,” said the org’s chairman, Rick Nicita.

More from Variety

Blum has produced films including “Get Out,” “Halloween Kills,” “Black Box” and “The Invisible Man.”

Academy Reappoints Current  At-Large Governors

The Academy Board of Governors  reappointed its  current governors-at-large, DeVon Franklin (Executives Branch), Rodrigo García (Directors Branch) and Janet Yang (Producers Branch).

Franklin, Garcia and Yang’s additional three-year team begins on July 1.

“The level of commitment DeVon, Rodrigo and Janet have shown to the Academy, its members, and our ongoing investment in representation, inclusion and equity is immeasurable. They are highly valued leaders, and we as a Board are pleased to provide this opportunity for them to continue their great work,” said Academy President David Rubin.

As with the governors representing each of the Academy’s 17 branches, governors-at-large may serve up to two three-year terms (consecutive or non-consecutive), followed by a two-year hiatus, after which eligibility renews for up to two additional three-year terms, for a lifetime maximum of 12 years. The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health and assures the fulfillment of its mission.

The Academy’s 2022-2023 Board of Governors will be elected in June.

Premiere Digital to Distribute Mental Health Documentary ‘The Girl on the Bridge’ in the U.S. and Globally

Premiere Digital has acquired global distribution rights, including the U.S., for “The Girl on the Bridge,” a mental health documentary directed by New Zealand filmmaker Leanne Pooley.

“The Girl on the Bridge” tells the story of 22-year old Jazz Thornton, who survived multiple suicide attempts and now works as a filmmaker and activist for young people’s mental health. The film sees her juggle the personal cost and pressures of advocacy work as she leads her own charity.

Previously only seen in New Zealand and Australia, “The Girl on the Bridge” is now available on digital platforms. See a trailer below.

Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Sets Timeline for 59th Annual CAS Awards

The Cinema Audio Society has set its timeline for the 2023 CAS awards with the ceremony being held on March 4.  Submissions deadline is set for Dec. 1. Final voting will begin on Feb 9, with voting ending a few weeks later on Feb. 21.

“The Cinema Audio Society is excited to celebrate another year of excellence in sound mixing,” says CAS President Karol Urban. “The plenitude and range of work to consider continues to expand year after year. We are excited to experience and celebrate this year’s stellar achievements.”

Stephen Lighthill Re-elected President American Society of Cinematographers

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Board of Governors of has elected the organizations 2022-2023 officers and Stephen Lighthill has been re-elected president for a third consecutive one-year term. He will serve alongside Vice Presidents Amy Vincent, John Simmons and Shelly Johnson; Treasurer Steven Poster; Secretary Gregg Heschong; and Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Chomyn.

“As an organization, we are focused on education, continued improvements of safety practices, and further expanding our diversity and outreach efforts,” notes Lighthill. “The last year has presented many adversities for our community, and we are proud of how our members met these challenges while continuing to take storytelling to new places.”

Lighthill is also the Discipline Chair for Cinematography at the American Film Institute Conservatory where he has been a leader in advancing gender diversity at both the faculty and graduate levels.

Carl Spence Named Artistic Director of Sonoma Film Festival

Carl Spence, previously co-director and artistic director of the Seattle International Film Festival, has been named artistic director of Northern California’s Sonoma Film Festival. He takes over from Kevin W. McNeely, who will become chairman emeritus.

The annual festival takes place in March, with year-round events such as Summerfest, set for Aug. 4-6.

Spence, who is based in Spain, has programmed for festivals including Palm Springs, Miami, San Francisco and Arte Careyes.

 

Frameline Announces Full Program for Frameline46

Frameline announced the full program for Frameline46—the world’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival—taking place June 16–26.

The program features over 125 films and represents more than 30 countries. The all in-person festival will take place at theatres and venues throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Castro Theatre, Roxie Theater, SFMOMA, AMC Kabuki, and Proxy in San Francisco; and the New Parkway Theater in Oakland.

“We are beyond excited to welcome cinephiles back to in-person screenings at San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre—which celebrates its 100th birthday during the festival—as well as other venues around the Bay Area,” says Frameline Executive Director James Woolley. “It is our hope that this year’s festival will remind us of the importance of community and connection, as well as continue to inspire change through film.”

“This year’s festival builds on Frameline’s long-standing commitment to celebrate and amplify queer voices,” adds Frameline Director of Programming Allegra Madsen. “Exploring themes ranging from queer family histories to confronting the future with a world in a state of flux, the diverse lineup of films shed light on what it means to be queer around the globe.”

The opening night of Frameline46 will feature the West Coast premiere “A League of Their Own.” While the Centerpiece: Documentary will feature a screening of Coline Abert’s documentary, “Last Dance.”

Visit https://www.frameline.org/ for more info.

‘Triple Threat’ Will Premiere at Newfilmmakers LA Monthly Film Festival

“Triple Threat” has been named the centerpiece screening at the Newfilmmakers LA Monthly Film Festival where it will have its premiere on June 18.

The film stars Stacey Maltin who is also the film’s producer and director. Maltin is co-producing with co-star Margarita Zhitnikova under their Besties Make Movies banner. Jay DeYonker (co-writer), Mark St. Cyr (“The Menu,” “High School Musical: The Musical – The Series”), Yurel Echezarreta (“West Side Story”) also star.

The film features “a love story within a love story” and has been hailed as “a euphoric journey” with “high octane and sensual choreography…and soaring music.” (Broadway World) It will be released theatrically in select markets and on-demand on June 21 and is distributed by Gravitas Ventures.

ArtClass Announces Expansion of Post-Production Division with 20+ New Hires

Next-Gen production company ArtClass has announced the expansion of their post-production team, with award-winning talent in Los Angeles, Kansas City, and New York led by Corwin Carroll, as Managing Director of Post-Production, Sean Owolo, as Executive Producer, and Brian Keegan as Head of Post Production.

“Post-production is our opportunity to continue elevating great work, which is why we’re devoted to seeing projects through delivery,” noted Carroll. “We’re constantly looking for creative and collaborative individuals who look for innovative ways to elevate our clients’ works from social content all the way through full-length features. At ArtClass, we facilitate a variety of post needs with the industry’s most respected personnel.”

Carroll brings his years of experience with advertising agencies, production companies, and VFX working with clients including ESPN, Ford, Carvana, Amazon, and many others. Owolo was previously at Roger and Big Machine (Discovery Warner Bros, Netflix), and Keegan was previously from Los York, Roger, and Timber VFX (ABC, Nike, GNET).

ArtClass’ full-service post-production pipeline features editorial, design, animation, color, VFX, finishing, and sound. As part of the expansion, director Chris Eckardt from Framestore LA joins the team as Executive Creative Director. “It is amazing to be part of an organization with endless opportunities and energy,” adds Eckardt. “Teaming up with Corwin and his team, along with Rebecca Niles; I look forward to all that can be dreamt and accomplished. This new division will allow us to continue to break the mold when it comes to our collaborator’s visions in maximizing the quality we provide of storytelling in branded experiences.”

The team of Emmy-winning and multi-talented artists also includes senior editors Morgan Bradley (Nike, Sephora), Tyrone Rhabb (FitBit, Adidas), James Lee (MLB, Kohler), James Boger (Carvana, Meta), VFX supervisor/compositor/Director Joshua Guillaume (Nat Geo, Jeep), and animators/art directors Mike Healy (HBO “Betty”), Tyler Keith (Samsung, Discovery), Brandon Todd (ESPN, Taco Bell), composer/sound engineer Julian Bickford (SoundCloud, GoDaddy) and colorist Taylre Jones (Wendys, IBM).

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with Corwin and his team,” shared ArtClass Live-Action Managing Director Rebecca Niles. “This new division allows us an incredible opportunity to continue to break the mold, execute superb vision, and maximize the quality of storytelling in branded experiences.”

ArtClass is a team of award-winning directors, producers, editors, writers, and designers dedicated to creating boundary-breaking work with agencies and brands.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.