July News
Thank You to Everyone Who Participated in This Year's Virtual AFI DOCS Festival
AFI is committed to the documentary art form in the best of times and in the most challenging of times – and it is more important than ever to support extraordinary films like the ones screened at AFI DOCS. The AFI DOCS 2020 program included 59 total films – 30 features, three episodic and 26 shorts – and 48 conversations. We’d like to thank AT&T for their generous support as Presenting Sponsor of this year’s festival. We hope you were inspired as much as we were – and we can’t wait to see you next year at AFI DOCS 2021! Here’s a look back at some of this year’s highlights.
DOCS Audience and Shorts Grand Jury Winners Announced
Congratulations to all of the groundbreaking artists who contributed to making this year’s Docs Festival truly extraordinary. The Audience Award for Best Feature went to TRANSHOOD, directed by Sharon Liese, while the Audience Award for Best Short went to BLACKFEET BOXING: NOT INVISIBLE, directed by Kristen Lappas and Tom Rinaldi. The Grand Jury Prize for Short Film went to ABORTION HELPLINE, THIS IS LISA, directed by Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater and Mike Attie. The AFI DOCS jury also awarded an honorable mention to DO NOT SPLIT, directed by Anders Hammer. AFI DOCS is proud to announce the Shorts Grand Jury Prize is a qualifying award for Academy Award® eligibility this year.
AFI Movie Club Conversation with Spike Lee about DO THE RIGHT THING
AFI Movie Club hosted a live online conversation with Spike Lee about his iconic film DO THE RIGHT THING. Moderated by W. Kamau Bell with questions from Fellows and AFI members, the conversation included insight about Lee’s writing process, how Universal stepped up to fund the film and the filmmakers that influenced Lee.
Remembering Producer Stuart Cornfeld (AFI Class of 1975)
The entire AFI community was saddened to learn of the recent passing of beloved movie producer and AFI alum Stuart Cornfeld. He earned his first producing credit on FATSO, directed by Anne Bancroft, and later worked as an assistant for her husband Mel Brooks on HIGH ANXIETY. Cornfeld would collaborate with Brooks again on AFI alum David Lynch’s classic THE ELEPHANT MAN. Learning of Cornfeld’s passing, Lynch told Indiewire, “I love Stuart Cornfeld. Stuart was the one who introduced me to THE ELEPHANT MAN, which led to Mel Brooks giving me the chance to direct this film. Stuart, bless his heart, always believed in me and supported me. He was a true friend.”
Cornfeld’s producing credits also include David Cronenberg’s THE FLY, Steven Soderbergh’s KAFKA and a number of hit comedies with producing partner Ben Stiller, including ZOOLANDER, DODGEBALL, BLADES OF GLORY and TROPIC THUNDER. He was honored with AFI’s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal in 201 ... SHOW MORE
Imagine Impact Teams with Netflix and is Seeking Submissions!
Calling all writers! Imagine Impact, led by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, is looking for feature submissions as part of a deal with Netflix that will identify and help develop feature film ideas over the next year. Finalists will have the opportunity to take part in an intense, eight-week program that strives to champion unknown or underrepresented writers with unique perspectives. The deadline to apply is July 6.
AFI Conservatory Visual Essays Showcase
Join us in celebrating the work of the 2020 Cinematography graduates! All shot on motion picture film, these three-minute 35mm Visual Essays convey a narrative exclusively through images. After you watch, learn more about each of our cinematographers and view behind the scenes photos!
AFI Conservatory Directing Showcase
Congratulations to our award-winning Directing Fellows! This year’s Directing Showcase features these talented Fellows’ new and original projects – diverse in format, genre and subject matter. Be sure to check out their bios, Thesis film loglines and directing samples on the newly launched site!
Congratulations to Cicely Tyson on her Peabody Awards’ Career Achievement Award!
We are proud to announce that DWW alumna Cicely Tyson (DWW Class of 1977) was named as this year’s recipient of the Peabody Awards’ Career Achievement Award. Tyson is an Emmy®-award winning actress and was recently inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Academy Award®, making her the first African American woman to receive that award. Congratulations to a true trailblazer on her Peabody Awards’ Career Achievement Award!
AFI Alumni Projects Win Big at the Peabody Awards
Congratulations to the AFI alumni whose compelling films and series won 2020 Peabody Awards! recognized among the 30 programs deemed the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019:
INVENTING TOMORROW
Diane Becker (AFI Class of 2006), Producer
SUCCESSION
Miguel Arteta (AFI Class of 1990), Director
UNBELIEVABLE
Michael Dinner (AFI Class of 1979), Director
Susannah Grant (AFI Class of 1991), Co-creator/Director/Writer
WATCHMEN
Anna Hauger (AFI Class of 2009), Editor
Christal Henry (AFI Class of 2005), Screenwriter
Introducing the AFI Conservatory’s New Production Head: Pascal Vaguelsy
AFI is proud to present the newest member of AFI’s staff, Pascal Vaguelsy, who recently joined the AFI Conservatory to oversee all of production, including Cycle and Thesis films, Visual Essays and Directing Workshop for Women films. He produced the Oscar®-winning musical WEST BANK STORY, COLLABORATOR, ARCADIA, STORY OF LUKE and NIGHT TRAIN (written and directed by Chinese filmmaker Diao Yinan) – which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. He also served as the Post Producer at Relativity Media and as an executive in charge of development at Luma Pictures – a VFX powerhouse that worked with Marvel on BLACK PANTHER, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and DOCTOR STRANGE. Vaguelsy recently returned to producing with WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS, starring Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson; and he is executive producer of TREES OF PEACE written by Black List screenwriter and director Alanna Brown. Welcome to AFI, Pascal!
AFI Conservatory Virtual Seminars
Over the past month, a wide range of filmmakers and film executives offered insight and guidance to AFI Fellows in online seminars. CONTAGION screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and CONTAGION science advisor Dr. Ian Lipkin – a renowned epidemiologist who has been called a “master virus hunter” – spoke to Fellows in an AFI Sloan Seminar moderated by AFI Sloan Faculty Dr. Moran Cerf. Auteur Mira Nair spoke about her award-winning film MONSOON WEDDING and her joy in working with both actors and non-actors. Acclaimed filmmaker Sofia Coppola examined how she has used music in her films since THE VIRGIN SUICIDES.
In Other AFI News…
Editor Matt Allen (AFI Class of 2017) is announced as the recipient of the Eric Zumbrunnen Fellowship.
PALM SPRINGS, directed by Max Barbakow, written by Andy Siara (both Class of 2015), cast by Allison Jones (Class of 1981) and edited by AFI Faculty Matthew Friedman, gets its first trailer and will be streaming on Hulu starting July 10.
AFI’s Nancy Malone Director of Inclusion Initiatives, Tessa Blake (DWW Class of 2014), and the Director of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, Rebecca Murga, talk to The Hollywood Reporter about being part of remaking the film industry post-pandemic.
NOVIA, a script written by Giovanni J. Maldonado Chinea and Myles Clifford Hawthorne (both AFI Class of 2017), is selected to the Black List’s Latinx TV list.
Producers Guild of America’s 16th Annual Power of Diversity Master Workshop list includes Gabrielle Cordero, Christina Licud (both AFI Class of 2019) and Duran Jones (AFI Class of 2021).
The Criterion Collection announced they will make several titles available for free that feature African American stories, including DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST, directed by Julie Dash (AFI Class of 1974) and DOWN IN THE DELTA, directed by Maya Angelou (DWW Class of 1974).
Bill Duke (AFI Class of 1978) was recently interviewed about his film THE KILLING FLOOR, which recently played as a 4k restoration at the American Cinematheque’s Virtual Cinema.
Judd Apatow discusses getting to work with Robert Elswit (AFI Class of 1977) – “one of the most respected cinematographers in the industry” – on new film THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND.
Director Jojo Erholtz’s (AFI Class of 2019) AFI thesis film TAPE won a Special Mention award at the Palm Springs International ShortFest.
UNBELIEVABLE co-creator, executive producer, director and writer Susannah Grant (AFI Class of 1991) serves as a panelist for Deadline’s Contenders Television virtual event.
Liz Hannah (AFI Class of 2009) is set to adapt and executive produce a new biopic on Lee Miller, starring Kate Winslet.
ALONE AT NIGHT, a VR film in development by Beata Harju (AFI Class of 2019) and Hanna Västinsalo (AFI Class of 2014), is an Official Selection for the 2020 Gap-Financing Market at the Venice International Film Festival.
Tiffanie Hsu’s (AFI DWW Class of 2013) script “Wonderland” is selected for the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) List – a survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays featuring diverse Asian Pacific characters.
Stars including Olivia Colman and Colin Firth board MOTHERING SUNDAY – one of the most sought after projects at the Cannes Virtual Market directed by Eva Husson (AFI Class of 2003).
Director Maggie Kiley (AFI DWW Class of 2009) is interviewed about her work on the new season of DIRTY JOHN: BETTY BRODERICK.
MAMA BEARS, directed by Daresha Kyi (AFI Class of 1991), is selected as one of the 10 Projects from female and non-binary voices set for Breaking Through the Lens Cannes Showcase.
Black filmmakers and executives, including Melina Matsoukas (AFI Class of 2005), speak with the Los Angeles Times about the challenges they’ve faced in Hollywood.
THE OUTPOST, produced by Paul Merryman (AFI Class of 2010) and Henry Hughes (AFI Class of 2014) is set to open Friday, July 3 in theaters and via video on demand.
LaToya Morgan (AFI Class of 2005) has signed a major exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group under her newly launched TinkerToy Productions to develop, write and produce new television projects.
Elijah Wood signs on to NO MAN OF GOD, a new film by Amber Sealey (AFI DWW Class of 2019).
Deadline features Nick Simon’s (AFI Class of 2008) new horror film, produced by Marina Stabile (AFI Class of 2009) and shot remotely during the lockdown by Kevin Duggin (AFI Class of 2008).
Michelle Steffes’ (AFI DWW Class of 2006) script “Mad” is selected for Women in Film and the Black List’s 2020 Feature Lab and Residency.
Daniel Stamm (AFI Class of 2004) is set to direct THE DEVIL’S LIGHT for Lionsgate.
For Pride Month, director Carly Usdin (AFI DWW Class of 2019) is recruited for an EW virtual photo shoot, honoring the cast of RUPAUL’s DRAG RACE ALL-STARS, Season 5.
Cinematography Discipline Head Stephen Lighthill is named President of the American Society of Cinematographers. Amy Vincent (AFI Class of 1991) is elected Vice President of the ASC.
Indiewire lists Zoé Wittock (AFI Class of 2010) as one of 20 Rising Women Directors You Need to Know in 2020.
Producer Summer Xinlei Yang’s (AFI Class of 2018) CITRUS ACID screened at the Palm Springs International ShortFest in June.