Oscar winner & director of The Cove wins Banff Green Grand Prize

“The Cove” is a documentary I love and highly recommend. It was my pleasure to see Louie Psihoyos, Oscar Winner and director of The Cove won the Green Grand Prize at the 2010 Banff World TV Festival.

In Louie‘s acceptance speech, Louie talked about measuring a documentary’s success in terms of the people you changed. And a movie as a “Weapon of Mass Construction”, something that changes millions of people’s life. “We are not making movies, we are trying to start a movement.”

Here is the award winning trailer (yes, the trailer won award too) of the Oscar winning documentary.

The following is from the press release.

“GREEN GRAND PRIZE
Green Grand Prize: Louie Psihoyos, Oscar Winner and director of The Cove. The prize recognizes outstanding achievement in creating public awareness and understanding of environmental issues through the use of visual media. Psihoyos was selected as a result of nominations received from all around the world, honouring his tremendous impact on a global level. Dr. David Suzuki, president of the Banff Green Jury, presented the award to Mr. Psihoyos.”

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The Good Wife (David Zucker, executive producer @ 2010 Banff World TV Festival master class)

The Good Wife, co-created by the husband and wife team Robert King and Michelle King, is a great TV series that I quite enjoy. It was my pleasure to attend an insightful master class by David Zucker, executive producer of The Good Wife, at the 2010 Banff World TV Festival.

David Zucker, executive producer of The Good Wife 2010 Banff World TV Festival master class

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The following is David’s bio at Banff

“David W. Zucker is President of Television for Scott Free and Executive Producer of both the hit CBS drama, THE GOOD WIFE, starring Julianna Margulies, as well as the Friday night stalwart, NUMB3RS, which will wrap its sixth season in March. He is also Executive Producer of the eight-hour limited series, THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, based on Ken Follett’s international best-seller.

Jason Priestley “Call Me Fitz” at Banff World TV Festival 2010

I really enjoy the pilot of Jason Priestley‘s new TV series “Call Me Fitz“, it looks like great TV where Jason plays Richard “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, “a morally bankrupt used-car salesman whose consequence-free life is complicated by the arrival of do-gooder Larry (Ernie Grunwald), another salesman who claims he is Fitz’s conscience.”

In the following clip, you will see Jason and the show creator Sheri Elwood at Banff talking about “Call Me Fitz“.

Note: I want to add that the cool and character fitting underwear wore by Jason in “Call Me Fitz” were designed by a Canadian company (Ginch Gonch) and we first heard about the brand/business pitched on CBC TV on Dragons’ Den in 2006. It looks like the company was sold in July 2008. Anyway, good job by the PR team to get Ginch Gonch products featured.

Here is a trailer of “Call Me Fitz“.

Jason talking about “Call Me Fitz” at MIPTV.

At Banff, Sheri talked about finding “Fitz” in Jason after watching this QTV interview of Jason on the internet. I think this is a good lesson for actors/actresses as you never know how and where you will be discovered for a role.

More info:

– Cast grows for ‘Call Me Fitz’ – Ernie Grunwald among actors joining Jason Priestley in sitcom (Hollywood Reporter)

– Jason Priestley embraces role created by South Shore producer (southshorenow.ca)

Mickey Rourke – TIME Magazine 10 Questions

Mickey Rourke – TIME Magazine 10 Questions

10 Questions for Viggo Mortensen – TimeMagazine

10 Questions for Viggo Mortensen – TimeMagazine

Pigeon Impossible

Lucas Martell writer/director/producer/animator spent 5 years to create Pigeon Impossible, a wonderfully told and funny story. Over 2 million views since it was posted on Nov 8, 2009. Highly recommended.

Werner Herzog on images, TV, and shoes

“The All Seeing Eye” Gondry/Bismuth Installation

Some info about the clip.

“Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, who both won Oscars with Charlie Kaufman for their Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind screenplay, collaborate again on this Cosmic Galerie exhibition. The All Seeing Eye opened 8 October 2005, and ran from 12 October to 3 December at the Galerie in Paris.”

Prom Night in Mississippi – New doc by Morgan Freeman

Prom Night In Mississippi -> New doc by Morgan Freeman.

In 1997, Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Until then, blacks and whites had had separate proms even though their classrooms have been integrated for decades. PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI captures a big moment in a small town, where hope finally blossoms in black, white and a whole lot of taffeta.

[via BMD]

The Dirdy Birdy

Quite funny. [via Chris Landreth]

Occupied

Short and sort of cute.

How To Break Up (Tales of Mere Existence)

Where Have I Been All Your Life?

Lift – short doc

Dir: Marc Isaacs / UK / 2001

Filmmaker Marc Isaacs sets himself up in a London tower block lift. The residents come to trust him and reveal the things that matter to them creating a humorous and moving portrait of a vertical community.

For more of Marcs work visit: http://www.secondrundvd.com/release_isaacs.php

Luv Deluxe

Luv Deluxe. very well done. a short from Future Shorts.

Space Pop – Vancouver Film School (VFS)

Space Pop from Vancouver Film School. Enjoy.

2009 CIFF Favourite Shorts

“What’s Virgin Mean?” is a 2 minutes 33 seconds 2009 Calgary International Film Festival selection that is short and sweet. A nice job well done.

The short film “Love Child” is at 2009 Calgary International Film Festival. It is just so adorable and cute. Enjoy.

“The Herd” is a wonderfully made short documentary, just 4 minutes 19 seconds long. Enjoy.

Long Hair Revolution

Long Hair Revolution – Full length documentary

Directed & Produced by Kempton Lam

More info in this blog entry.