Song of Silence a film written and directed by the multi-talented Alexander Kaletski will be previewed at 7 p.m. on Friday February 24, 2012 at Tribeca Screening Room, 375 Greenwich Street. Children under 17 not admitted and space is limited.

The film features Kaletski, Anna Zorina, Jerry Joseph, Perry Lewis Jr., Sean Rouse, Cindy Joseph, Bruce Kocher and Rick DePOFI.

You must RSVP to zorina.an@gmail.com.

Keep your eyes open for an interview with Kaletski here a Mapanare.

_ Sean Weathers films are exploitation films. You can tell by the titles; Hookers in Revolt and They All Must Die!. Find me a Merchant/Ivory film with a title like Hookers in Revolt. These two titles, and the more ambiguously titled, The Unfinished Works of Sean Weathers, come out November 22 on MVD Entertainment.

Hookers in Revolt’s plot is pretty simple;hookers revolt against their pimps. Apparently inspired by Orwells Animal Farm this film uses pimps and hos in Brooklyn over the barnyard. They All Must Die was apparently investigated because authorities thought it was a snuff film. The press says it was “banned” but I don’t know where and how. Outrageous, depraved and disgusting are adjectives used. When I hear those these days I think “Faces of Death” (which was fake by the way). BUT good exploitation is all about the marketing, the shock. That is all part of what makes the “genre.”

The last title is a collection of three titled Weathers was unable to complete.

The Chicago Food Film Fest is coming up shortly. It runs from November 18 through 20th at Kendall College and Intelligentsia Roasting Works. This is the festival where you can, literally, taste what is on the screen.

The festival is produced in association with the James Beard Foundation and benefits The Good Food Project.

You can get tickets, see a full schedule (too big for me to run here) and--also important—find out the FOOD they will have at each event by visiting www.thefoodfilmfestival.com.

The New Media Film Festival has been dubbed “Sundance for the Facebook crowd by one publication. I admit to having no idea what that means. But I do know that the New Media Film Festival allows filmmakers using new forms of media a venue to show their creations—be it in San Francisco or Los Angeles.

The 2nd San Francisco New Media Film Festival will consist of 45 films/filmmakers, panesl with new media CEOs, journalists, red carpet interviews and an award ceremony. All of this costs $30. I would have listed the details but there are too many. Head towww.NewMediaFilmFestival.com for the full scoop.

Whenever I see any “how to” book or DVD I am skeptical. But really? In the case of indie film distribution—especially DIY indie film distribution? What do you have to lose, have a look. The Secrets To Distribution: Get Your Movie Distributed Now! is out on DVD.

It purports to have all you producer and director types need to know to get distribution for your feature or documentary. I will dispense with hyperbole. The package is 9 DVDs with 18 hour of material and three work books with resources, case studies and distro contact lists.

What have you got to lose? Especially if you don’t know the biz? Well, yes, you could lose whatever this costs but that is implied…I mean beyond THAT what do you have to lose? Ok…18 hours of your time but you would likely waste that on Facebook or down at the dog track right?

If you subscribe to Smashcut (and I was unaware I did) you get a discount which is slightly less than $450….for the course. Read more at www.distribution.la/smashcut. And ask around about this. I am not endorsing this...just letting you know it exists.

Bob and Nadya Gruen bought a portable video recorder in the early 1970s. That was pretty early to have one I guess but in itself is not remarkable. What is remarkable is the 40 hours of footage they shot of New York Dolls. This footage was turned into into the documentary All Dolled Up fo Lookin’ Fine On Television.

Footage has been added and edited as well for this release. Footage includes  videos from shows at Max’s Kansas City, Whiskey-A-Go-Go and a slew of others. There are also interviews with David Johansen and Johnny Thunders.

Bob Gruen, in case you are unaware, is a celebrated rock photographer.

For more info on the releas go HERE.

The NYC Food Film Festival Tickets are now on sale. They have also announced some tantalizing details about this year’s festival. There will be over 25 films screened between October 13 and 16th at Tribeca Cinemas.

This is a festival where you get more than a movie, however, you literally can taste what is on the screen. General admission tickets are available for all events and there are VIP and Festival-wide passes available as well.  Menus at each event include food from the specific movie, beer, wine, cocktails (presented by “festival mixologist” Allen Katz).

I was just happy to see a movie section post. They come so rarely. Usually the releases confound me or are for something happening on the day they are sent out (or I don’t get to them for a week). Really should write more about movies.

 For details and to purchase tickets head to www.thefoodfilmfestival.com. Please note, the VIP and Festival-wide tickets are limited.

MVD is releasing a series of DVDs from the Dalai Lama. The first set comes out on August 23 and includes four titles; A Pratical Way Of Directing Love And Compassion, Contentment, Joy And Living Well, Interdependence, Interconnectedness And The Nature Of Reality and Facing Death And Dying Well.

The titles of the films are sort of self-explanatory but I suspect that his holiness goes into a tad more detail. Most of the DVDs are around three hours long or thereabout. The tapes are in a mix of English and Tibetan (with subtitles obviously).

Years ago I saw the Dalai Lama speak (despite a poor sound system) and the idea that compassion was our greatest human attribute and that we had a responsibility to the people around us made the biggest impression on me. Of course, I still got into a fight with my then-girlfriend right after his speech. It took awhile for it to all sink in with me as I am not terribly bright.

But even that is a lesson that even the thickest person can take such messages to heart and these DVDs are something any person of conscience, any person, open to other views should check out.

When a film (Paranormal Activity 3) takes the time to come up with creative ways to market their offering, ages before it comes out it can mean one of two things; a) they are really gung-ho and creative and just had too many ideas (and "get" the multi-media world we live in) or b) they are substituting marketing for making a good movie.

In this case I am inclined to believe the former over the latter.

Check HERE for what I am talking about.

I think it is clever. When it was sent to me, I watched the first video and, even considering it was forwarded by someone I KNEW was working on the movie, it took me a little bit for it to register. I suggest forwarding the link around to your horror fan friends and see who gets it!

I liked both of the Paranormal Activity movies. Sure the second one was derivative but they kept what made the first one scary; they let tension build. They let things happen that you catch out of the corner of your eye. In real life that is what makes you JUMP.

But I am curious, and suspicious, if they can maintain the spookiness in a third movie. The trailer is, however, promising. Check it out HERE.