As we present the fall edition of our Directors Series, which includes a feature on notable DPs, appropriately enough the annual Kodak Filmschool Competition has helped unearth some additional prospects who could one day grace the pages of our Cinematographers & Cameras rundown.
Now in its ninth year, the Filmschool Competition recognizes outstanding achievements in cinematography by student filmmakers. The 2008 contest has named four students as first-place winners: Devendra Golatkar from the Film and Television Institute of India; Mateo Soler from the Universidad ORT Uruguay; Aonan Yang from Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Canada; and Amparo de Miguel Viguer of the Escuela de Cinematografia y del Audiovisual de la Comunidad de Madrid (ECAM) in Spain.
Don Burgess ASC, who judged several of the regional competitions, praised the winners for their sensitivity, artistry, and storytelling ability.
The winners will receive a trip to the 2009 Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France, where their films will be presented in the Kodak Short Film Showcase. The filmmakers also will participate in networking sessions and other festival activities.
“The quality of the entries increases every year and that’s gratifying for us to see,” said Wendy Elms, worldwide education segment manager, Entertainment Imaging Division, Eastman Kodak Company. “By providing recognition of their work, we hope to encourage the next generation of cinematographers to pursue their passion to tell stories on film. This is one of many ways that Kodak supports students and film schools around the world.”
This year, the student filmmakers tackled a diverse range of subject matter. Golatkar’s Who Thought About Little Boy tackles the subject of children’s rights; while Soler’s Fine is the story of a man trying to escape the congestion of the universe. Singularity from Yang focuses on what happens when computers become superior to human intelligence; while Maneki Neko from Spanish filmmaker de Miguel Viguer is the story of a man who encounters conflict as his life is changed by a woman.
The Kodak Filmschool Competition is open to students and recent graduates in Asia, Latin America, Canada and the U.S., and–this year for the first time–Europe and the Middle East. Participants must first compete at a national level. Finalists are then judged for the top four spots. All entries must be produced on film by a student crew.
“Kodak gains as much from the competition as the students do,” said Elms. “While we devote great resources in our laboratories to developing the next generation of films, this next generation of filmmakers shows us how they want to use that film. The more they challenge it, the more we challenge ourselves. And, through the process, we all get better at what we do.”
Kodak’s educational programs have been supporting students and their mentors for more than 16 years with educational materials, product grants, seminars/workshops, and initiatives such as the Kodak Filmschool Competition and emerging talent showcases. (For more info on the Kodak Filmschool Competition, visit www.kodak.com/go/filmschoolcompetition.)
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More