July Newsletter 2008  
 

  1. Moving Stories Films to announce program line-up
  2. Davidson's THE GARGOYLE hits cyberspace
  3. Annick Press & BookShorts partner on YA Previews
  4. King Kiosks "Bundle for Booksellers"
  5. Vancouver Producers Make Films for VIWF Premiere

 

 
 

Moving Stories Films Welcomes World Wide Submissions

The world has come to the Moving Stories Film Festival, with short film submissions coming in from all over the globe. Impressing us with their creativity and talent are filmmakers from Japan, USA, Australia, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK and Denmark. We're also thrilled to have submissions from east to west right here in Canada, including Vancouver, the Yukon, Winnipeg, St. John's and all sorts of places in between.

The diversity also extends to the films themselves. Drama, comedy, action, adventure, mystery, fairy tales and even dance interpretations of books and poems have made their way on screen in both live action and animation.

We're pleased to have the multi-talented Paul Quarrington as programmer for Moving Stories Films. “As an author and filmmaker myself, I feel honoured to be involved in the curation of the festival program", says Quarrington, "though with so many wonderful submissions, it's been a real challenge to whittle it down to fit our program."

In addition to Quarrington, Moving Stories Films prestigious advisory team includes producer Robert Lantos, filmmaker Sarah Polley, author Nino Ricci, publisher Anne Collins and director/ animator Gary Thomas.

Visit Moving Stories online for the final line up in August!


The Gargoyle BookShort Unveiled


Andrew Davidson’s debut novel The Gargoyle is just about to hit the shelves, but it has already hit the screen in a brilliant new BookShort directed by Bert Kish for Doubleday US.

Elegantly shot, directed and edited in Los Angeles, The Gargoyle : Sei's Story captures one of many exotic mythical threads woven by Davidson in the book. We meet Marianne Engel, a mysterious sculptor of gargoyles who enters and re-enters the life of the nameless narrator, a suicidal burn victim. We also meet Andrew Davidson himself, as he reflects on the story of Sei, the beautiful Japanese glassblower enmeshed in a dilemma of love and loyalty, which he narrates for the viewer.

Official book pub date is August 7 for release in Canada, the US and the UK. Can’t wait and need something to hold you over? There’s already plenty of buzz about the book online at www.burnedbylove.com. Check it out and submit your own burned by love experience!

The Gargoyle film is produced by BookShorts in collaboration with the team at Doubleday, lead by John Pitts.


Annick Press Brings BookShorts into YA

BookShorts is jazzed to have a most excellent opportunity to turn attention to books for young adults through our just-signed collaboration with Annick Press, purveyors of “excellence and innovation in children’s literature.”

Annick Press has commissioned BookShorts to produce a series of animated Book Previews for YA titles, selected for their focus on African studies. “Kids at his age are so incredibly screen-oriented, and voracious in their appetite for entertainment," says BookShorts producer Judith Keenan, “it's very savvy of Annick to use those natural tendencies to help introduce kids, and their retail / educational gatekeepers, to bring attention to these titles in particular.”

With an emphasis on graphic style and super cool music, BookShorts looks forward to shorting out with our friends at Annick and all the young readers out there!


More about Annick Press at www.annickpress.com


Take Advantage of the Bundle for Booksellers!

CBA and BookShorts successfully launched the Bundle for Booksellers program at this year's BookExpo Canada. The interactive marketing initiative combines the technology of KING kiosks and the custom video content of MOVINGSTORIES.TV.

Our Bundle for Booksellers includes:

  • MovingStories.TV video programs featuring BookShort Films, Author Profiles, Book Preview Trailers and Original Web Shows to highlight new and popular books
  • Elegant slim Plynth Classic Kiosk designed by King Products
  • Options to customize the kiosk to your own design
  • Installation and a full year of hosting and technical support

We're ready to deliver kiosks and content for the upcoming Fall season; contact Judith@bookshorts.com for details.


And the Winner of “Make A Film On Our Dime” is ...

The creative duo of Ken Tsui and Brittany Junek has been selected as the winner of the “Make A Film On Our Dime” competition. Their vision for a short film adaptation of award-winning BC author David Chariandy’s novel Soucouyant will soon be realized into a BookShort.

“We feel that Ken and Brittany’s interpretation of the book will translate beautifully into a short film, reflecting the underlying sentiments and essence of Soucouyant in a dramatic and nuanced manner”, says BookShorts producer Judith Keenan.

Tsui, a student of Emily Carr University in Vancouver, and Junek, an alum, will work closely with a team of seasoned professionals to create their short film. It will be screened at the Vancouver International Writers Festival in October as part of the Moving Stories Film Festival

Congratulations to the dynamic duo – we look forward to seeing your film! www.movingstoriesfilmfest.com

 

About BookShorts
BookShorts are short films adapted from books, including exclusive behind-the-scenes features. They have screened nationally on television specialty channels, in film and literary festivals from Vancouver to St. John's, New York and Washington. BookShorts Literacy Program is supported by Canadian Heritage Book Publishing Industry Development Fund and our partners in the Canadian publishing community .For media catalogue, visit www.bookshorts.com.

Judith Keenan, BookShorts Literacy Program / BookShorts Inc.


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