We had to sit on the news for a while, but we couldn’t be happier to finally announce our imminent International Premiere at the It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival in Brazil (April 8-18). It’s All True (E Tudo Verdade) is one of the most prestigious documentary film festivals in the world, and the leading event devoted exclusively to the culture of documentary in South America. Every year since 1996, a small selection of international documentaries (along with premieres, classics, and Brazilian films in competition), are screened for ten days simultaneously in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. This year, a total of 71 documentaries from 27 countries are part of the official selection. If you’re one of our many Brazilian fans, be sure to click on our Screenings tab for more details.
Monthly Archives: March 2010
Scarface6992 vs. wadark
Okay, so I just spotted the following debate on our YouTube channel (beneath our original trailer), and had to share it, because, well, it’s an exceptionally entertaining example of GL-related internet banter. A real doozy. Here it is, completely uncensored and unedited, typos and all (parental discretion is advised)… enjoy..!
wadark
Jar Jar Binks was my favorite character. There I said it. The prequels were great, get over it. There was no “raping” of anyone’s childhood. Anyone who says that it did is full of crap.
Scarface 6992
@wadark hahahahahaahahahahaahahaha. mesa thinks your a c unt
wadark
@Scarface6992 Clever. Stay up all night writing that? OMG he said the “c” word, he must be so freakin clever. How old are you?
Scarface 6992
Took about 45 minutes. I used the dialectic process of thesis= you and your appreciation for the prequels, factoring in attack of the clones and dialog like “they’re like animals, so i slaughtered them… like animals”, then the antithesis= me, preference of the original trilogy and its cinematic influence from Kurosawa( see the hidden fortess) which then lead me to the synthesis…
I’m 17 and not fond of the man who raped my childhood, or any person who celebrates it.
take your cgi and leave
wadark
@Scarface6992 There are millions of ACTUAL rape victims in the world right now, screaming in anger at that phrase. George Lucas did nothing to your childhood. YOU did it to your childhood by getting WAY to into Star Wars. Get over yourself. You don’t like the prequels, don’t watch them, shut your eyes and just pretend they don’t exist. You’ll be much happier than right now, sitting spamming wherever you can about how George Lucas is the anti-Christ or whatever. Move on, friend.
Scarface 6992
” shut your eyes and pretend they don’t exist” this has nothing to do with rape? Ive never been into star wars that much however I sympathize with the millions of rape victims out there who saw the iconic representation of an era bent over and continually double penetrated with cgi characters and terrible dialog. Its true, I don’t have to watch them but their existence will still forever hold down and force itself into the cultural canon of the old trilogy, and for that I feel dirty and abused
wadark
@Scarface6992 Then that’s your own damn fault, not Lucas’s. Good night.
Scarface 6992
@wadark its my fault lucas created merchandise oriented prequels which spit in the face of their culturally significant precursors? well for that wadark, I apologize, maybe one day I will fully appreciate the sophistication of jar jar and his comedic wit and contribution to the films. Until then, I must concede that I have been bested. I end with this;
In August and at the age of 13, in a cinema full of people, George Lucas, for 133 minutes and through the medium of film…raped me.
wadark
@Scarface6992 Uh…no. George Lucas can do what George Lucas wants with George Lucas’s film. Fact 2: George Lucas didn’t create a “generation-defining” film. George Lucas created Star Wars; the FANS made Star Wars “generation-defining”. It’s not Lucas’s responsibility to live up to your expectations.
Its YOUR fault that you’re so into a fictional universe that you think creating a “terrible” installment constitutes rape. That is sad.
Scarface 6992
i’m not into a fictional universe, I just think your wrong- lucas IS in control of his own films, rape however is defined as an act of plunder, violent seizure, or abuse; despoliation or violation. Once lucas created the prequels, fully aware of the position his films had been placed in (by the fans) within pop culture, by creating newer films that plunder, seize abuse and violate what has become ingrained within the context of cinematic history- Lucas committed rape.
Will the debate ever end?
AOP
Canadian Premiere at Hot Docs
We are so happy to be selected by Hot Docs in Toronto, North America’s most important documentary film festival. The festival takes place from April 28 – May 8, and the film will screen three times. Book your tickets now, as we’re expecting a packed house! Be sure to stick around for a Q&A with Alexandre and Robert.
PvsG Canadian Premiere @ Hot Docs!!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS” TO SCREEN AT HOT DOCS AFTER BUZZWORTHY WORLD PREMIERE AT SXSW
DENVER, CO–March 23, 2010–After four packed and critically acclaimed screenings at SXSW last week, THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS will be presented in the World Showcase programme at the 2010 Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto (April 29 – May 9).
Hot Docs is North America’s largest and most important documentary film festival, conference and market. Each year, the Festival presents a selection of approximately 150 cutting-edge documentaries; and the World Showcase programme is the Festival’s immensely popular survey of the year’s finest non-fiction films from around the world. With its lively mix of public and professional events, Hot Docs is the ideal North American market and meeting place for the documentary industry. Last year, the festival attracted over 2000 delegates, including documentary filmmakers, buyers, programmers, distributors, and commissioning editors from around the world.
“Hot Docs is the perfect follow-up to our immensely popular Spotlight Premiere screenings at SXSW,” says Director Alexandre O. Philippe, “and I couldn’t think of a more exciting venue to introduce our film to Canadian audiences. Hot Docs is an essential stop on the circuit for all documentary filmmakers, and we’re truly honored to be listed among the high-caliber of non-fiction films selected to compete this year.”
THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS, which explores the dysfunctional relationship between the great filmmaker and his fans over the past three decades, will screen at the Bloor Cinema on May 1st (9:15pm) and May 4th (11:45pm), and at the Innis Town Hall on May 3rd (4:00pm).
PvsG listed as #3 most buzzed-about film by Fandango!
The popular site Fandango has rated The People vs. George Lucas as the 3rd most buzzed about film at SXSW. Given that puts our little indie film in place behind big budget bonanzas Kick Ass and MacGruber it’s an amazing feat! Read the full story on Fandango’s site here.
SXSW recap – the verdict is in!
As we’re packing our bags here in Austin, getting ready for the next adventure, the report from SXSW is in, and it’s nothing short of amazing.
Fans waiting in line at the Alamo South Lamar.
Our first screening at The Alamo South Lamar had a line so long that another screening was added at midnight to accommodate the spillover (a festival first, we were told)—both ended up completely full. Same story with our Tuesday screening at The Paramount—a 1,200 seater—packed on a weekday afternoon. Lines of badge-holders wrapped around the entire block on a chilly, rainy day. A sight to behold—reminiscent of a certain 1977 Summer release. The fourth and final screening took place at the slanted Hitachi G-Tech Theater on Thursday. Another packed house, plenty of applause during the film, and a really engaging Q&A to round it all up.
This one speaks for itself!
Let’s not forget the kick-ass premiere party at The Highball, hosted by the gracious and fabulous Tim League, and featuring DJ Fuckin’ A, Slave Leia dancers, and plenty of lasers.
Intense Q&A with a passionate crowd.
Here in Austin, the fans, industry and media have embraced the film with tremendous enthusiasm and interest, and we couldn’t have hoped for a better reception. We’re now only days away from announcing further screenings at two top-tier international film festivals, and committed to two additional ones in June (details TBA).
DJ Fuckin' A energizes the crowd @ The Highball.
After an interview with Entertainment Weekly, and a second front page appearance as Top Entertainment story on CNN.com, the early reviews are in. We’ll let them speak for themselves:
‘Best film about geek culture I’ve ever seen.’ (Chris Gore, G4)
‘A major crowd pleaser.’ (Eric Kohn, Moving Pictures Magazine) – FULL REVIEW HERE
The winner of our costume contest!
‘The briskly paced movie does an admirable job of lashing together the best bits, which are combined with fascinating archival footage of the social phenomenon that Star Wars has become. […] That’s a lot of input to boil down into a coherent, feature-length movie, but Philippe and crew have pulled it off.’ (Wired.com) – FULL REVIEW HERE
‘There’s more to “People” than just fanboys and girls emoting over the highs and lows of their tangled relationship with Lucas. […] Philippe crafts an interesting meditation on art and marketing and film itself. Between the voluminous clips of fan art and his true cross-section of high- and low-brow commentators, “People” is a clever and stimulating look inside a subculture that has ramifications on far bigger subjects. The galaxy in this case is not so very far away.’ (Randee Dawn, Moving Pictures Magazine) – FULL REVIEW HERE
The marquee at The Paramount--an impressive Baroque Revival 1,200-seater.
‘A consistently good-looking doc, with high production values and some inspired editing.’ (SciFi Squad)
‘There isn’t a single angle of this discussion neglected, and the film serves as a testament to fandom’s greatest debate, becoming a distillation of the finer points while never neglecting the underlying passion that the fans have for the material. Equal parts funny and informative, […] this is the definitive word on the debate and it is impossible to imagine that anyone will ever say it better.’ (Film.com) – FULL REVIEW HERE
The line wrapped around the entire block from both sides of the theater. Impressive. Most impressive.
‘A generation of fanboys has its say in “The People vs. George Lucas,” a doc whose obvious sympathy for one side of the battle doesn’t keep it from giving a fair shake to the mogul behind “Star Wars” or prevent it from making good-natured jokes about those who take the saga too seriously. […] Even a well-informed “Star Wars” enthusiast will likely make new discoveries here, and more casual fans will be stunned by the homemade remakes, imaginative off-shoots and eagle-eyed edits put together by ordinary people who may have a stronger feel for the Force than the man who dreamed it up.’ (The Hollywood Reporter) – FULL REVIEW HERE
‘The longer the film rolls, the more apparent it becomes that, despite all the judicial trappings, this isn’t a trial; it’s a communal therapy session. An odd, hilarious, bittersweet communal therapy session, so that maybe, just maybe, we can start to heal. […] The People vs. George Lucas doesn’t provide any definitive verdicts. It’s honest enough to admit that ultimately, George Lucas is just a guy, and maybe we never had any right to hold him up to the standards we set for him after 30 years of nostalgic devotion.’ (Cinemablend) – FULL REVIEW HERE
‘The People vs. George Lucas is an amazing piece of documentary film making. […] The interviewees range from film critics and musicians, to regular people and filmmakers. […] The commentary they provide on the passion they have for the original fare is powerful and inspiring and makes you proud to be a film geek of any ilk. Conversely, the articulating of black-bile hatred for the newer films and the re-releases is subversively hysterical.’ (Film School Rejects)
‘SXSW always has a strong lineup of documentaries, and The People vs. George Lucas is one of this year’s best. Smart, funny, and often impassioned, it’s entertaining even when it’s just exploring the filmmaker’s relationship with his rebellious army of fans. But what really hooked me were its insights into why this battle matters to the noncombatants.’ (Slant Magazine) – FULL REVIEW HERE
‘As a film by and for the fans, there’s no denying that The People vs George Lucas is worthy of its place in the pantheon of George Lucas’s classic series.’ (GotchaMovies.com) – FULL REVIEW HERE
Finally, a few relevant clips/audio files for your enjoyment:
AOP
Exclusive Interviews Galore / International Premiere Announcement Imminent
Two additional exclusive interviews are now available online:
More to come very soon–including Entertainment Weekly and Film School Rejects. Working frantically on final preparations for SXSW. Details about our PvsG party in Austin and International Premiere to be announced imminently.
AOP