Tag Archives: capitol-hill

Registration Free: Let’s Talk Education In Georgia At The 2017 Educate GA Summit

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Join us at the Georgia State Capitol for the 2nd Annual Educate Georgia Summit where state officials, educators, parents, students, business and community leaders develop strategies for the future of education in Georgia. Join the conversation and let your voice be heard!

Registration Free: Let’s Talk Education In Georgia At The 2017 Educate GA Summit

President Obama Unveils Rosa Parks Statue On Capitol Hill [Photos]

President Obama unveiled the full-length statue of Rosa Parks on Capitol Hill, earlier today. House Speaker John Boehner joined the commander in chief to reveal the statue in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall… Continue

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President Obama Unveils Rosa Parks Statue On Capitol Hill [Photos]

Rush Limbaugh Calls Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony A “Puke Fest”

Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton’s testimony on Capitol Hill yesterday, has drawn criticism among conservatives. The 65-year-old got into a heated exchange with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) over the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, resulting in a critique from Rush Limbaugh…. Continue

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Rush Limbaugh Calls Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony A “Puke Fest”

Shady Characters: Messy Jesse Jackson Jr. To Resign From Congress

“Poor thang.” According to ABC News: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the embattled Illinois congressman who has been on medical leave from Capitol Hill for months undergoing treatment for bipolar disorder, resigned from Congress Wednesday. Aides to House Speaker John Boehner said they have received a letter of resignation from Jackson Jr. The news was first reported by ABC’s Chicago affiliate WLS and two Chicago newspapers. Jackson has faced a slew of problems in recent months, most recently a probe by federal investigators into his finances. The federal probe was trying to get to the bottom of “suspicious activity” connected to Jackson’s House seat and potentially inappropriate expenditures. Jackson has missed 230 votes in the House this year. He last voted on June 8. Despite all his troubles, Jackson still managed to win re-election in a landslide earlier this month. But now he will leave Congress, shrouded by personal problems and professional probes. According to state law, once Jackson notifies Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, he will have to declare the seat vacant, and the state will hold a special election to fill that spot. Reached by ABC News Wednesday, one of Jackson’s colleagues Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., said he was not surprised that Jackson had decided to leave Capitol Hill, noting that Jackson had cancelled a conference call with constituents set for Wednesday morning. “I did get the feeling that if you’ve got plans to say something this morning and then you don’t, that would probably indicate that you were pretty close to something,” Davis said. SMH.

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Shady Characters: Messy Jesse Jackson Jr. To Resign From Congress

SXSW 2012’s Buzzworthiest Titles At a Glance

SXSW routinely boasts the most varied and neverending film line-up of the year, and the just-announced 2012 behemoth of a roster is no exception. So let’s make it a wee bit easier to take in, shall we? After the jump find the buzzworthiest titles among the 100+ features and documentaries debuting this March in Austin , from major upcoming studio peeks ( 21 Jump Street ) to docs (a new Jessica Yu!) and much smaller (but potentially completely awesome) fare. 21 Jump Street Last year’s big mainstream discovery at SXSW was Bridesmaids ; this year it’s Sony taking the gamble with a headlining sneak peek at their cop reboot, which stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as undercover officers. The Cabin in the Woods The Joss Whedon-produced, Drew Goddard-directed horror pic has been delayed for so long, and yet earned such praise out of Butt-Numb-A-Thon. The biggest curiosity of the fest, perhaps, if only to finally learn what the deal is with this thing. The Hunter Willem Dafoe as a mercenary + Julia Leigh novel + brooding character pic + strong reviews out of Toronto = a must see. frankie go boom Jordan Roberts’ entry, which stars Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, and Chris Noth, had me at its synopsis: “a flick by bruce about his little brother frank who’s a crybaby fuck who shouldn’t do lame-ass embarrassing shit if he dozn’t want people 2 see it.” Small Apartments The latest from Jonas Akerlund — music video veteran, director of Spun , and the dude who made that Lady Gaga/Beyonce “Telephone” opus — gets its world premiere at SXSW. Sun Don’t Shine Indie darling Amy Seimetz makes her feature directorial debut in this tale of a Florida couple on the road doing “very bad things.” It’s been described as being “inspired by Two-Lane Blacktop , Deliverance , Woman Under the Influence and reoccurring nightmares” and co-stars indie community cohorts Kate Lyn Sheil and AJ Bowen. Casa de mi Padre A special screening of the Will Ferrell Spanish-language comedy on the eve of its nationwide release; the Austin, TX crowd should be an interesting barometer for how this’ll fly around the country. Below, find the full features line-up (Midnight selections have yet to be announced) and let us know which films catch your eye. — NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are: Booster Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted. Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere) Eden Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive. Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O’Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz (World Premiere) Gayby Director/Screenwriter: Jonathan Lisecki Jenn and Matt, best friends since college who are now in their thirties, decide to have a child together, the old-fashioned way – even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight. Cast: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Mike Doyle, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jack Ferver (World Premiere) Gimme the Loot Director/Screenwriter: Adam Leon When Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece is buffed by a rival gang, these two determined Bronx teens must hustle, steal, and scheme to get spectacular revenge and become the biggest writers in the City. Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze, Sam Soghor (World Premiere) Los Chidos (Germany / Mexico / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Omar Rodriguez Lopez The Gonzales family tries hard to hold on to their beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia when a tall, white, industrialist stranger appears, challenging their place in the exploitative food chain. Cast: Kim Stodel, María De Jesús Canales Ramírez, Manuel Ramos, Cecillia Gutiérrez, (World Premiere) Pilgrim Song Director: Martha Stephens, Screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Karrie Crouse A pink-slipped music teacher ponders his stalled relationship and place in the world during an arduous trek across Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail. Cast: Timothy Morton, Bryan Marshall, Karrie Crouse, Harrison Cole, Michael Abbott Jr. (World Premiere) Starlet Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch The film explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California’s San Fernando Valley. Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian (World Premiere) The Taiwan Oyster Director: Mark Jarrett, Screenwriters: Mark Jarrett, Jordan Heimer, Mitchell Jarrett Two Ex-Pat Kindergarten teachers in Taiwan embark on a quixotic odyssey to bury a fellow countryman. Cast: Billy Harvey, Jeff Palmiotti, Leonora Lim (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 845 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are: Bay of All Saints Director: Annie Eastman As the last of the notorious water slums is demolished in Bahia, Brazil, will three single mothers face homelessness or rally for a better life? (World Premiere) Beware of Mr. Baker Director: Jay Bulger Ginger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents. (World Premiere) The Central Park Effect Director: Jeffrey Kimball The film reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. (World Premiere) Jeff Director: Chris James Thompson A documentary about the people around Jeffrey Dahmer during the 1991 summer of his arrest for the murder of 17 people in Milwaukee. (World Premiere) Seeking Asian Female Director: Debbie Lum When an American man with “yellow fever” meets a Chinese woman half his age online, documenting their attempt to build a marriage from scratch reveals hilarious and troubling complications for the couple and the filmmaker. (World Premiere) The Sheik and I Director: Caveh Zahedi Commissioned by a Middle Eastern Biennial to make a film on the theme of “art as a subversive act,” independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict) is threatened with a fatwa. (World Premiere) The Source Directors: Jodi Wille, Maria Demopoulos The Source Family was a radical experiment in ’70s utopian living. Their popular restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood; but their outsider ideals led to their dramatic undoing. (World Premiere) Welcome To The Machine Director: Avi Zev Weider Upon fathering triplets, filmmaker Avi Zev Weider explores the nature of technology, seeking answers about what it means to be human. (World Premiere) HEADLINERS Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema. Films screening in Headliners are: 21 Jump Street Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Screenplay by: Michael Bacall, Story by: Michael Bacall & Jonah Hill Police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get sent back to high school as undercover cops in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street. Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, with Ice Cube (World Premiere) BIG EASY EXPRESS Director: Emmett Malloy Emmett Malloy’s latest film invites us aboard a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. (World Premiere) The Cabin in the Woods Director: Drew Goddard, Screenwriters: Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes The Cabin in the Woods, a mind-blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out. Cast: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford (World Premiere) Decoding Deepak Director: Gotham Chopra Filmmaker Gotham Chopra spends a year on the road decoding his father and spiritual icon Deepak Chopra. (World Premiere) Girls Director/Screenwriter: Lena Dunham Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the HBO show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver (World Premiere) The Hunter (Australia) Director: Daniel Nettheim, Screenplay by: Alice Addison, Novel by: Julia Leigh, Original Adaptation by: Wain Fimeri A mercenary is dispatched from Europe to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company to search for the last surviving Tasmanian tiger. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Frances O’Connor, Sam Neill (U.S. Premiere) Killer Joe Director: William Friedkin, Screenwriter: Tracy Letts A garish, Southwestern tale – a violent black comedy about a desperate Texas debtor (Hirsch) who plots to kill his mother with help of his family (Haden Church, Gershon). They hire a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer (McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Temple) as a retainer. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts’ (August: Osage County) award winning play. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church (U.S. Premiere) MARLEY (UK / USA) Director: Kevin Macdonald The definitive life story of Bob Marley – musician, revolutionary, legend – from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. Directed by Academy-Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald. (North American Premiere) NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are: The Babymakers Director: Jay Chandrasekhar, Screenwriters: Peter Gaulke, Gerry Swallow Unable to impregnate his wife, Tommy and friends rob a sperm bank – to get Tommy’s long-ago donated sperm back. The crazy plan goes hilariously awry and shows how far a couple will go to create a new life. Cast: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris, Nat Faxon (World Premiere) Crazy Eyes Director: Adam Sherman, Screenwriters: Adam Sherman, Dave Reeves & Rachel Hardisty Just another story about love. Cast: Lukas Haas, Madeline Zima, Jake Busey, Tania Raymonde, Regine Nehy (World Premiere) Do-Deca-Pentathalon Director/Screenwriter: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass Two brothers compete in their own private 25-event Olympics. Cast: Mark Kelly, Steve Zissis, Elton LeBlanc (World Premiere) Fat Kid Rules The World Director: Matthew Lillard, Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman Troy, a depressed overweight teenager, gets sucked into the punk rock world by Marcus, a charming street musician. But when Troy discovers Marcus’ drug addiction, he suddenly must figure out the true boundaries of friendship. Cast: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O’Leary, Billy Campbell, Lilli Simmons, Dylan Arnold (World Premiere) frankie go boom Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Roberts a flick by bruce about his little brother frank who’s a crybaby fuck who shouldn’t do lame-ass embarrassing shit if he dozn’t want people 2 see it Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth (World Premiere) Hunky Dory (UK) Director: Marc Evans, Screenwriter: Laurence Coriat From the producer of Billy Elliot comes this funny, coming of age film featuring songs from artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield and Electric Light Orchestra. Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne (North American Premiere) In Our Nature Director/Screenwriter: Brian Savelson Taking place over a single weekend, an estranged father and son accidentally end up in the same country house with their two girlfriends. Cast: Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union (World Premiere) Keyhole (Canada) Director: Guy Maddin, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, George Toles I’m only a ghost… but a ghost isn’t nothing. Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Jason Patric, Udo Kier, Kevin McDonald, Tattiawna Jones (U.S. Premiere) See Girl Run Director/Screenwriter: Nate Meyer What happens when a 30-something woman allows life’s “what ifs” to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present. Cast: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton (World Premiere) Small Apartments Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriter: Chris Millis When Franklin Franklin accidentally kills his landlord, he must hide the body; but, the wisdom of his beloved brother and the quirks of his neighbors, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him. Cast: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple (World Premiere) Somebody Up There Likes Me Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington Time flies for everyone: Thirty-five years in the life of Max, his best friend Sal, and a woman they both adore. A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us. Cast: Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are: $ELLEBRITY Director: Kevin Mazur Renowned celebrity photographer, Kevin Mazur, gives us an all access pass to the life behind the velvet rope and in front of the camera. Candid, revealing and bold interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and more, take us inside the blurred lines of privacy, pliable journalism, celebrity, fame and what it feels like to be consumed. (World Premiere) America’s Parking Lot Director: Jonny Mars Pull up a front row seat as two die-hard fans of ‘America’s Team’ spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at historic Texas Stadium, and scramble to preserve their place in America’s Parking Lot. (World Premiere) The Announcement Director: Nelson George On Thursday, November 7, 1991, Earvin “Magic” Johnson made the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. The Announcement gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey. (World Premiere) Beauty Is Embarrassing Director: Neil Berkeley A funny, irreverent and inspirational look into the life and times of one of America’s most important artists, Wayne White. (World Premiere) Brooklyn Castle Director: Katie Dellamaggiore Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school’s champion chess team. (World Premiere) Code of the West Director: Rebecca Richman Cohen Frames a high stakes showdown in the halls of the Montana State Legislature. The future of medical marijuana is at stake. (World Premiere) Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes. Director: M. Slinger A true document of the art and culture of glass pipe-making. It is the first film to ever bring to light this invisible sub-culture in a comprehensive and well-informed format. (World Premiere) Girl Model Directors: A. Sabin, David Redmon Young Russian girls join a modeling agency to seek work in Japan, but get caught up in an unregulated system that reveals an unseemly side of the fashion industry. (U.S. Premiere) Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters Director: Ben Shapiro Acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. (World Premiere) Just Like Being There Director: Scout Shannon Through the eyes of Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, and the gig poster community, Just Like Being There focuses on poster artists, the music they commemorate, MONDO film posters, fans, bloggers, galleries, collectors and everything in between. (World Premiere) Scarlet Road (Australia) Director: Catherine Scott The film follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele – people with disability. (North American Premiere) Trash Dance Director: Andrew Garrison A choreographer finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and against the odds, rallies reluctant city trash collectors to perform an extraordinary dance spectacle. On an abandoned airport runway, two dozen sanitation workers — and their trucks — inspire an audience of thousands. (World Premiere) Waiting For Lightning Director: Jacob Rosenberg From the producers of Step into Liquid, comes the story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, who jumped China’s Great Wall and created a new movement in sport. (World Premiere) Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies (UK) Director: Patrick Forbes The in-depth story of Wikileaks told by all the key players. Sulphurous, personal and moving, it documents history in the making at the lawless frontier of new technology and mainstream media. (North American Premiere) WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan This documentary examines the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of real life superheroes who continue to fight the good fight both on and off the screen. (World Premiere) EMERGING VISIONS Audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Films screening in Emerging Visions are: Black Pond (UK) Directors: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Screenwriter: Will Sharpe An ordinary family is accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. Stars BAFTA-winner Chris Langham and British Comedy Award Winner Simon Amstell. Cast: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue, Colin Hurley, Will Sharpe (North American Premiere) Dollhouse (Ireland) Director/Screenwriter: Kirsten Sheridan Five street teens break into a house in a rich Dublin suburb for a night of partying. But games are twisted into something more emotional and ultimately out of control through a series of surprising revelations. Cast: Seana Kerslake, Johnny Ward, Kate Stanley Brennan, Shane Curry, Ciaran McCabe (North American Premiere) Eating Alabama Director: Andrew Beck Grace A quest to eat locally becomes a meditation on community, the South and sustainability. Eating Alabama is a story about why food matters. (World Premiere) Electrick Children Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Thomas Rachel, a 15-year-old fundamentalist Mormon, believes she’s had an immaculate conception by listening to rock and roll. She flees to Las Vegas to escape an arranged marriage, seeking answers to her mysterious pregnancy. Cast: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken, Billy Zane (North American Premiere) Extracted Director/Screenwriter: Nir Paniry A scientist is trapped in the memories of a criminal and must solve a crime in order to get back home to his family. Cast: Sasha Roiz, Dominic Bogart, Jenny Mollen, Nick Jameson, Brad Culver (World Premiere) Francine (Canada / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky Academy-Award-winner, Melissa Leo, plays Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison. Cast: Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard, Victoria Charkut (North American Premiere) Funeral Kings Director/Screenwriter: Kevin Mcmanus, Matthew Mcmanus For three 14-year-old boys at St. Mark’s Middle School, it’s always a good day for a funeral. Cast: Dylan Hartigan, Alex Maizus, Jordan Puzzo, Charles Odei, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) Hard Labor (Brazil) Director/Screenwriter: Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra Helena prepares to open her own business: a neighborhood grocery store. She hires a maid. But when her husband Octavio is suddenly fired from his job, Helena is left to support the family alone. Cast: Helena Albergaria, Marat Descartes, Naloana Lima, Marina Flores (U.S. Premiere) La Camioneta – The Journey of One American School Bus Director: Mark Kendall On a 3,000-mile adventure across the borders between the Americas, La Camioneta follows the journey of one out-of-service American school bus as it is repaired, repainted and resurrected into a Guatemalan camioneta. (World Premiere) The Last Fall Director/Screenwriter: Matthew A. Cherry An NFL journeyman struggles to deal with life’s complexities after his professional career is over at age 25. Cast: Lance Gross, Nicole Beharie, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Harry Lennix, Keith David (World Premiere) Leave Me Like You Found Me Director/Screenwriter: Adele Romanski Big trees, broken hearts. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup & makeup while camping in the wilds of California. Cast: Megan Boone, David Nordstrom (World Premiere) PAVILION Director/Screenwriter: Tim Sutton Max, a quietly troubled 15-year-old, leaves his lakeside town to live with his father on the sun-blasted fringe of suburban Arizona. What begins in a calm and lush environment ends in a drastic, frayed confusion. Cast: Max Schaffner, Zach Cali, Cody Hamric, Addie Barlett, Aaron Buyea (World Premiere) Sun Don’t Shine Director/Screenwriter: Amy Seimetz Two lovers, on the back roads of Florida, do very bad things. Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, AJ Bowen, Kit Gwinn, Mark Reeb (World Premiere) Sunset Stories Directors: Silas Howard, Ernesto Foronda, Screenwriter: Valerie Stadler When May returns to LA and runs smack into JP, the man she left behind, past and present collide sending them on a twenty-four hour journey in search of what they lost. Cast: Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Mousa Kraish, Michelle Krusiec (World Premiere) Tchoupitoulas Director: Bill Ross, Turner Ross Three young brothers’ immersive journey into the sensory wonders of the New Orleans night. (World Premiere) Thale (Norway) Director/Screenwriter: Aleksander L. Nordaas The film revolves around huldra, a mythical, tailed creature, found by two crime scene cleaners in a concealed cellar. Someone’s been keeping her down here for decades, for reasons soon to surface. Cast: Silje Reinåmo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen (North American Premiere) Wildness Director/Screenwriter: Wu Tsang A magical-realist portrait of the Silver Platter, a historic bar in Los Angeles that provides a safe space for Latin/LGBT immigrant and queer art communities to come together in love and conflict. WOLF Director/Screenwriter: Ya’ke Smith A family is shaken to the core when they discover their son has been molested. As they struggle to deal with the betrayal, their son heads towards a total mental collapse. Cast: Irma P. Hall, Mikala Gibson, Jordan Cooper, Shelton Jolivette, Eugene Lee (World Premiere) 24 BEATS PER SECOND Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary. Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are: Amor Cronico (Cuba / USA) Director: Jorge Perugorria Weaving footage of singer Cucu Diamantes’ Cuban tour into a fictional love story. The result is an energetic display of her glamorous and infectious performance style and a fascinating portrait of Cuba today. Cast: Cucu Diamantes, Adela Legra, Liosky Clavero, Andres Levin, Jorge Perugorria (World Premiere) Bad Brains: Band in DC Directors: Mandy Stein, Benjamen Logan How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere) Charles Bradley: Soul of America Director: Poull Brien The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album rocketed him from a hard life in the projects to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011. (World Premiere) Daylight Savings Director: Dave Boyle, Screenwriters: Dave Boyle, Michael Lerman, Joel Clark, Goh Nakamura After a devastating breakup, musician Goh Nakamura hits the road with his irresponsible cousin to pursue a promising rebound with fellow musician Yea-Ming Chen. Cast: Goh Nakamura, Michael Aki, Yea-Ming Chen, Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani (World Premiere) Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir (Iceland / Denmark) Director: Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir At the tender age of 70 she started making music – and then she couldn’t stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir. Paul Williams Still Alive Director: Stephen Kessler A documentary filmmaker tracks down actor/singer/songwriter Paul Williams in an attempt to find out what happened to his idol. (U.S. Premiere) Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (UK) Director: Don Letts Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world’s foremost rock ‘n’ roll photographer, Bob Gruen. (North American Premiere) Sunset Strip Director/Screenwriter: Hans Fjellestad The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere) Under African Skies Director: Joe Berlinger Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime. Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots Director: Mark Ford 20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere) SX GLOBAL A diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts. Films screening in SX Global are: BIJUKA (India) Director: Ashtar Sayed, Screenwriter: Dr. Mahendra Purohit Inspired by a true event. Scarecrow tells the true story of a young woman who is attempting to escape from an abusive arranged marriage. Cast: Arti Rautela, Amit Purohit (North American Premiere) Crulic – The Path to Beyond (Romania / Poland) Director: Anca Damian The animated documentary feature-length “Crulic – The Path to Beyond” tells the story of the life of Crulic, the 33-year-old Romanian who died in a Polish prison while on hunger strike. Cubaton – El Medico Story (Estonia / Sweden) Director: Daniel Fridell El Medico – a Cuban house doctor who wants to become a cubaton star – is facing a serious choice between serving the state and becoming a popstar. (North American Premiere) Her Master’s Voice (UK) Director: Nina Conti Watching someone talk to themselves has never been so interesting. (World Premiere) ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Italy / Germany) Directors: Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi Gustav and Luca, two Italians, have to decide: Should they stay in Italy, or leave it? (North American Premiere) Mustafa’s Sweet Dreams (Greece / UK) Director: Angelos Abazoglou Mustafa, a 16-year-old pastry shop apprentice dreams of becoming a famous baklava chef in Istanbul. (North American Premiere) Pompeya (Argentina) Director: Tamae Garateguy, Screenwriters: Tamae Garateguy, Diego A. Fleischer When a film director hires two screenwriters to make a gangster movie, a fiction feast starts: femmes fatales, mobs fighting for the same neighborhood and a limitless hero who defies every movie concept. Cast: José Luciano González, Joel Drut, Chang Sung Kim, Vladimir Yuravel, Miguel Forza de Paul (U.S. Premiere) ¡Vivan las Antipodas! (Germany / The Netherlands / Argentina / Chile) Director: Victor Kossakovsky Haven’t we all wondered at some point what was happening just at this moment beneath our very feet at the other side of the planet? FESTIVAL FAVORITES Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world. Films screening in Festival Favorites are: Beast (Denmark) Director/Screenwriter: Christoffer Boe How long will you go, to hold on to the person you love? Cast: Nicolas Bro, Marijana Jankovic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas The Comedy Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Robert Donne, Colm O’Leary Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution. Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, Kate Lyn-Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen Dreams of a Life (UK / Ireland) Director: Carol Morley An imaginative quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. (North American Premiere) God Bless America Director/Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr (U.S. Premiere) The Imposter (UK) Director: Bart Layton In 1994 a 13-year-old disappears without trace in Texas. Three years later he resurfaces in Spain with accounts of a horrifying kidnap. His family is overjoyed – but all is not as it seems. Indie Game: The Movie (Canada) Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky With the twenty-first century comes a new breed of artist: the indie game designer. These innovators design and program their distinctly personal games in the hope that they may find connection and success. KID-THING Director/Screenwriter: David Zellner A fever-dream fable about Annie, a rebellious girl devoid of parental guidance or a moral compass. She roams the countryside looking for adventure, and finds it one day in the form of an abandoned well. Cast: Sydney Aguirre, Susan Tyrrell, Nathan Zellner, David Zellner, David Wingo Last Call at the Oasis Director: Jessica Yu A powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century. Lovely Molly Director: Eduardo Sanchez, Screenwriters: Eduardo Sanchez, Jamie Nash Exploring the parallels between psychosis, addiction and demonic possession, Lovely Molly tells the story of what really happens before the exorcist arrives. Cast: Gretchen Lodge, Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden (U.S. Premiere) The Raid (Indonesia) Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Huw Evans Rama and his special forces team fight their way through a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord. Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno WE ARE LEGION: The Story of the Hacktivists Director: Brian Knappenberger We Are Legion takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical “hacktivist” collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age. SPECIAL EVENTS Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs. Films screening in Special Events are: An Evening With Sacred Bones Records Director: Jacqueline Castel Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere) Bernie Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth Based on real-life events, this dark comedy follows Bernie Tiede, his recently deceased friend Marjorie Nugent and District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me Director: Drew Denicola A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress) Casa de mi Padre Director: Matt Piedmont, Screenwriter: Andrew Steele Will Ferrell plays a Mexican rancher who must defend his father’s home against the country’s most infamous drug lord. Cast: Will Ferrell, Gael García Vernal, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Nick Offerman Girl Walk // All Day Director/Screenwriter: Jacob Krupnick A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk’s recent mashup album, All Day. Cast: Anne Marsen, John Doyle, Daisuke Omiya Re:Generation Director: Amir Bar Lev 5 DJ’s Turn the Table on The History of Music. Renga (UK) Directors: Adam Russell, John Sear A ground breaking feature-length show controlled entirely by the audience using laser pointers. It is the first viable example of a standalone interactive experience capable of running in commercial movie theatres. (North American Premiere) The Oyster Princess (1919) with original live score by Bee vs. Moth (Germany) Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Screenriters: Hanns Kraly & Ernst Lubitsch The Oyster Princess is Ernst Lubitsch’s tart 1919 silent comedy that parodies the rich and the spoiled. Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth performs their original score live with the film for the first time. (World Premiere)

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SXSW 2012’s Buzzworthiest Titles At a Glance

Oscar-Nominated Director of Gasland Arrested While Attempting to Film House Hearing on Fracking

Josh Fox, whose Oscar-nominated 2010 documentary Gasland investigated communities affected by natural gas drilling, was arrested today while attempting to film a public House hearing on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” according to Politico (via Indiewire ). “This is a public hearing,” Fox said as he was being handcuffed. “I’m within my First Amendment rights, and I’m being taken out.” Fox is working on a sequel to Gasland , and the hearing was being held to explore the EPA’s investigation of fracking contamination in Wyoming . Fox was asked to leave by security and when he refused was charged with unlawful entry. The hearing proceeded, with subcommittee chairman Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) noting that filming and photography by noncredentialed press was not allowed by rule. (Watch Harris’ remarks, and the entire hearing, via pre-recorded webcast here .) “That’s why we have rules that control who is recording…” he added, “just so we clear the air on that.” Before he continued, Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) motioned for an exception. “I think all those rules are to control access where there’s limited access, but it is very clear that we have space in this room for either of them to film this hearing. If you claim that that rule does not allow them to film, or more accurately allows you the discretion to turn them away, I move that the rules be suspended to the end so the fella who wanted to film for HBO be allowed to film this hearing and that ABC News be allowed to film this hearing and all God’s children be allowed to film this hearing until the room is too full to conduct our business.” Miller’s motion went to voting, with members voting 7-6 in favor of a motion to table his motion , and that was that – a riveting mini-drama in its own right. Below, Huffington Post -obtained video of Fox’s arrest. [Screenshot and video via Huffington Post ]

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Oscar-Nominated Director of Gasland Arrested While Attempting to Film House Hearing on Fracking

Republican Spider Man Sez:

http://www.youtube.com/v/TJf8R4QwI0Y

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“With great power, comes great immunity.” That’s the message we’ve been hearing from Wall Street, many Republicans on Capitol Hill and self-styled right wing pundits like Andrew Breitbart, Bill O’Reilly (who this year had replaced Christine O’Donnell as the Typhoid Mary of the publishing racket ) and others who channel and filter their partisan passions directly through their rectums and bile ducts…. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Brilliant at Breakfast Discovery Date : 19/11/2011 16:27 Number of articles : 2

Republican Spider Man Sez:

Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb

“I don#39;t know if it will really happen, but I#39;m very excited for him,” the Modern Family star and budding fashion designer, 39, told us at Sunday#39;s premiere of The Smurfs in New York. “If he decides to do it, I think he will be amazing. My boyfriend is very inclined to politics and that#39;s his passion,” she says. Is Sofia Vergara ready for Capitol Hill? Her boyfriend of more than a year – Republican environmental businessman Nick Loeb, 35 – is considering a 2012 run for the Florida

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Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb

Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons, 61, and Shannon Tweed, 54, were vacationing in Belize when he proclaimed, “you#39;re the only friend I#39;ve got. You#39;re the only one I love … and you#39;re the only one I ever will love,” before getting down on one knee. It remains to be seen whether Tweed will be saying “I do” and sticking with it. She did, however, tell us in a recent interview that she had moved out of their home and that there was a “slim chance” of them getting back together. “You#39;re seeing this happ

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Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons

First Lady Love: Shelly-O Says ‘I Can See The Worry Creasing His Face’ Obama Says ‘We’ve Got To Fix This’

Shelly-O took to Massachusetts to rally up support for her husband’s second term. The lovely First Lady expressed her loving concern for her husband and highlighted Obama’s dedication to the nation and somehow flawlessly fused concern and support. Like the POTUS, she’s equally powerful with her words … and convincing. First lady Michelle Obama gave a fascinating insight into just how heavily the weight of office rests on her husband’s shoulders and how the job of president has taken it’s toll. Speaking at a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee in Massachusetts she told of his total dedication to the job and told how she worries about the increasing number of lines on his face She said: ‘I see the worry creasing his face. I hear the passion and determination in his voice. ‘You won’t believe what these folks are going through;’ he told me that last night. “‘Michelle, it is not right. We’ve got to fix this. We have to do more,’”‘Barack always reminds me that we are playing a long game.’ He reminds me, as I said to you, too, that change is slow.’He reminds me that change doesn’t happen all at once, but that if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, doing what we know is right, then eventually we will get there, because the truth is we always have in this country. We always have.’ Michelle Obama said that when her husband first told her he was planning to run for president she had serious doubts about how it would affect their young family. She added: ‘I was proud of the work that he was doing in the Senate. And I thought that he would make a phenomenal president. ‘That wasn’t the issue. ‘But, like a lot of folks, I still had some cynicism about politics. And with two young daughters at home, I was worried about the toll that a presidential campaign would take on our family. ‘So it took some convincing on Barack’s part. And by ‘some,’ I mean a lot; he’s still paying back.’ Mrs Obama said that it was going on the campaign trail in 2008 and getting out an meeting voters – that led to her having a change of heart. She added: ‘It’s about meeting people one-on-one, hearing what’s going on in their lives.’ ‘But I think that the last four years have shown us the truth of what Barack has always said: That if any child in this country is left behind, then that matters to all of us, even if she’s not our daughter, and even if he’s not our son. ‘If any family in this country struggles, then we cannot be fully content with our own family’s good fortune, because that is not what we do in this country.’ Awe, she loves her some him! It’s clear that she supports him and holds him down when the press and Capitol Hill politicians are trying to sabotage his agenda. Every good man needs a Shelly-O. Source

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First Lady Love: Shelly-O Says ‘I Can See The Worry Creasing His Face’ Obama Says ‘We’ve Got To Fix This’