Cinema United Elects Harkins Theatres’ Mike Bowers as New Chair – Film News in Brief
Harkins Theatres president and CEO Mike Bowers has been elected chair of the executive board of Cinema United, the international organization of movie theater owners. Bowers will take over from B&B Theatres CEO Bob Bagby, who will remain on the executive board.
“Delivering an amazing cinematic experience has been my life’s work,” says Bowers. “It’s a true honor to serve the passionate people who bring the magic of moviegoing to communities across America and around the globe.”
Bowers has been president and CEO of Arizona-based Harkins Theatres since 2006. Also making up the executive board are Cinemark’s Executive VP and Chief Marketing and Content Officer, Wanda Gierhart Fearing, who will serve as Vice-Chair; Colleen Barstow of Nebraska-based Main Street Theatres who will become Treasurer, and Bo Chambliss of Georgia Theatre Company who will continue as Board Secretary.
“I am extremely excited to work with Mike and the leadership team to continue to support and promote this great industry. Mike brings years of experience building a successful circuit, and he will work tirelessly to support all of exhibition. The entire leadership team will bring energy and insight as we continue to drive toward the next great era in cinema,” says Cinema United president & CEO Michael O’Leary. “I also want to acknowledge and thank Bob for successfully leading Cinema United these past
two years. He will remain on the board and continue to be a leader for years to come.”
Cinema United represents more than 33,000 movie screens across the U.S. and Canada and an additional 30,000 more in 81 countries worldwide.
Thursday, October 9
Mischa Barton Bends Reality in ‘Glitched’ Paranormal Sci-Fi Comedy Film
Mischa Barton (“The O.C.”) will star in the paranormal sci-fi comedy, “Glitched,” which is set to make its world premiere at the La Femme Film Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 17.
After turning their grandmother’s castle into a virtual reality playground, “Glitched” tells the story of a set of ambitious twins trying not to get stuck in the afterlife after accidentally opening a supernatural portal.
Rounding out the cast are Abigail O’Regan (“Spellbound”), Donal Brophy (“Sleep No More”), Jack McEvoy (“Vikings”) and Elijah Rowen (“Vikings”) and John Connors (“Crazy Love,” “Re-Creation with Jim Sheridan”).
Directed by Alaskan filmmaker Zoe Quist, the genre-bending project is a women-led production that established mentorships across all key departments to create pathways for new voices and ensure economic diversity on set.
“Glitched” is written by Steve Grabowsky with Maria O’Neill p.g.a (“The Black Guelph”), Susan Wright p.g.a. and Quist as producers.
Five Participants Selected for the Annual Native American Unscripted Workshop
The Native American Media Alliance has selected five storytellers to participate in its 5th Annual Native American Unscripted Workshop: a five day talent development program that aims to help Native American filmmakers, journalists and media artists launch their careers in the unscripted film and television industry.
Guided by experienced unscripted producers, the program offers mentorship, creative seminars, meetings and networking opportunities for these emergent voices. At the end of the five days, participants pitch their projects to panels of creative executives and producers.
This years’ participants are Alana Tiikpuu, Evan L. Chouteau, Jenna Monroe, Joshua Emerson and Tammy “TS” Botkin. The program is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal, the Los Angeles County of Arts & Culture and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Freestyle Digital Media Acquires “Stationed At Home”
Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution arm of Allen Media Group, has acquired the VOD distribution rights for “Stationed At Home.” The film will be available to rent and own on digital platforms and DVD in North America starting Nov. 11.
Directed by Daniel V. Masciari, the film is an indie drama following a lonely taxi driver in 1998, whose night takes bizarre turns as unexpected faces and figures float through his orbit. The film stars Erik Bjarnar, Darryle Johnson, Eliza VanCort, Jamie Donnelly, Peter Foster Morris, Jeff DuMont and Alek Osinski.
Wednesday, October 8
Art House New York Launches Regional Alliance to Support Indie Film Exhibition
Art House New York has officially launched with an inaugural week-long audience development campaign designed to bring audiences back to explore the vibrant and diverse independent cinema landscape in spring 2026.
“Our goal is to strengthen ties between art house cinemas and with the film industry, creating new opportunities to connect audiences together,” Art House New York director Allason Leitz, said in a statement. “Alone, art house cinemas are hidden gems, but together, we are a cultural force.”
With the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment as a founding partner, Art House New York is a regional alliance strengthening independent film exhibitions in New York City through audience development, research and strategic initiatives. Paula Scher, who created the Art House New York logo and brand identity, will also develop the 2026 campaign.
Art House New York was founded by Lesli Klainberg (former president of Film at Lincoln Center) who tapped Allason Leitz of Third Industry Strategies to design its formative vision and serve as the initiative’s director.
Leaders from across the film industry on the advisory council include Kazembe Balagun, Executive Director, Maysles Documentary Center; Dori Begley, Co-CEO, Magnolia Pictures; Matt Bolish, Deputy Director, Film at Lincoln Center; Mark Boxer, Head of Distribution, MUBI; Karen Cardarelli, Executive Director, Facets & Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals and Gary Faber, President, ERM Research.
They are joined by New York Film Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman; Klainberg, AHNY Founder, former President, Film at Lincoln Center; Lela Meadow-Conner, Board President, Art House Convergence; Dara Messinger, Director of Programming, DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema; Rajendra Roy, Chief Curator of Film, MoMA; Shannon Treusch, Partner, Falco Ink.; Jesse Trussell, Director, Film Program and Strategy, BAM; Barbara Twist, Executive Director, Film Festival Alliance and John Vanco, Programming, Paris Theater (Netflix).
Jackson Wild and Earth Alliance Awards $60,000 Grants to Documentary Filmmakers
Jackson Wild and Earth Alliance have revealed the conservation and wildlife filmmakers selected for their inaugural Impact Pitch grant program, which aims to fund projects that shift the narrative toward solutions and actionable outcomes.
The program awards up to $60,000 in funding to support filmmakers and impact campaigns associated with their films.
Jigar Ganatra’s film “Chameleon Corridors” will receive $30,000 and strategic support to help implement its impact campaign. The “Chameleon Corridors” team will work with local partners in Tanzania to screen the film for farmers, students and Tanzanian authorities to dismantle ingrained superstitions around chameleons and educate communities about reforestation programs.
Sally Snow’s “Iyo Ang Dagat (The Sea is Yours),” which explores the deep and complex relationship between people and sharks in the Philippines, will be awarded $15,000. The grant will help raise awareness about the value of sharks and rays and the ongoing efforts to protect them in Palawan and support working alongside key stakeholders to draft and pass legislation regulating marine and wildlife tourism in Palawan.
Michael Salama and Gastón Zilberman’s “Qotzuñi: People of the Lake” will also receive $15,000 and is set to use the funding with the Uru Indigenous Nation and local partners in Bolivia to improve food security for communities, support sustainable livelihoods, and create fellowships for Uru youth in communities surrounding Lake Poopó.
Other finalists include Danny Schmidt’s “Book of George” and the Environmental Justice Foundation documentary “Pantanal.”
Tuesday, October 7
Tribeca Festival and AT&T Launch Applications for Untold Stories With $1.2 Million in Prizes
The Tribeca Festival and AT&T have increased their AT&T Untold Stories program’s top production prize from $1 million to $1.2 million for the festival’s 25th anniversary in 2026. The program, which provides funding, empowerment and support for emerging filmmakers, is the largest unrestricted film production award of its kind in the world.
The program launched in 2017 and each year awards one new filmmaker full funding to produce a feature along with mentorship, support and a guaranteed premiere at the Tribeca Festival. Since its inception, the program has supported 40 projects and produced eight winning films, some of which have garnered distribution on major platforms such as Netflix and HBO Max.
“Independent filmmaking has never been tougher, and too many vital stories never make it to the screen. Untold Stories changes that,” said Jane Rosenthal, CEO and Co-Founder of Tribeca Enterprises. “It doesn’t just give filmmakers the means to create — it helps ensure their work is seen. With funding, mentorship, and distribution support, the program opens doors that might otherwise stay shut. This expanded prize will give bold storytellers the chance to dream bigger, go further, and reach the audiences their stories deserve.”
Applications for the 2026 Untold Stories award are now open and close on Feb. 6. The winner will receive the $1.2 million grant at next year’s festival.
Filmmakers can apply now at tribecafilm.com/untoldstories.
Tello Films Network Releases Trailer For Lesbian Holiday Romcom “The Christmas Writer”
The trailer for “The Christmas Writer” has been released online, courtesy of Tello Films Network.. The film will premiere on Nov. 18 on VOD.
The film follows a bestselling lesbian Christmas author loses her holiday muse and experiences writer’s block, setting her off on a journey to return to her quaint hometown in search of renewed inspiration, finding an unexpected love story.
“The Christmas Writer” stars Shelby Allison Brown as Noel, Callie Bussell as Callie, Jordan Myrick as Paulette, Kendahl Landreth as Erin, Stacey Lee Powell as Jillian, Karen M. Chan as Grandma Robbins, and June Tuss as Pepper. The film was directed by Tello Films founder & CEO Christin Baker, and co-written with Katie I. Williams. “The Christmas Writer” was produced by Andrew James Myers and Trenton Julius.
The film will also be available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple, YouTube Movies and other VOD platforms.
Watch the trailer for “The Christmas Writer” below.
Monday, October 6
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Reveals 2025 Student Academy Awards Placements
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have unveiled the recipients of this year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze placements and universities around the world at the 52nd Student Academy Awards ceremony. The recipients were chosen from 3,127 entries from 988 colleges and universities worldwide.
The Student Academy Award placements for 2025 include:
Alternative/Experimental
Gold: Xindi Zhang, “The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California
Silver: Vega Moltke-Leth, “Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Bronze: Mati Granica, “flower_gan,” London College of Communication, United Kingdom
Animation
Gold: Tobias Eckerlin, “A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Silver: Lucas Ansel, “The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design
Bronze: Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré & Maud Le Bras, “The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France
Documentary
Gold: Tatiana McCabe, “Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, United Kingdom
Silver: Rebeka Bizubová, “Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia
Bronze: Jane Deng, “I Remember,” New York University
Narrative
Gold: Jan Saczek, “Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland
Silver: Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel
Bronze: ZEFAN, “Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University
The Student Academy Award-winning films are now eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film categories.
