Unspool Hollywood

16th Annual AAFCA Awards Presented by the African American Film Critics Association in Beverly Hills on February 19th

Amber Ruffin, Colman Domingo, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Nicole Avant, Ted Sarandos, Tyler Perry and more gathered to celebrate Black excellence in film, alongside honored first responders at the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards

AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson alongside honored first responders Photo Credit: Sheri Determan for AAFCA

Amber Ruffin hosted the ceremony, where Nicole Avant, RaMell Ross, Malcolm Washington and more were honored. Winners Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Danielle Deadwyler, Kris Bowers, Ray Fisher, Greg Kweder, Clint Bentley, and Clarence Maclin were in attendance to accept their awards alongside AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson, who presided over the event.

Additional attendees included Ted Sarandos, Tyler Perry, Questlove, Lynn Whitfield, Kym Whitley, Tyler Lepley, Robert Ri’chard, Kat Graham, and more. AAFCA proudly included first responders as special guests at this year’s ceremony in honor of their heroic efforts during the recent LA wildfires.

Photo Credit: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content for AAFCA Nicole Avant, Ted Sarandos, Tyler Perry attends the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards in Beverly Hills on February 19, 2025

Photo Credit: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content for AAFCA for AAFCA Nickel Boys director, stars attends the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards in Beverly Hills on February 19, 2025

Photo Credit: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content for AAFCA Gil Robertson, Founder AAFCA and Amber Ruffin host Amber attends the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards in Beverly Hills on February 19, 2025

Photo Credit: Arnold Turner/Eclipse Content for AAFCA Coleman Domingo attends the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards in Beverly Hills on February 19, 2025

ABOUT AAFCA
Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premier body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment highlighting the Black experience in the US and throughout the rest of the African Diaspora. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.

Monkey Wrench Films Releases “Arcades & Love Songs: The Ballad of Walter Day”

In theaters February 28, 2025

Director: Ed Cunningham
Writers: Ed Cunningham, Mike J. Nichols, and Paul Leach
Producers: Jonathan Perkins, Seth Gordon and Mike J. Nichols
Executive Producers: Ed Cunningham, Byron Ashley, Scott Jackson, Harrison Kordestani Kerry, Cathy Loveland and Paul Campoamor
Editor: Mike J. Nichols

Arcades & Love Songs: The Ballad of Walter Day: A musical documentary following 74-year-old Walter Day - the father of esports and star of The King of Kong - as he battles a lawsuit threatening his legacy while fulfilling his dream of recording and performing the rock-opera style love songs he has been hearing in his head since having his heart broken at the height of the arcade era.

“The Imaginary Friend” an Award Winning Extraordinary Immersive Experience Headed to Annecy International Animation Film Festival, June 10-14, 2024

VR Director: Steve Hallema
Produces: Corine Meijers
Lead designer Koen Koopman

Become an Imaginary Friend!

A grieving child struggles to separate reality from fantasy. He creates YOU–his (imaginary) friend–to fight the monsters in his mind. Although you have fun together, he starts to grow disconnected from his surroundings... Are you helping, or just making things worse?

Synopsis: The Imaginary Friend invites you to take part in the vivid imagination of Daniel, a grieving eight-year-old struggling with the line between reality and fantasy.

Become Daniel’s imaginary friend and let him share his world with you. Discover his joys and anxieties, even help him fight his demons head-on. However, as you spend time together, Daniel’s surroundings don’t quite understand. Why is he talking to himself? Is he crazy? When his father intends to fix him, Daniel needs to figure out his feelings before disconnecting from reality completely...

About VR and its unique storytelling possibilities/ Explanation of Technical Advancements:

One of the great possibilities of VR is its power to directly include a player in its story- telling and allow them to be (almost) entirely present in the story world. The Imaginary Friend boldly seeks to push player involvement, setting out to create a personal experience where the player can actively engage with its lead character. With this unique challenge in interactive storytelling, the project utilises an exciting development in the field of VR: Volumtetric video.

Volumetric video is a new technology that captures live performers in 3D, allowing our team to move real actors freely in the virtual space of the project. All the while, ensuring that the expressions and emotions of the performances are preserved. The team also pushes this technology further by making it interactive. Something no other Volumetric video project has done on this scale and with similar dramatic impact. Pioneering a technique called ‘head retargeting’, the team was able to subtly turn the actors head in the direction of the player. This contributes to the player feeling like they’re acknowledged by the lead character, greatly enhancing the connection you make during the experience.

“Who Is Stan Smith?” Opens May 3rd in Los Angeles and New York and in over 50 Markets May 10th: View New Clip: View New Clip

Release date: May 3, 2024
Director: Danny Lee
Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA

“Who Is Stan Smith?” film tells the story of the groundbreaking athlete who went from being one of the world’s greatest tennis stars, to a leading civil rights and AIDS activist, blazing a trail along the way with his namesake Adidas sneakers – the iconic shoe that has become a fashion statement for hip hop musicians and celebrities for more than 50 years. The film features extensive interviews with Stan Smith, his family, and many of the world’s most famous athletes and celebrities including John McEnroe, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Donald Dell.

Release date: May 3, 2024
Director: Danny Lee
Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Country: USA
Distributor: Monkey Wrench Films helmed by Tom Putnam and Henry C. Lystad
Executive producers: LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Alexandra Dell, and Donald Dell
Producers: UNINTERRUPTED within The SpringHill Company (TSHC), and in association with CALICO

“Wild Eyed and Wicked” June 11th Release on TVOD/Digital and Cable On Demand: Check out new trailer

Release: June 11^thon TVOD/Digital and Cable On Demand
Director and Writer: G.S. Foxwood
Starring: Molly Kunz, Michael X. Sommers, Stefanie Estes, and Colleen Camp
Genre: Horror
Run time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Country: United States

G.S. Foxwood’s feature film debut, the fantasy psychological horror film "Wild Eyed and Wicked" stars Molly Kunz (Widows, The Irrational), Michael X. Sommers (Sense8), Stefanie Estes (Soft & Quiet), and the iconic Colleen Camp (Clue).

It follows Lily Pierce (Kunz) in her attempt to strike back at the medieval creature that’s haunted her family for generations. In order to do so, she must reconnect with her estranged father, Gregory (Sommers), a disgraced history professor, and learn how to draw upon a time of steel and blade when armor-clad knights rode out and dueled monsters to the death.

Estes, Camp, and Claire Saunders round out the cast and story. Shot in 16 days, the real-life family farm outside of Philadelphia where the movie was shot is also where the film’s writer/director grew up and now lives. The story of Lily Pierce is inspired by Elizabeth Foxwood experiences helping herself and others build paths to recovery regarding trauma and mental health battles, all part of her world as a medical doctor in NYC and Pennsylvania.

Follow on social media
Website: www.wildeyedandwicked.com
Instagram: @wild_eyed_and_wicked

Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Director and Writer: G.S. Foxwood
Starring: Molly Kunz, Michael X. Sommers, Stefanie Estes, and Colleen Camp
Producers: Big Bad Film’s Powell Robinson and Patrick R Young, Executive Producer: Elizabeth Foxwood, New Mythology Productions.

All Is Well Pictures in Association With Ford Foundation, and Scandobean Productions’ PHOTOGRAPHIC JUSTICE: The Corky Lee Story Premieres on PBS May 13th

Director: Jennifer Takaki
Run Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
Language: English
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Documentary Feature
Country: USA

PHOTOGRAPHIC JUSTICE: The Corky Lee Story an OFFICIAL SELECTION: DOC NYC, CAAMFest, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) and many more.

9.11 SIKH 2001 (Credit Corky Lee

For 50 years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee documented the celebrations, struggles, and daily lives of Asian American Pacific Islanders with epic focus. Determined to push mainstream media to include AAPI culture in the visual record of American history, Lee produced an astonishing archive of nearly a million compelling photographs. His work takes on new urgency with the alarming rise in anti-Asian attacks during the Covid pandemic. Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens.

Corky Lee was born in 1947 in New York to Chinese immigrants who owned two laundries in Queens. He majored in history at Queens College and became a community organizer in Manhattan’s Chinatown in the 1970s. Over the next five decades he photographed countless protests and cultural events in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Lee’s photographs documented the birth and growth of the Asian American movement for social justice and he became known as “The Undisputed, Unofficial, Asian American Photographer Laureate.” His death in 2021 at the age of 73 due to Covid was mourned in the press worldwide

9.11 SIKH 2001 (Credit Corky Lee

THAI DANCERS 1980s (Credit Corky Lee)

Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki is a fourth generation Japanese American from Colorado. She began her career in journalism at a Denver TV station and later moved to Hong Kong to work with Encore International. In Hong Kong she produced English-based news programming broadcast in China, India, and the Middle East via Rupert Murdoch’s STAR-TV. In New York, she produced and directed “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story” which premiered at DOC NYC and was supported by the Ford Foundation and The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). She was awarded the prestigious Better Angels Lavine Fellowship in 2023.

SOCIAL MEDIA/CONNECT:

Website: https://photographicjustice.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CorkyLeeStory
X/Twitter: @corkyleestory
Instagram: @corkyleestory

Director: Jennifer Takaki
Run Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
Language: English
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Documentary Feature
Country: USA
Executive Producers: George and Hillary Hirose, Lily M. Fan
Producers: Jennifer Takaki, Linda Lew Woo
Co-Producers: David Koh, Nicole DiMiceli
Editor: Linda Hattendorf

View New US Trailer for Lionsgate’s “5LBS OF PRESSURE”- In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand on March 8th

Writer and Director: Phil Allocco
Starring: Luke Evans, Rory Culkin, Alex Pettyfer and Rudy Pankow
Genre: Thriller
Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language throughout and some drug use
Run Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Producer: Phil Allocco

In this gripping action-thriller, Adam (Luke Evans), an ex-con back in his old neighborhood after serving a 16-year stretch for murder, walks a rocky path of forgiveness toward the son who grew up without him, while the bitter, volatile brother of the youth he killed looms in the background. Meanwhile, Mike (Rory Culkin), sick of doing the bidding of his drug-dealing uncle (Alex Pettyfer), is desperate to leave his sordid life behind. When Adam and Mike’s paths converge, inescapable destiny will give way to violence…and a final, fleeting shot at redemption.

Filmmaker Phil Allocco is a feature film and commercial writer/director. His work has garnered over 60 awards and nominations. He was one of the short-listed directors picked by Steven Spielberg from a world-wide search of over 12,000 directors for his US TV series ‘On the Lot’ for FOX TV. His feature film ‘The Truth About Lies,’ was released theatrically in 2017 and won 14 awards at festivals including "The Best Of Fest" at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lionsgate
X/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lionsgate
@Lionsgate

Where My Memory Began – Nominated for Best Short at PAFF 2024

Writer and Director: Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda

"WHERE MY MEMORY BEGAN", a 9 min experimental short doc that lyrically tells the story of the fallen 400-year-old Cotton tree that saw the capital city of Sierra Leone, West Africa, take on the name "freedom town", today's Freetown, after freed slaves from the US and Canada decided to return to Africa to find freedom some hundreds years ago. In addition to PAFF and although it is not public info, we are also an official selection for Aspen Shortfest and are excited to hear from other prestigious film festivals.

www.priscilliakounkouhoveyda.com/films

LOST ANGEL: The Genius Of Judee Sill Acquired by Greenwich Entertainment, In Theaters April 12th

Music Documentary Exec Produced by Actor/Musician Maya Hawke and Best-selling author Cheryl Strayed World Premiered at DOC NYC

Los Angeles, CA – February 6, 2024 - Greenwich Entertainment announced today the acquisition of North American distribution rights to Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill directed by Andy Brown and Brian Lindstrom (Alien Boy: The Life & Death of James Chasse). The Onwards and Upwards, Batterymarch Films, and Submarine Deluxe production had its World Premiere at DOC NYC and Greenwich will release the film in theaters on April 12.

An intimate portrait of a one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter from 1970s Los Angeles, the documentary charts the life of Judee Sill from a troubled adolescence that included armed robbery and prison through her meteoric rise in the music world and tragic early death. In just over two years, Judee went from living in a car to a deal with Asylum Records and the cover of Rolling Stone . As told by Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, David Geffen and JD Souther -- along with Judee herself -- the film explores Judee’s unique musical style and the inspiring recent rediscovery of her singular music by a new generation of musicians including Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes, Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek of Big Thief, Shawn Colvin and Weyes Blood.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Greenwich to bring the singular music and life story of Judee Sill both to her devoted fans as well as the wider audience that eluded her during her lifetime.” remarks director-producer Brian Lindstrom. “While Judee’s grace-filled songs seem at odds with the grittier elements of her personal life, her journal entries and audio interviews provide an intimate window into how this complex singer/songwriter transformed personal pain into musical masterpieces."

Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill was produced by Peter Kenney (Oscar-nominated Joe’s Violin) and Brian Lindstrom with executive producers Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Cheryl Strayed (Wild) and Dan Braun (Echo in the Canyon). Greenwich’s Andy Bohn negotiated the acquisition with Submarine’s Dan Braun and Ben Schwartz on behalf of the filmmakers.

About Greenwich Entertainment

Founded in 2017, Greenwich Entertainment is an independent film distribution company specializing in compelling documentaries and distinctive narrative features. Releases include the Academy Award-winning Free Solo, Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s The Rescue, Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice from Oscar winners Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, Andrew Slater’s Echo in the Canyon, Matt Tyrnauer’s Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, Quentin Dupieux’s Deerskin starring Oscar winner Jean Dujardin, Isabel Coixtet’s The Bookshop starring Emily Mortimer and Academy Award nominees Patricia Clarkson and Bill Nighy, and Madeleine Olnek’s Wild Nights with Emily starring Molly Shannon. Upcoming releases include Sorry/Not Sorry and Shoshana directed by Michael Winterbottom. GreenwichEntertainment.com

LindsayLuvzU Productions Announces Debut Screening of “Maharlika Warrior Spirit” at the Pan African Film Festival

Los Angeles, CA - LindsayLuvzU Productions is thrilled to announce the nomination and screening of its most recent film, "Maharlika Warrior Spirit," at the prestigious Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF). The film will debut on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 1:00 PM, and a second screening will follow on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 3:40 PM. These screenings will take place in Los Angeles at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills & XD Movie Theater, located at 4020 Marlton Ave.

"Maharlika Warrior Spirit" is an anti-sex trafficking movie that is set to ignite a movement disguised as a film. This multi-channel production transcends traditional storytelling by using film, music, documentaries, and live events to raise awareness about the sensitive and often overlooked issue of sex trafficking. The story follows Tala, a defense attorney with a strong moral compass, who is forced to confront the ineffectiveness of the law when her best friend becomes a victim of sex trafficking. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, she awakens to her ancient warrior spirit.

At its very core, the movie is not only a call to action but also a beacon of hope for victims and a rallying cry for societal change. With the movie’s official release, LindsayLuvzU Productions is leading the charge with a vision that differs from its contemporaries, embodying the spirit of innovation akin to the work of Spike Lee.

"LindsayLuvzU Productions stands at the intersection of activism and entertainment, and with 'Maharlika Warrior Spirit,' we aim to not just tell a story, but to spur a cultural metamorphosis," says Lindsay Castillo, founder, and CEO of LindsayLuvzU Productions. "It's time to shine a light on the darkness of sex trafficking, and we are committed to empowering women and inspiring audiences to take action."

The film is part of a larger endeavor by the company, including the documentary, "Traffik ‘n’ Sex, An Anti-Sex Trafficking Movement," which provides a grounded perspective of trafficking through the eyes of survivors. Additionally, the world’s first anti-sex trafficking concept album, "Traffik ‘n’ Sex," is set to engage fans and raise awareness through music.

It is also important to note that LindsayLuvzU Productions' unique approach extends beyond the screen, with the establishment of "Traffik n’ Sex," a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting victims of sex trafficking by connecting safe-houses nationwide and encouraging public discourse on the issue.

For more information about "Maharlika Warrior Spirit" and the non-profit organization, please visit https://maharlikaminiseries.com/.

The Maharlika Warrior Trailer from LindsayLuvzU on Vimeo.

About LindsayLuvzU Productions

LindsayLuvzU Productions is a cinematic platform for change, founded by the accomplished Lindsay Castillo, whose life experiences have shaped her into a storyteller with a cause. Castillo's journey began i he diverse streets of Oakland, California, where she cultivated her passion for performance and her deep sense of social responsibility. Growing up, she witnessed the challenges of entrepreneurship within her family and the broader community, experiences that instilled in her the drive to pursue her own business ventures with a philanthropic edge.

Castillo's evolution from a student activist engaged in cultural and social justice organizations to a prominent advocate for women's rights and anti-sex trafficking initiatives underscores her dedication to making a substantive impact through her work in the film industry. With LindsayLuvzU Productions, Castillo has found a way to channel her advocacy into creative expression, producing content that doesn't just tell stories but also educates and mobilizes audiences towards action.

This commitment to blending art with activism is deeply personal for Castillo. Her experiences with marginalized communities, her active role in pivotal social movements, and her educational background in broadcast arts and gender studies have all contributed to her unique perspective as a filmmaker and activist. LindsayLuvzU Productions is not just a company but a reflection of Castillo's lifelong commitment to justice, empowerment, and the belief that change begins with powerful storytelling.

Contact Information

Lindsay Castillo
LLU@LindsayLuvzU.com

510-543-3923
https://maharlikaminiseries.com/