Source:  Indiwire

With five nominations each, “The Imposter” and “Searching for Sugar Man” topped the 6th annual Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking.

Nominees for the top award, Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking, are Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi for “5 Broken Cameras,” Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s “Detropia,” Bart Layton’s “The Imposter,” Matthew Akers’ “Marina Abramović The Artist is Present,” Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims’ “Only the Young” and Malik Bendjelloul’s “Searching for Sugar Man.”

“Detropia,” “Only the Young,” “Room 237” and “¡Vivan las Antipodas!” received four nominations each.

Cinema Eye is often posited as an alternative to the Academy Awards’ best-documentary race, which has had to fight the perception of overlooking popular and well-regarded documentaries every year.

READ MORE: Michael Moore: Best Documentary Oscar Will Be Chosen By the Full Academy

However, Cinema Eye may be even more noteworthy for taking a granular look at the art of documentaries, with categories that include achievements is graphic design and animation, editing and score.

“[Other documentary awards] are mostly about the directors,” said Cinema Eye cochair AJ Schnack. “This is really about the whole creative team. Usually they don’t even know when the premieres are. Here, they’re the representatives for the film.”

This is the first year that nominees for the top category were determined by votes from both the 25-person nominations committee as well as more than 60 directors of this year’s eligible films.

Cinema Eye made the announcement at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which is currently hosting the AFI FEST.

The full list of nominated documentaries.

Clifford’s Tower has winter all wrapped up

Source:  Cision

One of York’s most iconic buildings, Clifford’s Tower, is supporting Visit York’s Wrapped Up winter campaign by staying open throughout the year, it was announced today (Monday November 5).  The decision to keep the landmark English Heritage site open daily throughout the winter is in response to York’s strong winter visitor market. And to celebrate, Clifford’s Tower was all wrapped up in a giant ribbon and bow.

Last winter Clifford’s Tower opened weekends only, along with other English Heritage sites, following a reduction in Government funding.  “Having reviewed last winter’s season and the demand at all our properties, Clifford’s Tower in York will now be open throughout the winter,” said Liz Page, historic properties director for English Heritage in the North. “We recognise we need to play a full part in supporting York as a year-round tourist destination and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming thousands more visitors to enjoy the best views of York seven days a week over the coming months.”

Gillian Cruddas MBE, Chief Executive at Visit York, said, “The opening of Clifford’s Tower throughout the winter season reinforces the message that York is the perfect winter break destination with lots of things to see and do across the city.   We’re encouraging visitors to get themselves ‘Wrapped Up’ in York and Clifford’s Tower is a great place to immerse yourself in York’s history and in some of the most beautiful views over the city.”

Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, which runs York Castle Museum next to the tower, said: “Clifford’s Tower is one of York’s real iconic buildings and, together with York Castle Museum, its presence attracts thousands of tourists to this area of the city. We are delighted that it will now be open all year so more visitors can enjoy learning about its history and also the fantastic views from the top.”

Built on a man-made mound, Clifford’s Tower is the principal remaining part of York Castle, for which it served as a Keep. An original wooden tower, built on a slightly smaller mound, was constructed in 1068, but; this was burned to the ground in an apparent mass-suicide by York’s Jews, when they fled there to escape a mob in 1190.

The stone building that visitors see today was constructed in the 1250s. Originally the structure had a roof, but this was blown off in an explosion during the English Civil War, and the ruin has remained open to the elements since then. It is named after Roger de Clifford, a traitor whose body was hung from the ramparts in 1322.

Clifford’s Tower will remain open daily (except 24-26 December and 1 January) throughout the winter, from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Admission prices are £4.00 for adults, £3.60 for concessions and £2.40 for children. A family ticket (two adults and up to three children) is available for £10.40. English Heritage members get in free.

AUTHOR K. ABRAMS DEBUTS SELF-PUBLISHED DRAMA/ SUSPENSE FICTION NOVEL “PRESS YA’ BUNK”

Source:  BlackNews.com 

Washington, DC  — 35-year old female correctional officer, K. Abrams, has decided to branch her career opportunities as she has recently self-published her debut fiction novel entitled: “Press Ya’ Bunk”. The drama/suspense fiction story is about a young and naïve woman, Krystal Ashanti Ashford, who enters a new field: “The World of Corrections.”

With her heart wide open and her good intentions guiding her, she winds up closing the one thing she truly needs: her eyes.  Despite her eagerness to be an officer of the law and her willingness to help others, she falls prey to several dangers in the jail, with the inmates being only one of the many threats.

It comes to light that almost no one can be trusted – especially the officers.

Rumor has it that there’s a five hundred dollar bet against her making it through one year. Her pride takes over and now she must learn how to harden her skin, hold her head up high, and still make the inmates abide by the rules, all the while watching her back to make sure she leaves the same way she comes in.  Can she handle the pressure and prove all the haters wrong?