The "death house" in Huntsville, Texas has had its share of highly publicized executions. In one case, it was the location of what was almost certainly the wrongful execution of Carlos DeLuna. On May 29th, IFC premieres an original doc, "At the Death House Door," which provides an inside look through the eyes of a former death house chaplain — Pastor Carroll Pickett. Directed by Steve James and Peter Gilbert, the filmmakers behind "Hoop Dreams," the documentary follows Pickett's difficult path in preparing an inmate for execution. Believing some, like DeLuna, were innocent, Pickett recalls his most intimate memories while serving as chaplain. "At the Death House Door" premiered at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival, and won the Inspiration Award at this year's Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

Also in May, don't miss your ticket to eight days of movies that made their mark on one of the biggest film events in the world — Cannes. Nominees, winners and other films that screened at the French soirée will air on IFC all week long beginning May 17th, during this year's festival. Here's a sampling of what's on the bill: "Bowling for Columbine," the Michael Moore documentary that stirred controversy with its look at the US gun system, and David Cronenberg's "Crash," which delves into a sexually twisted underground world of car crash victims. The ticket line forms here. (And online, don't miss the exclusive IFC.com "Cannes Cam," which will provide 24-hour live webcam coverage of the Cannes red carpet, along with other special video reports from the festival.)

Memorial Day Weekend, IFC presents a series of films to honor those who bravely lived through times of war. Beginning at 1:30pm ET/4:30pm PT on Sunday, May 25th, check out movies that span hundreds of years in battle, from the Civil War to the Bosnian War.

PREMIERING ON THE NETWORK THIS MONTH:

• "Maria Full of Grace" A Spirit Award winner that takes a brutally honest look at Colombian drug trafficking.


• "Last Days" Directed by Gus Van Zant, this film is loosely based on the final hours in the life of Kurt Cobain.


• "24 Hour Party People" Revolving around the guys who created Factory Records in Manchester during the 1970s, this film not only has a kick-ass soundtrack but also serves as a history lesson in how the British town became a mecca for music.


• "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" How do you make a movie out of an impossible book? You make the movie about how hard it is to make the movie, in this delightful flick starring Steve Coogan as himself, sort of.


• "SubUrbia" Slacker auteur Richard Linklater directs this look at a night in the lives of five 20-somethings trapped in dead-end jobs, dreaming of escape. Sonic Youth composed the soundtrack.

By Joanna Varikos in What to Watch on IFC | Link | Recommended (11)

Tags: At the Death House Door, Cannes, Cannes Cam, films, May, schedule

Starting in May, IFC presents at least one great new web series per month made by a wide range of up and coming and established creative talent. Here is what we have in store for May.

WILFRED - If modern life has taught us anything, it's that the domestic pet can have as many psychological hang-ups as its contemporary owner. Depression, anxiety, loneliness and fear of abandonment all lead to behavioral problems and an unstable home environment. WILFRED, the series, an in-depth portrait of such a pet 'behaving badly', features an owner, her new suitor and one not-so happy talking dog.

Wilfred the dog is the ultimate flawed character. Like David Brent in The Office, we are charmed by his arrogance and self-righteousness, his falsehoods and misguided passions. Insecure and manipulative, he will stop at nothing to win the love and affection he desires. Although his methods may sometimes be underhand, his innocence and purity of heart can never be questioned. Or can it?

Adam is your boy next door. He causes no trouble and trouble rarely comes his way. When Adam hooks-up with Sarah, he thinks all his Christmases have come at once.

Sarah is the ultimate package: attractive, intelligent, and with her own place. It all seems too good to be true... it is.

Sarah, like any modern single parent, is trying to create a stable life for herself and her "special little man". Sarah has a long list of failed relationships, which have left her and Wilfred jaded. Neither want to see the other hurt again and Adam has walked into an emotional mine field. So how hard can it be to make friends with a dog? That depends on the situation... and the dog.

Wilfred is a hit cult series from Australia. IFC is the first to air this demented little gem in North America. Watch for the premiere on IFC.com in early May, with new episodes every weekday.

YOUNG AMERICAN BODIES - From filmmaker Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes The Stairs and the upcoming feature Nights and Weekends) comes a brand new season of his long-standing hit, the scripted web series Young American Bodies.

Young American Bodies is an candid, no holds barred look into the intersecting loves lives of six twenty-somethings in Chicago. It's intimate and fearless in its scope, and not surprisingly, timely is relevance and importance.

Young American Bodies premiered with a bang on Nerve.com and now, in partnership with Nerve, IFC.com brings the world premiere of season three of this powerful narrative. Seasons one and two - 20 episodes in total - begin airing on IFC.com in mid-May, rolling out over the course of the month. In late May, IFC.com premiere's season three, in twelve brand new episodes.

Watch for more news soon about more ingenious internet video content from IFC.com. We will be premiering a new web series every month all summer long (and beyond!)

By Melianthe Kines | Link | Recommended (5)

The 2008 Tribeca Film Festival starts in just 23 days, and IFC is gearing up to cover every moment. Right here on IFC.com, we'll be bringing you in-depth coverage of the festival: interviews, reviews and news about this year's films and participants. We'll have online video updates from IFC News several times a day throughout the festival, too.

On the network, you can also catch daily IFC News coverage every day on the network for the duration. The festival this year runs from April 23rd to May 4th.

Right now, you can check out some of the trailers for this year's films and a look back at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. And don't miss Alison Willmore's posts on the Indie Eye blog, starting with a list of unexpected directors with films at Tribeca this year.

By Melianthe Kines | Link | Recommended (5)

Tags: tribeca 2008

Lots going on in April here at IFC. Big, BIG, BIG (did we say big?) premieres and themed nights to keep your visuals satisfied. Where to begin? How about Raging Bull, since it should've given Martin Scorsese his first Best Director Oscar back in 1980, not 27 years later for a film that failed to match this one's worth. Thankfully, Robert DeNiro did get honored with the grand prize for his outstanding performance as a violent boxer who can't control his emotions in or outside of the ring. Raging Bull premieres Sunday, April 6th, on a night of true-to-life films dedicated to people who just can't seem to shake trouble i.e. gambler Stu Ungar in High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story, and Michael Alig, club kid turned murderer, in Party Monster.

Also this month, the World War II drama The Pianist makes its debut on IFC. Adrian Brody won the Oscar in 2002 for his role in the film as a gifted musician trying to flee Nazi-occupied Warsaw, as did director Roman Polanski (though the latter, unable to enter the U.S., had to give his 'thanks' via a statement days later.)

A new genre emerged in the 1970s, when urban filmmakers began taking movies into their own hands to target black audiences. What resulted were some seriously bad ass characters followed around by some of the coolest, funkiest soundtracks to mimic their life. The fiery Foxy Brown, Coffy, Black Caesar, and Brotherhood of Death, are all on IFC. To get a history on how these and other films in the genre were made, tune into the IFC Original Doc Baadasssss Cinema, airing on the same night - Thursday, April 3rd.

And, for all you horror fiends, break out the umbrella for April Splatters. The screams, the blood, the gore, the girl in the shower that you know is about to get whacked. It all comes down Saturday, April 12th with Halloween, Dahmer, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

By Joanna Varikos in What to Watch on IFC | Link | Recommended (7)

Tags: April, films, schedule

Ah, Australia. You're only a day away...literally. Boasting some of the finest waters and green lands as natural backdrops, as well as numerous film industry talent, it's no wonder Aussie movies are pretty darn impressive. From acting to the defining overall style that makes them Australian, IFC is honoring the filmmaking skills of the Land Down Under for an entire weekend beginning at noon on Saturday, March 22nd, and Sunday, March 23rd. Here are some of our faves:

• The Hard Word - An infusion of Australian wit with an edgy cops-and-robbers plotline, this film gives a first-hand lesson in Aussie slang. Getting a black eye is the difference between calling someone a "wanker" and not a "mate."
• My Brilliant Career & Picnic at Hanging Rock - Both of these were made in the 1970s, when film funding got a big boost in Australia. Picnic, directed by Peter Weir (his first feature is the classic "Cars that Ate Paris"), was a stepping stone in the impact Australian cinema had on the international market.
• Proof - A very young Russell Crowe in one of his first roles, just when those exemplary acting chops started brewing.
• Danny Deckchair - A feel-good romantic comedy about a guy who sets off to new heights when his helium-inspired balloon chair takes flight.
• Strictly Ballroom - Celebrated Aussie director Baz Luhrmann puts a comedic spin on the backstage drama of ballroom dancing.
• Garage Days - Solid confirmation that the "sex, drugs and rock n' roll" lifestyle is alive and well no matter what continent you're on.

By Joanna Varikos | Link | Recommended (3)

Tags: Australia March Indies down under films

For the next 10 days, IFC will be covering the sights and sounds of this year's South by Southwest Festival on our blogs, online video reports, and on the channel. Alison Willmore will be posting reviews and interviews on the Indie Eye and Film News blogs (ably assisted by Stephen Saito), Matt Singer hosts our daily IFC News video coverage, and JIm Shearer will be joining them in Austin next week to cover the music festival for the Indie Ear blog. Plus, we'll be launching our new daily online video show, "Lunchbox", on Monday, March 10th at 12 noon ET on IFC.com.

So what's so special about this festival? The Hollywood Reporter spoke with IFC's general manager, Evan Shapiro:

IFC also takes advantage of the synergies at the festival. Both IFC Entertainment and IFC TV are major sponsors, but this year, IFC TV has turned the volume up exponentially: It is world premiering two documentaries (the punk-band-focused "Heavy Load" and the exploration of capital punishment "At the Death House Door"), hosting a panel tying in with "Death House," sponsoring a party with live performances by My Morning Jacket and Yo La Tengo, and launching a broadband show called "The Lunchbox" directly from the festival.

"In a culture where independent music has become 30%-40% of all music sold, when independent films get almost all the nominations at the Academy Awards, SXSW is reaping the benefits," explains IFC TV general manager Evan Shapiro. "In March, Austin is the center of independent culture in the world."

So come back to IFC.com every day and check out the latest from SXSW at ifc.com/sxsw. (Ordering in BBQ is optional.)

By Melianthe Kines | Link | Recommended (0)

Tags: sxsw 2008

Are you one of the lucky ones attending the South by Southwest Festival this year in Austin? Don't miss these IFC events:

• Screening, "At The Death House Door", an IFC original documentary - 4 PM on Sunday, March 9th at The Paramount
  


• Screening, "Heavy Load", an IFC original documentary - 6:30 PM on Monday, March 10th at the Alamo on South Lamar
  


• The IFC Crossroads Party, featuring performances by My Morning Jacket and Yo La Tengo, will take place on Tuesday, March 11th at The Parish, 214 East 6th St. Free Show. Doors open at 10 PM - Space is Limited, Don't Be Late! (21 years +. Valid ID Required.)
  
  To pick up your free ticket to the show, go to Waterloo Records on Monday, March 10th at 10AM.
  
  A note to our guests: The IFC Crossroads Party represents the intersection of Indie film and music at SXSW. We are proud to host this great night of Independently Inspired Partying to call out the many ways in which IFC gets its Indie On!!
  

By Melianthe Kines in Events | Link | Recommended (2)

Tags: at the death house door, events, heavy load, sxsw 2008

It truly is March Madness on IFC, with a slew of films to watch...or at least to set your DVR for. Here's just a sampling of what's on the schedule.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery premieres this month. Truth is, thanks to Mike Myers, Austin Powers is one of the most recognizable characters in cinematic history. A shagadelic spy with oddly shaped chest hair, he can woo any woman, including the aptly named Alotta Fagina, who could quite possibly kick "Bond" femme fatale Pussy Galore's butt on, uh-hum, assets alone. Numerous references, including to Italian director Antonioni's first Brit flick "Blow-Up" and a host of James Bond films, make this the ultimate satire on spy films of the 1960s.

Speaking of shagging, IFC premieres Shopping, the sole film responsible for the off-screen hook up of Jude Law and Sadie Frost. Its an über high adrenaline rush involving two rival gangs getting their kicks out of smashing cars through store windows. Defines new meaning for the term 'drive-thru.'

And, we are really amped for the premiere of a new anime series, Speed Grapher. Brace yourself, these aren't your Saturday morning kiddie cartoons. This anime delves so deep into a fetish-filled dirty underworld that it airs late night only, right before IFC's Grindhouse film on Fridays, also a good time to catch the third installment of Scream. Scream 3 is a horror film within a horror film (say what?); look at it this way, it's a double order of gore AND boobs.

Less guts, more gutsy performance, "There Will Be Blood" gave Daniel Day Lewis his second Best Actor Oscar. Lewis' first golden mini man came for his role as cerebral palsy-stricken novelist Christy Brown in My Left Foot, airing on IFC this month.

If you're still not convinced, IFC is pulling out all the stops in March with the pants-dropping flick that made Mark Wahlberg, and Dirk Diggler, household names: Boogie Nights. Pass the prosthetics, please.

Check out the complete schedule of films and original series by clicking the 'On IFC' tab. Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 9th@2am in case your favorite indie is on IFC smack dab in the middle of that mysterious time warp of an hour known as daylight savings time.

• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
• Shopping
• Speed Grapher
• Scream 3
• My Left Foot
• Boogie Nights
• Monthly schedule for March

By Joanna Varikos | Link | Recommended (3)

Tags: films series schedule IFC movies anime blog March

Here on the IFC Now blog, members of the IFC staff will post updates, info and various other blog-like musings to let our online audience know what is going on at IFC and IFC.com.

Right now, we are getting ready for this year's Spirit Awards - tomorrow (Saturday) February 23rd.

On IFC.com, we'll be presenting the Spirit Awards Red Carpet Experience - live from the beach in Santa Monica, you can watch the celebs arrive on our live webcast of the Spirit Awards red carpet. IFC News host Matt Singer will be down on the carpet doing interviews while IFC.com's Alison Willmore and SXSW Film Festival producer Matt Dentler provide audio commentary. Go to spiritawards.ifc.com/redcarpet/ to check out the scene - this Saturday from 2:30 ET/11:30 PT to 5:00 ET/2:00 PT.

Then turn on your TV @ 5 ET/2 PT to watch the Spirit Awards on IFC, live, uncut and uncensored as always. This year, the show will be hosted by Rainn Wilson and promises to be highly entertaining. If you need a refresher on who's nominated this year, check out our Spirit Awards mini-site. And yes, we've got a printable ballot (so you can see how well you do at guessing the winners.)

Enjoy the festivities. And please post your comments here - what you liked, hated, or were completely puzzled by. We want to know!

By Melianthe Kines | Link | Recommended (0)