Independent Spirit Award Noms Announced


The Independent Spirit Awards presented by Film Independent, formerly IFP LA. LVHIFF is proud to have presented a bunch of films that have gone off to be Spirit Award nominees. THE SQUID AND THE WHALE leads this year's noms with six noms including Best Film, Best Director and actor noms for Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, with noms for Best Picture, Director and noms for Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams (real life couple who just had a baby). Other notables are truly indie films like CONVENTIONEERS from director Mora Stephens, garnering a nom for the John Cassavetes Award, ROMANTICO for Best Documentary and PARADISE NOW for Best Foreign Film.

Here's a full list of this year's nominees.

Chinese and Japanese bloggers outraged by Geisha film



A day before the world premiere of Steven Spielberg backed MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA in Japan, blogs in China and Japan have been buzzing with intense criticism, according to Reuters. The main issue: Chinese actresses hired to play Japanese geishas and the liberal historical use of geisha imagery and practices.
Cinematical, a great blog, also talks about this issue and Rob Marshall argues in favor of his decision.

Yet another article chronicling Hallyu

Gary Chun from the Honolulu Star Bulletin wrote a feature article on Hallyu or the Korean Wave, spotlighting YA Entertainment, a subsidiary of YesAsia . Christmas shopping ideas, anyone?