TRUE BEAUTY IN THE BIG EASY

'True Beauty' is going where the best food in the world's coming from: New Orleans. I don't know what it is about the French and Spanish mingling and fermenting in that swamp, but what they came up with in the kitchen is pure heaven. Or maybe the devil had a hand in it. Remember Angel Heart?
The festival runs October 8-15, and if any rich person's reading this: I need money so I can go.

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VIDEO REVIEW OF 'TRUE BEAUTY'

The good folks at the Festivus Film Festival posted a short video review of 'True Beauty' on their website:

www.festivusfilmfestival.com

Doesn't mean we're in (as they're quick to point out), but it does mean Dan Ito likes the film. Dan Ito being the reviewer, if that wasn't clear...

OFFICIAL SELECTION AT POPPY JASPER

Just when you thought film festival names can't get weirder. 'True Beauty' was accepted into the 6th Annual Poppy Jasper Film Festival in Morgan Hill, California, running November 13-15. One of the '25 Film Festivals worth the entry fee (Moviemaker Magazine)'. I know you're curious (I was too), so here's what Poppy Jasper is:


It's a "world-renowned, semi-precious gemstone characterized by red and "poppy-yellow" circles (orbs) on a field of white or black".
The things you learn by reading this blog...

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DER WALD UND DIE BÄUME, DIE BÄUME UND DER WALD...

Something German you say? How'd you guess: Filmfest Eberswalde accepted 'True Beauty' to their 6th edition, October 3rd-10th, in Eberswalde, Germany. And in true German fashion, the acceptance e-mail came prim and proper, with all pertinent information neatly spelled out and even a signature:

Seriously, who signs emails? How grandly Teutonic. Love it!

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TRUE BEAUTY IN CANADA, EH?

Ever so friendly, the Edmonton International Film Festival has accepted 'True Beauty' into this year's line-up. I feel like having a beer and a hockey fight. Well, at least the beer will happen. The festival runs September 25 through October 3.

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And a special shout-out to David Brolin, one of the few confirmed readers of this blog. Carry on, David!

JURY AWARD IN STONY BROOK

I look a bit stunned, but I think it's the free drinks...

That officially makes it a dozen: 'True Beauty' won the Jury Award for Best Short in the Stony Brook Film Festival in New York last weekend! It was a great festival, with 1000+ people each night, and in the end we won. Very generous people out on the east coast. I came home with a suitcase full of goodies (looked like I just robbed a Best Buy on the way) and great memories. Thank you Stony Brook!

oh hell, one more picture (I'm in love with this shiny thing):



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TRUE BEAUTY IN ANOTHER VALLEY

Nope, still not that one, but this one's good too: the Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival has accepted 'True Beauty' in this year's festival, running September 9-13. Somebody just called me (an actual phone call from a live person - nice touch) to let me know the good news. And now I'm telling you. About as hot as this info here gets...

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TRUE BEAUTY IN NORTH CAROLINA

No State is safe, no city too southern: The Charlotte Film Festival has accepted 'True Beauty' to this year's festival. And rightfully so. Charlotte, the 'Queen City', was named in honor of the German Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg. There you have it. They had no choice.

TRUE BEAUTY IN THE BIG APPLE

For an encore in that great city of New York, this time at the Tribeca cinemas: 'True Beauty' was selected for the New York City Short Film Festival. They've only accepted 25 out of over 1000 submissions, and looking at the line-up, they did pick some of the best: I recognize films that played at many other festivals, and getting prizes to boot.

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TEASER

TRUE BEAUTY IN HIGH DEF

'True Beauty' was accepted into this year's HDFest. This is so cutting-edge news that they don't even have dates for the festival yet. But I swear, we're in...

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IT'S LIKE PASTA, ONLY WITH FILM

Nocicortinfestival 2009 (I dare you not think about 'gnocci') has accepted 'True Beauty' to their festival. Italy! One of my favorite countries. Now more then ever. The festival takes place August 20-21 (hell, that's like in three weeks; you'd think they notify people a bit earlier... ah, Italians)

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NEUTRALITY, CHEESE, CHOCOLATE, TRUE BEAUTY

You guessed it: Shnit Kurzfilmfestival in Switzerland has accepted 'True Beauty'. Guess I could translate: Shnit (means cut) Short film festival. The german language just loves long compound words. Here's one: Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft. I'm not making this up. It's a real word, and if you can tell me what it means, I'll buy you a beer.
Shnit Kurzfilmfestival takes place in Bern, Switzerland, October 7-11.

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TRUE BEAUTY IN THE VALLEY

Not that Valley, but the Rio Grande Valley. Mexican border. Illegal immigrants. Drugs. Heat. And now beauty: CineSol 2009 in Texas has accepted 'True Beauty' to this year's festival, taking place September 11-20.

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OFFICIAL SELECTION IN TACOMA

I think this makes it officially 50 film festivals: 'True Beauty' was accepted into the Tacoma Film Festival, taking place October 1-8. That Pacific Northwest is getting a good pelting of 'True Beauty', with Washougal, Port Townsend, Bumbershoot and now Tacoma. Way to go Pacific-Northwest-Film-Festival-Programmers!

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IN THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD

Or New Zealand. Your call. The Canterbury Short Film Festival invited 'True Beauty' to take part in this year's festival, running September 14 through 16. This is retarded-beautiful:

True Beauty indeed. But makes you wonder: who's going to show up for the screening?

TRUE BEAUTY IN THE UK

Sounds tasty: the Portobello Film Festival in London has accepted 'True Beauty' to this year's edition, taking place September 3-21. It's the UK's biggest independent film competition, and if you peruse their website, it's pretty impressive who's screened their stuff there before us.

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TRUE BEAUTY AND THE FROGS

I highly recommend making a short film if you want to learn about geography. 'True Beauty' was accepted into the Off-Courts Trouville Festival in, well, Trouville-Sur-Mer in France. It's quiet beautiful there and looking at this picture, I think I might have been there on one of the countless trips to France with our father when we were young:

And again I ask: where's the travel budget? Seriously...

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TRUE BEAUTY AT THE BEACH

Huntington Beach that is. The SoCal Film Fest has accepted 'True Beauty' in this year's edition, taking place September 14-23. Pretty sure we've covered every region in Los Angeles by now. Except Compton maybe...

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OFFICIAL SELECTION IN STRASBOURG

Europe's coming through, again. 'True Beauty' just got accepted into the Strasbourg International Film Festival, running August 28 through September 6. Kinda like a home-coming. When I grew up in Germany it wasn't too far from Strasbourg. Our father, a francophile for no apparent reason (thought he spoke French perfectly, but I think the natives just smiled and nodded to make him go away) dragged us every summer vacation to France. France, France, France. Up and down. Left and Right. Every battlefield of WWI and the sequel. Maybe that's why the French were not that keen on the old man. The short of the story is that I've been to Strasbourg before. And now I'm kinda going back. Thought that was neat.

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GERMANY! FINALLY...

Had my doubts about that fatherland of mine. Felt like I wasn't good enough to play in my own home. But here comes Halle, to save the day: 'True Beauty' was accepted into the Shortmoves International Short Film Festival, taking place in Halle, Germany, September 18-19. Na also. Geht doch!

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or, if you're adventurous (or German)

MEHR INFORMATION

BEST AMERICAN SPECTRUM SHORT IN INDIANAPOLIS

'True Beauty' won 'Best American Spectrum Short Film' (guess it's a fancy way of saying Best American Short Film; I admit, it does sound cooler; long parenthetical, sorry) at the Indianapolis International Film Festival last weekend! Not much more to say but KICKASS!

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DUSTIN SEAVEY NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTOR

If you've seen the film, you know he deserves it: Dustin has been nominated for Best Actor at the Feel Good Film Festival. Of course he couldn't have done it without me, directing him. So where's my nomination? Huh? But seriously, it's good to see his work recognized. Awards Ceremony is Sunday, August 9th. Cross your fingers...

OFFICIAL SELECTION AT FIRSTGLANCE

FirstGlance Film Fest Philadelphia has selected 'True Beauty' to screen in this year's festival, taking place in, you guessed it, Philadelphia, October 22-25. I'm so feeling the brotherly love...

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TRUE BEAUTY FEELS GOOD ON OPENING NIGHT

Not only has 'True Beauty' been accepted into this year's Feel Good Film Festival, but we're playing opening night on August 7th at the Egyptian. They're taking the 'Feel Good' very serious at this festival: There's a vodka reception right before the screening, so I'm expecting happy drunk people (I'll be one of them), then a fight, teary declarations of love, and all ending in a big group hug. I'm so there...

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OFFICIAL SELECTION AT SAUSALITO FILM FESTIVAL

Possibly the prettiest town in America (according to me; no, I haven't seen all the pretty towns in America, but this is my blog) has accepted 'True Beauty' in this year's festival. The Sausalito Film Festival runs August 21st - 23rd and shows 'films that speak to our naturally rebellious nature, our creative soul, our passion for cultural understanding'. And now, thanks to 'True Beauty', also to our inner bonehead...

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TRUE BEAUTY GETTING ITS KICKS...

... in the 8th Annual Route 66 Film Festival. It takes place September 19-20 in Springfield, Illinois, and is on the list of 25 Festivals worth the fee in Moviemaker Magazine. I couldn't agree more.

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OFFICIAL SELECTION AT PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL

The Pacific-Northwest, long declared by my wife to be her favorite region, is making a strong case for becoming mine: after Washougal and the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle, Port Townsend decided to accept 'True Beauty' in their 10th Annual Film Festival. There don't seem to be that many people in Port Townsend (8,334 at the 2000 census), so the population-to-True-Beauty-This-Night-exposure ratio might turn out to be rather high!

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FILE THAT UNDER WHAT THE &$@#?

Didn't really expect that: 'True Beauty' won 1st Prize at the Indie Gathering in the category Suspense / Thriller. (record scratch) What? Really. I can prove it too: http://www.theindiegathering.com/2009winners.htm.
I mean I'm not complaining. I'll take it! Suspense it is! I'm thrilled...

SPECIAL JURY MENTION IN THE PALACE

Hope 'Special' means good and not... well, special: 'True Beauty' got a Special Jury Mention at the 7th In The Palace Short Film Festival. Can't buy anything for that, but I can brag about it. Like I'm doing here.

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