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Cinema Chat: Cinetopia, Locke, The Lunchbox, The Other Woman and More

Brian Fisher
/
Flickr

CINETOPIA -- The Best Films From the World’s Best Film Festivals -- June 4-8, Detroit/Ann Arbor

More Screens, More Films!

This year, the Cinetopia Film Festival will expand to at least five screens in Ann Arbor, and at least four screens in Detroit. For the 2013 Festival, we had four screens in Ann Arbor, and one screen in Detroit. We are excited to add more screens because that means we can bring more movies as well as screen the best more than once!

Last year, the locations in Ann Arbor were The Michigan Theater, the State Theatre, and Angell Hall on the University of Michigan campus. Our Detroit screen was at the Detroit Institute of Arts. We are very pleased to be expanding fourfold in Detroit this year, returning to the Detroit Institute of Arts, as well as several new locations in Detroit Cultural Center - the College for Creative Studies, the Charles Wright Museum, The Michigan Science Center and Cinema Detroit, in the old Burton School on Cass Avenue

Cinetopia Cinema Circus

When we began to conceptualize Cinetopia several years ago, we knew that the people of Detroit deserved a major scale film festival and would embrace the idea. But nothing prepared us for the level of enthusiasm that we have encountered.

Our partners at the Detroit Film Theatre have been incredibly supportive from the outset. The Knight Foundation has provided not only financial support, but strong encouragement and advice. AT&T, the MGM Grand-Detroit, Masco Foundation, Toyota, Ford Motor Company Fund, Comerica, Whole Foods, and Zingerman’s to name a few have now come on as sponsors.

Over the past several months we have held outreach meetings with dozens of community leaders and organizations, with the goal of gathering the best ideas and insights to help us design the best possible festival. The response to virtually every meeting has been, “How can we help? How can I get involved?”

One idea that emerged early is the Cinetopia Cinema Circus, which will bring free movie screenings to Detroit neighborhoods in late.  These free screenings of Family Friendly films will take place at:

Eastern Market - May 23

Ford Resource and Development Center in Mexicantown - May 24

New Center Park - May 28

Balduck Park (in Eastern Detroit) - May 31

DETROIT VOICES FILM CONTEST -- Part of the Cinetopia Festival - Detroit/Ann Arbor

Get your work seen on the big screen by 15,000+ people!

Houses for $1.00…Failing Schools…Burned-Out Buildings…Corrupt Officials…Bankruptcy…

What’s the REAL story? METRO DETROIT FILMMAKERS: Share YOUR unique perspective with 15,000+ festivalgoers!

REQUIREMENTS: Filmmakers must live in live in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, or Washtenaw counties.

Films must be no more than 30 minutes long. The rest is up to you!

WHAT YOU’LL WIN:

The ADULT COMPETITION (18+) winner will receive $5000, his/her film played at Cinetopia, and a free Cinetopia festival pass

The HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COMPETITION winner will receive $1000, his/her film played at Cinetopia, and a free Cinetopia festival pass

LET’S WRAP

Still finishing up your film? Are you a filmmaker or student without a project? Curious about filmmaking? Have questions about Detroit Voices?

Attend our Let’s Wrap session to meet other filmmakers, partner up for projects, and get questions answered. All attendees receive an exclusive one-week extension on the May 1 Detroit Voices deadline.

Crew up with us on Sunday, April 27, from 4-8PM at the Allied Media Office (2473 3rd St., Detroit, 48201).

Tickets go on sale to Cinetopia on May 5 to Michigan Theater members, DIA and Charles Wright Museum members.  Tickets go on sale to the General Public on May 9.  Cinetopia is June 4-8. 

For more information go to CinetopiaFestival.org

Opening Downtown

In “The Lunchbox,” middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement.

Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day's lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. Ty Burr of the Boston Globe says “a humanist fable from India, the film is actually a romance in the classic tradition, a ‘Brief Encounter’ transposed to the rhythms and flavors of modern-day Mumbai.” “The Lunchbox” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater.

Opening at the Multiplex

“Brick Mansions” tells the story of a dystopian Detroit, where abandoned brick mansions left from better times now house only the most dangerous criminals. Unable to control the crime, the police constructed a colossal containment wall around this area to protect the rest of the city. For undercover cop Damien Collier (Paul Walker, in his final completed film) every day is a battle against corruption. For Lino (David Belle), every day is a fight to live an honest life. Their paths never should have crossed, but when drug kingpin, Tremaine (RZA) kidnaps Lino's girlfriend, Damien reluctantly accepts the help of the fearless ex-convict, and together they must stop a sinister plot to devastate the entire city.  “Brick Mansions” opens Friday.

“The Other Woman” follows Cameron Diaz as she discovers her boyfriend is married - but when she accidentally meets the wife he's been cheating on (Leslie Mann), she realizes they have much in common, and her sworn enemy becomes her greatest friend. When yet another affair is discovered (Kate Upton), all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB. “The Other Woman” opens Friday.

“The Quiet Ones” finds a university professor, along with a team of students, conducting an "experiment" on a young girl who harbors unspeakable secrets. What dark forces they uncover are more terrifying than any of them expected.  Inspired by true events, “The Quiet Ones” opens Friday.

Hitchcock Screenings Downtown

In “The Trouble With Harry” trouble erupts in a small, quiet New England town when a man’s body is found in the woods. The problem is that almost everyone in town thinks that they had something to do with his death. “The Trouble With Harry” plays Sunday, April 27 at 4 PM at the Michigan Theater.

“The Wrong Man,” starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, follows Manny, an honest hardworking musician at New York’s Stork Club. When his wife needs money, he goes to the local insurance office to borrow on her policy, but employees at the office mistake him for a hold-up man who robbed them and the police are called. “The Wrong Man” plays Tuesday, April 29 at 7 PM at the Michigan Theater.

Special Screenings Downtown

“Wet Hot American Summer” follows the last day of summer at Camp Firewood; as camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) prepares to wrap things up, the staff of teenage counselors realize this is their last chance to do something about the summer romances that have been brewing for the past three months. “Wet Hot American Summer” plays Saturday at 11:59PM at the State Theatre.

Jim Henson directed “Labyrinth,” a gothic fantasy which pits living and breathing actors Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie (who, along with Trevor Jones, provides the film’s music) against a motley collection of Muppet monsters. The film centers upon teenage Sarah (Connelly), who lives in a fantasy world of myth and magic, evil spells, and wondrous enchantment. When she is forced to baby-sit her little brother, she cavalierly wishes that goblins would take him away, but be careful what you wish for. “Labyrinth” plays Sunday, April 27 at 1:30 PM at the Michigan Theater. FREE for kids 12 and under!

“Locke” stars Tom Hardy as Ivan, a man who has worked diligently to craft the life he has envisioned, dedicating himself to the job that he loves and the family he adores. On the eve of the biggest challenge of his career, Ivan receives a phone call that sets in motion a series of events that will unravel his family, job, and soul. “Locke” plays Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 PM. Presented by The New York Film Critics Series. Featuring a live post-screening video chat with Rolling Stone‘s Peter Travers, director Steven Knight, and star Tom Hardy.

Contact David: dfair@emich.edu