Rocky writes: For Toronto residents and visitors, you may be interested in attending the 2nd Annual Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival.
Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival Announces 2006 Programme
Toronto, The Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival has announced its line up of films for the second annual event, which is taking place October 27-29, 2006 in Toronto. More than 45 films will be presented including features, shorts, animation and documentaries; many are Canadian or World Premieres. The films, which delve into the world of mythology, mysticism, magical realism, legend and science fiction, have been chosen from submissions from around the world. The festival is taking place at Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto campus. The complete programme is available at www.fantasyworldwide.com.
“Our aim is to showcase fantasy films that are inspiring, enlightening and entertaining,” says Johanna Kern, executive director of Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival.
Highlighted Feature films include:
Sidekick, Canada — a comic book obsessed computer geek discovers that his friend has telekinetic abilities. He endeavors to turn him into a superhero, with the hope of becoming his trusty sidekick, but learns that not all people with extraordinary abilities are meant to be superheroes. Director: Blake Van De Graaf. Winner of ‘People’s Pick for Best Flick’ Award 2006 Canadian Filmmakers Festival.
Mee-Shee, UK — A fun-loving nine-year old has the adventure of a lifetime when he uncovers the world’s biggest secret: Mee-Shee, a loveable water giant. Incredible monsters and amazing special effects from Academy Award winning Jim Henson’s Creature shop. Starring: Tom Jackson, Bruce Greenwood, Daniel Magder, Joel Tobeck, Rena Owen. Director: John Henderson Canadian Premiere
Gamerz, Scotland / UK — An off-beat comedy with a love triangle set in the fantasy, role-playing society of Glasgow University. The hero is the Game Keeper, a geeky genius who builds an imaginary world – and has a fatal weakness for the sexy goth girl who thinks she’s an elf. Director: Robbie Frazer. Canadian Premiere
Spectres, USA — Some of Sci-Fi’s most famous faces. Marina Sirtis, co-star of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” meets up with “X-Files” regular Dean Haglund, Tucker Smallwood of “Space: Above and Beyond, Linda Park of “Star Trek: Enterprise;” and Alexis Cruz of “Stargate,” to create a dark and eerie tale of a supernatural phenomenon. Director: Phil Leirness
Laura’s Star, Germany / Animated Feature — Laura is new to the neighborhood, and a little homesick. Then she rescues a fallen star who is homesick too – and shares a friendship that makes her new surroundings feel like home. Directors: Piet De Rycker, Thilo Rothkirch. Coproducers and distributors: Warner Bros.
Short Order, Ireland / UK / Germany — Fifi has an uncontrollable talent for culinary seduction. Over one busy night in the culinary underbelly, boredom will become fantasy as a little bit of love and wisdom come together where life is a buffet and everything is Short Order. Starring: Emma de Caunes, John Hurt, Cosma Shiva Hagen, Jack Dee, and Vanessa Redgrave. Director: Anthony Byrne. Short Order was nominated for 8 Irish Film and Television Awards and won in the Production Design category. Canadian Premiere.
Highlighted Documentaries include:
The Gathering: Return of the Whale Dreamers, Australia — by producers Julian Lennon and Kim Kindersley. The wisdom of Indigenous Elders from around the world permeates this film, offering up the familiar warnings of where humanity seems to be going, but it also reflects back to us that we collectively can come back from the edge of extinction. For the first time on film, Aboriginal Whale Calling ceremonies are shared. Guest Appearances: Jack Thompson, John Hurt, Julian Lennon, Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush. Director: Kim Kindersley. Best Film Award, Byron Bay Film Festival. Canadian Premiere
The Secret, Australia — Leading scientists, authors and philosophers reveal the secret that has transformed the lives of those who lived it: Plato, Newton, Carnegie, Beethoven, Shakespeare and Einstein. This is the secret to everything – joy, health, relationships, money, love and happiness. Directors: Drew Heriot, Damien McLindon, Sean Byrne. Canadian Premiere
Huldufolk 102, USA/Iceland — Beneath the quiet veneer of Iceland is an invisible nation of Hidden People. Tales of these beings challenge human perceptual limitations and reveal the mysteries of the natural world. Director: Nisha Inalsingh.
Highlighted Shorts and Animation include:
Cost of Living, Canada; Lesson Number Five, Lebanon; Guide Dog, USA / Animation – (sequel to the Oscar nominated “Guard Dog”); Delivery, Germany / Animation; The Orchid and the Rose, Canada/ Animation; and many others.
Tickets can be purchased at Innis Town Hall (University of Toronto campus) during the Festival.
Festival weekend passes are available online (Pay Pal). For group tickets presales, contact info@fantasyworldwide.com.
Fantasy Worldwide is an independent, not-for-profit organization and the only film festival of its kind to showcase a broad variety of fantasy and science fiction genres.
Note: official selection is subject to change. Please visit the Festival website for final selection by October 1, 2006.
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LOST fans unite! Here is your chance to get 6 cast & crew autographs all at one time, on a huge 40″ x 27″ promo poster!
We enjoyed making fun of the over-the-top LOTR merchandising in our Mariachi Sing-Along, as seen in the award-winning indie documentary RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS, and now several original, authentic toys and props shot for B-roll in the film are offered on eBay! Though many items were filmed for the segment on a soundstage, not all made the final cut, but many are now permanently etched in indie film history.
Check out this sequence from the film (Quicktime required) and join the auctions!
Small file [100kps]
Large file [800kps]
The entire series of RINGERS eBay auctions are found here:
EXCLUSIVE Autographed LOST Poster (Monaghan, Fox, Lilly)
TTT RoseArt Board Game
Special Edition Collector’s Series Frodo w/ Fabric costume
Applause Frodo & Sam Replicas
Gandalf & Shadowfax Deluxe Horse & Rider Set
Sharku & Warg Beast Deluxe Beast & Rider Set
Toy Biz Strider Action Figure (rectangular J-Hook package)
PUZZ-3D Hobbiton 3D foam-backed Puzzle/369 Pieces
Sideshow/WETA “Industry of Isengard” Medallion RARE/LOW NUMBER!
Toy Biz Orc Overseer Action Figure
VERY UNUSUAL Gandalf Diet Coke / McDonald’s Hat Pin
Lurtz Toy Biz Action Figure
Applause ‘Screaming’ Nazgul Coin Bank
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Lith writes: Here is a report on the deliveries of The Hobbit Petition to MGM and New Line on September 22nd. The petition, with the 39116 signatures accumlutated at the time of printing, was delivered to the studios along with a copy of MrCere’s open letter to the studios. Though we have had no feedback at this time from New Line, I did receive this very cordial email from Theo Dumont of MGM today, with full permission to pass it along. It should hearten fans a good bit.
“Dear organizers of The Hobbit Petition:
We would like to give you the official statement from MGM. Feel free to pass this along to your members and affiliated web sites. Thank you and please see below:
“Peter Jackson’s phenomenal success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy makes him the first and most ideal choice for directing The Hobbit,” said MGM. “MGM would be thrilled to collaborate with the Academy Award-winning director on this MGM New Line Cinema production. And, I’m sure to the delight of the 50,000 filmgoers who have petitioned us in recent weeks, demanding we bring this film to fruition, we have had a few initial conversations about the project with Mr. Jackson’s representatives.”
Best regards,
Theo Dumont
Manager of Public Relations
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.”
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TORN Staffer MrCere sends this along: Colin Havard: An Inkling’s Son Remembers J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis. Presented with Mike Foster
Thursday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m., at St. Louis Community College, South County Education & Training Center, 4115 Meramec Bottom Road, St. Louis, Missouri.
Mark Colin Havard, the son of Dr. Robert (Humphrey) Havard of Oxford, who was the personal physician of Tolkien and Lewis as well as a member of the famous “Inklings” fellowship, occasionally attended Inklings sessions along with his father. His recollections of those men and those meetings, house-sitting for Lewis at the Kilns, and other anecdotes comprise this evening of literary reminiscence.
Prof. Mike Foster, the North American representative of the Tolkien Society, teaches a course on Tolkien at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
The event is free and open to the public.
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REVERED INDIE ROCK BAND THE APPLES IN STEREO RETURN WITH FIRST NEW ALBUM IN FIVE YEARS
NEW MAGNETIC WONDER TO BE INAUGURAL RELEASE ON ELIJAH WOOD’S NEWLABEL, SIMIAN RECORDS
New Magnetic Wonder Released on February 7
Los Angeles, CA – September 19, 2006 – Celebrated indie rock band The Apples in Stereo have been signed to a new label and will release their first album in five years, the pop triumph New Magnetic Wonder. Scheduled for release on February 7th, New Magnetic Wonder marks the debut album to be distributed on Elijah Wood’s newly formed Simian Records (co-released and distributed via Yep Roc Records/Elephant 6/Redeye Distribution).
Apples lead singer Robert Schneider met Wood at SXSW music festival in Austin, TX in 2003. As fate would have it, the Apples, who recently departed from their long-time label spinART, were looking for a new label at exactly the same time Wood was launching Simian Records.
“I’ve been a fan of the Apples for years,” said Elijah Wood. “I’m truly honored and excited that New Magnetic Wonder will be Simian Records first release.”
Glenn Dicker, President and Co-owner of Yep Roc Records continues, “Everyone at Yep Roc is very excited about the relationship we are building with Elijah and his new label. Given our mutual passion for the Apples, this is a fantastic record to get the ball rolling with on this new venture. We’re looking forward to doing many new projects together in the future.”
New Magnetic Wonder is an ambitious LP clocking in at 53 minutes containing 14 songs and 12 additional musical segue-ways (or ‘link tracks’ as Schneider refers to them). The album features an array of special guests including many members of the Elephant 6 collective. Sticking with their indie-rock pedigree the Apples sought the production skills of acclaimed engineer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Sebadoh, Phish, Sean Lennon) who mixed their last record “Velocity of Sound.”
Recorded in five cities (Brooklyn, NY; Lexington, NY; Denver, CO; Athens, GA; and Benton, KY) over 12 months, the recording and completion of New Magnetic Wonder spanned great change within the band (which includes bass player Eric Allen and guitarist John Hill). New Magnetic Wonder led Schneider through a labyrinth of new directions, including the recent departure of the band’s longtime drummer and second vocalist, Hilarie Sidney, to focus on her own band The High Water Marks, as well as Schneider’s invention of a new musical scale.
The “Non-Pythagorean Scale” will be featured on an enhanced portion of this multimedia CD release, which includes digital files for MIDI usage and an in-depth description by Schneider of the Non-Pythagorean scale both in both document and video form.
New Magnetic Wonder contains such fist pumping anthems as “Can You Feel It?,” the 70’s AM radio-esque “Same Old Drag,” the slice of infectious vocoder heaven “Joanie Don’t U Worry” (a ‘link track’ throwback to the ‘Computer Love’ of the late 80s/early 90s), and the Mellotron majesty of “Energy.” This is perfect music for Jeff Lynne and Brian Wilson to make-out to.
However, this is a mere fraction of New Magnetic Wonder’s pop conquest!
National and regional tour dates for the Apples in Stereo will be announced shortly.
Track Listing:
SIDE 1
1. Can You Feel It?
2. Skyway
3. Mellotron 1
4. Energy
5. Same Old Drag
6. Joanie Don’t U Worry
7. Sunndal Song**
8. Droplet
9. Play Tough
10. Sun is Out
11. Non-Pythagorean Composition 1
SIDE 2
12. Hello Lola
13. 7 Stars
14. Mellotron 2
15. Sunday Sounds**
16. Open Eyes
17. Crimson
18. Pre-Crimson
19. Vocoder Ba Ba
20. Radiation
21. Beautiful Machine Parts 1-2
22. Beautiful Machine Parts 3-4
23. My Pretend
24. Non-Pythagorean Composition 3
**Composed by Hilarie Sidney
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Fraser writes: The New Zealand screenings of “John Howe–There and Back Again” are the Asia Pacific Premiere for this Swedish/Swiss documentary which features in the 2nd DOCNZ International Documentary Film Festival that starts in Wellington this week (according to the Festival programme).
The two screenings at Wellington’s Paramount Theatre (about a hundred metres/yards north of the ROTK World Premiere Venue–the Embassy Theatre–in the city) are at 12.30pm Tuesday 26 Sept and at 8.40pm Thursday 28 Sept.
When I bought a ticket to each yesterday (Saturday, Wellington time), I was told very few had sold!
Here are details from the programme:
“Animation has seen major developments in the film industry in recent times and one of the most successful fantasy illustrators in the world today, John Howe, is responsible for the mysterious and magical images found in the Lord of the Rings triology. Featuring interviews with Peter Jackson, H.R. Giger, and Howe’s collaborator Alan Lee, the film explores how fantasy and reality collide in John’s work as well as in his own personal world.”
Festivals: Espoo Cine 06, Neuchatel Int. Fanatstic FF 06.
Director: Francois Boetschi & Anders Banke
Running Time: 52 mins
Sweden/Switzerland 2004
The great news is that the Festival programme advises that all films are either in English or have been subtitled (I think this documentary might have been in German or French originally) so English-language ringers like me can now appreciate it too!
Anyone wanting to make a special trip to Wellington to see this documentary (which has already screened twice in Auckland) can purchase their ticket(s) from the Paramount Theatre by phone or fax.
Phone Wellington 384 4080
From Australia: 0011 64 4 384 4080)
Fax Wellington 384 4408
From Australia: 0011 64 4 384 4408)
Disabled access available
Theatre website: paramount.co.nz
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