Director Jeannette Godoy has joined Superlounge for exclusive U.S. spot representation. The move marks a return to the company for Godoy, a former choreographer whose documentary, Free 2 Be Me, was shown at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, screened at numerous festivals and is currently airing on Dance Network.
It was at the Dance Camera West Film Festival that Godoy met street dancer and rapper, Ron Myles, which led to her first effort with Superlounge this time around, The Myles Yachts Project. The four-minute film intercuts between interview and performance footage of Myles, whose style, “Memphis Jookin,” is a combination of smooth, mind-bending, gliding and sharp “gangster walking.”
Godoy was inspired to make the film, staying true to her dance roots. “When I first saw Myles perform, I was blown away. He’s got star-quality charisma and his dance ability is beyond anything I’ve ever seen in a street dancer. I knew I had to shoot something with him,” she said.
Once shooting wrapped, editor Zoe Mougin and Rock Paper Scissors jumped on board. “Ron’s ability as a dancer is on another level,” said Mougin. “A lot of artists rely on the edit to build a performance, but Myles was so consistent, so articulate, we wanted to honor what he was doing in a single take. Much of my role was leaving what Jeannette beautifully captured alone.” Arsenal Creative, LIME, and Apache all collaborated to complete the project and support Godoy’s vision.
“With her diverse background, Jeannette is a remarkable director. She’s spent the last three years traveling the world with Nike directing Nike Training Club and she is a passionate advocate for women, minorities and the disabled. Her ability to craft honest and heartfelt stories is inspiring and I am excited to have her on our team,” said Vicki Ordeshook, who joined Superlounge as executive producer, national sales and marketing, last October.
“My career focus is to work on projects that empower, enlighten and do something positive for the world,” said Godoy. “I can think of no better home for me than Superlounge.”
Godoy is a first generation, Mexican American filmmaker. She comes to directing from a varied and eclectic background, starting her career as a choreographer where she worked in film, television and commercials. She is most widely known for having choreographed the celebrated music video, “Baby Got Back,” by Sir Mix A Lot. Her initial foray into directing earned her a trip to Cannes for a commercial entitled, “A Boy & His Tire.” This Bridgestone Tires' spot–known for its beautiful visuals and subtle yet, emotional performance–received several prestigious nominations including the Young Director Award at Cannes, as well as earning a slot in SHOOT’s 2011 New Directors Showcase. She also spent many years as a stylist, working in all aspects of the film industry. Some of her celebrity clients included Rosario Dawson, Serena Williams, Dwayne Wade and more.
Jeannette Godoy joins the Superlounge roster also featuring commercial directors Jordan Brady, Daniel Sheppard, Jeff Aron Lable, Brett Wagner, and Barton Landsman. Prior to her return to Superlounge, Godoy had previously been represented by The Traveling Picture Show Company.
Jennifer Kent On Why Her Feature Directing Debut, “The Babadook,” Continues To Haunt Us
"The Babadook," when it was released 10 years ago, didn't seem to portend a cultural sensation.
It was the first film by a little-known Australian filmmaker, Jennifer Kent. It had that strange name. On opening weekend, it played in two theaters.
But with time, the long shadows of "The Babadook" continued to envelop moviegoers. Its rerelease this weekend in theaters, a decade later, is less of a reminder of a sleeper 2014 indie hit than it is a chance to revisit a horror milestone that continues to cast a dark spell.
Not many small-budget, first-feature films can be fairly said to have shifted cinema but Kent's directorial debut may be one of them. It was at the nexus of that much-debated term "elevated horror." But regardless of that label, it helped kicked off a wave of challenging, filmmaker-driven genre movies like "It Follows," "Get Out" and "Hereditary."
Kent, 55, has watched all of this — and those many "Babadook" memes — unfold over the years with a mix of elation and confusion. Her film was inspired in part by the death of her father, and its horror elements likewise arise out of the suppression of emotions. A single mother (Essie Davis) is struggling with raising her young son (Noah Wiseman) years after the tragic death of her husband. A figure from a pop-up children's book begins to appear. As things grow more intense, his name is drawn out in three chilling syllables — "Bah-Bah-Doooook" — an incantation of unprocessed grief.
Kent recently spoke from her native Australia to reflect on the origins and continuing life of "The Babadook."
Q: Given that you didn't set out to in any way "change" horror, how have you regarded the unique afterlife of "The... Read More