All the Acquisitions (Ahead of Oscars + SXSW)
Plus a jam-packed week of industry launches; March funding deadlines; Independent Spirit Winners; Oscar darlings come to streaming
Happy Thursday, friends. It’s been quite the news week:
The End…
Of Vice.com. Vice Media to Lay Off ‘Several Hundred.’
Of Peak TV. “Everyone Knows We’re All Looking for Work.”
Of filmmaking as we know it (or maybe not). “Is OpenAI’s Sora the Filmmaking Apocalypse, or Just a Great Demo for a Tech Company?”
The Beginning…
New Distribution Label for Festival Fare. Tribeca + Giant Pictures
New Postproduction Studio. Harbor + 424 Post in Culver City
Whether you’re in an apocalyptic mood or seeing signs of Punxsutawney Phil’s early spring, we’ve got something for you. Let’s dive in.
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Awards, and More. Say hello to featured members on the app.
What to Watch This Week: Double Headers
Journeys of Self Discovery
SHAYDA. The 2023 Sundance Audience Award winner — and Australia’s Oscar Submission — is an Iranian mother/daughter story of resilience. Elika Rezaee, Editor; Keiran Watson Bonnice, Associate Producer. In theaters Friday.
Poor Things. You can now stream the film with 11 Oscar nominations — and congratulate Dialogue Editor Tristan Baylis on his sound editing nomination as the MPSE Awards kick off Sunday. Hulu March 7th.
This Art Will Be Used Against You
A Revolution on Canvas. “The art-heist-thriller-meets-portrait doc… recounts how [artist Nickzad “Nicky” Nodjoumi] was forced to flee Iran in 1980 due to the controversial nature of his paintings” (Variety). Sara Nodjoumi, Director, Producer, Writer; Till Schauder, Director, Producer, Writer. HBO Max March 5th.
As We Speak: Rap Music On Trial. “As We Speak makes a powerful case for the necessity of being free to make art, and for public awareness that art rarely qualifies as legal evidence” (NYT). Kate Ferraguto, Archival Producer. Paramount+.
Excavating Our Memories
God Save Texas. Following its Sundance premiere, the series of three episodes, each directed by a different Texas director, is ultimately “a work of protest and lament” (RogerEbert.com). Iliana Sosa, Co-Director; Alex Stapleton, Co-Director; E.J. Enriquez; Cinematographer; Brian Dawson, Cinematographer; Lorena Luciano, Editor; Rosella Tursi, Editor; Ximena Borges, Assistant Editor; Yusef Alsuhaimi, Co-Producer; Nell Constantinople, Producer. HBO Max.
Memory. “An unconventional romance between two damaged-goods New Yorkers,” with critically acclaimed performances from Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard” (Variety Critic’s Pick). Paula Manzanedo, Executive Producer. VOD.
On the Acquisitions Beat
Arcadian. RJLE Films acquired the Nicolas Cage survival thriller ahead of its SXSW premiere. Kristi Shimek, Editor; Judy Craig, VFX Producer.
Copa 71. Greenwich Entertainment has acquired the women’s soccer doc. Rachel Ramsay, Director, Writer; Tim Metzger, DP.
To Kill A Tiger. Netflix has acquired global rights for the Oscar-nominated doc. Nisha Pahuja, Director, Writer.
Who I Am Not. POV has acquired the film for PBS broadcast. Tunde Skovran, Director, Writer.
Parachute. Vertical lands Brittany Snow’s SXSW Prize Winner. Lizzie Shapiro, Producer.
Butterfly In The Sky. AMC Cinemas will theatrically release. Justin Lacob, XTR, Producer; Dava Whisenant, Executive Producer.
Award Winners: Independent Spirit Awards
Click through on the app to connect with film teams and say congrats.
BEST FEATURE: Past Lives / BEST FIRST FEATURE: A Thousand and One / JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD: Laura Wagner, Producer, Fremont / BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES: Beef / TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD: Set Hernandez, Director, Unseen / SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD: Monica Sorelle, Director, Mountains
And congratulations to…
Reinas: Berlin Generation Grand Prix Award. Diego Romero Suarez-Llanos, Cinematographer
American Symphony and Joedan Okun: PGA Award for Doc Producer.
Window of Opportunity
aka The Discover Tab 🔍
Check out the Discover Tab on Portrait for grants, programs, festivals, and jobs.
Coming Soon: On the Festivals Beat
Athena & True/False Film Festivals kick off today! See other attendees on the app.
Don’t forget to RSVP for our SXSW Party! More on all things Austin next week.
Closing Soon: Programs + Grants
Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.
Long Story Short (3/1 deadline)
Native American TV Writers Lab (3/1 deadline)
Wscripted Cannes Screenplay List (3/1 deadline + discount)
Jewish Film Institute Grants (3/1 deadline)
Chicken&Egg Research and Development Grant (3/4 deadline)
Edinburgh Pitch (3/4 deadline)
NBC TV Writers (3/7 deadline)
Cannes Producers Fellowship (3/7 deadline)
Squeaky Wheel Residency (3/8 deadline)
Sundance Episodic Lab (3/9 deadline)
Film Independent Episodic Lab (3/11 deadline)
The To Be Commissioned Initiative (3/15 deadline)
Michael Collier Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting (3/15 deadline)
Claims Conference (3/15 deadline)
MamaCash Resilience Fund (3/17 deadline)
Film Independent Directing Intensive (3/18 deadline)
The Writers Lab (3/28 deadline + discount)
Roy Dean Spring Grant (3/31 deadline + waivers)
Kickstarter Long Story Short (3/31 deadline)
See more spring + rolling deadlines in our interactive database in the app.
Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.
Creative Executive, Special Projects, Apple TV+.
Vice President Director, Content Creator, Digitas.
SVP, Paramount & Nickelodeon Animated Films, Paramount.
Post Production Executive (Temporary Contractor), Lionsgate.
VP, Media (Contract), Razorfish.
Photo/Video Editor, SpaceX.
Senior Photo & Video Producer, Lux, Ralph Lauren.
Videographer & Motion Designer, Masimo.
VP, Communications & Content, Resilience.
Sr. Video Editor, SpaceX.
Video Editor, In-N-Out Burger.
Sr. Sound Designer, Onward Search.
Digital Content Producer, WXYZ, The E.W. Scripps Company.
See more jobs/gigs in our interactive, filterable database in the app.
End Credits: Portrait Post of the Week
We can’t wait to see Wakhri and all your SXSW projects… and celebrate with you next week.
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