BE BRAVE, BOLD and you will change our world. The Brave New Fellows Program is seeking passionate, driven, and creative people who use visual storytelling to re-image, reconstruct and advance our world.

The Brave New Fellows Program envisions a world where visual storytellers from all backgrounds have a voice and a place to create impactful media. BNFP needs you. Reports, statistics, think tanks, demographics and Hollywood movie release after movie release continue to display the dearth disparities and complete lack of opportunities for cross-cultural innovation, imaginative ideas, fresh storytelling and originality.

Part of BNFP's mission is to break down the systemic barriers that limit opportunities for people of color and people from marginalized communities by empowering fellows with tools and training to become stronger activists and versatile advocates for social justice all while making film, networking and developing your voice.

As a fellow, you will champion social justice, inspire media, empower themselves, motivate corporation, engage community and truly make a difference through civic participation. If this sounds like you, learn more at: bravenewfilms.org.

Hues Pay-Off

Hollywood has been given a black eye as "Straight Outta Compton' collects over $110 million at the boxoffice in less than two weeks becoming the unsung hero of summer 2015.

The making of and getting 'Straight Outta Compton' into cinemaplexes around the United States is reminiscent of 1976.  Last week, TVOne's brilliant docu-series 'Usung Hollywood' presented the back story on the groundbreaking film 'Car Wash.'  Today 'Car Wash' is a cult classic film throughout the American landscape; however, as the story goes, Hollywood suits at the time, 1976, claimed not know how to market the film, unfold the story, cast the actors, edit the final film or deal with the movie. "It's a black film!, Hollywood players declared.

At Cannes, the Jury wanted to award 'Car Wash' its highest honor, the Palme d'Or; however, the two American jurors strictly forbid this.  In retaliation and fully recognizing its importance and true value, the other jurors created two special awards for 'Car Wash' recognizing its importance to international cinema, when the Americans were reluctantly to see the bigger picture and the future of global filmmaking.

It is unfortunate Hollywoodteurs continue do not want to understand, see, proper and create a rich legacy from inclusive cinema.  Like 'Car Wash,' through 'Straight Outta Compton' Hollywood has another opportunity to change, update, and modernize the rules of its way too exclusive game.

 The 53rd cinematic curation of the New York Film Festival has been announced.  This year's stellar array of international movie flickery highlights the best in world cinema, featuring films from celebrated filmmakers and emerging talent over 17-days in Manhattan.

Unspooling begins on September 25th with director Robert Zemeckis' The Walk and wraps on October 11th with actor Don Cheadle's directorial debut, Miles Ahead, about iconic musician, Miles Davis. NYFF/53 offers 26 film gems including the World Premieres of Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks in the Cold War story of the 1962 exchange of a U-2 pilot for a Soviet agent and Laura Israel’s Don’t Blink – Robert Frank, a documentary portrait of the great photographer and filmmaker.

For the first time, New York audiences will get to view Cannes 2015 Best Director Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin and Todd Haynes’s Carol, starring Rooney Mara.  Other notables filmmakers returning to NYFF with new works include documentarian, Michael Moore, with Where To Invade Next, which takes a hard and surprising look at the state of our nation from a fresh perspective; NYFF mainstay Hong Sangsoo, who will present his latest masterwork, Right Now, Wrong Then, about the relationship between a middle-aged art-film director and a fledgling artist; and French director Arnaud Desplechin, who is back with the funny and heartrending story of young love My Golden Days, starring Mathieu Amalric and newcomers Quentin Dolmaire and Lou Roy-Lecollinet.

Director and Selection Committee Chair of the New York Dilm Festival, Kent Jones says, “I could talk about the geographical range of the films in the selection, the mix of artistic sensibilities. . .but the only thing that really matters is how uniformly beautiful and vital each of these movies are.”

Tickets are on sale now.

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COME summer, emerging indie filmmakers and roving film festival circuiteurs eagerly await Filmmaker Magazine's highly coveted and completely subjective "25 New Faces of Independent Film" list of up-and-coming independent filmmakers.

Twenty-fifteen's holy scroll includes not only directors, but talent in all areas of filmmaking, including actors, cinematographers, animators, writers and more.  As their art reflects their life and the world around them, this year's "25 New Faces" use their vision, voice and camera to tackle current news and sensitive subjects of our day, from poverty and homelessness, to race and police violence - and, of course, the multi ring circus of politics.

Get familiar and keep an eye on this fresh and exciting crop of cinema professionals.  Chances are you will be hearing from them soon.

BILLION DOLLAR GRAB

PIONEERING independent film company, Miramax, founded by publicity hounds, Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 1979, is apparently up for sale, again.  Miramax, which owns the rights to hundreds of Hollywood films including "Pulp Fiction" and "The English Patient," is exploring its profiteering options. 

The Santa Monica based company is currently held by an investor group including Qatar Holding and investment firm Colony Capital, which purchased the company from Disney in 2010 for $660 million.

While the company is best known for both its Oscar seeking trickery and its extensive cash cow film library, Miramax has recently started to distribute new movies ("Mr. Holmes") and also ventured into TV production with a Spanish/Latin market oriented series based on Robert Rodriguez's film "From Dusk Till Dawn."   Insiders say, the pricetag is in the billion dollar neighborhood.  OF COURSE.

  SEE independent film at its finest and most original. The 7th annual curation of BAMcinemaFest is here.  Each year, BCF presents the New York premiere of this season's soon to be talked about, influential and innovative indie cinema fair.

DON'T miss out.  Read all about the films, meet the filmmakers, see trailers and get your tickets at WWW.BAM.ORG.

New Hire

YOU WANT THIS JOB?  Disney CFO, James Rasulo, will leave on June 30th. Rasulo, whose contract expired in January 2015, made $16.2 million in the fiscal year that ended in September 2014, says Disney via its latest proxy. In March 2015, Rasulo sold $12 million worth of his Disney stock.

RASULO joined Disney in 1986 as Director, Strategic Planning and Development following stints at Chase Manhattan Bank and Marriott Corp. He recently was key to the acquisition of Maker Studios and was pivotal in the acquisition of Lucasfilm.  He was involved with the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure, the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, and the initial development of the new Shanghai Disney Resort during his tenure at Disney Parks and Resorts.

CONTACT your headhunter.  The Walt Disney Company says it will name a new CFO “at a later date.”