Sunday, March 31, 2013

The Vision of Paolo Soleri

Architecture is the most public art form, says filmmaker Lisa Scafuro, whose graceful, probing and socially relevant new documentary, The Vision of Paolo Soleri: Prophet in the Desert, covers the life and works of a truly special architect. 

Paolo Soleri first immigrated to the United States to apprentice under Frank Lloyd Wright, but eventually struck out on his own after his personal vision began to take form. For decades, Soleri urged mankind to change its way of thinking and let go of the perception of The American Dream. "It is a myth," he boldly stated. It's a myth, he explained, in the sense that it's been thrust upon the world instead of rising organically from nature: the ideal of materialism and hyper-consumption, he thought, resulted ultimately in wastefulness and a lack of fulfillment. But he was no run-of-the-mill anarchist. As an alternative to consumer culture, he called for a radical change in attitude and focused his own, considerable actions on the conservation of land, energy, and natural resources.

Now in his nineties, he continues to work toward these ideals under star-filled skies at his base in the Arizona desert. Yet Soleri's vision remains largely unrealized. Given the zeitgeist of global crisis, Soleri's life's work has become increasingly relevant to world dilemmas, and his ideologies have become — prophetic.


You're cordially invited to join the film's Facebook Community and watch the trailer here: The Vision of Paolo Soleri Trailer

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Announcing NHFF's 2013 Lineup

New Hope Film Festival 2013 proudly announces 111 official selections, an all-time high.

"Safe" (Julietta Boscolo, Australia)
Representing 17 countries and Antarctica, our world class lineup includes 9 feature films, 15 documentaries, 4 Mid-Atlantic category films, 12 music videos, 12 screenplays, 24 short films, 34 student shorts and the festival's first webisode.

Final numbers for each category are subject to filmmaker deadlines and playback disk quality control checks. The program guide and schedule will be launched in June. For the latest updates, follow the Festival on Twitter.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Baggage

April is looking to check the baggage from her last relationship — literally. However, while waiting in line at a peculiar type of baggage counter where people go to check their emotional luggage, she encounters Dylan, a young man who's fighting to reclaim his lost luggage. 

In Baggage, director and producer Ivan Kander of Silver Springs, Maryland envisions the world's first service that specializes in losing your luggage, then adds a delightful twist. If you're a frazzled frequent flyer in the travels of life, this 10-minute dramedy is your anodyne.

Join their Fan Page on Facebook and watch the trailer here: Baggage Trailer
 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My Dream Girl

This uptempo and infinitely catchy new music video comes to New Hope via Los Angeles, thanks to writer/producer Carlos Hurtado. Open your heart and join the fun! The video stars Jose Angel Parilli, who delivers Hurtado's vocals with soul and vitality, and bombshell supporting actress Magali Trigos.



Spread the word to your family and friends! This brand-new pop gem ought to be playing in cars and MP3 players everywhere. Here's the preview:


Sunday, March 10, 2013

Grow Up Already!


After getting dumped by his girlfriend Winnie, Andy Mott is determined to win her back. There's only one problem: he has a lot of growing up to do.

Grow Up Already! is a comedic yet heartfelt short film that pokes fun at the current Judd Apatow-inspired motif of "man-child grows up to find love" by taking the standard plot to an extreme.



Straight from America's movie capital, L.A., and directed by Richard Keith, this short film stars Johnny Simmons (Scott Pilgrim, Jennifer's Body), Odette Annable (Cloverfield, House MD), Jim O'Heir (Parks and Rec), Frances Fisher (Titanic), and Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl, American History X). 


You can watch the trailer here: 

 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Ben & Elaine

Facing death by apocalypse, with nuclear strikes, tsunamis, earthquakes and other calamities raging over the planet, Ben and Elaine face an even more pressing concern — relationship problems!

Learn how a young couple can juggle so many balls at once in this delightfully offbeat student comedy from New Hope's neighboring state, New Jersey. Directed, produced and acted by Travis Maiuro and M. K. Costa.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Elegy for a Revolutionary

Director Paul van Zyl explores the distinction between activism and domestic terror in this searing portrait of a young, idealistic man who falls unwittingly into an extremist group that operates in late apartheid-era South Africa. Elegy for a Revolutionary is based on the filmmaker's personal, true story of the African Resistance Movement, making this short film all the more riveting and thought-provoking. 

With a country divided and loyalty strained, two men are forced to choose sides — and suffer their fate. This Official Selection 2013 balances on the edge between right and wrong while asserting one certainty: betrayal knows no limits. Visit the Elegy for a Revolutionary Website and watch the trailer here: