Category: Documentary

59 Film Festivals in 2020

PAFF Logo
59 Film Festivals 2020Pan African Film and Arts Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 28 years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
February 11-23, 2020
www.paff.org

Heartland International Film Festival
Indianapolis, IN
Establishes 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 9, 2020
www.heartlandfilm.org
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hot Springs National Park, AR
Established 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.hsdfi.org
Portland Film Festival
Portland, OR
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.portlandfilmfestival.comBendFilm Festival
Bend, Oregon
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.bendfilm.org
October 8-11, 2020

Napa Valley Film Festival
Napa, CA
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 14, 2020
www.napavalleyfilmfest.org
Tacoma Film Festival
Tacoma, Washington
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.tacomafilmfestival.com
October 8-15, 2020Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.mammothlakesfilmfestival.com
May 20-24, 2020

Brooklyn Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 23 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 17, 2020
www.brooklynfilmfestival.org
June 2020 (10-days)
deadCenter Film Festival
Oklahoma City, OK
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
www.deadcenterfilm.org
June 2020 (3 days)
Crossroads Film Festival
Jackson, Mississippi
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
crossroadsfilmfestival.com
November 2020
Palm Springs International ShortFest
Palm Springs, CA
Established 26 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.psfilmfest.org
June 16-22, 2020
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.chagrinfilmfest.org
October 6-11, 2020
Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
New York, New York, United States
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 25, 2020
www.bigapplefilmfestival.com
May 19-21, 2020
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
Dubuque, IA,
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 26, 2020
www.julienfilmfest.com
April 22-26, 2020Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle, WA
Established 46 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.siff.net
May 14-June 7, 2020

Calgary International Film Festival
Calgary, AB, Canada
Established 21 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.calgaryfilm.com
September 23-October 4, 2020

DC Shorts International Film Festival
Washington, DC
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.dcshorts.com
September 2020San Jose International Short Film Festival
San Jose, CA
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sjsff.com
October 2020

Washington West International Film Festival
Reston, VA
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.wwfilmfest.com
October 22-26, 2020
San Diego Underground Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sdundergroundarts.org
August 20-23, 2020
34th Edmonton International Film Festival
EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada
Established 34 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.edmontonfilmfest.com
September 24-October 3, 2020
Woods Hole Film Festival
Woods Hole, MA
Established 29 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.woodsholefilmfestival.com
July 25-August 1, 2020
Shriekfest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival & Screenplay competition
Los Angeles, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.shriekfest.com
October 1-4, 2020
Twister Alley Film Festival
Woodward, OK,
Established 5 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.twisteralleyfilmfestival.com
April 30-May 2, 2020
Denver Film Festival
Denver, Colorado
Established 43 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.denverfilmfestival.org
October/November 2020
Fantasia Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established 24 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.fantasiafestival.com
July 16-August 5, 2020
FilmQuest
Provo, Utah
Established 7 years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.filmquestfest.com
September 4-12, 2020
Harlem International Film Festival
Harlem, NY
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: January 17, 2020
www.harlemfilmfestival.org
May 14-17, 2020
Austin Revolution Film Festival
Austin, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.austinrevolution.com
Septeber 9-12, 2020Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Candada
Established 44 Years ago
Next deadline: April 19, 2020
www.tiff.net
September 10-19, 2020

Oak Cliff Film Festival
Dallas, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.oakclifffilmfestival.com
June 2020
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Santa Fe, NM
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 4, 2020
Abuja International Film Festival
Lagos, Nigeria
Established 19 Years ago
Next dealine: February 29, 2020
www.abujafilmfestival.org
October 2020
Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 38 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.outfest.org
July 16-26, 2020
Hawaii International Film Festival
Honolulu, Hawaii
Established 40 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.hiff.org
April 17-23, 2020
Coney Island Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com
September 11-13, 2020
Nevada City Film Festival
Nevada City, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.nevadacitychamber.com
August 28-September 4, 2020
International Black Movie Festival
Nashville, TN
Established   Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.ibffevents.com
September 30-October 4, 2020
Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 8, 2020
www.evolutionfilmfestival.org
March 2020
Camden International Film Festival
Camden, ME
Established 16 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.pointsnorthinstitute.org
October 1-4, 2020
Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth, Texas
Established 14 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.lonestarfilmfestival.com
November 4-8, 2020
New Orleans Film Festival
New Orleans, LA
Established 31 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.neworleansfilmsociety.org
February 27-March 4, 2020
Golden Door International Film Festival
Jersey City, New Jersey-New York
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org
September 17-22, 2020
San Francisco Black Film Festival
San Francisco, CA
Established
www.sfbff.org
June 2020
Sidewalk Film Festival
Birmingham, Alabama
Established 22 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 16, 2020
www.sidewalkfest.com
February 7-13, 2020
HollyShorts Screenplay Contest
Sherman Oaks, CA
Established 7 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 20, 2020
www.hollyshorts.com
August 11-20, 2020
Nashville Film Festival
Nashville, Tennessee
Established 51 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
October 1-7, 2020
Austin Film Festival
Austin, Texax
Established 27 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.austinfilmfestival.com
October 22-29, 2020
Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival
CARDIFF, United Kingdom
Established 14 Years ago
BAFTA Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.irisprize.org
October 6-11, 2020
Filmfestival Kitzbuehel
Vienna, Austria
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.ffkb.at
August 24-30, 2020
SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Savannah, Georgia
Established 23 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.filmfest.scad.edu/festival
October-November, 2020
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France
Established 73 Years ago
Next Deadline: February  15, 2020
https://m.festival-cannes.com
May 12-23, 2020
American Black Film Festival
Miami Beach, FL
Established 24 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.abff.com
June 17-21, 2020
Stony Brook Film Festival
Stony Brook, New York
Established 25 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com
July 16-25, 2020
Oaxaca FilmFest
Oaxaca, Mexico
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31,
www.oaxacafilmfest.com
October 9-15, 2020
San Diego Black Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline:
www.sdbff.com
January 27-31, 2021

Award-winning documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO Opens October 9th

 In San Francisco (CinemaSF),  Philadelphia (Film Society), Minneapolis (Parkway Theater),  Buffalo (North Park), Baltimore (Senator, The Charles), Vancouver (Kiggins Theater), Tucson (Loft), Cleveland (Cleveland Cinemas), Phoenix (Film Bar), Bellingham (Pickford Center). Winston Salem (Aperture Cinema), Tampa (Tampa Theater) and more including Toronto (HotDocs on October 29).

(L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

Directed by: Lillian LaSalle
Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
Documentary (USA)
In English.

Lillian LaSalle's upcoming award-winning and timely documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. 

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected.

The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

LaSalle is best known for her work as a talent manager representing actors, writers and directors as President of Sweet 180. https://www.mynameispedro.com .

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book by Veera Hiranandani alongside Aasif Mandvi’s Fat Mama Productions, animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow, from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) alongside Luca Borghese and Ben Howe’s (Diane) Ag-X Films.

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival
Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival


MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

MY NAME IS PEDRO Opens in Los Angeles October 2 and Other Major Cities to Follow

(L-R) Student and Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)
SWeet 180 Logo

Director: Lillian La Salle
Genre:  Documentary
Stars 4.5 of 5
Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Language: English

Award-winning documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO will open in virtual theaters in the following cities soon: LOS ANGELES on October 2 at Laemmle  with major cities to follow on October 9th in  San Francisco CinemaSF, Philadelphia Film Society, Minneapolis Parkway Theater,  Buffalo North Park, Baltimore Senator, The Charles, Vancouver Kiggins Theater,  Tucson Loft, Cleveland Cinemas, Phoenix Film Bar, Bellingham Pickford Center. Winston Salem Aperture Cinema, Tampa Theater and following open at the Toronto HotDocs on October 29th.

4) (L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

Director Lillian LaSalle

LaSalle is the recipient of the 2016 Peabody "Futures of Media” Award for Producing the web-series, Halal In The Family, starring Aasif Mandvi, which garnered wide-spread media attention for taking on Islamophobia through the use of comedy and parody.

LaSalle is best known for her work as a talent manager representing actors, writers and directors as President of Sweet 180. https://www.mynameispedro.com .

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book by Veera Hiranandani alongside Aasif Mandvi’s Fat Mama Productions, animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow, from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) alongside Luca Borghese and Ben Howe’s (Diane) Ag-X Films.

(L-R) Pedro Santana and students in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award,St. Louis International Film Festival Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Distributor: Sweet 180
Initial release: 2017
Executive Producer: Mike Fowler
Producers: Lillian LaSalle, Jonathan Clasberry
Co-producer: Monica Cohen
Production Co: Sweet 180
Cast: Pedro Santana
Director: Lillian LaSalle
Editor: Mary Manhardt, Mark Demol
Composer: Nix Nought Nothing
Camera: Christian Campbell

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN On VOD and DVD September 29th

Including iTunes, Amazon, and Vimeo

URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD INTO HER OWN

AN ICARUS FILMS RELEASE / ITINERANT PICTURES PRESENTS URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN

Runtime: 57 minutes
Director:  Daniel Traub (The Barefoot Artist, Xu Bing: Phoenix)
2019

URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN is an artistic biography of one of the few women in the world working in monumental sculpture. Von Rydingsvard’s work has been featured in the Venice Biennale and is held in the collections of some of the world’s great museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But she may be best-known for her staggering, triumphant body of work in public spaces – imposing pieces painstakingly crafted with complex surfaces including: a series of early installations reminiscent of wings in what became New York’s Battery Park; a monumental yet inviting piece outside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and the stunning “Scientia” at M.I.T. which evokes the power of nature and the firing of brain synapses.

In Daniel Traub’s intimate documentary, we go behind the scenes with von Rydingsvard, as she and her collaborators – cutters, metal-smiths, and others – produce new work, including challenging commissions in copper and bronze. The film also delves into the artist’s personal life, and how it has shaped her work. Born in Poland during the Second World War, she was partly raised in a displaced persons camp and came to the US as a refugee with her nine-person family. Brought up in a blue-collar environment, she became a teacher and then, as a single mother, moved to New York in the 1970s to take up her artistic practice full-time.

Interviews with curators, patrons, family, fellow artists (including luminaries such as artist Sarah Sze and museum director Adam Weinberg), as well as the artist herself, are intertwined with studio visits and behind-the-scenes footage of her mammoth creations being installed. All combine to show how, through sheer talent and determination (and countless planks of cedar), she has become one of the world’s greatest artists (and one of a very few women) working in monumental sculpture.

DANIEL TRAUB is a New York-based filmmaker and photographer. He lived in China from 1998 to 2007, working as cinematographer on documentary films for various networks and production companies, including PBS, German television ZDF and Arte. More recently, Traub directed the feature-length Barefoot Artist about Lily Yeh and her collaborative artworks in war-torn communities and Xu Bing: Phoenix about the condition of Chinese migrant laborers.

Traub’s photographs have been exhibited internationally, including solo exhibitions at the Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago, Slought Foundation in Philadelphia and the Lianzhou Foto Festival in China. His work can be found in public and private collections, such as The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Production Company: Itinerant Pictures
Run time: 57 minutes
Director: Daniel Traub
Producers: Daniel Traub, Ken Kobland, Simon Taufique
Executive Producer: Morning Slayter
Editors: Ken Kobland, Melody London
Cinematographer: Daniel Traub
Composer: Simon Taufique

ICARUS FILMS
Since 1978, Icarus Films has been a leading distributor of documentary films in North America. Icarus Films meets the needs of activists, educators and service providers, challenging audiences with original creative works.

CONNECT
http://icarusfilms.com
https://www.facebook.com/IcarusFilms/
https://twitter.com/IcarusFilms
https://www.instagram.com/icarusfilms_/

 

MY NAME IS PEDRO OPENS TODAY

School children in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)
School children in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)
School children in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

Directed by: Lillian La Salle
Documentary
Runtime: 127 Minutes

Award-winning documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO opened today in virtual theaters In NYC on September 17 (Maysles Cinema) and will open in the following cities soon:
LOS ANGELES on October 2 (Laemmle) with major cities to follow (on October 9) including: Philadelphia (Film Society), Minneapolis (Parkway Theater),  Buffalo (North Park), Baltimore (Senator, The Charles), Vancouver (Kiggins Theater), Tucson (Loft), Cleveland (Cleveland Cinemas), Phoenix (Film Bar), Bellingham (Pickford Center). Winston Salem (Aperture Cinema), Tampa (Tampa Theater) and more.

Lillian LaSalle's award-winning, powerful documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. The film is also especially timely in this moment of national reckoning since the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.

Infectious in his optimism, Santana becomes one of the most influential public-school teachers and then administrators in the New York public school system after turning his troubled Bronx middle school, MS 391, around. He is unapologetic in his commitment to create change for kids, no matter the odds. When a glowing front-page New York Times article catapults him into the spotlight, he is recruited and then accepts a promotion to use his famed 'out of the box' and transformative practices to save a corrupt and divided suburban school district. But the political challenges there may simply be too great, even for the infallible Santana.

(L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)
(L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

In order to continue his life's mission that 'every kid can learn', (he himself was labeled 'special ed' as a child), he realizes that he must venture beyond not only the restrictive 'four walls' of the public education system, but also his own neighborhood, city and even his own country.

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

Lillian LaSalle, Director

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a 7 year-long filmmaking journey, marking Lillian LaSalle’s directorial debut.

LaSalle is the recipient of the 2016 Peabody "Futures of Media” Award for Producing the web-series, Halal In The Family, starring Aasif Mandvi, which garnered wide-spread media attention for taking on Islamophobia through the use of comedy and parody.

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book, alongside animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow , from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) .

SWEET 180

Sweet 180 is a New York based talent management and production company. In business for over 20 years, they represent award-winning talent across all platforms – film, television and theater.
Website: https://sweet180.com

 OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival

 MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

MY NAME IS PEDRO Film Review

School children in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

Director: Lillian La Salle
Genre:  Documentary
Stars 4.5
Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Language: English

The Value of Meeting Students Where They Are

Lillian LaSalle’s directorial debut, MY NAME IS PEDRO, a compelling story of a truly dedicated educator, Pedro Santana, who’s commitment to students helps them defies all odds as he turns them and their underperforming schools around.

As a young boy, Pedro was labeled a special-ed student. Eventually, he had a teacher who appreciated how hard he worked academically and saw his promise. She recognized the challenges he faced with the traditional learning style and met him where he was and encouraged him to use an out the box approach that gave him an opportunity to achieve academically. He went on to obtain a master’s degree from Teachers College at Columbia University.

(L-R) Students and Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

Taking the lessons he learned as a special-ed student, he applied them in his work as a teacher with astonishing results and turned the school around and put on a positive track.  He met his students at the South Bronx School MS 391, where they are and taught them from that point.

Pedro saw himself in his student. After hearing his sisters talk about how difficult he was to live with as a child, it became evident when a black female student spoke on his behalf at a suburban School Board meeting, and spoke about how loud, unruly and out of control they were before he came to their school and how he was able to make positive changes in their life.

Eventually becoming a household name, he was recruited to become When you compare the students’ academic success to before and after the arrival of Pedro, as Assistant Superintendent,  the South Bronx school MS 391,that his approach to education and interacting with not just the students, but their family too, was a far superior way of reaching and educating inner city students.

 

(L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

There are thousands of students who fall through the cracks because of educator, like those on the School Board, who opposed Pedro and seemed to want all student to be taught inside the box of standard of education and the one size fits all approach.

The dynamics between Pedro and his son Hudson, reached a point that seemed insurmountable, yet the love and commitment Pedro had for Hudson, allowed him to overlook the false allegations, meet him where he was and responded with love not hate.

Keeping Pedro Santana’s legacy and his unique take on educational instructions   alive and not writing kids off and make a commitment to uplifting them and their families is vitally important.

Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Distributor: Sweet 180
Initial release: 2017
Executive Producer: Mike Fowler
Producers: Lillian LaSalle, Jonathan Clasberry
Co-producers: Monica Cohen, Marc Demolar
Production Co: Sweet 180
Cast: Pedro Santana
Director: Lillian LaSalle
Editors: Mary Manhardt, Mark Demolar
Composer: Nix Nought Nothing
Animator: Anthony Barkworth-Knight

MY NAME IS PEDRO Trailer

My Name is Pedro New Poster

The trailer for Lillian LaSalle's upcoming award-winning and timely documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO  is here.

LaSalle's film explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

View Trailer Below!

MY NAME IS PEDRO opens in Virtual Cinemas in New York at The Maysles Cinema on September 17th and Los Angeles at the Laemmle on October 2nd with major cities to follow. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

  • Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
  • Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
  • Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
  • Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
  • Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
  • Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival
  • Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
  • Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

 

Sweet 180 Presents MY NAME IS PEDRO

Releasing in Virtual Theaters in New York (The Maysles Cinema) September 17 and Los Angeles (Laemmle) on October 2 with major cities to follow

(L-R) Pedro Santana and students in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)
(L-R) Pedro Santana and students in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)

Directed by: Lillian La Salle
Documentary
Runtime: 2 hours 7
Language:  English

Lillian LaSalle's award-winning, powerful documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. The film is also especially timely in this moment of national reckoning since the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.

Infectious in his optimism, Santana becomes one of the most influential public-school teachers and then administrators in the New York public school system after turning his troubled Bronx middle school, MS 391, around. He is unapologetic in his commitment to create change for kids, no matter the odds. When a glowing front-page New York Times article catapults him into the spotlight, he is recruited and then accepts a promotion to use his famed 'out of the box' and transformative practices to save a corrupt and divided suburban school district. But the political challenges there may simply be too great, even for the infallible Santana.

In order to continue his life's mission that 'every kid can learn', (he himself was labeled 'special ed' as a child), he realizes that he must venture beyond not only the restrictive 'four walls' of the public education system, but also his own neighborhood, city and even his own country.

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

Lillian LaSalle, Director

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a 7 year-long filmmaking journey, marking Lillian LaSalle’s directorial debut.

LaSalle is the recipient of the 2016 Peabody "Futures of Media” Award for Producing the web-series, Halal In The Family, starring Aasif Mandvi, which garnered wide-spread media attention for taking on Islamophobia through the use of comedy and parody.

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book, alongside animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow , from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) .

SWEET 180

Sweet 180 is a New York based talent management and production company. In business for over 20 years, they represent award-winning talent across all platforms – film, television and theater.
Website: https://sweet180.com

 OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc]

PR CONTACT:
Emma Griffiths (EG-PR)f
emma@eg-pr.com
www.eg-pr.com

 

NAIL IN THE COFFIN: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro

Screening in Limited Theaters
Friday, September 4, 2020

Available on VOD/Digital
Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Nail in the Coffin key art

Directed by: Michael Paszt
Featuring: Professional Wrestler Ian Hodgkinson (Vampiro) and Dasha Hodgkinson

Runtime: 1 hr 28 min
Rating:  Not Yet Rated
Genre: Documentary
Country: Canada

Semi-retired professional wrestler Ian Hodgkinson reveals the harsh realities behind the glamour of being in the world of wrestling as the infamous ‘Vampiro’. A Lucha Libre legend, Hodgkinson tells the astonishing story about his meteoric rise to fame in the 90's and how it almost killed him. Yet none of that was as back-breaking as his current life - working behind-the-scenes as the Director of Talent for Lucha Libre AAA in Mexico City and Lucha Underground in Los Angeles, while simultaneously raising his teenage daughter Dasha in remote Northern Canada as a single parent.

Unlike many professional wrestling documentaries before, director Michael Paszt has constructed a fascinating and heartfelt look at a wrestler who has overcome and continues to battle with physical injuries, sexual abuse, and drug addiction. Not to mention the wild stories of working for Milli Vanilli, and wrestling alongside the punk rock band The Misfits - Vampiro’s stories are multi-faceted and completely enthralling.

Told through an engrossing collection of home videos and personal interviews with his closest friends and family, NAIL IN THE COFFIN is an intimate and genuine look into a single father grappling with fame, the pressures of professional and personal responsibilities, and his own mortality.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN celebrated its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2019, coming out with raving reviews. The film will be releasing in limited theaters on Friday, September 4, 2020 and will be available on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020.

“NAIL IN THE COFFIN: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro is an incredibly inspirational true story that shows us no matter how many times life tries to beat you down and break you apart, you need to rise up and conquer your demons in order to survive,” says Patrick Ewald, CEO of Epic Pictures (U.S. Distribution). “And now, as we are faced with incredible challenges all around us, I can’t think of a more relevant film to remind us of the resiliency and power of the human spirit.”

NAIL IN THE COFFIN is directed by Michael Paszt. Produced by Pasha Patriki and Paszt, associate producer Maye Ornelas and executive produced by Gregor Habsburg, Jacquelyn Frisco, Ian Hodgkinson, Marisela Peña, Dorain Roldån, James Fler, and Andrew Thomas Hunt. Cinematography by Patriki, and edited by Danny Palmer.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN will be available on VOD/Digital Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020:

Indemand | Comcast | Spectrum | Charter | Dish | Sling TV | Vubiquity

iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube | Amazon

Fandango Now | DirecTV | Breaker | Alamo On Demand

Blu-ray pre-order: https://epic-pictures.com/merchandise/nail-in-the-coffin-the-fall-and-rise-of-vampiro-blu-ray

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackstone, Hudson $1.65 Billion Hollywood Film Production Deal

Blackstone Property Partners, an investment group, has bought a 49% stake in Sunset Bronson, 5800 Sunset Blvd., Sunset Gower, 1438 N. Gower Street and Sunset Las Palmas, 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, from Hudson Pacific Properties said Chairman-CEO Victor Coleman.

The combined square footage of the three studios is 1.2 million square feet and includes 35 sound stages, all valued at $1.65 billion.

Blackstone looks to expand development at Sunset Gower, Sunset Las Palmas Studios and make additional studio purchases din and around Los Angeles and beyond.