TEC Alum at DOC NYC

TEC alum, Scott Burgess, edited the film ANPO which will premiere in the "Viewfinders" section of the 1st annual DOC NYC film festival. ANPO refers to the US-Japan Mutual Security Treaty, which has justified the presence of 90 US military bases in Japan for six decades. The presence of the bases has spawned opposition and protests. The director delved deeply into resistance against ANPO, drawing upon rich archival sources of oil paintings, photographs, films and animation. For more info, visit: ANPO.

Class Film Premieres in NY This Week

Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields, a class project in 2008, premieres at the NY Film Forum this week. The film was edited by TEC alums Sarah Devorkin and Paul Kloss, who was assisted by Kathyrn Schubert. Variety writes that, "fans will drool," and that the film is "well crafted." The film opens across the country in November. For more info: strangepowersfilm.com

Early Oscar Predictions Include TEC Alums and Class Film

indieWIRE released its Oscar predictions for 2011, the following are a few highlights: The Inside Job, edited and co-written by TEC alums Chad Beck and Adam Bolt, “… will be nominated for, and likely win, best documentary feature,” writes Peter Knegt. It is also brought up as a dark horse in the categories of Best Picture and Best Editing -- a category that is historically filled solely by narratives. indieWIRE suggests The Kids Are Alright, executively produced by alum Riva Marker, is a “safe bet” in the category of Best Picture, Best Actress, and Original Screenplay. Winter’s Bone, the project of the May 2009 class, is also a contender in several categories including: Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Of course we will all have to wait until the Academy releases its short-list in the months to come. To see the full list of predictions, visit indieWIRE.

For Once in My Life Featured in DocuWeeks Showcase

For Once in My Life, the project of the July 2009 6-week class, will be featured in the 2010 DocuWeeks Showcase. DocuWeeks is an annual event sponsored by the International Documentary Association, which helps independent documentaries screen in both NYC and LA, the two cities that films need to screen in in order to qualify for an Oscar nomination. For Once in My Life was edited by alum Amy Foote, and has won a number of accolades from film festivals, including the "Audience Award" at the South by Southwest Film Festival and the "Audience Award for Best Documentary" at both the Sarasota Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival, respectively. For more information on DocuWeeks and For Once in My Life screening times, click here. 

Finishing Heaven Nominated for an Emmy Award

The project of the September 2007 six-week class, Finishing Heaven, has been nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of 'Outstanding Arts & Culture Programming.' The film was edited by TEC alum Amy Foote and acquired by HBO after premiering at the LA Film Festival. Variety Magazine's review of the film praised Amy's editing, referring to how she "smoothly weaves in and out of the new and old footage," and the film was featured in NY Magazine's "Approval Matrix" under the category "highbrow/brilliant." Click here for a complete list of Emmy nominees here.

Class Film, Dog Sweat, Premieres this Summer

Dog Sweat, a class project in 2008 & 2009, will premiere at this year's Los Angeles Film Festival in the Narrative Competition category. Shot clandestinely in Tehran, the subversive Dog Sweat intertwines the lives of six young Iranians as they struggle to satisfy their private desires in the face of conservative Islamic society. Alum/instructor, Mollie Goldstein edited the film and alum Simon Wheeldon was an associate editor.

Alums Headed to Cannes

The film, Inside Job, is headed to Cannes and its editors, Chad Beck & Adam Bolt and assistant editor Eugene Yi, all Edit Center alums, will be heading out along with it. The film is directed by Charles Ferguson (No End in Sight) and narrated by Matt Damon. From the official synopsis: Inside Job is the first film to provide a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.

Class Film Headed Towards Festival Sweep

For Once in My Life, the class project of the July 2009 6-week class and edited by TEC alum, Amy Foote, continues to receive positive praise and win awards. After winning the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at SXSW, the documentary has walked away with the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Sarasota Film Festival, the Best Documentary Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival, and both the Audience Award and the Jury Prize for Music Impact Award at the Nashville Film Festival. The film follows the Spirit of Goodwill Band -- a band composed of 28-members, all of whom are either physically or mentally disabled, as they prepare themselves for a performance at the Miami Center for the Performing Arts. 

Garbage Dreams Premieres on Independent Lens

Garbage Dreams, the project of the January 2008 six-week class, makes its television premiere on PBS' Independent Lens on April 27th. TEC Alums, Marichelle Tañag and Brian Richman were both assistant editors on the film. For more info, visit: Independent Lens.

Alum Film Screens at Tribeca

Budrus, the second directorial project of TEC alum Julia Bacha, screens at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, April 25th. The film chronicles a village in Palestine, which has not only sparked a non-violent movement against the Israeli Occupation, but also potentially provides an answer to the Middle East's struggle for peace. David Kwok, a director of programming at Tribeca, writes that the film, "[allows] us a galvanizing glimpse into the power of ordinary people to peaceably fight for extraordinary changes in one of the most war-torn parts of the world."