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West Coast Premiere of “Meeting the Buddha” to Debut at AWARENESS FILM FESTIVAL in Santa Monica October 26, 2025

Dev Shapiro
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West Coast Premiere of “Meeting the Buddha” to Debut at AWARENESS FILM FESTIVAL in Santa Monica October 26, 2025

The Beautiful Truth presents the West Coast Premiere screening of MEETING THE BUDDHA at the Awareness Film Festival Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 10:00am at the Laemmle Monica Film Center (1332 2nd Street), Santa Monica.

The festival brings awareness to open eyes to some of our world’s pressing issues: Ecological, Political, Health/Well Being and the Spirit. The Awareness Film Festival was formed by Heal One World.

Created by an international team from the UK, Germany, Hungary, and Denmark, in collaboration with venerable Tibetan Lamas, the documentary is produced by The Beautiful Truth, a film and storytelling studio creating documentaries that explore purpose, impact and humanity.

MEETING THE BUDDHA follows the journeys of the 16th Karmapa and Danish Lama Ole Nydahl, weaving a story of friendship, courage, and a vision that transformed countless lives. Blending rare archival footage, original animation, intimate interviews, and contemporary reflections, Meeting the Buddha explores how timeless wisdom entered modern life through the bond between teacher and student.

Director Marta György-Kessler, who first encountered Buddhism through Ole and Hannah Nydahl in 1990, previously directed the award-winning Hannah – Buddhism’s Untold Journey, featured on Netflix. With Meeting the Buddha, she continues to chronicle the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism, tracing the life and legacy of the 16th Karmapa and the students who carried his vision across the world.

MEETING THE BUDDHA continues its international success, winning Best Director (Feature Film) at the Cine Paris Film Festival and Best Director (Documentary) at the Berlin Indie Film Festival, along with multiple Indie Director honors. Most recently, the film triumphed at the 2025 Top Indie Film Awards (Summer Edition) in Tokyo, receiving Best Editing, Best Sound, and Best Message, plus nominations for Best Documentary Feature and Best Music. Since June 2025, the film has earned 16 international awards, including four Awards of Excellence (IndieFEST Film Awards: Special Mention and History/Biographical, The Impact DOCS Awards, and Docs Without Borders). Additional accolades include Best Human-Interest Film (WPFA Awards), Best Indie Director (LA Independent Women Film Awards), Best Documentary (Chicago Women Film Festival and Royal Starr Film Festival), and an Honorable Mention at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood.

Meeting the Buddha presents the life and legacy of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje—the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The film captures the remarkable presence of this “Living Buddha”, tracing his early years in Tibet, his preservation of the lineage in exile in India, and his vision to spread Buddhism to the modern world.

In this context, we meet Ole Nydahl, a wild young hippy from Denmark who, as a small child, had declared his wish to become the “Danish champion of mind.” His life is radically transformed by a chance encounter with the Karmapa in 1969. He and his wife, Hannah, become key figures in bringing Buddhism to the West, founding hundreds of meditation centers—from Mexico City to Vladivostok—and carrying forward their teacher’s vision with unshakable dedication.

Amid political upheaval in Tibet and cultural transformation in the West, Meeting the Buddha tells the richly historical, yet deeply personal story of how timeless wisdom found its way into contemporary life. Through interviews, animation, and never-before-seen footage, this documentary honors the profound bond between teacher and student that sustains the living transmission of the Karma Kagyu lineage.

Vertical Acquires U.S. Rights to Throwback-Thriller Stone Cold Fox

Dev Shapiro
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Vertical Acquires U.S. Rights to Throwback-Thriller Stone Cold Fox

Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to first-time feature filmmaker Sophie Tabet’s throwback action-thriller Stone Cold Fox. Tabet co-wrote the script with Julia Roth based on an original story by Tabet, Roth and Jonathan Craven. Starring  Kiernan Shipka (Twisters), Kiefer Sutherland (24), Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Mishel Prada (Brilliant Minds), and Karen Fukuhara (The Boys), the film is slated for release later this year.

In this ’80s revenge story, the defiant Fox (Shipka) breaks out of an abusive commune in search of her family. But when the queenpin (Ritter) kidnaps her little sister and sends a crooked cop (Sutherland) after her, Fox has no choice but to infiltrate the very place she escaped.

Tabet states, “I grew up on gritty ’80s action-thrillers, so getting to make my own audacious thrill-ride with a fearless partner like Vertical handling the release is a dream come true. I’m endlessly grateful to the incredible cast and crew who brought this labor of love to life.”

“Sophie has delivered a thriller that keeps you on edge and showcases her talent as an emerging filmmaker,” commented Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey. “We’re excited to bring it to audiences and look forward to them experiencing it for themselves.”

The film was produced by Bee-Hive’s Stephen Braun, The Wonder Company’s Chris Abernathy and Eric B. Fleischman, Jonthan Craven, Roth, and Tabet. Executive producers include Studio vet Joe Roth, Andrea Bucko, Emily Hunter Salveson, and Ross Putman. Additional below-the-line talent includes cinematographer Ken Seng, editor Joel Griffen, production designer Susannah Honey, and costume designer Joanna David, with casting by Lindsey Weissmueller and music by Alex Kovacs.

The deal was negotiated by Jarowey and SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi on behalf of Vertical and by Verve Ventures and UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.

Shipka is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Sloane, Offer. Sutherland is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Lichter Grossman. Ritter is repped by CAA, Industry Entertainment, Principal LA and Brecheen Feldman. Bee-Hive is repped by Verve Talent & Literary Agency. Tabet and Julia Roth are repped by Verve Talent & Literary Agency and Del Shaw Moonves.

ARE WE GOOD? A Marc Maron Documentary – Interview with Writer Producer Julie Seabaugh

Gadi Elkon
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ARE WE GOOD? A Marc Maron Documentary – Interview with Writer Producer Julie Seabaugh

This Friday October 3rd ARE WE GOOD? A MARC MARON DOCUMENTARY will open in NY/LA before a nationwide release.  Writer/Producer Julie Seabaugh talked with our Gadi Elkon about Marc, Marc’s devotion to continuing Lynn Shelton’s legacy, and so much more!

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Vertical Acquires English-Speaking World Rights to Ben Jacobson’s Bunny

Dev Shapiro
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Vertical Acquires English-Speaking World Rights to Ben Jacobson’s Bunny

Vertical has acquired English-speaking world rights, including North America, UK/Ireland, Australia/New Zealand, and South Africa, to first-time director Ben Jacobson’s riotous film Bunny. The New York City-shot film stars Mo Stark (She Came to Me), Jacobson (Blink Twice), Liza Colby, Tony Drazan, Liz Caribel Sierra (Dope Thief), Ajay Naidu (The Good Nurse), and Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning). Co-written by Jacobson, Stark, and Stefan Marolachakis, the film is set for release on November 14, 2025.

Bunny (Stark) is a streetwise hustler working a quick job when everything goes sideways – fast. Thrust into a fight for his life, he turns to his best friend Dino (Jacobson) for help. What follows is one wild, sweltering summer day and night in their East Village tenement, as the two scheme with a crew of eccentric neighbors to cover up a dead body. With the NYPD circling, chaos reigns as the clock ticks and the heat rises. Bunny’s only goal is simple: survive the night without getting caught – or killed.

Bunny had its world premiere at 2025’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Award for Narrative Feature. The film had its New York City premiere at 2025’s Tribeca Festival.

“Bringing this story from script to screen alongside Ben and our team of exceptional filmmakers has been nothing short of an honor. A beautiful and challenging and rewarding journey all in one. But mostly, it has been a labor of love. On and off screen, this project was helmed by friends and family who love each other and love New York City. And I am so thrilled to now be partnered with Vertical to release that love to audiences everywhere,” said Producer Sarah Sarandos.

“Bunny is proof of what happens when a fearless team of storytellers meets uncompromising execution. Sarah led with passion and precision, and it was my privilege as Executive Producer to help bring that vision to the screen. This is exactly the kind of bold, New York story I’m proud to champion,” stated Executive Producer Brian Healy.

“Ben has crafted an instant New York classic that feels both timeless and undeniably modern. This film joins the ranks of other great stories told over one day. We can’t wait for the world to meet Bunny,” added Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey.

The film was produced by Sarah Sarandos (Happy Gilmore 2) with Scott Dougan and Jacobson, Marolachakis, and Stark, and executive produced by Brian Healy, Free Association’s Garret Levitz (Blink Twice), and Charles Miller. Additional below-the-line talent includes cinematographer Jackson Hunt (The Black Sea, Betty), editor James LeSage (Bruiser), production designer Cheyenne Ford (If You See Something, Shiva Baby), costume designers Nell Simon (The French Italian) and Kay Kasparhauser, and sound designers Lucas Feuser (Elsbeth) and Kevin Peters (Nonnas), with music by Hamilton Leithauser (The Last Movie Stars).

The deal was negotiated by Jarowey and SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi on behalf of Vertical and by CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.

Rose Kuo Named as California Film Institute (CAFILM) Artistic Director

Dev Shapiro
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Rose Kuo Named as California Film Institute (CAFILM) Artistic Director

The California Film Institute (CAFILM) has named Rose Kuo as Artistic Director, a newly created leadership position established earlier this year to guide the organization’s artistic vision and ensure a seamless program leadership transition in the years ahead.

Kuo is an internationally recognized leader in cinematic arts with a broad background in film festival programming and curatorial work. She previously served as Executive Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the New York Film Festival, was Publisher of Film Comment magazine, and held the position of Artistic Director at AFI FEST (AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival).

In her new role, Kuo will oversee the artistic and curatorial direction of CAFILM’s acclaimed programs, including the Mill Valley Film Festival, DocLands Documentary Film Festival, the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley, and CAFILM Education initiatives.

“Rose brings a remarkable combination of international experience, artistic vision, and deep commitment to the cinematic arts,” said Mark Fishkin, CAFILM Founder and Executive Director. “Her leadership will ensure that CAFILM continues to champion independent voices, engage audiences, and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”

Most recently, Kuo founded FESTWORKS, a film consultancy organization, where she has advised major studios on global festival strategies and collaborated with nonprofit cinema arts groups to strengthen their programming and audience engagement.

Earlier in her career, Kuo worked as a programmer and curator for leading film festivals and cultural institutions, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Mill Valley Film Festival — a return that underscores her deep connection to CAFILM’s mission.

CAFILM announced earlier this year that longtime Mill Valley Film Festival Program Director Zoe Elton will transition to a new part-time curatorial role after leading the 48th Mill Valley Film Festival, scheduled for October 2-12, 2025. Kuo and Elton will work together to ensure a smooth transition of the festival’s curatorial responsibilities, maintaining the quality of films and patron experiences, including the Mind the Gap gender equity initiative that Elton championed ten years ago.

UNEXPECTED TREASURES – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Jenn Rohm
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UNEXPECTED TREASURES – A Review by Jenn Rohm

John Paul Ungaretti’s directorial debut film, Unexpected Treasures, which screened at San Diego Comic-Con this year, is now available for streaming via Apple TV and Amazon Prime.  As someone who grew up with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Explorers (1985), and Flight of the Navigator (1986), the question of whether there could be other life out there sometimes crosses my mind.

Hartley, Olivia Blue, finds herself at a directionless point in her life.   While driving down the road she gets a flat tire and Sam, Mike Manning, appears and offers to assist with changing the tire in exchange for a ride.  What he doesn’t disclose is that he is being chased by “The Bad Guy”, Jay Whittaker, an intergalactic bounty hunter.  That’s right, Sam is from another planet, and he wants to go home.  We follow along on the journey as other locals in the Joshua Desert help with the challenge.

Two themes are competing instead of working together in this film.  You have the Sci-Fi alien on earth, and then you have a young woman trying to cope with her grandmother’s passing and her mother’s re-entry into her life.  Then there is a hint of a possible romance thread.  If just one of those two themes had been given complete focus, then maybe the romance piece would have worked better.

For a lazy weekend at home, this one was a light watch to have on while cleaning in the room, doing laundry, or tackling other adult tasks we occasionally need to do.

 

Director: John Paul Ungaretti

Cast: Mike Manning, Olivia Blue, Michael Dunn

Selig Rating: 2.8 stars

Runtime: 1h 35m

Streaming Release Date: September 19, 2025

Genre(s): Sci-Fi

Movie Site: Unexpected Treasures website

Trailer: Unexpected Treasures trailer

 

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Jenn Rohm
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A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Life is messy, and dating is even more so.  What would happen if you could experience specific moments in your life that shape your relationships?  What if the person you want to date (and who wants to date you) was able to share that experience?  This is the central theme in Kogonada’s latest release, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.

David, Colin Farrell, attends a friend’s wedding, where he meets Sarah, Margot Robbie.  The two of them find each other attractive, but they don’t take it further than those initial conversations.  The next day, while on the way home, they cross paths again and go on a journey together. The summary from SONY pictures is on spot without giving much away:

Some doors bring you to your past. Some doors lead you to your future. And some doors change everything. Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and soon, through a surprising twist of fate, find themselves on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey – a funny, fantastical, sweeping adventure together where they get to re-live important moments from their respective pasts, illuminating how they got to where they are in the present…and possibly getting a chance to alter their futures.

The audience is taken on a cinematic journey through a variety of movie styles. At times, the visual choices and narrative rhythm evoke the whimsical precision of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. In other moments, the story dips into the surreal, reminiscent of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. One sequence exploring David’s past even unfolds as a high school musical, adding a playful layer to the storytelling.

A personal favorite of mine is a series of scenes staged in minimalist theater—barebones and raw, down to the dusty floor that left the actors’ feet visibly dirty. These moments strip away spectacle and focus on emotion.

It’s not just the script or the set design that transports us—the cinematography plays a vital role. The deliberate use of crisp or grainy visuals mirrors the aesthetic of the TV shows and films from the eras we’re dropped into, grounding the segments in its own time and texture.

The opinions on this film appear to be polar extremes; I happen to be on the like it/enjoyed it side of the scale.  I suggest checking it and deciding where you land on the scale.  I also recommend choosing the GPS package option the next time you rent a car.

 

Director: Kogonada

Cast: Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie, Kevin Kline

MPAA Rating: Rated R for language.

Selig Rating: 4 stars

Runtime: 1h 39m

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Movie Site: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey website

Trailer: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey trailer

 

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

THE SENIOR – A Review by John Strange

John Strange
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THE SENIOR – A Review by John Strange

In 2007, Mike Flynt went out for the Sul Ross State University football team.  What’s odd about this?  Mike was 59 years old!

Mike had something to prove to himself.  At the beginning of his senior year in the early 70s, this team captain was kicked off the team and out of school for fighting.

The Senior is based on the book that Mike Flynt wrote about this.  Michael Chiklis plays the older Mike as he discovers he still has a year of football eligibility.  At 59, he is still dealing with the issues his father left him with emotionally.  He is too quick to use his fists to solve problems.

Watching the scene of Mike walking out on the football field for the first time since he left the university was intense.  I talked to Michael Chiklis at a red carpet about this scene.  (See the interview and others from the film on the Selig Film News YouTube channel.)  The cameras were rolling as he walked onto the field for the first time in years.  You can see the emotions play across his face.

The football action is believable.  The story of Mike fighting for acceptance and to fit in with these young kids is well written, well directed, and well acted.  Watching Mike Flynt doing what it takes to get his body and mind right for playing the game of football is a large part of the film.  He must come to terms with who and what he is to survive this. 

The Senior is an excellent film made here in North Central Texas, over in Haltom City, with the football scenes played at Birdville Stadium.  In fact, per Mr. Chiklis during our interview, they shot the whole movie in this area.  He was impressed with the diversity of locations here in North Texas.

And look for local actors and actresses playing parts in the film.  There are several!

I will definitely be adding this film to my collection!

 

Director: Rod Lurie

Cast: Michael Chiklis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Rob Corddry, Brandon Flynn, Todd Terry, Terayle Hill, Brady Box, Aiden Call, Steve Mokate, Erica Muse, Gail Cronauer, Chris Setticase, Major Dodge, Robin Clayton, Vhelma Richardson, Malik Watson, Corey Knight

MPA Rating: PG (for thematic content, violence, language, and a suggestive reference)

Selig Rating: 5 Stars

Runtime: 99 Min.

Release Date: 09/19/2025

Language: English

Genre(s): Drama, Sport

Trailer: THE SENIOR Official Trailer

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

THE SENIOR – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Jenn Rohm
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THE SENIOR – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Fall has arrived, school is back in session, in Texas, we are hoping for a chill in the air, and Football season is starting.  What better time to release one man’s redemption story on the gridiron?

Based on the true story of Mike Flynt, we follow the tale of a man whose college experience was marked by an event that changed the course of his life.  Almost forty years later, he returns to a class reunion and comes up with an idea on how to make restitution.

Michael Chiklis plays the adult Mike Flynt, and Mary Stuart Masterson is adult Eileen Flynt, both providing believable performances.  I got caught up in the story and at times forgot they were acting out someone else’s story.  Other than the first time they were on screen, and I recognized who they were, did any prior roles cross my mind.  It can be a challenge to play the role of another person, especially when that person is still alive.  The cast of this project appears to have taken great care to be true to the real person they were representing.  I also appreciate that some of the not-so-pretty moments in life were included in a way to support the why of certain behaviors, and never as an excuse for the behaviors.

College football is part of this story as well.  The way practices and games were filmed struck a balance between making you feel like you were on the field and in the stands.  Football fans will appreciate this perspective.

The film also touches on some personal Christian religious moments and the impact of faith on some of the characters’ lives.  This provides a deeper insight into the people’s identities, without being “preachy” to the audience.

For fans of Football, Texas, and/or stories based on real people, this is a well-made option.

 

Director: Rod Lurie

Cast: Michael Chiklis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Rob Coddry

MPAA Rating: Rated PG for thematic content, violence, language, and a suggestive reference.

Selig Rating: 3.5 stars

Runtime: 1h 39m

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Genre(s): Drama, Sport

Movie Site: The Senior website

Trailer: The Senior trailer

 

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

LONDON CALLING – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Jenn Rohm
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LONDON CALLING – A Review by Jenn Rohm

Aging is something we all (hopefully) go through.  Some people take parts of it harder than others.  In the new action/comedy/drama film, London Calling, the audience gets to see this from the perspective of the once top hitman, Tommy Ward, played by Josh Duhamel.  When out on a job, he makes a mistake that accepting changes with aging could have prevented.  To keep himself alive, he must leave the country.  The story picks up a year later in the United States, where his now boss, Benson, Rick Hoffman, assigns him the task of “manning up” his son.  Julian, Jeremy Ray Taylor, is a good teenager who is a little on the geeky side.  Ward finds himself torn between wanting to fulfill his assignment and the desire to preserve Julian’s true self.

The good outweighed the negatives for me on this one.  My first negative is that the story itself is a version of stories we have seen before, and I found it to be very predictable.  And my second negative was that the gore factor went further than I like.  There are others out there who will say it didn’t go far enough, and they are welcome to their opinion.  Now, for what I liked about this movie.  The choices in how this was filmed are what pulled me in, and the characters the cast brought to the screen kept me watching.  Lighting choices in the opening sequence and the view from Ward’s perspective helped clarify the events unfolding.  There is also a continuation of lighting changes, being gloomier for the night sequences in London, which shifted to very bright in California.  As I didn’t check the time while watching, I will say the pacing was good.  An enjoyable balance between action sequences, learning about the characters, and occasional moments of teenage life was struck.

The portrayal of the characters by the cast was believable.  Duhamel brings us a hitman who, for the most part, accepts who he is and the mistakes he has made in the past.  The character is a little vain with some fear of aging.  At his core, he is loyal and as honest as he can be in his line of work.  Taylor brings a touch of innocence and awkwardness, paired with a large heart.  He wants to make his father proud, yet doesn’t want to lose the person he has become in the process.  Neil Sandilands and Brandon Auret are the McRory brothers. They don’t apologize for who they are, and their fidelity to each other is unquestionable.

If you like action/comedy/drama and are looking for a way to sit back, relax, and maybe enjoy a few too many gunshots take the time to check this one out.

 

Director: Allan Ungar

Cast: Josh Duhamel, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Rick Hoffman

MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong/bloody violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexual content.

Selig Rating: 3.5 stars

Runtime: 1h 54m

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Drama

Movie Site:

Trailer: London Calling trailer

 

 

The Selig Rating Scale:

5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.

4 Stars – Good movie/show

3 Stars – OK movie/show

2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…

1 Star – Total waste of time.

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