Indie Entertainment Magazine - French Riviera Film festival 2020 Edition by gotham ch

2020 French Riviera Film Festival issue

VIRTUAL FESTIVAL | SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 2020

FRENCH RIVIERA

FILM FESTIVAL 2020 Women Filmmakers Panel Awards Ceremony Live Streamed from the Legendary Beverly Hills Hotel frenchrivierafilmfestival.com

Editor-In-Chief | Publisher Monica Morrison Managing Editor Nicole Goesseringer Muj Web Content | Digital Marketing Manager Gotham Chandna Director of Photography & Productions Annette Baca Contributors Lena Basse Nicole Goesseringer Muj Eric Minh Swenson Elena Palmer Dr. Laura Wilhelm Editorial Assistant Rachael Fisher Editorial Design Viktoria Bocharova

Photos Courtesy of:

EMS Gallery, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, MovieStillsDB, Francis Amiand, Wikimedia Commons.

No part of the Indie Entertainment Magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. Indie Entertainment Magazine liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction.

LORENZO SORIA TRIBUTE

Ciao, Lorenzo! 4

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

As the 77th Venice Film Festival prepares for its opening ceremony, I remember our dearest Lorenzo, our Italian President of Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) who passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on August 7, 2020. On that day, like many others around the world, I was shocked and devastated by the sad news. He was battling lung cancer and it almost looked like he was winning, but... he was 68 when his life suddenly came to an end.

Author Lena Basse, Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Los Angeles, August 2020

Just one day before he was ready to greet Oliver Stone at a round table meeting and the next day he was not with us anymore. Since then, as a member of the HFPA, I was overwhelmed by all of the condolences that came in from the different branches of the entertainment industry. Now, after almost a month, I finally feel like trying to put down some words of admiration for Lorenzo Soria, as a true professional and a wonderful human being. I am extremely humbled by the opportunity to publicly share some of my own memories of this very good man who left an impact on many people around the world. He knew the world and its history not just from books and films. Lorenzo was born in Argentina on November 27, 1951 to Italian parents of Jewish descent who left Italy during World War II. When Lorenzo was 11, his father died and his family moved back to Milan. After his studies, he began his journalistic career, focusing on economics, technology and politics. Later, he started to write about movies and television. In 1982, Lorenzo moved to Los Angeles and became a reporter for one of the most prominent Italian weeklies, Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Espresso. 5

LORENZO SORIA TRIBUTE

Beginning in 1988, he started to write for La Stampa, one of the oldest newspapers in Italy. His reports were distinctive by their analytical character. As a journalist, he was deeply interested in the relevance of history to today’s events. Especially, lately, when we are all going through very challenging times, he didn’t get tired of listening to the most recognized storytellers in the world talking about the same subject. Just recently, after the premiere of Da 5 Bloods by Spike Lee, Lorenzo asked the prominent director if he sees any hope for some change or if history is going to repeat itself. It was obvious that for him it is very important that humanity would be able to learn from its past in order to make this world better. Lorenzo himself used every opportunity to change the world for the better. He was a true champion of the arts. He understood not only the importance of film history, but the ongoing Lorenzo Soria and Martin Scorsese (left) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (right)

need to preserve it. Under his leadership at the HFPA, The Film Foundation whose founder and chair is Martin Scorsese, restored many great works of cinema that may otherwise have been lost forever, such as Carosello Napoletano (1954) by Ettore Giannini, Ugetsu (1953) by Kenji Mizoguchi and The River (1951) by Jean Renoir. These films have been enjoyed by new audiences around the world and will be able to be seen for generations as part of Lorenzo’s legacy. His love for cinema grew through his admiration for theater. Lorenzo always paid attention to great acting performances. I will never forget how he praised the movie Fences (2016), which was adopted for the screen from August Wilson’s play and directed by Denzel Washington, who also portrayed the lead. Lorenzo seemed to be very happy when both actors who played the main parts in the movie were nominated for Golden Globes and Viola Davis was recognized by winning the prestigious Best Supporting Actress Award.

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The Golden Globes always opened the award season in Hollywood. It is no secret that all voters for other awards, including the Academy, pay special attention to Golden Globe nominees. To be first is always a big honor, but also a huge responsibility. The HFPA has long been at the forefront of celebrating diverse and creative voices in film and television. Needless to say, the leadership of such an organization is the key. Being a member of our association since 1989, Lorenzo served in its administration for over 25 years. He was voted President five times, and most recently in 2019. It is important not to forget that under his leadership, HFPA supported dozens of educational and cultural programs with its grants. The Los Angeles City College Film and TV Program is just one of them. That is why all of our members were honored to learn that LACC has pledged to dedicate an annual scholarship in Lorenzo’s memory. Lorenzo was a beloved member of the entertainment industry and the Hollywood community. His sense of humor and his gentle smile were his own trademarks. No matter who he was talking to, he was always friendly and kind. He was a negotiator who dared to take a risk. The idea to invite Ricky Gervais to be a host for the Golden Globes Awards ceremony was one of his. It’s true that not everyone agreed to it. But it turned out to be the right decision. Ricky’s appearance drew a lot of attention from TV viewers and many of his thoughts resonated with their own. After bashing many celebrities, even Ricky Gervais admitted that the reaction to his Golden Globes’ speech was “the best ever.” →

From top to bottom: Lorenzo Soria and Nicole Kidman, Spike Lee, George Clooney

LORENZO SORIA TRIBUTE

After many years of staying in connection with celebrities, Lorenzo never lost sight of reality. He was a very humble man. I can’t help to think about one particular conversation with Lorenzo after the last Golden Globes ceremony. He knew about my passion for Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in Joker (2019), which I saw premiere at the Venice Film Festival. That’s why whenever he communicated with Joaquin, he tried to tease me afterward by telling me about numerous conversations with him. In fact, Joaquin worked very closely with organizers of the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. As a result of that, for the first time in the history of Hollywood award ceremonies,

the Golden Globes served a fully vegetarian menu for its guests. After the celebration was already over, at a press conference, Lorenzo came to me and started another “Joaquin” conversation. But instead of joking around he suddenly became very serious and thoughtful. He told me that he is overwhelmed with Joaquin’s last email. That famous actor wrote that he is thinking a lot about him and his health. “Joaquin Phoenix called me a good man! Who am I for him? Why does he have me in his thoughts? It is so touching. I am speechless.” But just in a second, he added with a smile, “Next time I can show it to my Lilla as a proof. See, my dear, I am a good man!”

Lena Basse with Ukrainian Director Valentyn Vasyanovich, Venice Film Festival Director Alberto Barbera, Venice Film Festival Programmer Gulia D‘Agnalo Vallan and Lorenzo Soria (left); Lorenzo Soria at Golden Globe Awards Ceremony (right)

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

It turned out that Lorenzo Soria was in the thoughts of many talented, famous people. Some of the very first condolences came from George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Danny DeVito, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Thierry Frémaux, and many-many others. There were a lot of wonderful and meaningful characteristics of Lorenzo. One of them that came from Cineteca Bologna, especially echoed with me. “Lorenzo had many good qualities – all of them increasingly rare nowadays – but there is one we will miss the most: as a true humanist, he knew how to listen to people - really listen -

and he always found a way to turn ideas into action in order to make the world a better place.” On Aug 13, Lorenzo was laid to rest at the Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City with an intimate and moving ceremony attended by only a small number of family and friends, due to the COVID situation. Later on, at his son’s house in Santa Monica, a small sealed envelope which had been found in one of Lorenzo’s desk draws, was opened. On a facsimile card, everyone could read a note in Lorenzo’s very distinctive stretched handwriting:

Jan. 18, 2019 To my relatives, to my fr iends We are not going to need this but just in case… Our lives are unpredicta ble. So, enjoy, and make go od use of every day of every second of your lives. Give it value. Give it purpose. Don’t let small things bring you down. Not worth it. I wish you all love, heal th, and lots of joynever forget laughing at Life, at ourselves! Thank you for making my life rich and beautiful! Ciao, Lorenzo

UP ULTIMATE PROVENCE WINE ESTATE

“Welcome Home” interiors that make you feel right at home. *originally featured in French language in Marie Claire Maison September 2020 issue (France). Grapevines in sight Mark Dixon has transformed a traditional vineyard of the Plaines de Maures region into a thriving lifestyle resort. Tones of blue, white, natural wood, the Ultimate Provence hotel’s decor provides a warm & welcoming ambiance as deliciously enticing as a glass of their best wine. 10

Ultimate Provence Wine Estate

A Provence style renovation The adventure begins on the Route du Luc, the winding tree-lined road well known to insiders, which leads to St-Tropez. Just past one of the curvy bends in the road, a beautiful lane leads through the vineyards to a striking property purchased by Mark Dixon with the intention of creating an inviting estate with an urban style that challenges usual design codes of a traditional winery. Passionate about the scents and colors of Provence, he dreamed of offering his guests a chance to immerse themselves in the wine culture of the region. A dream that right from the start, interior design firm Humbert et Poyet knew how to bring to life by designing a spectacular wall made from wine barrels. Transformed

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

into a hotel, the main building has retained classic lines of local farmhouses with tiled roofs, while large open areas in the facades offer breathtaking views over 46 hectares of vineyards. Raw, almost industrial materials were chosen to bring about a contemporary dimension. Elements of aged oak and black metal bring to mind the process of work in the vineyards and are associated with more noble materials such as marble, brass, velvet or leather. The chromatic palette pays homage to the Mediterranean with intense blues that can be found throughout the property, from the reception, to the bedrooms and bathrooms. As if nourished by ProvenĂ§al vegetation, the colors of the furniture oscillate between sage and sandy beiges that evoke pine forests. Basking in the shade under the terraceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caned roof pergola, one dives straight into the sweetness of life in the South of France...

Welcoming ambiance as deliciously enticing as a glass of their best wine

Ultimate Provence photos, Humbert Et Poyet

2020 FRENCH RIVIERA FILM FESTIVAL

2020 French Riviera Film Festival No Dominion on Drama at the

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Author Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural

Amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, the beat goes on with indie film! Many international film festivals, in addition to the French Riviera Film Festival have chosen to host their submissions and ceremonies virtually under quarantine. FRFF will take place at the fabled Beverly Hills Hotel on September 18th and 19th, 2020 to circumvent complications with travel to Cannes, France. This year, the FRFF founders selected eight deserving finalists in the all-important drama category. The 2020 FRFF Drama Finalists are: ME TAMBIÉN directed by Valeria Vallejos (USA)

SCARLET directed by Olga Nikulina (Russia)

MILK TEA directed by Chien-Ni Yang (Taiwan)

THE TEARS THING directed by Clémence Poésy (France)

NO DOMINION directed by Georgios Dimitropoulos (UK)

WANDERING directed by Jordan Gustafson (USA)

REFUGEE directed by Brandt Andersen (USA)

ZOO directed by Will Niava (Canada)

2020 FRENCH RIVIERA FILM FESTIVAL

As can be seen, this year's drama films represent nations in North America, Europe and Asia. Directors Valeria Vallejos and Will Niava add South America and Africa to the eclectic mix through their national origins. The result is a wide-ranging collection of incandescent short films, full of creative and emotive intensity. Themes of alienation and reconciliation, reality and fantasy, and life and death pervade these dark-hued films that still often end on a hopeful note. Absurdist elements are seen especially in the crime dramas Scarlet and ZOO. The all too real tribulations undergone by the female surgeon and her small daughter while on the run in Refugee quickly come to seem almost surreal. Me También (Me Too) bravely tackles the hot-button subject of sexual harassment. The problem is seen to cross boundaries of race and class.

Drama is designed to portray heightened conflicts that somehow illuminate the human condition. 14

Milk Tea adopts the point of view of a brother and sister who must use humor to survive their success-driven dragon parents' seemingly impossible expectations. While their home itself appears comfortable, its harsh climate definitely does not. No Dominion poignantly filters the universal yearning for eternal rest through the poem "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. The evocative cinematography and score create an apropos feeling of awe. A dynamic LGBTQ relationship is featured in The Tears Thing when a former lesbian couple unexpectedly meets again at a shooting range. The actress gets lessons in shooting from her lover, rekindles their relationship, and takes part in a film shoot where her life becomes art. Paris-born director Clémence Poésy has appeared in a four-part television version of Tolstoy's War

The Tears Thing, Clémence Poésy

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Vincent De Paul in No Dominion by director Georgios Dimitropoulos

and Peace in the central role of Natasha Rostova, as well as many other prestigious productions such, as the film In Bruges and the cable series Genius: Picasso. She may be better known to American audiences from three Harry Potter films and the popular teen television drama Gossip Girl. Wavering considers the plight of an aging National Parks Ranger with Parkinson's disease whose mind and body start to waver during the boat tours she conducts on the waves. Day to day assaults on her dignity are treated with compassion and sensitivity as she struggles to accept the limitations imposed by the disease.

Yasmine Al Massri in Refugee by director Brandt Andersen

Standout performers include Yasmine Al Massri from Refugee and Vincent De Paul from No Dominion. Al Massri can be seen on the American television thriller Quantico, playing identical twin sisters alongside Bollywood mega-star Priyanka Chopra. Vincent De Paul is a FRFF favorite who won the 2019 Best Actor Award for his comical performance in Matty Boy. Summing up, drama is designed to portray heightened conflicts that somehow illuminate the human condition. All eight of the 2020 FRFF Drama finalists fulfill this aesthetic mission with impressive economy. Hopefully FRFF's virtual screening and awards ceremony in mid-September will attract an ever-widening global audience and pool of future participants!

EMS PHOTO GALLERY

Er S

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ric Minh Swenson Eric Minh Swenson (EMS) has been celebrating the art and culture of Southern California since he moved to the area in 2001. After producing and directing three feature films, he began work as a fulltime photojournalist and film documentarian. Since 2011, Swenson has produced nearly 1,100 short films on artists and exhibitions as part of his Legacy Series, now numbered as a body of work.

The films serve as a current cultural documentation of artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; process and studio practice, while the exhibition films, recorded within the space of the gallery or museum institution exhibiting works, further the historical context. Swenson has also relentlessly photographed art openings across the Southland, ardently bringing the milieu to the public eye while capturing artists, collectors and enthusiasts in situ. He continues to work with many galleries, museums, and art fairs bringing public awareness to the vibrancy of the ever-burgeoning art scene in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Through photography and film, EMS has chronicled the arts at a professional and popular level never before seen. His passion for art and his facility with both traditional and social media has increased awareness of Southern California, and especially Los Angeles, as an international arts city. Swenson has photographed Southern California, (or The Riviera West), for this special issue of Indie Entertainment Magazine (page 18â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21). â&#x2020;&#x2019; 17

EMS PHOTO GALLERY

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

EMS PHOTO GALLERY

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EMS PHOTO GALLERY

Paulina Aguirre Author Nicole Muj, Indie Entertainment Magazine

To Perform at French Riviera Film Festival Virtual Awards Gala

Multiple Grammy-winning and nominated artist Paulina Aguirre will soon debut her highly anticipated cover of Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Cry For Me Argentina from the musical Evita. The talented Ecuadorian singer/ songwriter and humanitarian will premiere her interpretation of the legendary song, written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, as part of the 2020 French Riviera Film Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s virtual awards gala, broadcast live from The Beverly Hills Hotel. 22

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Evita Peron

In 2007, Paulina released her first solo album titled Mujer de Fe, produced by Pablo Aguirre. Nominated for Best Christian Album, the album features duets with Latin rap artist Gerardo on Nada Va a Separarme and Juan Carlos Rodriguez on Eres Mi Refugio. The aforementioned song was chosen as part of Vive, Lo Mejor de La Música Cristiana, a compilation album under Mucho Fruto Music and distributed by Fonovisa /Universal Music Latin Entertainment. In 2009, Paulina released her second recording project entitled, Esperando Tu Voz (Waiting For Your Voice), also produced by her husband, platinum music artist Pablo Aguirre. The album features a duet with Armando Manzanero on Cuando me Vaya de Aquí, a track that is charged with a fusion of pop/rock, Andean music and a 40-piece orchestra. Esperando Tu Voz received the 2009 Latin Grammy for Best Christian Album and the 2009 Premios Arpa for Best Duet. In 2012, Paulina released her solo album Rompe el Silencio, a non-violence message for women, also Grammy nominated.

As a songwriter, she has worked along with such top artists such as Mario Domm of Camila, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, for whom she wrote the single Zumbao, Huey Dunbar (DLG), and Mariachi Divas, with whom she was nominated for the Latin Grammy awards in 2014 and 2016. Paulina has over 50 songs on different television network partners for several TV shows. As a singer, she has worked with Humberto Gatica and Michael Bublé, Marta Sánchez, Luis Miguel, Armando Manzanero, Marco Antonio Solis, among others. Paulina has been the music director for the Disney series 3rd and Bird and Tinga Tinga Tales, as well as a voice actress and lyricist for these projects. She has also done voiceover work for Desperate Housewives on ABC, and is the voice of Los Solecitos (Univision) for which she wrote most of the songs. Paulina is also the voice for Steinmart in the Latin market. In 2019, Paulina wrote and performed the song Canto de Paz at the request of the President of Ecuador.→

EMS PHOTO GALLERY

IEM had a chance to interview Paulina recently... Nicole Muj: How do you stay centered and well (physically and mentally) during this global health crisis? Paulina Aguirre: During the pandemic, I was in Ecuador, my home country, for two months after a concert with the Symphonic Orchestra of Ecuador. After seeing my closet full of stage clothing, I had such a need for comfy and basic clothing. You then figure out how just a pair of socks, food, health, and a roof over your head are the most important things. Why do you think it's important to have diversity represented in the music/entertainment industry? How can that potentially affect our culture?

PA: Pablo Aguirre, my husband, not just for being an exceptional musician, but for having a kind and humble heart. God, for all the incredible connections and a purpose.

PA: Art has no color, no language, but a common heart of beauty which is seen when we love and share our talent and hearts.

What advice would you give to a young artist who is just starting out?

If you could inspire a movement, what would that be? PA: I have a foundation for women named MUJER DE FE. I am passionate about helping women against abuse and narcissism through music and writing. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful, who helped get you to where you are today? 24

PA: Have faith, work consistently, be a good person and serve others. Always have faith! What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects are you are working on now or have worked on recently? PA: I have a new ethnic album and an avatar project coming up that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to share. I also recently sang at Cinemoiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oscar Night Gala, sharing stage with Dennis Quaid and Macy Gray.

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SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KASANOFF

Larry Kasanoff 26

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Spotlight Interview with

Threshold Entertainment Group Chairman/CEO and Mortal Kombat Producer Larry Kasanoff is the producer of all Mortal Kombat media, including two number one ﬁlms, a television series, an animated series, platinum-selling soundtracks, direct to DVD, and a live tour.

As a producer or studio head, he has made over 250 feature films, including Dirty Dancing, and Academy Award Winning Best Picture Platoon. He has raised well over a billion dollars in the film business.

Kasanoff is executive producer of the box office smash ﬁlm, True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by James Cameron. Previously, as president and co-founder of Lightstorm Entertainment, Larry supervised production, marketing, publicity and merchandising for the fourtime Academy Award-winning hit Terminator 2 Judgment Day. He produced two movies with Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow.

In the music world, he has packaged or produced video projects with several of the world’s biggest talents, including Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and Dick Clark. For Terminator 2, he produced MTV’s top video of the year, “You Could Be Mine” with Gun’s ‘N Roses. International entertainment reporter Elena Palmer had the chance to interview the industry mogul for IEM. 27

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KASANOFF

I was about 26, head of a studio, running around the world greenlighting movies. Dirty Dancing film produced by Larry Kasanoff, 1987

Elena Palmer: Can we start with the story

LK: I wanted to be a movie producer since

behind your Russian name Kasanoff? Were

I was a little kid. I always knew exactly what

your grandparents Russian emigré?

I wanted to do. But I had no real way to get

Larrry Kasanoff: Yes! One set was from Kiev, the other from Odessa. We have the diary of my grandfather from Kiev, detailing how he grew up in a small village and made his way to America. It is one of my most prized possessions. My great grandfather was a fisherman on the Black Sea, but that’s as far back as we know. I always wondered if my ancestors are from the city of Kazan, as my name means, ‘from Kasan.’ You hold an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BA from Cornell University. Obviously, you didn’t plan to become a filmmaker back there. How did you get started as a film producer? What was your first job? 28

into the industry, so I figured a good education would be my ticket out of Boston, where I grew up, and into Hollywood. My summer between years at Wharton, I got a great internship in the film department at HBO. That led to an introduction to an executive who had recently left HBO to start a home video company calledVestron. I was hired and quickly became Head of Production, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for this entrepreneurial indie studio. I had to bring in, through production, acquisitions and co-productions, something like 80 movies a year. We made lots of low budget horror, action and comedy, but also graduated to films like Oscar-winning Best Picture Platoon and Dirty

Dancing. So the education strategy worked!

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You film career began more than 30 years ago. You started with romantic comedies like Party Camp, Blood Diner, She’s Back, Far from Home etc. There were several turning points in your career: i.e. you switched to drama, then to video games. Basically, how did you get from here to there? What was the trigger? LK: It wasn’t exactly a linear progression like that. Vestron, the indie studio powered by home video, was very much like Netflix today. It was a top company in a new part of the industry, which needed lots of movies to fill video stores. So we provided them. We made everything – horror, comedy, romance, action and yes, even a few dramas. I was about 26, head of a studio, running around the world green lighting movies. My boss, who is a great entrepreneur, basically gave me all the responsibility in the world, with the caveat: ‘You lose money, you’re fired.’ It would never happen today, someone that young getting all that responsibility. So, in addition to all those low budget movies,

we also co-financed The Princess Bride and made Blue Steel, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and some other great ones. I always loved action/ sci-fi and fantasy, so went on to specialize in that. You are a top Hollywood producer, who has been instrumental in the production of over 250 feature films, including Dirty Dancing, the Academy Award-winning best picture, Platoon, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Lego – Star Wars. You are executive producer of the film True Lies and producer of Mortal Kombat. Can you tell us about the greatest moment in your film career? LK: Well, I am fortunate because there have been many, but I hope my greatest is yet to come. That’s not just a cute answer – I really think to be a producer one has to think ahead, always look for the next great story and film. I find the discovery of new projects and ideas and talent to be just as exciting, if not more so, today, than the day I started. →

True Lies film produced by Larry Kasanoff, 1994

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KASANOFF

Is there one or more thing you think would make the film industry better? What would it be? LK: If it took more creative chances. The business has become corporate, which drives people within massive corporations to avoid risk to keep their jobs, which is understandable. It compels them to make the tried and the true and the safe. But the audience craves the new and the different and the bold. More of the latter, I think, would make for better films and happier audiences. Prior to Threshold Entertainment Group you cofounded the production company Lightstorm Entertainment with James Cameron in 1990 and acted as studio head for several great movies including Terminator-2: Judgement Day. Also, later in some films you were acting as an executive producer and in the others - as a studio head, overseeing your company Threshold Entertainment Group and its subsidiaries Threshold Animation Studios and Blackbelt TV. Obviously, as a studio head one has even more power over the projects but also more responsibility. What is the biggest challenge in this job? Have you figured out what audiences want? 30

LK: I think the biggest challenge – and the most fun – is to come up with a great premise, then over deliver on it to the audience. So Terminator 2, which you mentioned, was a great, innovative action/sci-fi movie, but it was also about a mother’s search for a father for her son, as she feared she would not survive. The movie delivered on its promise of great action and effects and sci-fi, but over delivered, so to speak, on story. In Cannes Man - the hilarious satire about movie world’ hypocrisy - you played a Studio Exec. Did you bring personal experience in the portrayal? LK: The director of that, Richard Martini, directed one of the first movies I ever produced, a comedy called You Can’t Hurry Love. He asked me to do Cannes Man, which I thought was

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Mortal Combat film produced by Larry Kasanoff, 1995

Film is the child of art and commerce, and we hope to have some great kids! a hilarious idea, and yes, I did bring personal experience into it by trying to parody what I called the loveable scoundrels I’ve known. By that, I mean those old time producers and directors, who were great and charming and always delivered, but also a bit gruff and crude and let’s say, creative with certain things like money. They were true characters. A lot of the dialogue I used, like ‘I don’t care if he’s dead – I’ll find him and get my money’ – I actually heard someone say.

You operate at the nexus of entertainment and technology and were the first to make a hit movie from a video game. Besides being a forward thinking entrepreneur, you found success in both the creative and business side of the industry (raised over a billion dollars in the film business). Film is the compromise between art and commerce. How has your art been shaped by both the money you have had or not had? LK: Boy, I hope film isn’t a compromise. It should be a bunch of extremes! Maybe we could say, film is the child of art and commerce, and we hope to have some great kids! Each film is all kind of a chess big game, and all these elements come into play. You often can’t make a creative decision without making a financial one, and vice versa. If you want to shoot an extra day at location X, you might have to have one less day at location Y. But figuring out all this and putting the puzzle together is part of the fun and the challenge. And lots of money does not necessarily equal success. Dirty Dancing was made for less than $6 million! → 31

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KASANOFF

Your Mortal Kombat spent three weeks as the number-one film at the U.S. box office, earning over $122 million worldwide. Yet, a 1997 sequel film, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, was not that successful. With so many factors shaping a film’s success or failure, and so much required to go into a film just to make it, and even more to make it well, what can be done so it does not ever feel not worth the effort? LK: You know, no one ever feels sorry for movie producers and fashion models, so I always liked Kate Moss’s great line, ‘Never complain, never explain.’ Again, it’s kind of like a game, each movie, and you play it the best you can, and then regardless of whatever happens, go out and play it again on the next movie the next day, as best you can. As long as you keep being enthusiastic and trying your best, you’re in good shape. Is it harder to get started or to keep going? If you got the opportunity to go back in time and change something in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, then what changes will you opt for?

...no one ever feels sorry for movie producers and fashion models. 32

LK: I suggest you look at Mortal Kombat from a broader perspective. When I got the rights, I promised the game company I would make it a franchise, and produce it in every medium in the world – movies, TV, DVD, animation, music, live shows, and so forth. And we did, and still are. So the second movie was part of a continuum of all that. Even that movie opened at #1, which virtually all my Mortal Kombat productions have. As far as going back and changing things, I never really look at life that way, because you can’t go back, and it will just drive you crazy. So onward!

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

With Mortal Kombat you went through hell - there was a complicated lawsuit, two significant for the project actors passed away, but you had not given up on the franchise: you created two spin-off television series, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and Mortal Kombat: Conquest and several animation projects. Yet, the third Mortal Kombat which was in development hell for a period of nearly two decades and is planned to release in 2021, has been done without your participation. Can you tell why didn’t you want to be involved anymore? LK: First, I am an Executive Producer of the new Mortal Kombat movie. Second, I wouldn’t say I went through hell at all. I would say Mortal Kombat has been, and still is, one of the highlights of my career. I think this new movie is the 19th or 20th' Mortal Kombat production I’ve been a producer or EP on, in 25 years. So with all those productions and all those people and all that money (I think Mortal Kombat has grossed something like five billion US at retail), there are bound to be things that are not perfect. Think of any long term relationship or business. That is just part of the game. But I love the film, the travels, the people I’ve met, the still great participation of the fans. Once, a US soldier told me when stationed in Iraq, they got to bring a few DVDs only, and they would watch them over and over at night. He brought Mortal Kombat, and told me how many long, scary, lonely nights it got him through. That alone makes it all worth it. Still, some of my best friends, biggest successes and greatest adventures, are because of Mortal Kombat!

Professional collaboration seems to be essential for filmmaking. It is a producer's responsibility to choose collaborators for a project and to determine if someone is truly worth collaborating with. How have you discovered members of your team and how do you keep the relationship with them strong? What makes a fruitful collaboration? What do you do to enhance the collaborative process? LK: Great question. My partner in my company, Jimmy Ienner, is not only one of the most successful film and music talents there is, he is one of the smartest, most creative people I know, and also just one of the best. We have been together for years. He’s just a great soul. Our music supervisor, Michael Lloyd, has been working with us since we all did Dirty Dancing together. He’s not only a musical genius, but one of the nicest, most generous guys you will ever meet. Sean Derek, who wrote many of our Mortal Kombats, who we work with all the time still, is not only a phenomenal talent, but also like a sister to me. So it is that rare combination of talent and just being a great person, one hopes to find. Your films are packed with great actors: Carrie Fisher, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Lee Curtis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christopher Lambert – just to name a few. Some say casting is essential for a successful project. Regardless of whether that is true, some actors have “it” and sometimes they need something to make “it” pop. You’ve spotted that “it” and captured “it”. What is “it” and how do you find “it”? LK: I do it purely by instinct. Same way I buy art or find scripts. First, I notice it → 33

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KASANOFF

something catches my eye and stands out. Then, if I remember it the next day, and the next few days, and realize I am continuing to think about it, I go back and explore and almost always, try to get the person in one of my movies. But you are right – that ‘it’ factor is everything. You are working with many directors, but your most frequent collaborator is Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman in the world to receive a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Director. What are her qualities that make your collaboration great? LK: I made two movies with Kathryn quite a long time ago. She was just an incredibly talented, focused, classy person (again, great talent, great person) who knew what she wanted and how to get it. What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film? How did that lesson happen? LK: Never, ever, ever, ever give up. I’ve learned that lesson a million times and keep learning it. The other one is to focus on the goal – get the shot, so to speak – and not let ego or anger or anything else get in the way. Be right on the screen, not in the room, I always think. When you got started there were just two screens: the movie screen and the television screen. Now there are also computers, tablets, and phones. As a co-creator of the world’s biggest brands (Star Wars, Lego, Marvel, Mortal Kombat, Star Trek) how does this affect the stories you tell and how you tell them? LK: Well, to be fair, I started as an in34

tern at HBO when pay cable was exploding, then worked in a home video driven company. So from day one, I have seen different ways to watch a film. And now, of course, streaming. The answer is, I don’t think they affect stories one bit. I think these are all great distribution opportunities – streaming allows films to be seen in parts of the world formerly impossible – but the nature of the story and the film doesn’t change.

Never, ever, ever, ever give up. I’ve learned that lesson a million times... You're planning a Tetris trilogy, which means, you keep up with technological advancements in the next generation of entertainment? LK: I am fascinated by the nexus of technology and storytelling, and constantly keep up with it. I’m proud that we have been involved in many technological milestones in film. Most recently, we are working with Microsoft Azure, burst rendering on GPUs in the cloud. It allows us to build a worldwide network of animators and artists, all of whom can collaborate on the same movie, but now, with the top quality rendering available at the press of a button. It’s amazing.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

There are 45,000 films generated globally annually, and the largest consumption market in the world – the US – currently consumes only one percent of the output. Recognizing that, are you changing the way you work, changing what you create? LK: Our focus is the world market as a whole. I think the growth of international markets for films - the distribution now possible in certain international markets, the location, the talent and the stories to be found there, is the future of entertainment. So we now look for ‘locally flavored, globally appealing’ movies. Last year, you turned your attention to the Indian movie industry. Can you tell us about it, please? LK: It is exactly what I just said. India has 1.3 billion people, most of whom love film a great film community, great talent, and fascinating stories and locations with which to share with the world. Locally flavored, globally appealing. We are just finishing an animated movie partially done there, and have two live action co-productions planned. We’ve found terrific actors in India, for example, that we think will become world stars. You took part in the very important panel event with Larry Namer and Russian film industry executive Evgenia Markova. Have you watched any Russian films recently? Is there something Russian filmmakers should do better in order to succeed in the international film market? What advice would you give to young Russian filmmakers?

Evgenia Markova, CEO, Roskino

LK: I would encourage them to think as I do, produce content that is locally flavored, but globally appealing. Make movies that highlight the best of Russian culture, people and locations, but for the whole world, not just Russia. We are always looking for talent, by the way. We have not announced this, but are soon to make a movie starring an actress from Russia. We are so interested in meeting Russian directors, actors, writers and designers. So please do feel free to get in touch!

FRFF 2020 PROGRAM

French Riviera Film Festival

Schedule

Day 1

09/18/2020

11:00 AM PST

Women Filmmakers Panel

1:00 PM PST

Day 2 1:00 PM PST

09/19/2020 Finalists Day 2 Beginning

Francesca Andre, Eeva MĂ¤gi, Tracy Vicory-Rosenquest, Sue Vicory (Moderator)

Drama Fashion Sci-Fi/Horror Special Mention

Finalists Day 1 Beginning

Virtual Gala Awards Ceremony

Out of Competition Screening Comedy Documentary Animation Experimental Music Video

5:00 PM PST

The Beverly Hills Hotel Live Stream Address: frenchrivierafilmfestival.com/ awards2020

Live from the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, awards ceremony to feature live and pre-recorded segments. EverTalk TVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jezlan Moyet will host the event, along with Tony Potts, Shalini Vadhera Potts and Emmy-winning actor Vincent De Paul. Special musical performances by DJ Gotta, Marina V. and Grammy-winner Paulina Aguirre, and some surprises are planned.

FRFF 2020 PROGRAM

FRFF Day 1

09/18/2020

Panel moderated by Women Documentary Filmmakers founder Sue WOMEN Vicory, and will feature panelists: filmmaker/photographer/author FILMMAKERS Francesca Andre, filmmaker Eeva MĂ¤gi and writer/filmmaker/entrepre11:00 AM PANEL neur Tracy Vicory-Rosenquest. 1:00 PM

BEGINNING OF DAY 1 SCREENING

OUT OF COMPETITION SCREENING Director: Kevin Asch Country: USA Duration: 11:35

Characters: Comedy short by director Kevin Asch (Holy Rollers) and starring Danny A. Abeckaser (The Irishman), Lukas Haas (The Revenant) and Sara Foster (Barely Famous). A psychologically troubled sporting goods store clerk (Abeckaser), obsessed with Al Pacinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gangster characters is set-off into his old pattern of acting out like them when he hears about his ex returning to Long Island to get married. At the same time, his current love (Foster) gives him an ultimatum to leave with her to California at the end of the summer, all the while pushing his relationships, including his mother and best friend (Haas) to the limits with his Pacino impressions.

COMEDY Director: Colin Costello Country: USA Duration: 8:58

From Russia with Motive: Pilot: Two sisters flee their small Russian village to find freedom and rich husbands in Los Angeles. Rich men are a girl's best friend in this comedy.

Director: Jeff Dingler Country: USA Duration: 27:42

Ira and the King of Kings: The End of Days is here as Jesus returns to start the Second Coming, but is mistaken for a homeless person. In order to survive, the Son of God must shack up with a struggling Jewish writer.

Director: Fred Gallo Country: USA Duration: 27:27

Oddly Popular: Four fortuneless females already have a hard time navigating daily life; however, their lives take an unexpected turn when an accidental text lands them their own reality show.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

Director: Brad Holloway Country: USA Duration: 9:04

Open House 1-4: Every Sunday, realtors fan out across the country planting Open House signs, inviting prospective buyers into private residences, but when a snooty Realtor suspects a Latino couple is there to rob her, all hell breaks loose.

Director: Giacomo Capra Country: Italy Duration: 35:46

The Original: Two guys from southern Italy are held in custody, but to get out of trouble, they are forced to foil their plans concerning the exhibition of the famous artist Tobias Daskalakis.

DOCUMENTARY Director: Alessandro Soetje Country: Italy Duration: 20:46

The Power of Beauty: The Power of Beauty follows two students, their tears and resilience on the days leading up to their graduation from the Kate Korpi Academy, a high end salon in Cambodia educating sex traffic survivors and the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underprivileged youth.

Director: Katharina Kastner Country: Belgium Duration: 24:30

Villa Empain: A story of survival about Louis Empain and his creation of how an artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fixed dream disappears in favor of living architecture.

Director: John X. Carey Country: USA Duration: 4:49

#WeLaGente: Tackling the hostile political environment towards Hispanic and Latino immigrants, we are given the opportunity to hear their emotional stories and contributions to the diverse fabric of America.

ANIMATION

Director: Kristyna Archer Country: USA Duration: 2:30

A Brief History of The Eyeroll: A love for optical illusions spirals into an ironic fictional storyline about the history of eyerolls and how they combat violence making the world a more passive-aggressive place.

Director: Sasha Vinogradova Country: USA Duration: 1:25

Forest: Small, yellow-bellied forest spirits cultivate a discovery that threatens the balance of their world.

Director: Carol Freeman Country: Ireland Duration: 7:03

The Bird & the Whale: A young whale struggling to find his voice strays from his family to explore a shipwreck. Meeting its sole survivor, a caged songbird, together they struggle to survive lost at sea. 39

FRFF 2020 PROGRAM

EXPERIMENTAL

Director: Kino Lee Country: Taiwan Duration: 3:06

HuoZhe: “HuoZhe" translates to the word "living" in Mandarin. We watch our existence from afar as the hands represent us and the water is how life treats its people.

Director: Amir Zargara Country: Canada Duration: 9:00

Inferno: from the Ashes: Dante who is accompanied by his guide Virgil journeys through “Inferno” or the dimension known as Hell itself.

Director: Daniel THÜRLER Country: Switzerland Duration: 10:46

Japantrip: Embarking on a scenic sight, we travel through literary eyes wandering across Japan.

MUSIC VIDEO Director: POWEI SU Country: Taiwan Duration: 5:35

anpu - ZOEA: Two mitten crabs escape the hands of a vendor and make their way into the Taiwan’s dark underbelly of water ways.

Director: Guilhem Coulibaly Country: France Duration: 4:34

Childhood: When natural and artificial wealth mingle as the pursuit of happiness is a never-ending process, Director Guilhem Coulibaly reveals a story of childhood through the illusion of time and a life’s perspective.

Director: Medi eM Country: USA Duration: 3:06

Shaken Not Stirred: Bond and Q trek through the City of Angels to a pulsating beat and a killer riff as they target a love pure as gold.

Director: Lukas Haas Country: USA Duration: 4:00

She's in my Head: Told through the lens of a man’s iPhone, what appears to be a crush develops into a social media obsession.

Director: Carlos A. Hurtado Country: USA Duration: 4:57

The Taste of Me "Sabor a Mi": A recreation of one of the most famous bolero Spanish songs originally composed by the legendary Los Panchos, David Lawrence makes his singing debut in this cover as a tribute to his mother and the original vocalist, Eydie.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

FRFF Day 2

09/19/2020

1:00 PM BEGINNING OF DAY 2 SCREENING DRAMA Director: Valeria Vallejos Country: USA Duration: 16:00

Me También: Two women from polar opposite spheres of society are brought together by one unfortunate common denominator, sexual harassment.

Director: Chien-Ni Yang Country: Taiwan Duration: 12:42

Milk Tea: An 11-year-old girl suffocated by her dysfunctional family, decides to lighten the mood at home but steps back when her actions cause circumstances to grow worse.

Director: Georgios Dimitropoulos Country: UK Duration: 13:48

No Dominion: Three travelers, an American and a French couple, destined to cross paths unexpectedly meet at a themed boutique hotel and findcomfort in their lives of sorrow.

Director: Brandt Andersen Country: USA Duration: 23:00

Refugee: A Syrian doctor and her young daughter flee in an attempt to escape their war-torn homeland.

Director: Olga Nikulina Country: Russia Duration: 12:38

Scarlet: After an attack inside her apartment, a young woman wakes up alone in a hospital bed only to suspect her own family’s involvement in the intrusion.

Director: Clémence Poésy Country: France Duration: 25:00

The Tears Thing: In preparation for her debut role, an actress is challenged in ways she could never have seen coming.

Director: Jordan Gustafson Country: USA Duration: 11:05

Wavering: As her Parkinson’s disease intensifies, a national park ranger struggles to accept her new limitations.

Director: Will Niava Country: Canada Duration: 10:00

ZOO: A misunderstanding between three juveniles and a troubled man escalates to a point of no return.

FRFF 2020 PROGRAM

FASHION Directors: Giacomo Boeri, Matteo Grimaldi Country: Italy Duration: 1:37

Behind the Curtain: The National Chamber of Italian Fashion and the Milan-based Factory The Blink Fish celebrate Milan Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2020/2021.

Director: Ed Picard Country: France/UK Duration: 3:15

Film Me: Four scenes matching a time and mood pay homage to the different periods of cinema through the spectrum of beauty.

Director: Sandro Suppnig Country: USA Duration: 1:16

Screentest L.A.: A diverse community of creators showcase their 8th Collection inspired by the format of Hollywood Wardrobe and Screen Tests.

Director: Robert dos Santos Country: South Africa Duration: 3:59

The Dreamer: Driving through the incredible vistas of the Lesotho mountains in Southern Africa, a man daydreams he is a powerful African warrior charging through the wilderness.

SCI-FI / HORROR Director: Adam K. Wright Country: USA Duration: 20:11

Bliss Burger: An immigrant’s tangled story of assimilation into America’s national religion of consumerism and his search for God’s warm embrace through cheeseburgers.

Director: Dalya Guerin Country: USA Duration: 11:20

Claws Out: Treachery brews in a mother’s home when she forces her unwilling daughter to inherit her legacy. A bloody battle arises to preserve the rituals of this family’s traditions.

Director: ZheShe Country: Russia Duration: 10:00

Just A Moment: A Chinese hand cream promoter’s life turns upside down when a passerby demands he be given back the minute wasted listening to the worthless advertisement. The After Party - The Director's Cut: Reality Show Star and Social

Director: Colin Francis Costello Media Queen, Skye Monroe faces Judgement Day when she is put Country: USA Duration: 17:49 on trial for her blood spilling deeds. Director: Dimitrios Karas Country: Greece Duration: 19:13

The Bureaucrat: When a member of the afterlife committee tampers with documents to save a pregnant woman’s life, he risks the consequences of partaking in this strictly forbidden action.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

SPECIAL MENTION

Director: Hervé Humbert Country: France Duration: 3:00

Chuck Wonderland: The mystery of two lovers' obsession with one another unfolds like a dream as their chemistry pushes them toward their doom.

Directors: Carolyn Downie, Neels Britz Country: USA Duration: 5:00

Hailstorm: Dark jazz in a difficult sociopolitical climate puts forth a call to action for a better and brighter future.

Director: Anahita Eghbalnejad Country: Iran Duration: 3:30

Life Maybe: The pinnacle of human civilization driven by rage and fury seeks revenge on not just the bodies, but their souls.

Director: Pedro Henrique Chaves Country: Brazil Duration: 15:10

Rocket: In the heart of the city, a toy attracts thousands of people and brings different generations together.

Director: Lee McQueen Country: UK Duration: 23:31

Ruby Baby: This dark comedy follows Catherine, a determined and curious woman, who delves into her past childhood to make sense of unsolved happenings.

Director: Sébastien Esther Country: France Duration: 5:16

She: Set in the 1950's when a strong-willed woman seeks advice about her abusive marriage, she is left questioning her trusted therapist’s own intentions.

Director: Hervé Humbert Country: France Duration: 2:50

Silvàn: A man’s attempt to travel with a very large suitcase.

Director: Pierre Ballat Country: France Duration: 15:00

The Blank Page: A young writer who has met success with his previous novel is paralyzed in the pressure to write another book.

Director: Amir Zargara Country: Cape Verde Duration: 1:00

Welcome To Eden: Eve waits at Eden for the arrival of Adam, but is left baffled when she finds two Adams standing in front of her.

WOMEN FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE

Women Filmmakers Showcase Francesca Andre Filmmaker | Photographer | Author Francesca Andre is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer and writer known for creating richly emotional work that tackles the complexities of life. Andre is the co-founder and creative director of Optik 21, a creative agency offering high-quality photography and video services. She has been a freelance photographer since 2008, and her work has been published in outlets such 44

as Forbes, the New York Post, New York Daily News, News Day, Connecticut Post, Daily Mail, Black Enterprise and Ebony Magazine. In 2017, she released her award-winning short film titled Charcoal, which captures the stories of two black women as they embark on a lifelong journey to overcome internalized colorism, find self-acceptance, and ultimately find redemption. The film, which has been screened at several US and international film festivals, was also featured and reviewed by outlets including Essence, ThinkProgress, Ebony Magazine, Connecticut Post, and others. In 2018, Andre was named one of “40 Under 40” High Achievers by Connecticut Magazine. Andre holds a Master’s in Film and Television from Sacred Heart University. She is the author of I Am a Phenomenal Black Boy, a children's book that celebrates the brilliance and versatility of young black boys and fights against the negative stereotypes that are often perpetuated against black male children in our society.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020

Eeva Mägi Filmmaker

Tracy VicoryRosenquest Writer | Filmmaker | Entrepreneur

Eeva Mägi was born in 1987 in Estonia. In 2015, received her Master's Degree in Directing Documentary from the Baltic Film and Media School. Her graduation film Simply A Man was screened at several festivals. Her first independent film post graduation Lembri Uudu had its international premiere at DOK Leipzig and later participated in many festivals, including PÖFF shorts, Go Short Nijmegen and Sarajevo Film Festival. In March 2017, she participated at Werner Herzog's workshop “Filming in Cuba with Werner Herzog.” In 2018, she received the young filmmaker's award by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and in 2019, she received a DocPoint Tallinn young filmmaker award. Her documentary The Weight of All the Beauty won the best international short documentary award at the 2020 Melbourne International Film Festival, an Oscar qualifying festival. The short is an eerie, dreamy hybrid documentary about men from the village of Põdra whose souls were seized by the Vodka Spirit. Mägi’s approach to film can be described as rather experimental and surreal. Tracy Vicory-Rosenquest is a dramatic writer, narrative artist, educator, entrepreneur, and mother living in Plattsburgh, NY with her husband, Chris and son, Miles. Her plays have been on stage in Minneapolis, Montreal, Seattle, and Plattsburgh. Her work has been performed with the SUNY Plattsburgh Theatre Department, Annex Theatre, Eclectic Theatre, Live Girls! Theater, Macha Monkey Productions, Paciﬁc Play Company, Richard Hugo House, Seattle Playwrights’ Collective, Minnesota & Seattle Fringe Festivals, and The Schoolyard. → 45

WOMEN FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE

Sue Vicory Founder, Heartland Films, womendocumentaryfilmmakers.com, Moderator Her recent screenplay, Avec Son Pinceau (With Her Paintbrush), was commissioned by Ita Bullard and is currently in pre-production. Her play Shark was a ﬁnalist in FUSION Theater Company’s 8th Annual New Works Festival. Tracy’s book, After The Question, was published in 2014 as a companion book to One, an award-winning documentary produced by Heartland Films. Vicory-Rosenquest received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Goddard College and has trained with ACT Theatre, Arts for Equity Institute with the Flynn Center for Performing Arts & The Clemmons Family Farm, Seattle Arts & Lectures, Washington State Art Commission’s TAT Lab, and more. She has taught at SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Seattle Arts & Lecture’s Writers in the Schools, ACT Theatre’ Young Playwrights Program, and many others. 46

Three time Telly Award winner, Sue Vicory has been creating community-based films and projects within her not for profit production company Heartland Films, Inc. since 2003. Her works include Homelessness & the Power of One, feature documentaries One and Kansas City Jazz & Blues; Past, Present & Future and short films Absent and 1898, The W.F. Norman Story. In 2015, she founded Team XX, an all female team of 25 filmmakers that created the award-winning film Down Stage. Ms. Vicory is a member of the Los Angeles-based Alliance of Women Directors and creator of the Website womendocumentaryfilmmakers.com, designed to increase visibility for female filmmakers. She is the creator of the non-profit brand My Power of One (MPO1). In 2015 under the MPO1 banner, she filmed a 48 state tour completing 12 Acts of Kindness. She is currently working on a feature documentary and short narrative parody film.

FRFF ISSUE | SEPT 2020