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BRITISH COMEDY SERIES “HAPLESS” ARRIVES EXCLUSIVELY IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE U.K. ON CHAIFLICKS

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Fans of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” can now get their fix of dry sardonic humor, mixed with a bit of British flavor, as ChaiFlicks, the only global streaming platform showcasing high-quality films and series centered on Jewish stories and culture from around the world, adds the British sitcom “Hapless” to its mix. After a limited run on Peacock in the U.S., the series follows neurotic journalist Paul Green (Tim Downie, “The King’s Speech”) and his efforts to write exciting articles for the UK’s “fourth largest Jewish newspaper,” The Jewish Enquirer. Paul often finds himself in awkward situations, mostly of his own making, thanks to his tendency to relate to others without a filter. Episodes will drop on the platform every Wednesday, with the first two episodes available NOW on chaiflicks.com.

The series is written by the award-winning comedy film and TV writer and director, Gary Sinyor (“The Bachelor,” “Stiff Upper Lips,” “Leon the Pig Farmer”), who, much like Larry David, has created characters in the series that resemble different versions of himself. He states, “I couldn’t have done it any other way. I think probably in everything that I’ve ever made, [the characters] are all versions of me.”

Critics worldwide have praised “Hapless,” calling it a “…hilarious British comedy meant to test boundaries,” by Fandomwire and “…feels fresh and funny and vital,” from The Forward.  The Jewish Chronicle hailed “The six episodes whizzed by, each of the 17 times I’ve watched them…”

“Hapless” is a strong contender for the shiniest hidden gem in the streaming world.  Below is a synopsis of the six episodes in Season 1:

 

The Playing with Fire

Paul is doing a story on a flirty fireman when Nazi graffiti is daubed on a wall. Paul’s sister, Naomi, needs a hand with her son, Joshie’s 6th birthday party, and Paul tries to help. It could work out well were it not for a some 30-year-old car racing set, a helium balloon, and Paul’s best friend Simon’s sexual designs on Ruth, the mother of the child from hell.

 

The Juicer

Naomi tells Paul that her juicer/spiritualist has warned that it would be dangerous for their dad to go on his cruise.  Paul’s best friend Simon’s birthday party is coming up, and it’s a costume party. A Vicar needs help from the Jewish Enquirer, and Paul negotiates a positive story for an outfit for the party. But a misunderstanding outside the bathroom leaves Paul buying flavored condoms while dressed as an Imam at a gas station.

 

The Key Cutter & The Vegan

Paul’s new key doesn’t work. When the Key Cutter asks for his address for the replacement drop-off, Paul is worried. If he gives his address, and this guy has his key, he could rob his house. A run-in with a possibly anti-Semitic driver’s awareness course and an even more possibly anti-Semitic vegan add to the confusion.

 

Bad Hair Day

Paul has to take Joshie for a haircut. He’s also going green by testing out an electric car. Is hair recyclable, and where would Paul take it if it were? Was it a good idea to offer little person Mark a lift in a car with only one car seat?

 

Feathers & Foreskins

Simon’s sister has had a baby boy and asks Paul for help with finding a Mohel for the circumcision. Liam, the boy’s dad, is dead set against having his boy’s penis “trimmed.” Leaving the existential question: is sex better with or without? Paul wants to find out. And…how does a dumb young YouTube vlogger get so many hits?

 

The Old Suit

Paul insults one of Joshie’s teachers and Naomi wants him to apologize, but Paul is busy testing out a research suit that adds 20 years to your age. Ronnie, Paul’s dad, introduces Paul to an old Jewish man who is “LGBTQ+”. After a full day as an 80-year-old, today is the day Paul realizes he is probably a fattist, racist, transphobic, and sexist. Ronnie has an insightful answer that involves Helen Mirren.

DIFF Announces Dates and New Additions for Dallas International Film Festival 2026

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DIFF has announced plans for the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival as the Oscar® Qualifying Festival celebrates its 20th edition. The announcement was made by DIFF CEO Beth Wilbins and DIFF Artistic Director James Faust.

The eight-day Festival is set for Thursday, April 23 – Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Community leaders Tanya Foster and Lynn McBee, both of whom held previous leadership roles with the Festival’s parent organization, Dallas Film Society, Inc., will serve as co-chairs for the 20th Anniversary Dallas International Film Festival. Foster, who served as the Executive Director, and McBee, who served as the Board Chair, will preside over the 20th anniversary events and a new host committee comprised of individuals who have been involved with the Festival over the past 20 years.

Michael Cain – who was the co-founder along with the late Liener Temerlin, of Dallas Film Society, Inc. in 2006 and the original Festival in 2007 – will host a new Founders Night Screening event.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park, located steps away from American Airlines Center at 2365 Victory Park Lane, returns as the host venue. Additional screenings and events will be held at the historic Texas Theatre and the artful Virgin Hotels Dallas – which returns for the fourth year as the Premier Sponsor of the Festival – among other world-class Dallas destinations to be announced.

New to this year’s offerings at the Festival will be the first-time DIFF Industry Conference, presented in collaboration with Dallas Film Commission. The conference will feature panels focusing on filmmaking, television production, and how to thrive in an ever-changing industry, according to Katie Schuck, the Dallas Film Commissioner, and Austin Flores, who is the Location Specialist for Dallas Film Commission and will serve as Conference Director.

The Dallas International Film Festival is a global adventure featuring more than 125 film screenings, panels, Q&As with filmmakers and actors, nightly Red Carpets, live screenplay table reads, awards, and other events and activations where filmmakers, screenwriters, film industry leaders, celebrities, sponsors, and audiences come together to experience and discuss film. Films are curated from submissions received by filmmakers from 100+ countries worldwide, across Texas, and the United States, and include narrative features, documentaries, and short films of all genres from studios and independent filmmakers.

The Dallas International Film Festival is one of only 59 film festivals in the United States and only 181 film festivals worldwide to earn the designation of Oscar® Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oscar® Qualifying short film awards at the Dallas International Film Festival are: Grand Jury Prize – Best Animated Short Film; Grand Jury Prize – Best Documentary Short Film; and Grand Jury Prize – Best Narrative Short Film.

Films that win qualified awards may be qualified to enter the 99th Academy Awards®, provided that the films meet all the requirements set forth in the official rules for that season. See https://www.oscars.org/oscars/rules-eligibility for details.

Submissions for the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival are open. Additional information on film and screenplay categories, programming strands, awards and prizes, rules, and deadlines is available at https://filmfreeway.com/DallasInternationalFilmFestival.

Selig Polyscope’s THE TRAMP AND THE DOG (1896) Joins the 2025 National Film Registry

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The Library of Congress has selected 25 films for the National Film Registry due to their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, the Library announced today.

The selections for 2025 date back to the silent film era with six silent films dating from 1896 to 1926 – a significant number of films in this class. The newest film added to the registry is from 2014 with filmmaker Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” which included meticulous historical research at the Library of Congress to create visually striking scenery.

Iconic Hollywood films from the last 50 years selected for the registry this year include “The Karate Kid,” “Glory,” “Philadelphia,” “Inception,” and the teen comedy “Clueless.” Classic Hollywood selections include the 1954 musical “White Christmas” that enshrined the chart-topping song of the same name in American popular culture, and perhaps the last great musical of the Golden Age of Hollywood, “High Society” from 1956 featuring Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Grace Kelly in her last movie.

Four documentaries were selected for the registry this year, including Ken Burns’ “Brooklyn Bridge,” Nancy Buirski’s “The Loving Story,” George Nierenberg’s “Say AmenSomebody” and Danny Tedesco’s “The Wrecking Crew.”

“When we preserve films, we preserve American culture for generations to come. These selections for the National Film Registry show us that films are instrumental in capturing important parts of our nation’s story,” said Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen. “We are proud to continue this important work, adding a broad range of 25 films to the National Film Registry as a collective effort in the film community to protect our cinematic heritage.”

The selections for 2025 bring the number of titles in the registry to 925. Some of the film titles are among the 2 million moving image collection items held in the Library of Congress. Others are preserved in coordination with copyright holders or other film archives.

Looking back on “The Karate Kid,” actor Ralph Macchio said the characters were key to cementing the film in pop culture history.

“The magic of Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and me as the Daniel LaRusso character, that sort of give and take, that instant soulful magic was happening from our first meeting, Macchio told the Library of Congress. “Those scenes in Miyagi’s yard, the chores, the waxing on of the car, the painting the fences, the sanding the floor, all of that is now a part of cinematic pop culture. For me, the heart and soul of the film is in those two characters.”

Writer and director Amy Heckerling recalled how she made the 1995 teen comedy and satire “Clueless,” which has been called a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel “Emma.”

“I’m often asked, how did I decide to make ‘Emma’ into an updated film, which is kind of backwards because what I wanted was to write the kind of characters that really amused me, people that were very comfortable, ardent and optimistic. I would get up, read the news and then just want to cry and be depressed. So, I thought, what if you really were always positive? How would that be? And what if you were doing things and you just knew that you were right?” Heckerling told the Library of Congress. “I remembered reading ‘Emma’ when I was in college, so I re-read it. It was like Jane Austen was pulling up from the grave and saying I already got it!”

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a television special Thursday, March 19, starting at 8 p.m. ET to screen a selection of films named to the registry this year. TCM host and film historian Jacqueline Stewart, who is chair of the National Film Preservation Board, will introduce the films.

Stewart leads the board in studying and recommending films across a wide variety of genres and eras for the Librarian of Congress to consider for the registry.

“It is very meaningful that the National Film Registry is adding six silent film titles, showing the range of topics and styles in the earliest years of American filmmaking,” Stewart said. “And it is especially exciting to see that the top title nominated by the public for this year, ‘The Thing,’ has been added to the National Film Registry, along with ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘The Incredibles’ which also had very strong public support.”

Films Selected for the 2025 National Film Registry
(chronological order)

  • The Tramp and the Dog (1896)
  • The Oath of the Sword (1914)
  • The Maid of McMillan (1916)
  • The Lady (1925)
  • Sparrows (1926)
  • Ten Nights in a Barroom (1926)
  • White Christmas (1954)
  • High Society (1956)
  • Brooklyn Bridge (1981)
  • Say Amen, Somebody (1982)
  • The Thing (1982)
  • The Big Chill (1983)
  • The Karate Kid (1984)
  • Glory (1989)
  • Philadelphia (1993)
  • Before Sunrise (1995)
  • Clueless (1995)
  • The Truman Show (1998)
  • Frida (2002)
  • The Hours (2002)
  • The Incredibles (2004)
  • The Wrecking Crew (2008)
  • Inception (2010)
  • The Loving Story (2011)
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Public Nominations for the National Film Registry
The public submitted 7,559 titles for consideration this year. The public can submit nominations throughout the year on the Library’s web site. Nominations for next year will be accepted until Aug. 15, 2026. Cast your vote at loc.gov/film.
Ken Burns’ First Major Film Joins National Film Registry

“Brooklyn Bridge” is the first documentary by Ken Burns to join the National Film Registry. Burns recently discussed his inspiration for the film and his process with the Library of Congress.

“My best friend was a book distributor and he gave me a copy of David McCullough’s, ‘The Great Bridge,’ the epic story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. I devoured it in one sitting. And I said, oh, we should make a story about what this book is about, not just about the construction, which that book was, but this century as a symbol of strength, ingenuity, vitality and promise. I had no idea that that it would take so many years of my time to do it,” Burns said. “I was just drawn to the story and the idea that you could wake the past up with old photographs and first-person voices, as well as a traditional third-person narrator.

“The ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ film was my first film that had sort of widespread distribution. And I can’t think of a day where I didn’t learn something new. I felt in some ways like every first film is reinventing the wheel. You can be influenced by other people, but you really, in the end, have to do it. Everything was how you wake the story up, how you take a photograph. And in those days it was all analog. We were hand shooting all of the archives. That was a very long process, traveling to them in person. There was no digitization. There was no getting it over the internet. It was all firsthand. We filmed for the ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ at 163 different sources.”

Coincidentally, the Library of Congress has been an important resource for nearly all of Burns’ films for archival footage and historical accuracy.

“With the exception of ‘The American Revolution,’ which is a subject that predates photography, we’ve used the Library of Congress in every single film we’ve worked on. I spent between eight and nine weeks, Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 in the paper print collection, filming on an easel with gloves and magnets,” Burns said.

“When I think about the National Film Registry and all the films that are contained in it, I think of it as a giant mirror of the United States, reflecting back all of the complexity, all of the intimacy, all of the variety of the people and ideas and forces and movements that have taken place over our history. And you realize what an extraordinary repository it is.”

Wes Anderson Draws on Library for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’

Similarly, Anderson uses significant historical research to create visually striking stories and scenery, as displayed by “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” He too used the Library’s collections to create his film.

“There’s a specific set of postcards in the Library of Congress Photochrome Prints collection. They’re photographs from the turn of the century and hand-tinted. When we were first starting to figure out how to tell this story, the views and images that we were looking for, the architecture and the landscapes that we wanted, they don’t exist anymore,” Anderson said. “We went through the entire Photochrome collection, which is a lot of images. We made our own versions of things, but much of what is in our film comes directly from that collection from the Library of Congress.”

The 2025 National Film Registry
(descriptions in chronological order)

“The Tramp and the Dog” (1896)                                                          
“The Tramp and the Dog,” a silent film from Chicago’s Selig Polyscope Company, is considered director William Selig’s most popular early work. Filmed in Rogers Park, it is recognized as the first commercial film made in Chicago. Previously a lost film, it was rediscovered in 2021 at the National Library of Norway. The film depicts a tramp who attempts to steal a pie from a backyard windowsill, only to be met by a broom-wielding housewife and her dog, who foils the crime. The film is one of the first known as “pants humor,” where a character loses (or almost loses) his pants during an altercation. This scene inspired future comedy gags showing drifters and tramps losing their pants to dogs chasing them.

“The Oath of the Sword” (1914)
A three-reel silent drama, “The Oath of the Sword” depicts the tragic story of two young lovers separated by an ocean. Masao follows his ambitions, studying abroad at the University of California, Berkeley, while Hisa remains in Japan, caring for her ill father. This earliest known Asian American film production featured Japanese actors playing Japanese characters and was produced by the Los Angeles-based Japanese American Film Company. Made at a time when Hollywood studios were not yet the dominant storytellers of the American film industry, “The Oath of the Sword” highlights the significance of early independent film productions created by and for Asian American communities. James Card, the founding curator at the George Eastman Museum, acquired “The Oath of the Sword” in 1963. The museum made a black and white photochemical preservation in 1980. In 2023, a new preservation reproducing the original tinting was done in collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum, and the film has since become widely admired.

“The Maid of McMillan” (1916)
Known to be the first student film on record, this whimsical, silent romance film was shot on campus in 1916 by students in the Thyrsus Dramatic Club at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Club members Donald Stewart (Class of 1917) and George D. Bartlett (Class of 1920) wrote the screenplay. The original nitrate print of “The Maid of McMillan” was rediscovered in 1982, and two 16mm prints were made; the original nitrate was likely destroyed at this time. In 2021, with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation, one of those 16mm prints was scanned at 4k and reprinted onto 35mm helping to secure the film’s survival and legacy.

“The Lady” (1925)
When “The Lady” debuted in theaters in 1925, the silent film era had hit its stride, and this movie represents a powerhouse of artists at their peak. Director Frank Borzage was a well-established expert in drawing out intense expressions of deep emotion and longing in his actors. He did just that with the film’s lead actress, Norma Talmadge, also at the height of her career, both in front of and behind the camera. Talmadge produced “The Lady” through her production company and commissioned one of the most prolific screenwriters, Frances Marion, to deliver a heartfelt story of a woman seeking to find the son she had to give up, to protect him from his evil grandfather. “The Lady” was restored by the Library of Congress in 2022.

“Sparrows” (1926)
As a silent actress, producer and key founder in the creation of the American film industry, Mary Pickford’s performance in “Sparrows” represents her ability to master the genre she helped nourish: sentimental melodramas full of adventure and thrills, with dashes of comedy and heartfelt endings. Pickford plays Molly, the eldest orphan held within the swampy squalor of the Deep South, who moves heaven and earth to save the other orphan children from a Dickensian world of forced labor. The film takes some departures from the visual styles found in Pickford’s other films, invoking an unusual tone of despair while deploying camera angles and lighting akin to German Expressionist cinema. “Sparrows” was preserved by the Library of Congress in collaboration with the Mary Pickford Company in 2020.

Ten Nights in a Barroom” (1926)                                                                     
Featuring an all-Black cast, “Ten Nights in a Barroom” was produced in 1926 by the Colored Players Film Corporation of Philadelphia and is the earliest of only two surviving films made by the company. This silent film is based on the stage melodrama adapted from the 1854 novel “Ten Nights in a Bar-Room and What I Saw There” by Timothy Shay Arthur. Released in 2015 by Kino Lorber as part of the five-disc set “Pioneers of African-American Cinema,” the compilation was produced by the Library of Congress, in association with the British Film Institute, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National Archives, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Southern Methodist University and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Preserved by George Eastman Museum.

White Christmas” (1954)                                                           
While the chart-topping song “White Christmas” was first performed by Bing Crosby for the 1942 film “Holiday Inn,” its composer, Irving Berlin, was later inspired to center the song in the 1954 musical “White Christmas.” Crosby, along with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen Rohe and director Michael Curtiz, embedded “White Christmas” in American popular culture as a best-selling single and the top-grossing film of 1954, as well as regular holiday viewing throughout the decades. The story of two World War II veterans-turned-entertainers and a singing sister act preparing a show for a retired general, the film and its grand musical numbers were captured in VistaVision, a widescreen process developed by Paramount Pictures and first used for “White Christmas.”

“High Society” (1956)                                                                  
Often referred to as the last great musical of the Golden Age of Hollywood, “High Society” features an all-star cast including Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong (and his band), along with a memorable score of Cole Porter classics. Set in Newport, Rhode Island, the film showcases the Newport Jazz Festival (established in 1954) and features a remarkable version of Cole Porter’s “Now You Has Jazz.” It includes the first big-screen duet by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, singing “Well, Did You Evah?” This was Grace Kelly’s last movie before she retired from acting and married the Prince of Monaco; she wore her Cartier engagement ring while filming.

“Brooklyn Bridge” (1981)
With “Brooklyn Bridge,” Ken Burns introduced himself to the American public, telling the story of the New York landmark’s construction. As with later subjects like the Civil War, jazz and baseball, Burns connects the building of the Brooklyn Bridge to American identity, values and aspirations. Released theatrically and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, “Brooklyn Bridge” marked the beginning of Burns’ influential career in public mediaMore than just a filmmaker, Burns has become a trusted public historian. His storytelling presents facts, but maybe more importantly, invites reflection on what America is, where it’s been, and where it’s going. His influence is felt not only in classrooms and through public broadcasting, but across generations who see history as something alive and relevant.

“Say Amen, Somebody” (1982)
George Nierenberg’s documentary is a celebration of the historical significance and spiritual power of gospel music. With inspirational music, joyful songs and brilliant singers, the movie focuses on the men and women who pioneered gospel music and strengthened its connections to African American community and religious life. Prior to production, Nierenberg, who is white, spent over a year in African American churches and communities, gaining the trust of the performers. Restored by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2020, the film features archival footage, photographs, stirring performances and reflections from the father of gospel Thomas A. Dorsey and its matron Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith. Nierenberg shows the struggles and sacrifices it takes to make a living in gospel, including criticism endured by women who sought to pursue careers as professional gospel singers while raising their families.

“The Thing” (1982)
Moody, stark, often funny and always chilling, this science fiction horror classic follows Antarctic scientists who uncover a long-dormant, malevolent extraterrestrial presence. “The Thing” revolutionized horror special effects and offers a brutally honest portrait of the results of paranoia and exhaustion when the unknown becomes inescapable. “The Thing” deftly adapts John W. Campbell’s 1938 novella “Who Goes There?” and influenced “Stranger Things” and “Reservoir Dogs.” It remains a tense, thrilling and profoundly unsettling work of cinema.

“The Big Chill” (1983)
Lawrence Kasdan’s best picture-nominated “The Big Chill” offers an intimate portrait of friends reunited after the suicide of one of their own and features actors who defined cinema in the 1980s – Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jo Beth Williams, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum and Meg Tilly. This powerful ensemble portrays American stereotypes of the time – the yuppie, the drug dealer, the TV star – and deftly humanizes them. Through humor, tenderness, honesty and an amazing soundtrack, it shows formerly idealistic Americans making and dealing with the constant compromises of adulthood, while buoying one another with uncompromising love and friendship.

“The Karate Kid” (1984)
An intimate story about family and friendship, “The Karate Kid” also succeeds as a hero’s journey, a sports movie and a teen movie – a feel-good movie, but not without grit. The film offers clearly defined villains, romance and seemingly unachievable goals, but also an elegant character-driven drama that is relatable and touching. A father who has lost his son meets the displaced son of a single mother and teaches him about finding balance and avoiding the pitfalls of violence and revenge. Race and class issues are presented honestly and are dealt with reasonably. Our hero practices a lot, gets frustrated, gets hurt, but still succeeds. It’s as American as they come, and it’s a classic.

“Glory” (1989)
“Glory,” described by Leonard Maltin as “one of the finest historical dramas ever made,” portrays a historical account of the 54th Regiment, a unit of African American soldiers who fought for the North in the Civil War. Authorized by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, the regiment consisted of an all-Black troop commanded by white officers. Matthew Broderick plays the young colonel who trains the troop, and Denzel Washington (in an Academy Award-winning performance) is among an impressive cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes and Andre Braugher. American Civil War historian James M. McPherson said the film “accomplishes a remarkable feat in sensitizing a lot of today’s Black students to the role that their ancestors played in the Civil War in winning their own freedom.”

“Philadelphia” (1993)                                                                  
“Philadelphia” stars Tom Hanks in one of the first mainstream studio movies to confront the HIV/AIDS crisis. In the film, law partner Andrew Beckett (Hanks) is fired from his firm when they discover that he is gay and has AIDS. He hires personal attorney Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to help him with litigation against his former employer. Director Jonathan Demme is quoted as saying, “The film is not necessarily just about AIDS, but rather everyone in this country is entitled to justice.” The film won two Oscars: one for Hanks and the other for Bruce Springsteen’s original song, “The Streets of Philadelphia.” Through the song’s mainstream radio and MTV airplay, it brought the film and its conversation around the HIV/AIDS pandemic to a wider audience.

“Before Sunrise” (1995)
Richard Linklater has explored a wide range of narrative storytelling styles while consistently capturing ordinary, everyday American life. However, his innovative use of time as a defining and recurring cinematic tool has become one of his most significant accomplishments. As the first film in his “Before” trilogy – three films, each shot nine years apart – “Before Sunrise” unfolds as one of cinema’s most sustained explorations of love and the passage of time, highlighting the human experience through chance encounters and conversation. With his critically acclaimed 12-year production of the film “Boyhood” (2014) and a new 20-year planned production underway, his unique use of the medium of film to demonstrate time passing demonstrates an unprecedented investment in actors and narrative storytelling.

Clueless” (1995)                                                             
A satire, comedy and loose Jane Austen literary adaptation dressed in teen movie designer clothing, “Clueless,” directed by Amy Heckerling, rewards both the casual and hyper-analytical viewer. It’s impossible to miss its peak-1990s colorful, high-energy, soundtrack-focused on-screen dynamism, and repeated viewings reveal its unpretentiously presented and extraordinarily layered and biting social commentary about class, privilege and power structures. Heckerling and the incredible cast never talk down to the audience, creating main characters that viewers root for, despite the obvious digs at the ultrarich. The film centers on Cher (Alicia Silverstone) as a well-intentioned, fashion-obsessed high school student who is convinced she has life figured out. In the age of MTV, the film’s popularity launched Paul Rudd’s career and Silverstone’s iconic-1990s status. The soundtrack, curated by Karyn Rachtman, helped solidify the film as a time capsule of clothing, music, dialogue and teenage life.

“The Truman Show” (1998)
Before social media and reality television, there was “The Truman Show.” Jim Carrey breaks from his usual comedic roles to star in this dramatic film about a man who, unbeknownst to him, is living his life on a soundstage filmed for a popular reality show. Adopted at birth by the television studio, Truman Burbank (Carrey) grew up in the (fictitious) town of Seahaven Island with his family and friends playing roles (paid actors). Cameras are all over the soundstage and follow his activities 24/7. Almost 30 years since its release, the film continues to be a study in sociology, philosophy and psychology, and has inspired university classes on media influence, the human condition and reality television.

“Frida” (2002)
Salma Hayek produced and starred in this biopic of Frida Kahlo, adapted from the book “Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo” by Hayden Herrera. The film explores Kahlo’s rise as an artist in Mexico City and the impact disability and chronic pain from an accident as a young adult had on her life and work. The film centers around her tumultuous and passionate relationships, most significantly with her husband, painter Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Directed by Julie Taymor, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actress. It won awards for Best Makeup and Best Original Score for Elliot Goldenthal, who also won a Golden Globe in the same category.

“The Hours” (2002)
Director Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours” weaves the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” into three women’s stories of loneliness, depression and suicide. Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman (who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her performance), is working on the novel while struggling with what is now known as bipolar disorder. Laura, played by Julianne Moore (nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), is unfulfilled in her life as a 1950s housewife and mother. Clarissa (played by Meryl Streep) is – like Mrs. Dalloway – planning a party, but for her close friend who is dying of AIDS. The film is based on Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It earned nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won a Golden Globe for Best Picture.

“The Incredibles” (2004)
With an all-star cast and memorable soundtrack, this Academy Award-winning Pixar hit uses thrilling action sequences to tell the story of a family trying to live normal lives while hiding their superpowers. For the first time, Pixar hired an outside director, Brad Bird, who drew inspiration from spy films and comic books from the 1960s. The animation team developed a new design element to capture realistic human anatomy, hair, skin and clothing, which Pixar struggled with in early films like “Toy Story.” The film spawned merchandise, video games, Lego sets and more. The sequel, “Incredibles 2,” was also a huge hit, and together, both films generated almost $2 billion at the box office.

“The Wrecking Crew” (2008)
“The Wrecking Crew” is a documentary that showcases a group of Los Angeles studio musicians who played on many hit songs and albums of the 1960s and early 1970s, including “California Dreamin’,” “The Beat Goes On,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” and “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” Through interviews, music, footage and his own narration, director Denny Tedesco reveals how the Wrecking Crew members – including his father, guitarist Tommy Tedesco – were the unsung heroes of some of America’s most famous songs. Production for the film began in 1996, and the film was completed in 2008. Due to the high cost of song licenses, the official release was delayed until 2015, when a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $300,000 to pay for the music rights.

“Inception” (2010)
Writer and director Christopher Nolan once again challenges audiences with multiple interconnected narrative layers while delivering thrilling action sequences and stunning visual effects. “Inception” asks the question, “Can you alter a person’s thoughts by manipulating their dreams?” Taking almost 10 years to write, the film was praised for its aesthetic significance and Nolan’s ability to create scenes using cameras rather than computer-generated imagery. A metaphysical heist film with an emotional core driven by grief and guilt, “Inception” offers a meditation on how dreams influence identity, and it resonates deeply in an age of digital simulation, blurred realities and uncertainty. The film earned $830 million at the box office and won four Academy Awards.

“The Loving Story” (2011)
Nancy Buirski’s acclaimed documentary gives an in-depth and deeply personal look at the true story of Richard Loving (a white man) and Mildred Loving (a Black and Native American woman), who were forbidden by law to marry in the state of Virginia in the 1960s. Their Supreme Court case, Loving vs. Virginia, was one of the most significant in history, and paved the way for future multiracial couples to marry. The movie captures the immense challenges the Lovings faced to keep their family and marriage together, through a combination of 16mm footage, personal photographs, accounts from their lawyers and family members, and audio from the Supreme Court oral arguments.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014)
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” stands as one of Wes Anderson’s most successful films and demonstrates his own brand of unique craftsmanship, resulting in a visually striking and emotionally resonant story. As one of the most stylistically distinctive American filmmakers of the last half-century, Anderson uses historically accurate color and architecture to paint scenes to elicit nostalgia and longing from audiences, while at the same time weaving in political and social upheaval into the film. The film is an example of Anderson as a unique artist who uses whimsy, melancholy, innovative storytelling and a great deal of historical research, which is on display in this visually rich gem of a movie.

About the National Film Registry

Congress established the National Film Preservation Board in 1988 to advise the Librarian of Congress on national preservation policies and annual selections for the National Film Registry, and the Library was given a mandate to preserve the mint record of America’s cinematic heritage.

Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 motion pictures to the National Film Registry that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. The films must be at least 10 years old. More information about the National Film Registry can be found at loc.gov/film.

The Librarian makes the annual registry selections after conferring with the distinguished members of the National Film Preservation Board and a cadre of Library specialists. Also considered were 7,559 titles nominated by the public. Nominations for next year will be accepted through Aug. 15, 2026, at loc.gov/film.

Many titles named to the registry have already been preserved by the copyright holders, filmmakers or other archives. In cases where a selected title has not already been preserved, the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center works to ensure the film will be preserved by some entity and available for future generations, either through the Library’s motion picture preservation program or through collaborative ventures with other archives, motion picture studios and independent filmmakers.

The National Audio-Visual Conservation Center is located at the Library’s Packard Campus in Culpeper, Virginia, a state-of-the-art facility where the nation’s library acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of films, television programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings (loc.gov/avconservation). It is home to more than 10.8 million collection items.

SOLO MIO – A Review by John Strange

I have seen a lot of films in my forty-plus years as a film critic.  I have seen a lot of man or woman left at the altar films, too.  Solo Mio takes a different approach to the pain felt by the groom, Matt Taylor (Kevin James), when his fiancée Heather (Julie Ann Emery) disappears right before her time to walk down the aisle in the couple’s very romantic Roman church wedding.

In a film from the card company, this might have led to a sugary tale of love that would endanger my diabetic condition.  Kevin James, John Kinnane, and Patrick Kinnane have given us a story of a man fighting to live through the heartache of the day.  Finding friendship with two honeymooning couples (Kim Coates with Alyson Hannigan and Jonathan Roumie with Julee Cerda), these oddly endearing couples convince Matt to use his prepaid honeymoon rather than let it go to waste.  The five do the whole tourist bit. 

The film is packed with wonderfully complex characters.  As the story unfolds, we keep finding more to like about these characters.  And the views of Rome and the Italian countryside are gorgeous.  Solo Mio’s charming surprises made me fall in love with its story.  I plan to watch this film again when it opens.

Angel Studios is doing something different for this release.  They are running a promotion called “Dudes Go Free” to encourage couples to see this excellent date night film.  This is a great idea!

 

Directors: Charles Kinnane, Daniel Kinnane

Cast: Kevin James, Jonathan Roumie, Kim Coates, Alyson Hannigan, Julie Ann Emery, Nicole Grimaudo, Julee Cerda, Daniela Glasgow, Salomé Chandler, Julia Messina, Alessandro Cucca, Caterina Silva, Allina Cerni, Alessandro Carbonara, Evelina Meghnagi, Cristina Alby

MPA Rating: PG (for some suggestive material, brief language, violence, and smoking)

Selig Rating: 5 Stars

Runtime: 100 Min.

Release Date: 02/06/2026

Language: English, Italian

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

Movie Site: SOLO MIO Official Website

Trailer: SOLO MIO 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.

MERCY – A Review by John Strange

Everyone is hot about AI these days.  Companies around the world are developing AI engines to, some say, make life easier.

In Mercy, the near-future city of Los Angeles has decided that crime needs to speed up the process of dealing with major criminals.  Their desire was to see fewer criminals beat the system and get back on the street.

To make this program work, the city set up an AI judge who gives the defendant 90 minutes to defend himself.  Failure to do so automatically results in the defendant’s death.

Eighteen times this new system has worked as designed.  Then Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt) is arrested and accused of the murder of his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis).  Detective Raven was one of the people who spearheaded the Mercy Project and was part of the team that arrested the first fugitive.

The action in Mercy is fast and filled with CGI/AI special effects.  I walked in skeptical about how much I would enjoy this film.  I am happy to say that this film’s cinematography is hot!  Timur Bekmambetov’s direction is spot on.

I did not see the film in IMAX, but it was still a good watch!  If you like action films, this is a great one for you!

 

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Cast: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, Kylie Rogers

MPA Rating: PG-13 (for violence, bloody images, some strong language, drug content and teen smoking)

Selig Rating: 4.5 Stars

Runtime: 116 Min.

Release Date: 01/23/2026

Language: English

Genre(s): Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Trailer: MERCY 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.

Dances With Films NY Announces 2026 Filmmaker Awards

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Dances With Films – the Indie Film Festival that eschews ‘Marquee Names’ for Indie Talent announced its Audience and Industry Choice Award winners during yesterday’s breakfast awards event at The Stand (116 E 16th Street) following a weekend of sold-out screenings and events during its 4th New York edition of the indie-focused film festival.

Films and pilot projects that had the plight of the country’s immigrants on their mind, and documentaries featuring heartfelt New York stories led both the Industry Choice Awards and the Audience Choice Award winners with Nadir Saribacak’s Gazelle, about a Turkish music teacher struggling to get a foothold in the U.S. for his family, winning the Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes, Brandon Widener’s Immigreat wining the Audience Choice Award for Best Television and Web Series Pilot, with his series telling the stories of inspirational immigrants. Sabbuur Ikhlas’ Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary with a film about a legendary New York-based fencing coach who led diverse teams described by producer Matthew Brewster during their acceptances speeches, as the “Bad News Bears” of fencing. The Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short went to Brad Bailey’s Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner. Carr’s appearance at the film festival was one of several emotional highlights this past week. The Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Peter Odiorne’s The Cereal Aisle Effect.

In the pre-awards presentations remarks during the ceremony, Dances With Films’ Co-Founder Leslee Scallon spoke of the significance of the awards presentations taking place during Martin Luther King, Jr., with DWF’s penchant putting filmmakers on a pedestal who give voice to the underserved. Co-Founder Michael Trent added that DWF’s philosophy of fostering the support between the festival’s ever-growing family of filmmakers has continued for close to 30 years now.

The Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes went to Vasilisa Kuzmina’s Song of Silence, and she along with co-writer Daisy Anderson inspired appreciative applause from their fellow filmmakers when they said the film was made with an all-female crew. Additional emotional highs during the awards occurred Jesse Cowell delivered an impassioned speech about the struggle he and other indie filmmakers endure to build a career and gain their own personal level of success after he won he repeated his win from last year, gaining the  Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Short with Where’s My Package?.

Dances With Film’s Midnight category, which has gained critical praise from Dread Central for its programming delivered Audience Choice Awards to Cameron A Tubb’s Acolyte (Best Midnight Feature), and Jamie Manelis’ My Dead Dad’s Funeral (Best Midnight Short).

The awards ceremony also included a presentation of Dances With Films LA’s Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Short to Hans Augustave for his film NWA (Black). Augustave had been filming and was unable to attend the film festival in June, so the impressive “man reaching for his dreams” statue, designed/created by John Barry was brought to New York so it could be presented in person. In addition, Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent received an award in recognition of the film festival’s support of Adam Zaslow’s documentary Zzaslow K-427, about an amazing mine detection dog who had a profound effect through his deployments and then later on the director himself. The film, which also screened at DWF LA, had its first screening in New York courtesy of the festival filled with first responders.

Recently selected by MovieMaker Magazine as one of its “25 Coolest Film Festivals”, DWF NY packed a lot of crowds into the theaters at Regal Union Square during the film festival’s four days of screenings. The film festival featured 30 feature-length and pilot world premieres among its lineup of 157 films. Dominik Sedlar’s Vindicta is the Opening Night feature selection, and Salvatore Sciortino’s Roof will make its world premiere as the Closing Night selection. The film festival also featured six Orange Carpets over the four days with filmmakers from 150 films enjoying their “rock star” moment in front of the cameras, and joined by celebrities and noted stars like Paul Shaffer, Shane West, Wendell Pierce, and Bradley Whitford.

Dances With Films will next return for its 29th outing in Los Angeles and the Historic Chinese Theatre in June. For more information about Dances With Films, please go to: https://danceswithfilms.com/.

The 2026 Dances With Films NY Filmmaker Award Winners:

 

INDUSTRY AND PROGRAMMERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

 

Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes

Gazelle

Director: Nadir Saribacak

 

Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes

Song of Silence

Director: Vasilisa Kuzmina

 

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

 

Best Narrative Feature

The Cereal Aisle Effect

Director: Peter Odiorne

 

Best Documentary Feature

Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing

Director: Sabbuur Ikhlas

 

Best Midnight Feature

Acolyte

Director: Cameron A. Tubbs

 

Best Television and Web Series Pilot

Immigreat

Director: Brandon Widener

 

Best Narrative Short Film – TIE

Where’s My Package

Director: Jesse Cowell

 

Best Documentary Short Film

Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner

Director: Brad Bailey

 

Best Midnight Short Film

My Dead Dad’s Funeral

Director: Jamie Manelis

 

ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM – A Review by John Strange

The early science fiction films of the 50s and early 60s had a distinct look.  The stories were often bad aliens vs humans on Earth or, occasionally, humans out in space.  The special effects used were adequate for their time but are not up to today’s standards.  The special effects used in Star Trek (the original series) and Battlestar Galactica were done on a shoestring.  They were leaps and bounds above the quality of these early films.

Alan Ray, the writer/director of Adventures in Zeroworld: Shadow of Doom, has made a film that harkens back to the early days with cheap special effects and costuming that worked for films like the early Buck Rogers serials.  But his script is intentionally campy, and his characters, while reminiscent of Star Trek, would have been rejected by Gene Roddenberry.  And yet, his script works!

This film is campy and full of tropes borrowed from early space creature serials—characters, like Capt. J. Evermore Cake (played hilariously over the top by Matthew Tompkins, who is finally getting to display his comedic chops on the big screen) and my other favorite trope, the “damsel-in-distress” Dr. Varna (Gwendolynn Murphy), find themselves in more than one type of hot water.

The characters in the film range from lifelike mannequins to a wide assortment of odd creatures including a giant.

Adventures in Zeroworld: Shadow of Doom is a film that keeps you giggling at the story.  It could easily be made into an entire series of films starring the intrepid crew of the Space Command ship Alpha Dog.

This film is coming to a film festival near you this year.  Keep an eye out for it in your city!

 

Director: Alan Ray

Cast: Heath Allyn, Rick Appleton, Al Bianchi, Brant Bumpers, James Cable, Tom Chamberlain, Kerry Coward, Tom Davidson, Mary Farrar, Samuel French, Bobbie Grace, Matthew Hurley, Skeeta Jenkins, David Kroll, Kevin Kurz, Valerie Layne, Kelsey Mazak, Stewart McGregor, Valerie Michelson, Chad Mundo, Gwendolynn Murphy, Ray L. Perez, Angela Powers, Alan Ray, Brianna Ray, Emmy Robbin, Eric Robbins, Kaden Robbins, Eduardo Rodriguez Terry, Gene Ryan, Kacey Samiee, Kerry Tartack, Matthew Tompkins, Brian Villalobos, Katrina Waters, Christopher Winbush

MPA Rating: NR

Selig Rating: 4.5 Stars

Runtime: 73 Min.

Release Information:  ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM will play U.S. film festivals in the Spring and Summer of 2026. For announcements and information, follow @studiofifteam and @adventures_in_zeroworld on Instagram. The film will hit streaming platforms later this year.

Language: English

Genre(s): Adventure, Sci-Fi

Movie Site: ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD Official Site

Trailer: ADVENTURES IN ZEROWORLD: SHADOW OF DOOM 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.

Freestyle Acquires LGBTQ+ Doc “The Big Johnson”

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Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, proudly announces the acquisition of VOD rights to THE BIG JOHNSON, a documentary detailing the amazing life and tragic death of LGBTQ+ pioneer Dean Johnson. THE BIG JOHNSON played in over 20 festivals and won “Special Jury Prize” at Doc’n Roll Film Festival in London, “Best Feature” at LES Film Festival, “Best first time doc director” at Berlin Indie Film Festival, “Best doc” at LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival and “Best LGBTQ filmmaker” at IndieFEST Film Awards. THE BIG JOHNSON will be available to rent/own on North American digital HD internet, cable, DVD and satellite platforms on February 27, 2026.

An advance limited New York City theatrical release of THE BIG JOHNSON launches at Greenwich Village’s Quad Cinema on Friday January 23, 2026.  There will be a special Q&A session with filmmaker Lola Rocknrolla moderated by Murray Hill (HBO’s SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE) on opening night (Friday January 23, 2026).

Featuring interviews with LGBTQ+ community celebrities Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine and Taylor Mac, THE BIG JOHNSON tells the story of Dean Johnson — drag queen, rock star, sex-positive LGBTQ+ activist, junkie, escort, and eventually John Doe. How does someone so famous in New York end up unidentified for a week in a D.C. morgue? Dean Johnson was a force of nature, standing seven-feet-tall in high heels. Bald, with hoop earrings, alien sunglasses, and a tiny black dress, he screamed for equality with his groundbreaking bands, Dean and the Weenies and The Velvet Mafia, refusing to be in the closet in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis. Dean and the Weenies’ hit song “F-ck You” became an anthem for queer liberation. Dean’s Rock ’n’ Roll Fag Bar parties and Homocorps, the only queer party ever held at the legendary rock club CBGB, mixed punk rock, sex, and activism. Through drugs, HIV, massive personal loss, and poverty, Dean always lifted up the community around him. We may never solve the mystery of his untimely death, but what we do know is that Dean and “the Big Johnson” changed New York City and everyone who knew him forever.

Written and directed by Lola Rocknrolla, THE BIG JOHNSON was produced by Rocknrolla, Patty Lovemore, Beth Johnson and Mitch del Monico. Featured interview subjects include: Alice O’Malley, Basil Rodericks, Beth Johnson, Cara Buckley, Ceyenne Doroshow, Chi Chi Valenti, Chris Hook, Dale Corvino, Daniel Nardicio, David Ilku, Dee Finley, Dirty Martini, Dixie the Orlando Crack Whore, DJ Tennessee, Eunice Holland, Greg “G-Spot” Siebel, Heather Litteer, Jack Curious, Jackie Beat, Joan Jett Blakk, Jim Hubbard, Josh Atkins, Kathena Bryant, Kevin Aviance, Lady Bunny, Lloyd Goldberg, Mario Diaz, Mary Feaster, Melissa Tiers, Michael Musto, Mike Albo, Miss Guy, Nora Burns, Pamela Page, Penny Arcade, Perry Masco, Scott Ewalt, Sherry Vine, Stephanie Madden, Stuart Klinger, Stuart Shapiro, Susanne Hassenstein, Taylor Mac, Thomas Celan, Viva Ruiz, World Famous Bob, and Legs Malone (‘Narrator’).

“THE BIG JOHNSON explores what it was like to be unabashedly gay in New York City’s East Village during the late 1980s in the middle of the AIDS crisis,” said filmmaker Lola Rocknrolla. “Dean Johnson flew naked–literally, into the face of homophobia, drug addiction and that fickle mistress fame–throwing parties that celebrated queerness, community, and gay sexuality. This is a very personal story from someone who knew and loved him.”

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated a deal to acquire THE BIG JOHNSON directly with the filmmakers and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films.

L.A. TIMES SHORT DOCS ACQUIRES STREAMING RIGHTS TO OSCAR® SHORTLISTED SHORT DOCUMENTARY ”ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH” 

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L.A. Times Short Docs has acquired distribution rights to the OSCAR® Shortlisted award-winning documentary short film ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH by first-time director Naja Phạm Lockwood and produced by Julian Cautherley . In July 2025, the film had its international premiere at the Doc Edge New Zealand Film Festival where it won the Best International Documentary Award and  played at more than 20 plus festivals and special screenings, garnering numerous jury prizes, audience awards and critical acclaim.

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is a powerful testament to how the scars of war impact lives even decades after the war ends. Now fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, one image still symbolizes how this war is remembered: the Associated Press Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Reproduced and debated for decades, this photo has become an icon of America’s most divisive war. But that single, frozen frame cannot hold the full story.
While the film centers on the Vietnam War, it serves as a poignant reminder that while conflicts change, the human experience of war and the difficult path to healing remain tragically similar, making its themes incredibly pertinent today with the ongoing struggles and humanitarian crises in places such as Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, and Venezuela. This documentary provides an important and vital perspective on war’s lasting impact and the universal quest for peace and understanding.

“I am proud that our film has been selected to be part of L.A. Times Short Docs” states director Phạm Lockwood. “This is the obvious platform and a great partner to provide public access and debut the film. Southern California, especially Orange County, has the largest Vietnamese American community outside of Vietnam. It is a key location for understanding the war’s aftermath and rebuilding lives, which resonates with the film’s themes of intergenerational trauma, memory, healing and reconciliation after fifty years. The film continues to act as a catalyst for difficult conversations between different generations about inherited trauma that was previously left unspoken on all sides of the Vietnam War. The documentary tells the remarkable stories behind that infamous photo, while acting as a portal into the ‘varied carols’ (to borrow from Walt Whitman) of trauma and the American journey.”

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is the first documentary from a Vietnamese/born director that explores the continuing aftershocks of the Vietnam War from the perspectives of both sides of the war: North Vietnamese who live in Vietnam today and South Vietnamese who are the Vietnamese diaspora including Vietnamese Americans alive today. By presenting voices from all sides of the conflict, it illustrates that “no one wins in war” and highlights the common human experience of loss and the capacity for renewal. The film confronts the enduring scars of war, the resilience of refugees rebuilding their lives in America, and the urgent parallels with today’s global refugee crises—at a time when the politics of immigration are more fraught than ever.

“ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH offers a rare and deeply human reexamination of a photograph that has long shaped how the world remembers the Vietnam War,” said L.A. Times Executive Editor Terry Tang. “This film carries particular resonance here in Southern California, home to the largest Vietnamese community outside Vietnam. It’s a privilege to showcase this powerful story of war, trauma and survival in the 4th season of L.A. Times Short Docs.”

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH will debut on February 2 for free on  Los Angeles Times ’ YouTube channel and latimes.com/shortdocs , as part of the L.A. Times Short Docs series.

ON HEALING LAND, BIRDS PERCH is presented by LA Times Studios; directed by Naja Phạm Lockwood, produced by Julian Cautherley, shot by Carmen Delaney, edited by Wesley Lipman with music by Dylan Trần and executive produced by Geralyn Dreyfous, Don Young, Judy Korin, Lan Cao, Scott Anderson, Jim and Susan Swartz, and Larry H Miller and Gail Miller Family Foundation . Executive producers for LA Times Studios include Terry Tang, Anna Magzanyan and Jason Spingarn-Koff.

All the President’s Men reading: Ruffalo, Hawke, Cheadle, Morrow, Fishburne, Brenneman, Cuoco and more

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The Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre presented a sold-out, one-night staged benefit reading of All the President’s Men last night, benefiting the Academy’s foundation.
Held at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles, the iconic screenplay by William Goldman, based on the book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, was directed by Ethan Silverman, and produced by Julianne Hoffenberg. Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke led the extraordinary cast in the roles of Woodward and Bernstein, Amy Brenneman (The Bookkeeper), Don Cheadle (Ben Bradlee), Kaley Cuoco (Debbie Sloan, Kay Eddy), Laurence Fishburne (Deep Throat), Spencer Garrett (Harvey Rosenfeld), Rob Morrow (Howard Simons), Tom Pelphrey (Hugh Sloan, Barker, National Editor), Missy Yager (Martha Mitchell), Susan Traylor (Katharine Graham), and more (full cast list is here).

The post-performance talk back was moderated by Elsa Walsh, Moderator, Pulitzer Prize nominee, wife of Bob Woodward, Kevin Merida, panelist, former Executive Editor of the LA Times (four Pulitzer Prizes for the media organization during his tenure) Christian Williams, former Washington Post editor during Watergate, Tessa B Wick, Committee for the First Amendment, the Cast, and Director Ethan Silverman.

Speaking to how the film inspired a new generation of journalists and people who wanted to do investigative reporting and hold power accountable, Ruffalo said, “This script and film are about the hunt for the truth and the importance of journalism. In this script, we tell the story of journalism: how journalists find the story and the story finds them. It’s not lost on us how journalism is under attack, and tonight was a night to celebrate where journalism and our business meet.”

“Tonight, we honored journalists and the iconic Stella Adler by bringing an important script to life, bringing curiosity and importance to the story,” said director Silverman. “We wanted to present this script with the scenes that had been cut from the film and share the message of the tenacity of journalism and uncovering the truth.”

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of All the President’s Men. Mark Ruffalo brought this cast together after hosting a reading last summer in East Hampton, with Bob

Woodward and Carl Bernstein in attendance, and realizing how powerfully the story still resonates. While planning a benefit for the Stella Adler Academy, Mark proposed this special reading — assembling this extraordinary cast in just three weeks. The script combined Goldman’s original screenplay, the final shooting script, and the released film version.  The performance included scenes that had been cut from the film, including original material with Katharine Graham and Martha Mitchell that was never filmed. The first time this screenplay was staged this way was in 2006, produced by Julianne Hoffenberg, with Carl Bernstein performing as his own editor, Howard Simons.

Founded in 1985 by Stella Adler, Joanne Linville, and Irene Gilbert, the Stella Adler Academy is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to developing artists as both performers and engaged citizens. Nearly half of all students attending receive scholarships, with proceeds from this event directly funding the Academy’s scholarship program, ensuring world-class training remains accessible to artists from all backgrounds.

Ruffalo, a longtime supporter and Board Member of the Academy, personally assembled the cast in support of the Stella Adler Academy Foundation, which raises vital funds for student scholarships, professional training, community workshops, and arts education initiatives.