BARBRA STREISAND TO PERFORM ON THE OSCARS

BARBRA STREISAND TO PERFORM ON THE OSCARS®

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 36 YEARS

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Two-time Academy Award® winner Barbra Streisand, who has sung on the Oscars only once before, will perform on the upcoming Oscar® telecast on February 24. Streisand last sang the love theme from "A Star Is Born" on the March 28, 1977 show, winning the Best Original Song Oscar for "Evergreen" that same night.

"In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music," said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, "how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand? We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year's Oscars, her first time singing on the show in 36 years."

Streisand won her first Oscar for Best Actress in "Funny Girl" (1968), and was nominated again in 1973 for her lead performance in "The Way We Were." She was also nominated for producing the Best Picture nominee "The Prince of Tides" (1991), which she also directed, and for co-writing the original song "I Finally Found Someone" from "The Mirror Has Two Faces" (1996).

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

NORAH JONES TO PERFORM NOMINATED SONG FROM "TED" LIVE ON OSCAR

NORAH JONES TO PERFORM NOMINATED SONG FROM "TED"

LIVE ON OSCAR® TELECAST

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter Norah Jones will perform “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from the motion picture “Ted,” telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. “Everybody Needs a Best Friend,” with music by Walter Murphy and lyrics by Seth MacFarlane, is nominated for an Original Song Oscar.  This will be Jones’s first time performing on an Oscar show.

"I had such a great time recording this song with Seth, and was thrilled to find out that it was nominated for an Oscar,” said Jones.  “Getting to perform it at such a prestigious event, which my friend is hosting, is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"We are happy to have Norah Jones perform Seth's and Walter Murphy's nominated song on our Oscar telecast," said producers Zadan and Meron. "We are big admirers of Norah's singing and she will help celebrate the unique circumstance of having an Oscar host who is also nominated for Best Original Song."

Jones emerged on the world stage with the 2002 release of her debut “Come Away With Me,” which sold more than 10 million copies and earned her five Grammy Awards. Since then, Jones has released a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful solo albums – “Feels Like Home” (2004), “Not Too Late” (2007), “The Fall” (2009), and “Little Broken Hearts” (2012) – as well as two albums with her country collective, The Little Willies.  The 2010 compilation “...Featuring Norah Jones” showcased Jones’s versatility through collaborations with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Outkast, Herbie Hancock and Foo Fighters.  Jones’s songs have been featured many times on motion picture soundtracks, and she made her feature film acting debut in “My Blueberry Nights” in 2007.

Oscars® for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

            

THE FAITH OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND DNA TEST

THE FAITH OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND DNA TEST

Illegitimate children are children had out of wedlock or formal union of a man and a woman in marriage. They are victims of circumstances that were not of their own making. They grow up to find themselves in such a predicament of not knowing who is real and true biological father. In most cases they are told when they are already matured in life or by persuading their mother and in some cases it might lead to threats or even violence before they get the true story of their roots.

In this situation of child development their mothers are hard hit, because the upbringing of these children is basically the responsibility of their mothers. The long time difficulties they encounter vary in terms of the gender of the child. From my Igbo tribe point of view, the male child finds it very difficult to be integrated into the immediate family of his father. In most cases the father of that very illegitimate male child must have married and had children with his wife. The faith of this male child will be hanging on the step mother who will find it difficult to absorb him into her family due to the fact of inheritance of the property of her husband.

In the case of the death of the husband, there is the fear that the illegitimate child if accepted in the family will be entitled to share the property with the legitimate children of the man. That is when the war will come within the family of who gets what from the inheritance. One thing is clear; the illegitimate child did not beg to be born into the world.

In the case of a girl child she will not be a big problem to the family all they need to do for her is to give her basic education and she will grow up and get married and start her own family.

There has been a recent development of many shocking disclosures of illegitimate children within matrimonial homes with husbands suddenly discovering that they are not the biological fathers of their children after many years of parenting. I think men should be doing DNA tests to confirm the paternity of their children and more importantly, on their first child, because the society has changed with rampant promiscuity and infidelity mostly dangerous for women. There is what they call farewell love time with their ex- boyfriends before getting married the next few days, weeks or even months and the intended husband to be is definitely not aware of the whole escapades before going on honeymoon without knowing that the wife to be is already pregnant with another man’s child. There was a story of a man who was staying out of the country for some years and he normally visited home from time to time until when he wanted to take them along out of the country and one of the conditions for taking his family is that they will undergo DNA tests for the entire family. After the process, he discovered that two of his four children were not his biological children. The man asked the wife “who is the father of the children that call me DADDY?” There is an Igbo adage that asks who owns the baby you are carrying?

Will I advise that men should take their first child and others for DNA tests or what? Should girls go for pregnancy tests before their weddings or what? But it all boils down to trust and having respect for yourself and your family heritage.

Illegitimate children in most cases live miserable lives, because of their unfortunate circumstances which are not of their own making. Illegitimate children must be treated with diginity as your real children no matter what happens, they have the right to live and be respected in your family and the society.

ADELE TO PERFORM ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED SONG FROM “SKYFALL” AT OSCARS®

ADELE TO PERFORM ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED

SONG FROM “SKYFALL” AT OSCARS®

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter Adele will perform the Oscar®-nominated theme song from the latest James Bond movie at the 85th Academy Awards®, the show's producers announced today.  "Skyfall," from the film of the same name, was announced as a nominee for Original Song at the Academy’s Nominations Announcement on January 10.   The song, written by Adele and Paul Epworth, is the first Bond theme ever to debut in Billboard's Top 10 and the first to be nominated for an Oscar since "For Your Eyes Only" in 1981.

Adele's exclusive Oscar show performance will be the first time she will have performed "Skyfall" anywhere live and will also mark her first U.S. television performance since the Grammys® last year.

"It's an honour to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again,” said Adele. “It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!"

"We have enormous respect for Adele's unique artistry as a songwriter and a singer," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of this year's Academy Awards show.  "She is currently one of the most successful recording artists in the world, and we believe that her performance of 'Skyfall' will be an exciting Oscar moment for audiences watching at the Dolby Theatre™ and on television screens around the world."

Oscar.com celebrates Adele's performance with a special gallery of some of the most memorable James Bond theme songs through the years:

http://oscar.go.com/photos/themed-galleries/movies/bond-theme-songs

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

I WANT TO BE A NOLLYWOOD STAR

PAMELA PETER OGHWEREMU

Rising actress Pamela Peters says she is confident of making it in Nollywood.

The 25 years old actress from Delta State read Computer Science at Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara. Her love for acting started when she was only 6, acting in her church (Church of God Mission) Yola, Adamawa State and in school plays. Her secondary school education was at the Federal Government College in Maiduguri, Borno State where she joined the drama club and participated in the school competition where she played one of the lead roles as queen “UJUOLA” in “The Gods Are Not To Blame".

In her polytechnic days she was a member of a club called “Creative Forum”. As a member of the drama group, she was the leader and proceeded to being the first female coordinator of the club.  

Professionally she started her career in 2009 after she finished a play in school, a man who saw her qualities walked up to her and asked if she wanted to be a professional actress and she said yes. Then he recommended her to Chico Ejiro where she featured in "Act of a Woman" before she went back to school to complete her education.

After school, she got the opportunity to work with Yemi and Bash in "True Passion" in early 2012.

 She is focused and determined to get to greater heights. 

WHO WILL MARRY COSSY OJIAKOR

Cossy is a girl that is well read and is like people only fine her attractive based on her big boobs ,but i think she has other good qualities like being vocal and has the courage to carry her self despite all scandals that creeps around her .Who will marry Cossy Ojiakor?

"I Always Wanted To Be An Actress" - Damilola Adegbite

                           "I Always Wanted To Be An Actress" - Damilola Adegbite

DAMMY

Stars in Doctor Bello ( a film to watch)

Vivica A. Fox (Actress)

Vivica A. Fox stays busy! She most recently guest stars in Fox Network’s Raising Hope. She is also the voice of Network s Angel Dynamite on Cartoon Network’s, New Scooby Doo and guest stars in critically acclaimed Cinemax’s Femme Fatale’s second season. After completing her second season on HBO's Emmy Nominated hit comedy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fox appeared in Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva and Hallmark's Christmas movies, Farewell Mrs. Kringle and “Annie Claus is Coming to Town.”

Fox has co-starred with some of Hollywood’s hottest actors, including Academy Award winners Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry and Whoopi Goldberg and Academy Award nominees Will Smith, Uma Thurman and Queen Latifah. Fox’s feature credits include Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill,” “Ella Enchanted,” “Independence Day,” “Soul Food,” “Batman and Robin,” “Kingdom Come,” “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” and “Juwanna Mann.” She also co-produced and starred in “The Salon” with Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard and in “The Hard Corps” alongside Jean Claude Van Damme. Fox's television films include Showtime's Hendrix and the ABC/Disney movie, A Saintly Switch opposite David Alan Grier and Rue McClanahan.

Some of Fox’s most memorable characters are also seen in such films as Independence Day, Set It Off, Soul Food, Batman and Robin, Kingdom Come, Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Double Take, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Juwanna Mann, Boat Trip and Idle Hands.

On the comedic film front, Fox co-starred with Jessica Simpson in Private Valentine as well as produced and starred in Three Can Play That Game with Tony Rock. Switching over to dramatic roles, Fox starred as an FBI Agent in the suspense thrillers Junkyard Dogs and a detective in Trapped in Haitian Nights. Fox returned to her action roots in The Hard Corps, with Jean-Claude Van Damme, and also co-starred in Cover, directed by Bill Duke.

In the world of reality, Fox hosted TV Land’s, The Cougar, and teamed up with VH1 to executive produce and host, Glam God. Vivica was also a fan favorite on ABC’s, Dancing with the Stars and served as a judge alongside Academy Award winner Faye Dunaway on the WB's The Starlet.

On the Fox Network, Vivica also enjoyed success headlining her own sitcom, Getting Personal, opposite Elliot Gould, Jon Cryer and Duane Martin. Fox's numerous television credits include Alias, My Wife & Kids, All of Us, Eve, and Out All Night.

In 2008, Fox was honored at the NAACP Theater Awards where she received the prestigious Spirit Award for starring in and producing the stage play Whatever She Wants alongside Boris Kodjoe and Richard Roundtree. In 2005 and 2006, Fox won the NAACP Image Award and the Prism Award for Best Actress in a Television Series—Drama. In 2003 she was honored with the Lady of Soul Lena Horne Career Achievement Award. She and Will Smith won the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss for “Independence Day.” Fox has also been voted one of People magazine’s fifty most beautiful people. — with Tony Abulu.

Jimmy Jean-Louis

Actor

Haitian born actor, Jimmy Jean-Louis, is a "rags to riches" story of a child who grew up in the slums of Petion-Ville, Haiti until age 12, becomes a Hollywood celebrity, and shifts his focus from his acting career to help rebuild his homeland ravaged by the 7.0 earthquake on January 12th, 2010.

Earlier in is career, Jimmy worked as a dancer and a model in France, Spain, Italy, South Africa and England. He moved to Los Angeles in 1998 to pursue an acting career, his credits include "Tears of the sun" (Bruce Willis), "Phat Girlz" (Mo'Nique), "Diary of a tired black man", NBC Hit show "Heroes"......

Jimmy recently shot his most important role to date, he portrayed "TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE" and won Best actor at the Pan African Film Festival.

With an international appeal, Jimmy has been working in many parts of the world including France, England, Indonesia, Nigeria, Ghana, Mexico...making full use of his fluency in 5 languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian and Creole.

Jimmy Jean Louis is the founder and President of Hollywood Unites for Haiti a non-profit organization (501c3) established in 2008 (www.hufh.org) whose mission is to help the underprivileged youth of Haiti. In response to the disaster and to provide immediate relief to the victims of the earthquake, HUFH joined forces with the Pan American Development Foundation and the Organization of American States.

HUFH-PADF-OAS and its partners provided support to more than 300 000 people and delivered in excess of 200 tons of supplies during the first 8 weeks of the disaster.

Named Pan American Development Foundation's Ambassador for Haitian Children, he testified to congress on their behalf in June 2010.

Mr. Jean-Louis has taken part in a series of campaigns for Haitian aid, he was an invited singer on the Quincy Jones project "We Are The World" to benefit humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti. During Haitian Independence Month, January 2010, Jimmy was presented with the key of Miami- Dade County.

Jimmy is also working on his very personal project "Haiti 16:53", an incredible story and documentary film that follows one man on a journey of a lifetime under extra-ordinary circumstances.

Jimmy is married to his wife Evelyn, they have 3 children.

Genvieve Nnaji

Actress

Genevieve Nnaji started her acting career as a child actress in the then-popular television soap opera "Ripples" then Ripples at the age of 8, and she was also featured in several commercials. In 1998, at the age of 19, she made her debut in the growing Nigerian film industry with the movie "Most Wanted." As an upcoming actress, trying to create a niche for herself, she went through various minor roles seeking for that opportunity for a breakthrough.

Her subsequent movies--"Last Party movies Party," "Mark of the Beast," and "Ijele" (which is still considered to be one of her best epic performances to date)--brought forth an icon to be loved and adored by many.

Her name became a household name and her image the desire of every young girl. In 2002, she starred in the movie Sharon Stone, and her fame shot beyond the shores of Nigeria to the rest of Africa and several Western countries. Some would say that through the buzz, Genevieve reinvented the Nigerian film Industry, introducing Nollywood to the rest of the world.

In recognition of her immense contribution to the Nigerian film industry, Genevieve has been presented with numerous awards, some of which have been in Dublin, London, and the United States. She won best actress of the year at the 2001 City People Awards and in 2005 at the inaugural awarding of the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

In 2004, a search for the face of Lux was embarked upon, and out of several celebrities all over Africa, Genevieve emerged with the highest votes. She graced several billboards and television stations with her enduring smile and personality. The same year, she was contracted by a Ghanaian record label to record an album, which got immense attention locally and in several African countries.

With several movies to her credit, and numerous fans around the world, in 2008, in a bid to give back to society, Genevieve launched her clothing line, St. Genevieve, which donates a percentage of its proceeds to charity-orphanages. In 2009, Genevieve made history by being the first Nigerian actress to be profiled on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on an episode about the most popular people around the world. Genevieve is believed to be the highest-paid and most sought-after actress in Nollywood today.

Actor Isaiah Washington and Actress Genevieve Nnaji

STEPHANIE LlNUS

A-List Nollywood Actress, Stephanie Okereke’s tenacity, wit, intelligence, grace and natural acting abilities have earned her a reputation as Africa’s foremost actress, especially in Nollywood, now reputed to being the third largest film industry in the world.

Stephanie came into the Nollywood scene in 1997. After graduating from the University of Calabar, her thirst for an acting career propelled her into Nollywood full-time. In 2002, she became a household name in Nigeria for her sterling performance in the movie Emotional Crack, which earned eight awards and was screened in 2004 at the African Film Festival in New York. Stephanie went on to win the 2003 Reel Awards for Best Actress English and Best Actress of the year. Since Emotional Crack, Stephanie has never looked back, starring in over 100 films so far. In 2006, she won the Afro-Hollywood Award, and the Film Makers USA Award for Excellence, followed by the Miriam Makeba Award for Excellence in 2007, and the Beyond the Tears Humanitarian Award in 2008 for her work against rape and Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).

Stephanie is continually building her brand in the movie industry. A graduate of the New York Film Academy, Stephanie has expanded her title to include director, producer and writer with the introduction of her latest movie: Through the Glass which premiered at the Silver Screen Theater of the Pacific Design Center on October 18th 2008 in Hollywood, California, and premiered across theaters in Nigeria on September 16th 2009 to record topping viewings and now at the Cannes Festival. In 2010 Stephanie joined 7 exceptional women including Hollywood A-list star Meryl Streep on stage for the play SEVEN. The play was introduced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Evan Brinkman

Actor

In his first major movie role, Evan plays the role of seven-year-old Sam Stein in the film Doctor Bello, alongside Isaiah Washington. Doctor Bello features Sam as a rambunctious boy who is the son of a rich Jewish couple who are major contributors to the Hospital’s Cancer Research Fund. Sam is sick with cancer, his health deteriorates and he soon slips into a coma with only a few days to live. Dr. Durant (Isaiah Washington) who is fond of Sam, becomes desperate and is willing to risk anything to save the child’s life. The film, written, directed and produced by Tony Abulu, also features Vivica A. Fox, Bern Cohen, Victor Browne and Dayna Hart.

Evan Brinkman started acting at the young age of five. He played his first supporting theatrical role as Zoom in “Who Me, Yes, You when he was six. He then went on to play the lead role as Rumplestiltskin in the play “My Name is Rumplestiltskin and as a principal in Super Comics, directed by Vicki Lowe of the Orange Park Community Theatre.

On a weekly basis, Evan meets with his acting coach Cindy Hogan. He also participates in a musical theater group led by Rachel Anton and Players by the Sea. Evan credits his vocal coach, Kathleen Myrick, with giving him the skills to seek opportunities in musical theater. In June 2012, Evan participated in Camp Broadway’s production of Oliver

Evan has modeled in print ads for Disney World, Nemours Children’s Hospital, General Motors Corporation and Oak leaf Plantation, and walked the runway for Belk Department Store.

Evan is in the gifted program at school and is a straight A student. He is active in triathlons, running and golf.

Ebbe Bassey

Actress

Ebbe Bassey was born in the Bronx, New York and raised in Calabar, Nigeria, West Africa. She is an actress, writer, producer who believes that art should educate and entertain. She studied the Meisner technique of Method acting at the William Esper Studio under the tutelage of Ms. Maggie Flanigan. In 2007, under the umbrella of her production company, 10Wembly Productions, Ebbe produced her first short film "Siri Oko Fo (Mending Fences)" in which she starred, co-wrote and executive produced. The film made its debut at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner and has been accepted at other prestigious film festivals such as the Hollywood Black Film Festival, Boston International Film Festival, Urban World and others.

Ebbe has had the great fortune to work as an actor on such shows as NYPD Blue as well as Law & Order: SVU and on the latter she also served as a technical advisor on the episode "Snitch" which dealt with female gender mutilation in Nigeria. She has also been seen in other short films such as "A Spoonful of Sugar" which won Best Student Film at the Hollywood Black Film Festival in 2003 (Showtime),"African Booty Scratcher"(HBO), "Drawn", "The End of Winter" and "Say Grace Before Drowning" and others.

Victor Browne

Actor

Born in Newfoundland, Canada, Victor Browne spent his childhood traveling throughout the world as one of eight children in an Air Force family. Moving from bases in Morocco to stations throughout the United States, the one consistent thread in Browne's life was that he was always interested in acting. He appeared in community-theater productions while majoring in business at Georgia State University in Atlanta, and after graduation he moved to New York City to study with David Gideon of the Strasberg Institute.

Browne launched his career in daytime drama television; he appeared for nearly two years on One Life to Live, in a regular role as Drew Buchanan. He went on to star as series regular Michael Bell on the WB's Rescue 77. He has also guest-starred on numerous television series, including HBO's Sex & the City and Charmed.

Browne's feature-film credits include a starring role in the Phillip Roth feature MindStorm, slated for release in 2003; and a turn in the critically acclaimed independent film I Shot Andy Warhol, in which he played one of Warhol's assistants. He also appeared in a cameo role in the Miramax film 54, in which he was paired with Cindy Crawford.

Sue Lee, Hair & Makeup Special Effects supervisor and the SPX team with some of Doctor Bello film cast they worked on. — with Sue Lee.

“My aim is to introduce Africa to...Americans and....Americans to Africans.” Director Tony Abulu —

MOVIE SYNOPSIS

Brilliant Cancer specialist Dr. Michael Durant is emotionally troubled, wrestling with the traumatic loss of his 10 year old daughter from Cancer. Immersing himself in his work in the hospital, away from his wife who blames him for their child’s death, he forms an unlikely bond with a sick, loving, but rambunctious seven year old boy Sam, the son of a rich Jewish couple who are major contributors to the Hospital’s Cancer Research Fund.

Unfortunately, Sam’s health deteriorates drastically, and soon, he slips into a coma, with only a few days to live. Dr. Durant becomes desperate, willing to risk anything to save the child’s life. A surreptitious Nigerian Nurse convinces him to seek the help of Dr. Bello, an uncertified Nigerian Doctor, known in the Brooklyn-African underground as a miracle worker. Dr. Bello, an introvert with a controversial past, secretly visits the child at night and administers a strange African potion, replete with incantations and by the next morning, miraculously, the child begins to recover, the Cancer speeding into remission.

The Hospital Medical Board immediately orders an investigation and soon the secret is revealed and Dr. Durant is suspended. Dr. Bello is arrested and charged with medical malpractice. Dr. Durant soon falls into depression after his wife leaves him. Meanwhile, Dr. Bello has fallen critically ill in jail and can only be saved by the ingestion of the same potion that can only be found in the mysterious “Garden of Life,” nestled on the peak of Nigeria’s sky mountains. 

http://www.doctorbello.com/

LOVE IS IN THE AIR AS GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES BIGGEST-EVER PROGRAMME

Love is in the air as Glasgow Film Festival announces biggest-ever programme.

Film lovers, rejoice! Glasgow Film Festival today announced its most ambitious programme yet: bookended by two very different romantic comedies, kicking off on Valentine’s Day and ending on the night of the 85th Academy Awards.

Supported by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Creative Scotland and EventScotland, with 368 screenings, panel discussions, live performances and special events, this is the most extensive Glasgow Film Festival programme to date. It truly is a festival for the whole city, too, spreading out further than ever before into twenty six venues – everywhere from the stately surroundings of Glasgow Cathedral to a secret location somewhere in the depths of the Subway system. There are a record number of UK premieres amongst this year’s films, and GFF’s unique programme of special events celebrating the joy of cinema gets even more innovative in 2013, with contributions from comedians, musicians, comic book legends, fashion designers and even Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond. It’s a programme that wears its love of film – and of the cinema-going experience in all its forms – very prominently on its sleeve.

Opening Gala: Populaire   **UK PREMIERE**

On Valentine’s Day, movie lovers will walk down the red carpet for the UK premiere of sparkling French romantic comedy Populaire, starring Déborah François, Roman Duris and The Artist’s Běrénice Bejo. With the retro appeal of Mad Men and the glossy allure of a Doris Day/Rock Hudson tussle, this gorgeous, candy-coated romance between the fastest typist in the world and her handsome, commitment-phobic boss will melt hearts (and inspire wardrobes).

Thursday 14 February (19.30 & 20.15)

Closing Gala: Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing  **UK PREMIERE**

What do you do when you’ve just made the most successful superhero blockbuster ever? In the case of Avengers Assemble writer/director Joss Whedon, you invite a group of actor friends to your home for a fortnight and shoot an inspired, inventive version of Shakespeare’s classic battle of the sexes. Stuffed with familiar faces from Whedon’s cult oeuvre (look out for actors from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse and Firefly giving their best hey nonny noes), this Much Ado About Nothing is a warm, witty and accessible take on one of the original rom coms.

Sunday 24 February (20.15)

We are delighted to announce that the Sponsors of our Opening and Closing Galas, Link-Tel Communications have received a New Arts Sponsorship grant supported by the Scottish Government in conjunction with Arts & Business Scotland, as first time Sponsors of the arts.

Allan Hunter, Co-Director of Glasgow Film Festival, said: ‘Glasgow Film Festival has grown into a massive celebration of every aspect of the moving image. We all spend part of our lives watching films, playing games or catching up with television but there is still nothing to match sharing the experience with fellow enthusiasts, meeting the filmmakers and finding fresh inspiration. We are extremely proud of an ambitious 2013 programme that promises unforgettable moments in venues all across the city.’

SPECIAL EVENTS

Catwalk shows. Live video gaming. DJ sets. GFF’s events programme has always made the festival particularly unique, and this year we celebrate cinema with almost fifty different events from panel discussions to comedy, some embracing the cinematic in television and computer games, some tracing the relationships between film and fashion or music. Highlights include:

Entre chien et loup, a series of new commissioned works by some of Scotland’s best artist filmmakers, curated by Henry Coombes and premiering at a fabulous grand ball.

The first ever film screening in Glasgow Cathedral will be the 1928 silent classic The Passion of Joan of Arc, with a brand new live score for organ and soprano.

Legendary Scottish actor James Cosmo in conversation about his life and career

A secret film screening in a hidden location in the depths of Glasgow Subway.

Comedian Simon Munnery’s new show, Fylm-Makker.

A panel of actors from HBO’s award winning television epic Game of Thrones introduce an episode screening and launch Season Three.

The Calamity Jane Barn Dance, at Glasgow’s legendary country and western club, Grand Ole Opry

Scary watery movies Jaws and Dead Calm screened – comfortingly enough – on board The Tall Ship.

Comic book legends John Wagner (creator of Judge Dredd), our Kapow!@GFF curator Mark Millar (Kick-Ass), and Steve Niles (creator of 30 Days of Night) discuss their work.

Hop on board our samba bus and be whisked off to a proper Brazilian Carnival.

Live music performances from Jane Birkin, Auricle Ensemble and Lau.

Celebrate fifty years of Doctor Who with members of the cast and series writer Tom McRae.

DCI Caroline Goode, who led the investigation into the death of young British-Kurdish woman Banaz Mahmod, joins us for a discussion on honour killings.

Fashion label Obscure Couture launch their next season collection with an outrageous live catwalk/film extravagana.

Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills headlines our day-long Sonic Cineplex, where DJs and musicians create new soundtracks to old film footage.

First Minister Alex Salmond reveals his nerdy side, introducing his favourite geek cinema classic.

Computer game experts compare highly anticipated game Aliens: Colonial Marines to the original 70mm Aliens, both on the big screen.

Dress up like your favourite cult character and walk the red carpet at our Cosplay Gala.

SELECTED UK PREMIERES

This year, fifty-seven of our films are UK premieres,  including:

·         Stoker, starring Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman.

·         The Place Beyond the Pines, which reunites Ryan Gosling with Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance.

·         Neil Jordan’s dark vampire thriller Byzantium, with Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton,

·         Arbitrage, with a bravura performance by Richard Gere.

·         The Look of Love, Michael Winterbottom’s stylish look at the life of Paul Raymond (played by Steve Coogan).

·         Mama, starring Jessica Chastain.

·         The Paperboy, with a Golden Globe-nominated performance by Nicole Kidman alongside Matthew McConaughey.

·         James McAvoy, Peter Mullan and Mark Strong team up for the sleek, powerful thriller Welcome to the Punch.

Glasgow Film Festival is also delighted to host the first public UK screening of the eagerly-anticipated Cloud Atlas, which was partially shot in Glasgow.

SELECTED WORLD PREMIERES

·         Kevin Cameron’s Alasdair Gray: A Life in Progress, a film as entertaining and multi-faceted as the man himself, featuring Liz Lochhead and the late Edwin Morgan.

·         A Tale of Two Syrias: award-winning documentary filmmaker Yasmin Fedda’s unique, personal take on recent events in Syria.

·         Created especially for GFF with CCA and Stills Gallery, feature film Staande! Debout! is based on true events, examining the aftermath of a strike on a workforce.

·         Outwork, by the internationally-renowned artist filmmaker Stephen Sutcliffe, is the third annual Margaret Tait Award project.

·         The Devil’s Plantation, based on May Miles Thomas’ BAFTA-winning website, is an innovative look at Glasgow’s secret geometery, narrated by Kate Dickie and Gary Lewis.

·         We Are Northern Lights, a film created from submissions across Scotland.

NEW FOR 2013

Three new programming strands for this year’s Festival were announced in November 2012.

·         Buena Onda: New Brazilian Cinema: As Brazil begins to take its place on the world stage, both as an emerging superpower and as the next host nation of the Olympics, we examine some of the great new work coming out of the country. It’s also a great excuse to throw a traditional Brazilian Carnival party, with a samba bus to take you to a secret location, and a special screening of 1970s classic Black Orpheus.

·         James Cagney: Top of the World, Ma! Our retrospective this year takes a long, loving look at the career of the Oscar-winning Hollywood tough guy, from the young street rat–turned gangster of Angels With Dirty Faces, to the menacing obsessive lover of Love Me or Leave Me.

·         Game Cats Go Miaow!: Robert Florence, star of the BBC comedy series Burnistoun, curates a look at the cross-over between cinema and video gaming. A panel of gaming experts review the hotly-anticipated Aliens: Colonial Marines on the big screen, followed by a comparison screening of Aliens itself. A whole host of comedians pack themselves in for Rab’s Video Game Empty, a quiz show with a difference, and we take a searing look at epic game Dark Souls and the whole of the dark fantasy genre.

Our brand new Festival Club takes over CCA’s Terrace Bar every day and night for the duration of the Festival. Rub shoulders with filmmakers and visiting guests, ask the GFF team for advice planning your schedule, take part in a daily programme of debates and discussions and then dance the night away with a great selection of DJs and live acts. Festival Club listings will be online at www.glasgowfilm.org/festivalclub and posted daily in the GFT foyer.

FESTIVALS WITHIN THE FESTIVAL

Glasgow Short Film Festival: 7–10 February

Scotland’s leading short film festival returns with a packed programme of screenings, workshops and parties. This year sixty films compete for the Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film and the Scottish Short Film Award. The 2013 programme pays tribute to the behemoth of underground cinema George Kuchar, forecasts tomorrow’s US indie darlings with a showcase of filmmaking from Columbia University graduates, celebrates the groundbreaking work of Caroline Sascha Cogez and assembles heavyweight panels to ask ‘why can’t women make feature films?’ across a series of discussions during the weekend. www.glasgowfilm.org/gsff

Glasgow Youth Film Festival: 3–13 February

The only film event in the UK curated entirely by 15—18-year-olds presents international film premieres, workshops and events for child, teenage and young adult audiences.  Highlights include premieres of Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph and Michel Gondry’s hilarious comedy The We and the I, plus anime previews and a cosplay parade! GYFF will also be turning the banks of the Clyde into a pop-up cinema and dance space, screening recent dance classic Girl Walk // All Day, and the cast and crew of Channel 4’s Fresh Meat stop by for a masterclass. GYFF also offers a range of practical workshops to aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers. www.glasgowfilm.org/gyff

Glasgow Music and Film Festival (dates as Glasgow Film Festival; Jane Birkin on 29 January)

Curated by the GFF team and long term partners-in-crime The Arches, this year’s GMFF embraces local artists and global greats alike, with live performances from Jane Birkin, techno legend Jeff Mills, gold star folkers Lau, Alasdair Roberts, and Auricle Ensemble. Witness some intriguing new live soundtracks created to old classics – in particular Irene Buckley’s spine-tingling new score for The Passion of Joan of Arc, for soprano, electronics and organ, in the very atmospheric setting of Glasgow Cathedral. Accompanied by a jam-packed programme of excellent rockumentaries and biopics.

Film4 FrightFest: 22—23 February

Our special horror Fest-within-a-Festival may now be in its eighth year at GFF, but there’s still no let up to that heady mix of mirth, menace, monsters and mayhem that characterises the Film4 FrightFest Glasgow experience

COMMENT

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: ‘We’re delighted to be continuing our support for Glasgow Film Festival, highly regarded as one of the premier film events in the UK today and a real stand-out in the city’s cultural calendar. The Festival not only celebrates one of the city’s most vital creative industries, providing a significant boost to the local economy, it also plays an integral role in successfully positioning Glasgow on the global film festival stage; reinforcing both our cutting-edge style credentials and our reputation for successfully hosting major events.’

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland said: ‘Glasgow Film Festival continues to grow year on year and it is hugely exciting to see it sporting its biggest ever programme for 2013. Scotland is the perfect stage for events and in GFF we have a festival that engages, excites and challenges its audience, which is testament to the hard work and talent of the team.’

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland, said: ‘Glasgow Film Festival is now one of the top three film festivals in the UK and is a fantastic celebration of cinema. The rising profile of the Festival and its consistent high quality is drawing growing numbers of film lovers and filmmakers to Glasgow from across Scotland, the UK and internationally. It is an inspiring event which Creative Scotland is very happy to once again be supporting.’

For further information, please contact Caragh Cook at ORGANIC

Caragh.cook@organic-marketing.co.uk / 0203 372 0986

Vicky.tupper@organic-marketing.co.uk / 0203 435 9629

NOTES FOR EDITORS

For further information, high res images or to arrange interviews, please contact Kirstin Innes, Festival Press Coordinator, on festivalpress@glasgowfilm.org or 0141 332 6535 (ext. 245).

The ninth annual Glasgow Film Festival runs from 14–24 February 2013. The full programme will be launched on Wednesday 16 January, with tickets on sale from Thursday 17 January. Standard tickets are priced at £8.50 (£6.50); special events may have different prices. Standard GSFF tickets are £5; FrightFest passes are £66 for the whole weekend. Guests attending Glasgow Film Festival and talent available for interview will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets available from the GFT Box Office: www.glasgowfilm.org/festival or 0141 332 6535

PRESS ACCREDITATION

The deadline for press accreditation is 9am, Monday 28 January. Accreditation forms are available to download from www.glasgowfilm.org/festival/press

FEATURE IDEAS

·         The most geek-friendly film festival ever? In addition to Kapow!@GFF, our much-loved strand of cult films and events programmed by comic book legend and Twentieth Century Fox creative consultant Mark Millar, we’re upping the geek-quotient eleven-fold this year, as Game Cats Go Miaow! explores the dark realms of video gaming, the cast of HBO’s Game of Thrones stop by for a chat, and we celebrate fifty years of Doctor Who. And don’t forget Geek Overlord Joss Whedon’s latest film as our Closing Gala! Both Millar and Game Cats programmer Robert Florence are available for interview.

·         Women and Film Glasgow Short Film Festival is focusing specifically on the place of women in cinema this year, with a series of panel discussions looking at gender inequality in the movie business. Panellists include critic Hannah McGill, filmmaker Morag McKinnon, screenwriter Andrea Gibb and author Denise Mina.

·         Where next for cinema? This year’s GFF reflects the increasing cinematic scope of video games and television series like Game of Thrones, while also offering the sort of good old-fashioned pleasure you can only really get at the movies.

·         Film lovers Opening on Valentine’s Day, this year GFF has romance right at its heart. We’re happy to recommend romantic films for lovers to tie in with any Valentine’s Day features. We’ve also got a fair few options for those not interested in any of that romantic mush…

·         Young programming team Our Youth Film Festival is the only one of its kind in the UK: programmed entirely by 15–18 year olds, who are also involved in every stage of the production and publicity. They’re a fantastically bright, focused and articulate team with a lot to say on the future of cinema; in fact, they probably are the future of cinema! They’re available for interviews and radio/TV appearances.

·         Get to know Glasgow We’ve utilised a record twenty-six venues across the city this year, from local landmarks Glasgow Cathedral and The Tall Ship, to upcoming venues such as The Glad Café and The Old Hairdressers, and we’re even going underground with a screening in a hidden space in the Glasgow Subway. As the programme has also grown organically out of the city itself – for example, strands like GMFF, Fashion in Film and Crossing the Line reflecting Glasgow’s strong live music, fashion and visual art scenes – GFF is the perfect way to get to know the city better.

STRANDS IN THE 2013 PROGRAMME

Best of British Savour a selection of finest British fare from an industry that continues to make small miracles on modest budgets. 

Buena Onda: New Brazilian Cinema The best new films from the emerging superpower.

Crossing the Line A celebration of Glasgow’s thriving visual arts scene, showcasing experimental and artist films from Glasgow and internationally.

Eurovisions Films from across Europe, from first-time directors to master auteurs.

Fashion in Film Our 2013 collection is filled with fabulous fashion films and live fashion events showcasing the very best in home grown talent.

FrightFest Two days of gut-wrenching horror programming by the Film4 FrightFest team.

Gala Premieres and first glimpses of the best films released throughout 2013.

Game Cats Go Miaow! Robert Florence of BBC comedy show Burnistoun heads up our brand new strand sniffing out the similarities between gaming and cinema.

Glasgow Short Film Festival: 7–10 February 2013 Scotland’s leading short film showcase returns for four days of screenings, events and parties, with focuses this year on women and filmmaking and the Colombia Film School of New York.

Glasgow Youth Film Festival: 3–13 February 2013 Curated and programmed entirely by 15—18 year olds, showcasing the best contemporary international cinema for and by young people alongside workshops, masterclasses, competitions and special events. 

Great Scots A celebration of native talent and local heroes with screenings of the best new productions from Scottish filmmakers and Scottish production companies.

 It’s a Wonderful World The best of new international cinema.

James Cagney: Top of the World, Ma! A retrospective of the Oscar-winning Hollywood tough guy.

Kapow!@GFF Curated by comic book legend and 20th Century Fox creative consultant Mark Millar, this ever-popular strand focuses on superhero flicks and comic crossovers.

Glasgow Music and Film Festival Showcasing an inspired and inspirational programme of live music events that celebrate the special relationship between film and music.

Out of the Past Classic movies in peak condition, back on the big screen where they come alive all over again.

Special Events From catwalk shows to live comedy, we find different ways and unusual venues to celebrate cinema.

Stranger than Fiction An exceptional and challenging selection of new documentary filmmaking.

The State of Independents Intensely personal visions, incredibly compelling stories and quirky, funny, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art joy from hot new American indie talent.

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS MAJOR PARTNERS.

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the city of Glasgow. As custodian of the Glasgow: Scotland with style brand, GCMB works with partners, stakeholders and businesses to position and promote Glasgow across national and international markets as one of Europe’s most vibrant, dynamic and diverse cities in which to live, work, study, invest and visit. For more information, visit: www.seeglasgow.com.

EventScotland is the national events agency. EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. EventScotland is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. www.EventScotland.org.

Creative Scotland is the national development agency for the arts, screen and creative industries.  Our vision is that Scotland will be recognised as one of the world’s most creative nations – one that attracts, develops and retains talent, where the arts and the creative industries are supported and celebrated and their economic contribution fully captured; a nation where the arts and creativity play a central part in the lives, education and well-being of our population. www.creativescotland.com

We’d also like to thank the following, without whom none of this would be possible: Digital Cinema Media, The Scottish Government, Muvizu.com, The Robertson Trust, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Merchant’s House of Glasgow, Boteco do Brasil, Mother India, Link-Tel Communications, Grand Central Hotel, Arts & Business Scotland, Mr & Mrs William Donald’s Trust per Mactaggart & Co Solicitors, Largs, Cineworld Cinemas, CCA, The Arches, Glasgow Airport Flight Path Fund, Cameron Presentations, SPT, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Institute Italiona Di Cultura, Conulado General De Espana, Goethe Institut, The Brazilian Government, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, Alliance Française, Europa Cinemas, Film4 FrightFest, LUX, The University of Edinburgh