GE and CINELAN have announced that Oscar-nominated filmmaker Albert Maysles (SALESMAN, GIMME SHELTER) will join the roster of award-winning directors contributing to its FOCUS FORWARD – Short Films, Big Ideas initiative. Four short films from the initiative premiered at this month’s Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia, including shorts by award-winning directors Lixin Fan (LAST TRAIN HOME) Fredrik Gertten (BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!), Annie Sundberg & Ricki Stern (JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK) and Stanley Nelson (FREEDOM RIDERS). In addition, FOCUS FORWARD also announced that Joe Berlinger (PARADISE LOST), actress Daryl Hannah (KILL BILL), documentarian Barbara Kopple (HARLAN COUNTY, USA), Sundance Film Festival Senior Programmer Caroline Libresco, filmmaker José Padilha (ELITE SQUAD), producer Floyd Webb (DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST ), and Peter Wintonick (MANUFACTURING CONSENT) would jury the $200,000 Filmmaker Challenge competition.
