Yup – it’s that time again….and waaay too much to say!

First off - Bend Film Festival which ran between November 6 till the 9, 2011 and by all accounts it was a huge success! We screened twice, including on the opening night with the feature film ‘Rid of Me’. I am waiting to get some photos from Orit Scwartz, the festival director, as sadly I was busy working on the new NBC TV series ‘The Firm’ to be able to attend.

What I was able to attend though was were the Director’s Guild of Canada Awards. Little Larry was nominated for Best Short Film. Unfortunately we didn’t win but it was great to be nominated and spend a fun evening with talented pals and piers.

My pal producer Paula Devonshire and I as we arrive at the awards.

John Lang of Urban Post. Not only is he a prince for saving me a seat at his table that night but he is also a talented post sound guru. He lead our Little Larry team and at the awards he and his team took home some hard wear for their hard work on the film The Whisleblower.

The very funny Sean Cullen introducing our category Best Short Film.

Little Larry being announced.

Little Larry sharing the screen with the three other films nominated. Taxi Libre won. Congrats to them!

And finally we are screening at what looks to be a great little festival in the UK this weekend The Cornwall Film Festival. Situated in a beautiful part of England, screening with a host of other talented international female filmmakers in the Reel Women 1 screening block, Little Larry will be hitting the screen Friday November 4th at 5:15pm. If you are in the area please come out and support this festival and our film. Sadly I am unable to be there attending my first festival in a country that I love. I am in spirt though – so get out and enjoy!!

#HSFF – Hot off the presses

While the Hollyshorts screening of Little Larry is happening at this very moment and Elliot is representing us there, my awesome friend – the very talented and Gemini nominated actress Lauren Lee Smith – is doing me a solid and attending the screening. She doesn’t live in LA and I am not there so I am loving her commitment – that’s friendship.

She just sent this pic while in line to get into the screening. Which by the way she says is very busy….Yay.

 

Wistful and Happy – Part 2

Ok so where did I leave off….

Oh yeah, more great news….tomorrow (Saturday August 13) we are screening at Hollyshorts Film Festival at 7:30pm at the Laemmle Sunset 5 theater, LA. Elliot Kotek, the writer of Little Larry will be in attendance, representing the film and answering questions. You will definitely want to talk to him – he is a pretty interesting fellow and has a few stories to tell.

To wet your appetite and encourage you to come to our screenings I am going to share with you a video that I took of Hannah Miller’s audition for the part of Larry. Avi Federgreen (Exec. Producer), myself (Jill Carter – Director) and my very funny and talented actor friend Randal Edwards (our reader / improv guy / camera man) enjoyed a very fun day of auditions. You can see from the get go that Hannah was a stand out.

Here from our Little Larry Facebook Page – Hannah Miller audition

Enjoy.

Wistful and Happy – Part 1

Hellooooo….back from world travels (UK, Scotland, France, Italy – NYC, Ohio – I know, poor me…) and ready to get back to work.

First off Little Larry is screening this weekend – Saturday August 13th at two great festivals.

Rhode Island International Film Festival  – we screen at PAFF Theatre at 5pm in the Comedy Shorts. We are screening with a great group of shorts including, of course, us and the Irish film Noreen written and directed by a talented actor Domhnall Gleeson who stared in our friend Tom Hall’s film Sensation (you will remember Tom the from Newport Beach Film Fest).

Tonight at Rhode Island International Film Festival you can also catch a special tribute to actor Paul Sorvino and my talented UK filmmaker friend Rob Sorrenti and his film Hollow. Rob and I met when our first films ‘moment’ and ‘Wedensday’ screened at RIIFF together back in 2007 and our films followed each other to a number of festivals…we seem to be happily repeating that pattern. Sadly though, work is preventing me from attending RIIFF this year. I wish Rob all the best with his screening tonight as well, I am hoping you guys will come out and support Little Larry on Saturday.

Part 2 coming your way soon….

Oh Happy Day………

Well I can happily announce that aside from working my butt off on my feature film Nellcott Is My Darling (funding submissions and working the script with the writers) there are a few new festivals to announce for Little Larry. Yay!!

Little Larry will be screening July 16th and July 24th at the Indianapolis International Film Festival in the short program called ‘Love Sick’. I screened last year at INDY with ninety-one. It is a wonderful place to play  – great people, venue and collection of films.

Little Larry has also received early acceptance to the Rhode Island International Film Festival. This awesome festival has become my home away from home as they are the only festival to date to screen all three of my films: moment, ninety-one and Little Larry. I am very excited to be back! As well a talented filmmaker friend that I made my first year at RIIFF, Rob Sorrenti will be screening his new film ‘Hollow’  there. It looks like we are following each other around again as his film was also at Newport and will be at Indy.

I have one more festival to announce but I have to keep it under wraps for a little while longer so you will just have to come back and visit for the update.

Really looking forward to sharing the journey.

Until then….

Newport Beach Film Festival – Day 3

Filmmaker Breakfast Boat Cruise around the bay area of Newport Beach. Dennis Baker, the head shorts programmer, each year takes a select group of filmmakers on the tour with students from the local college who have their films screening in the students program. We share stories, try and impart some wisdom and mostly enjoy the company and the view.

Anita Sharma producer of ‘Champagne’ (and my new feature Nellcott Is My Darling), Courtney Graham producer of ‘Kill Brass’, Alan King producer/actor of ‘The Winking Boy’ and me. Three talented Canadian women and one very lucky talented Aussie boy.

Ron Jarrett – producer and Liz Topp – director of ‘Searching For G’.

Not a great picture but you get the idea – a packed house for an hour of entertainment and pearls of wisdom from the unstoppable Aaron Sorkin.

Directors Panel – moderated by my pal and writer of ‘Little Larry’ – Elliot Kotek. Gathered were a talented group for over an hours worth of insight. From left to right: Elliot….followed by the ground breaker Penelope Spheeris (Balls to the Wall), Brian Crano (A Bag of Hammers), Oren Kaplan (Hamill) and Irish filmmaker Tom Hall (Sensation). I loved Tom’s film and can’t wait to see what my new friend does next. Penelope was pretty entertaining – cat naps and a bag of popcorn. I love panels and always take something away.

So – that’s finally a wrap on Newport….

Bye Bye LA – see you next time….

Newport Beach Film Festival – Day 2

Ron Jarret producer of the short doc ‘Searching For G’ and Enuka Okuma director of ‘Cookie’ at filmmaker breakfast.

Filmmaker Lounge & Breakfast

Elliot sits and waits for our first screening of ‘Little Larry’ in front of an audience to begin. Little Larry is Elliot’s first produced screenplay and I am happy that I am the one who brought it to life. In the audience was Jared Harris – actor on Mad Men and son of legend Richard Harris….we were excited.

Q & A with all the filmmakers after our screening – I got to share a few pearls of wisdom….if you want to call them that. It’s always fun to hear the views of the people who just watched your movie. I always learn something.

Our celebratory dinner after the screening with Fish Head.

Newport Beach Film Festival – Day 1

Having breakfast at the Black Cat Bakery on Fairfax in LA was the perfect way to start the festival. We headed south to Newport Beach after some much needed nosh.

You know what they say….go big or go home. I decided big was the better option.

The writer of ‘Little Larry’ Elliot Kotek enjoying a cocktail at Fashion Island and showing off our poster before we hit the opening night film.

Opening night madness at Big Newport for film ‘East Fifth Bliss’ staring Michael C. Hall.

Classic Peter Fonda who plays Michael C. Hall’s father in film.

My pal Enuka Okuma on the red carpet.

The opening night party – loads of people, mountains of food, a few celebs (Peter Fonda, Jared Harris – Mad Men and Tom Sizemore) cocktails and a fashion show.

Bumped into the lovely Leslie Feibleman – Senior Programmer of NBFF  and celebrated with friends old and new.

Update from Newport Beach Film Fest….

Quick hello from the trenches.

Our screening went super well – had a full house! Not bad for a Friday afternoon. Since then I have been watching films, meeting some great filmmakers and attending awesome panels. Will be posting more and with photos later….

Thanks everyone who came out in support!
Jill

Hot off the Press

For those of you who have been to the site before you will notice a revamped look. Well that is thanks to our AMAZING new poster – I LOVE it. Hope you guys do too…The very talented friend of our writer Elliot, Lisa Kay graphic artist extraordinaire whipped it up. Check out Lisa’s site here.