The Costa Rica International Film Festival (CRIFF) invites you to experience eight days of independent short and feature films from across the globe at two of Costa Rica's most amazing destinations - Manuel Antonio and Montezuma. This two city festival will showcase a unique collection of film, music, art and special events uniting filmmakers and their fans in paradise.  If you've never visited Costa Rica - NOW IS THE TIME. Join us for the best independendent films in the...

 York Honored as the IPA’s 2009 Mary Pickford Award Winner Los Angeles, CA, October 14, 2009 --The International Press Academy today announced that actor Michael York will receive the 2009Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry at this year’s 14th Annual Satellite Awards™ on Sunday, December 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA.  Spanning 45 years in entertainment, Michael York’s career began on stage in his native England with the National Youth Theatre....

NEW Sophia was just cast as a "Godess' in the new feature film 'Falcyyr' of Unicovia Pictures Sophia started out in dance, community theatre and playing piano since she was five years old. Sophie's first introduction to film was in ”Santa Claus in Baghdad” RA Visions Productions" as an extra and was hooked. She then participated as an extra in ”Soul Sister”OracleVoice Films" . She started taking acting classes and loved it with a passion that would contin...

Media Personality and CEO of UAE-based production company Pyramedia, Nashwa Al Ruwaini, was unanimously elected last week as a member of the prestigious International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. With over 20 years of experience in the television industry in the Middle East, Nashwa has built a massively successful reputation for content creation in the Middle East.  After 11 years of presenting and creating content for the Middle East Broadcasting corporation (MBC), Nashwa estab...

CFC (Canadian Film Centre) names  Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland as Chair of the CFC ACTORS CONSERVATORY.The CFC ACTORS CONSERVATORY, presented by Canwest and supported by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, is Canada’s first professional level, cross collaborative on-screen training program for actors.  The inaugural five-month session will launch September 21, 2009.   Conservatory participants and accomplished mentors will be announced shortly. &...

New Distribution Options and Reinvention on Agenda Prominent industry executive and producer Bill Mechanic will deliver the keynote address at the 11th Annual Independent Film & Television Alliance's (IFTA) Production Conference, which takes place from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, IFTA President-CEO Jean Prewitt announced today. Mechanic will be joined by other industry leaders at Century City's InterContinental Hotel to address the best ways to overcome difficult production...

 by Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor  In its 25 year history, FESTROIA has welcomed such luminaries as Lauren Bacall, Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Jane Russell, Ben Gazarra and Mickey Rooney. This year, career achievement honors go to American actor Michael Madsen, who will be in Portugal to receive his prize. He is also being represented on the big screen in two films: STRENGTH AND HONOUR by debut Irish director Mark Mahon, where he gives a s...