The final word about Sound City Documentary’s release has been given: the documentary will premiere in February at Sundance Festival. Taking place in Park City, Utah, the film festival yearly features the work of international independent filmmakers.

The long awaited and promoted documentary about one of the most famous recording studios of the world, the Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, CA, is a project conducted and directed by rock musician Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana). Grohl decided to immortalize the recording studio that made the history of rock’n’roll, after it closed in May 2011. The Studios witnessed the recordings of several rock’n’roll milestones, including albums by Tom Petty, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, as well as Nirvana’s Nevermind.

In his latest press release about the documentary Grohl said, “As a first time director, I am humbled to be able to share my passion for songwriting and storytelling with this incredible cast of legendary musicians, as seen through the extraordinary story of America’s greatest unsung recording studio, Sound City. Being included in this group of artists is a true honor, and the Sundance Film Festival is the perfect place to premiere a film about craft, integrity, and passion for art. I am over the moon!”

The tribute will, indeed, feature a large amount of musicians and producers who recorded at the studios, telling stories and sharing their memories about what Sound City used to be and what it meant for them and for rock’n’roll. Among others, the documentary will feature Tom Petty, Butch Vig, Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Josh Homme (Queens of The Stone Age), Mick Fleetwood, and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails).

What Grohl has made clear since the beginning of this project is the willingness of portraying the spirit of pure and true rock’n’roll and its development. Dave Grohl is well known for having expressed more than once during the past year his concern about music losing its real soul and meaning, due to the over-digitalization taking place in the industry, which would homologate the sound and empty the feelings behind playing music. Some months ago, Grohl defined this vision behind the documentary, ending one of his press releases about the movie with the sentence, “Sound City is a film about the truth, the craft, and the integrity of Rock and Roll. Like the dark hallways of Sound City Studios itself, it might not be pretty…but it’s for fucking REAL.”

Foo Fighters’ frontman has also been hosting, for satellite radio provider SiriusXM, a series of radio shows dedicated to the studios’ history. The series started on November 29, and will air on different channels until the end of January. See the full schedule here.

Another important piece of this project will be the fans’ long-dreamed soundtrack. Some months ago it was announced that Grohl was working on it with former band mate Krist Novoselic and Nevermind’s infamous producer Butch Vig.

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The Toronto International Film Festival will include some fantastic films, but one film that heads to the top of the list is Rian Johnson’s third and newest film ‘Looper.’ ‘Looper’ features Joseph Gordon-Levitt as hitman Joseph Simmons, who kills people sent by the Mafia and gang members from the year 2077 to 2047. The advantage here is that no one will miss that individual in the year 2047, thus covering up the perfect crime. However, things take a turn for the weird when Joseph Simmons’ older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to kill.

‘Looper’ is expected to be a fantastic film, since this is only the second time in history that a non-Canadian film started the film festival. According to Cameron Bailey, the Toronto International Film Festival Artistic Director, “with ‘Looper,’ Rian has taken his filmmaking to a new level, and we can’t wait to present it to the Toronto audience in the most prestigious platform we can offer.” According to Cinema Blend, ‘Looper’ was a huge hit at the San Diego International Comic-Con.

This is the second time that Johnson has showed one of his films at the Toronto Film Festival, the first being the world premiere of his second film ‘The Brothers Bloom.’ Rian Johnson’s first film ‘Brick,’ with a budget of only $500,000, won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Cameron Bailey was at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and witnessed the presentation of ‘Brick.’ “I saw Rian’s debut feature ‘Brick’ at the Sundance festival and was impressed by his ability to engage both the mind and the heart,” he said.

The ten day Festival begins September 6 and is considered the unofficial beginning to the Oscar season. The rest of the Toronto Film Festival will include more than sixty films, thirty-eight of which will be world premieres. Some writers/directors are returning to the silver screen while others are debuting their first works.

Ben Affleck will return again as a director and actor in “Argo,” a film based on a true story that happened during the Iranian hostage crisis. Robert Redford will also direct and star in ‘The Company You Keep.’ Other films that feature returning directors are ‘Hyde Park on Hudson,’ directed by Roger Mitchell and starring Bill Murray as Franklin Delano Roosevelt; ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ directed by David O. Russell and starring Bradley Cooper; and Billy Bob Thorton’s ‘Jayne Mansfield’s Car.’

At least three films will also be bringing literature to life this year with Director Joe Wright’s ‘Anna Karenina,’ ‘Cloud Atlas’ (which has an almost completely all-star cast, including Tom Hanks), and – surprisingly – Director Joss Whedon’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Stuart Blumberg (writer of ‘The Kids Are All Right’) will be making his directorial debut in the film ‘Thanks for Sharing,’ a romantic comedy starring Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow as friends recovering from sex addiction. Dustin Hoffman will also – finally – be making his directorial debut with ‘Quartet,’ a comedy about four retired English opera singers.

Some other films that have already started a buzz at other film festivals include Jacques Audiard’s ‘Rust and Bones’ at Cannes and ‘The Sessions’ at Sundance Film Festival.

Ultimately this year it looks like the Toronto International Film Festival is going to have some show-stealing productions. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to wait until these films are released in theaters or on DVD/Blu-ray.

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On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, leaving 15,372 people confirmed dead and 7,762 reported still missing. In the wake of the largest earthquake in the country’s history, some people drew the courage to revive and rebuild from cherry-blossom season, which began within weeks of the tragedy.

Oscar-nominated this year for Best Documentary Short Subject, ‘The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom’ shows how nature can be a rejuvenating – as well as a destructive – force when it debuts Monday, July 16 (10:00-10:40 PM ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Directed by Lucy Walker (the Oscar-nominated documentary feature “Waste Land”), this poignant film debuts immediately after the debut of the SXSW Film Festival hit “Birders: The Central Park Effect,” which offers a different look at how nature touches people.

The documentary will also show on HBO on July 18 (12:15 PM), July 24 (4:15 PM) and July 28 (6:00 AM, 3:15 PM).

The film will also be shown on HBO2 on July 18 (9:00 PM).

HBO Documentary Films presents another weekly series this summer, debuting provocative new specials every Monday through July 30. Other July films include: “Hard Times: Lost on Long Island” (July 9); “Birders: The Central Park Effect” (July 16); “Vito” (July 23); and “About Face: Supermodels Then and Now” (July 30).

‘The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom’ is a stunning visual poem about the ephemeral nature of life, and the healing power of Japan’s most beloved flower. The nation is transfixed by cherry blossom season, which runs from late March through April, with many people tracking the blossoms’ short life-cycle and attending “hanami,” or viewing parties, with family and friends.

Walker had originally planned to visit Japan to make a film about the cherry-blossom season, but on March 11, 2011, while she was making final preparations for her trip, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck, triggering tsunami waves of up to 133 feet on Japan’s northeastern coast. Initially unsure whether to continue, she flew to Tokyo with a small film crew and headed north to the Tohuku region, where she captured both the utter devastation and stoic resolve of survivors, many of whom had lost family members and friends.

‘The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom’ opens with harrowing home-video footage, shot from a hill, of a huge wave destroying the town below. A month later, a young woman stands on the same hill, remembering how she “watch[ed] people being consumed by the tsunami.” An older man tells how he tried and failed to save his oldest friend, proclaiming, “I don’t want a house. I don’t want clothes. I don’t want anything. I just want his life back.”

Others tell their stories of survival, escaping in their slippers and seeing whole houses rush toward them on a wave of black water. One couple living at a community center returns to the ruins of their house, hoping to rebuild. Their town is within the 30km exclusion zone around the Fukushima power plant, and many people wear cotton masks as protection from radiation.

Amidst the despair in the days following the tsunami comes a glimmer of hope in “sakura” (cherry blossom), a harbinger of spring in Japan and a national symbol of renewal. One man explains how the cherry blossom reflects the Japanese character, saying, “Each flower is tiny, and you can’t see one individually. But it’s beautiful when you see lots of flowers together. Japanese people see themselves that way too.”

Out of respect for the victims, many viewing parties were canceled this year, but people still visit the blossoms and take pictures. A man who lost his house shows where new plant shoots have sprouted on the beach, commenting that if plants can hang in there, humans can too. A young woman looking at the cleanup and construction adds, “Every year that the trees bloom, they’ll give us the courage to keep going.”

In addition to its Oscar nomination, ‘The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom’ received the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Hamptons International Film Festival and BFI London.

‘The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom’ was directed by Lucy Walker with executive producers Tim Case and Charles V. Salice and producers Kira Carstensen and Lucy Walker. The director of photography was Aaron Phillips, the editor was Aki Mizutani, and the music was produced by Moby.

Image Courtesy of   Kasper Nybo

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Kicking criminal butts and taking the law into his own hands, Danny Trejo (‘Machete’, “Sons of Anarchy”) ignites the screen in the gritty, violent and enthralling film ‘Bad Ass’, arriving on Blu-ray and DVD June 5 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Inspired by the viral video of a vigilante citizen taking action into his own hands, ‘Bad Ass’ also stars Ron Perlman (“Sons of Anarchy,” ‘Hellboy’) and Charles S. Dutton (‘Alien 3’).

Decorated Vietnam hero Frank Vega returns home only to get shunned by society leaving him without a job or his high school sweetheart. It’s not until 40 years later when an incident on a commuter bus, where he protects an elderly black man from a pair of skin heads, makes him a local hero and he’s suddenly celebrated once again. But his good fortune suddenly turns for the worse when his best friend Klondike is murdered and the police aren’t doing anything about it.

Directed by Craig Moss (‘The 41 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall And Felt Superbad About It’), ‘Bad Ass’ is inspired by the Epic Beard Man video that captured two men’s highly charged verbal and brutal physical altercation on a public bus in Oakland, California. Posted to YouTube, the video spread like wildfire and the heroic elder bearded man was anointed Epic Beard Man. The video has garnered more than five million views.

The ‘Bad Ass’ Blu-ray and DVD has a featurette and audio commentary. Both the Blu-ray and DVD are now available for pre-order.

The second big DVD release coming from Twentieth Century Fox is more Noir than a straightforward action flick, though it still promises to deliver on the excitement front.

Hailed as “a crime twist worthy of Hitchcock and dialogue worthy of the Coen Brothers” (Screen Daily), ‘Thin Ice’ arrives on Blu-ray and DVD June 12 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Starring Oscar-nominee Greg Kinnear (‘As Good As It Gets’, ‘Little Miss Sunshine’), Academy Award winner Alan Arkin (‘Little Miss Sunshine’), Billy Crudup (‘Almost Famous’, ‘Jesus’ Son’) and Lea Thompson (‘Back To The Future’), this intriguing caper premiered to critical praise at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

Mickey Prohaska (Kinnear) is a small-time insurance agent looking for a way to jump-start his business, reunite with his estranged wife (Thompson) and escape the frigid Wisconsin weather. This self-proclaimed master of spin believes that salesmanship is about selling a story — all he needs is a sucker willing to buy it. He hits pay dirt with a lonely retired farmer (Arkin) who is sitting on something much bigger than an insurance commission. But Mickey’s attempt to con the old man spins out of control when a nosy, unstable locksmith (Crudup) with a volatile temper dramatically ups the stakes, trapping him in a spiral of danger, deceit and double-crossing.

The Thin Ice Blu-ray and DVD offers three bonus features including a behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes and a look at the Sundance premiere. The Blu-ray will feature both the theatrical and Director’s cuts of the film.

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Miami, U.S.A. – The highly-provocative dramatic series from Mexico about the country’s illegal drug trade, and the first Mexican series about drug legalization, ‘Estado de Gracia’ (State of Grace), will make its world premiere on  June 4, 2012, exclusively on Cinelatino—the nation’s leading Spanish-language movie channel.

“Estado de Gracia” is a political suspense thriller that presents a realistic portrait of the drug trafficking crisis in Mexico, shedding light on the network of money, power and corruption that fuels the ongoing drug trade.

Set in Mexico City, the fictional series centers on a local congresswoman who proposes a law to legalize drugs in an effort to dismantle the powerful drug cartels and end the narco-related violence. Facing powerful enemies, the congresswoman—played by esteemed Mexican actress Karina Gidi—watches all aspects of her life come apart after proposing this controversial legislation.

The 13-episode series portrays a sobering view of the country’s illegal drug trade and touches on sensitive issues such as corruption among politicians and police, blame, the impunity of drug traffickers, violence and drug-related killings, addiction, temptations among those in office, the role of the media, and the dangers facing non-corrupt police officers. The series also captures the human element to the story, showing the impact of drugs in the home, at the office and in school.

“We knew we had to acquire this series right away,” said Ricardo De Leon, Director of Programming for Cinelatino. “Drug violence is a reality in Mexico, and no other Mexican series has dared broach the topics of drug violence and legalization in such an honest and realistic way.”

“Estado de Gracia is one of the best-written, most cutting edge series to come out of Mexico, and we’re proud to give our U.S. viewers access to it before it airs anywhere else in the world,” said James M. McNamara, Chairman of Cinelatino. “With drug legalization as one of the hot topics in the presidential elections coming up in Mexico and the U.S., ‘Estado de Gracia ’ is a relevant, must-see series that will have everyone talking.”

The series was directed by the highly-acclaimed, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Carlos Bolado, who has won 21 awards at prestigious international film festivals for his work on films like Promises, a documentary about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that was nominated for an Oscar, and Solo Dios Sabe (Only God Knows), a romantic thriller starring Diego Luna and Alice Braga that was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

The series features top quality production values and a strong cast of top Mexican talent, includingKarina Gidi (Abel; Gitanas), Daniel Martinez (Ella y el Candidato; El Infierno; Como No Te Voy a Querer), Raul Mendez (Mariachi Gringo; Sultanes del Sur; Amar a Morir), Jose Carlos Rodriguez(Rudo y Cursi; Vantage Point; Asi del Precipicio), Lisa Owen (Vantage Point; Nacho Libre), Roberto Sosa (Get the Gringo; Cartas a Elena), and Dagoberto Gama ( Amores Perros; La Reina del Sur; El Infierno).

Cinelatino, which has been on air for nearly 18 years, began airing highly acclaimed series in 2009 with the launch of “Los Simuladores.” “Estado de Gracia” is among the high-caliber series to air on the premium, commercial-free movie channel. Cinelatino is available in more than four million homes across the U.S., fully distributed on the major cable, satellite and telco providers.

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Just one year after its launch, JustFilms, the Ford Foundation’s documentary film fund, is providing major support to five independent films selected for competition and premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the world’s leading showcase for independent filmmaking.

Each of the five embodies JustFilms’ vision of the power of independent film to illuminate the world in which we live and inspire people to engage in pressing social challenges, from the untold story of bravery and activism that opened access to AIDS drugs in the United States to a poignant account of Detroit residents reimagining their city.

“We’re extremely pleased that five projects receiving major support from JustFilms have been selected to premiere at Sundance,” said Darren Walker, vice president of Ford’s Education, Creativity and Free Expression Program. “This is exactly what our initiative is all about– ensuring that talented filmmakers who are tackling tough social issues can break through to large new audiences in a timely way.”

JustFilms was launched one year ago, a day before the start of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. In its inaugural year, the initiative has made more than $10 million in grants to support more than 100 filmmakers and mediamakers around the world.

“We believe that Sundance is just the beginning of an opportunity for these filmmakers, and many others like them, to reach a new audience of engaged people who are hungry for stories about issues shaping our future,” added Walker.

JustFilms focuses on film, video and digital works that show courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure, and sustainable world. Through 2016, it will invest $10 million every year to support and expand the community of filmmakers and mediamakers around the world focused on creating documentaries with passion and purpose, but who often lack funding to realize their visions or reach audiences.

“While focusing on issues as diverse as human rights, poverty, cultural expression, and sustainable development, every project supported by JustFilms has one thing in common– the power of good storytelling,” said Orlando Bagwell, director of the JustFilms initiative at Ford. “These films make complex and often difficult issues accessible and entertaining, opening up whole new opportunities for audiences to engage on topics that may have once felt overwhelming or simply out of reach.”

With the explosion of digital media production over the past decade, there is far more film and video content available from which audiences can choose. However, it remains a challenge for most documentary filmmakers to find support– and audiences– for works that address social issues in meaningful and compelling ways. JustFilms seeks to support courageous filmmakers to complete their important works and to help them reach a growing audience of engaged and socially conscious viewers.

The Ford Foundation’s JustFilms initiative builds on the foundation’s longtime support for scores of documentaries, including such landmark productions as “Eyes on the Prize,” “State of Fear,” and “Why Democracy.” It also leverages the foundation’s global network of 10 regional offices to identify and lift new talent from around the world and to strengthen emerging communities of documentary filmmakers.

Ben Haslam / Haslam Photography / Shutterstock.com

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