We just got news today that award winning ARGO has been accepted to the Westchester Film Festival.

Here's the breakdown:

Sedona Film Festival - March 1 + 2
Pumelo Film Festival - March 5-8
Miami Underground Film Festival - March 8-12
Westchester Film Festival - March 9-11
Delray Beach Film Festival - March 13-18
FilmFest ReLoaded - April 10

"Argo" literally pulls you out of your seat and into a barren waste land of self-inflicted pain and suffering only to have you find a beautifully cinematic world of love and hope. "Argo" is the film that proves there are powerful and undiscovered Independent Filmmakers in this world.
- Anthony Gutierrez, Festival Director, Independent Film Festival of North Texas

ARGO will be having it's Southeast Asia Premiere [that's what they call it] at the Pumelo Independent Film Festival in Mumbai and will return to NYC in April for FilmFest Reloaded.

Here is what a couple of New Yorkers had to say regarding ARGO:

"Evocative." ~Ariel Vered, Journalist

"... an impressive piece of work. Disillusionment, desert, and drink. Beautiful images and well framed. Graceful and effective editing. Aren't we all looking to get aboard an Argo?" ~James Fee, Film-lover

Our first Review!!!!! **3 1/2 out of 4**

ARGO (2006) - By Brian Morton
Rogue Cinema Posted on Thursday, February 01

 We're all looking for someone, at least, those of us who will admit it. That's the theme of the new short from Jordan Bayne and Michael Knowles, Argo. The story here is pretty simple, but it's as complicated as any relationship...am I confusing you, well, let me explain.

Becca is traveling, to where, even she's not sure. When she has an encounter with Cal, another wanderer. These two clash at first, but there's some strange attraction between them. Cal seems to care about Becca in a way that both makes her uncomfortable and yet embraces. Argo is a love story of a very different type. Two people, both obviously hurt and not seeking comfort, yet finding it with someone who merely wandered into their existence.

Argo is really a story of hope and not giving it up, even when everything seems hopeless. If you don't see yourself in either of these two people, then you, my friend, might be soulless...you should look into that! I'm giving Argo 3 1/2 out of 4 cigars, because, as a guy, I'm really not supposed to enjoy a movie about feelings...but I really did enjoy this one! You can check it out for yourself at Argo The Film.com, it's only a short, but it really does speak volumes! So, until next time, when I'll try to man up a little, remember that the best movies are bad movies.

For all the information regarding dates and times of our upcoming festivals please visit:

http://www.myspace.com/argothefilm

Thanks again for all your emails of encouragement and support! This has truly been a wonderful journey, and we share it with you all!

A big shout out for all the love and support ARGO received at our New York Premiere. Thanks to all who were able to make it.

Stay tuned for dates and times of the upcoming screenings...ARGO could be coming to a festival near you.

The Sedona Film Festival is a highly regarded festival and we could not be more thrilled with their response to our film:

"Blown away"
"We felt like we had been hit by a bus."
"Inspiring"
"Beautiful"
"Powerful"

For more information on the festival:

http://www.sedonafilmfestival.com/

See you there!

First, ARGO has been accepted into another film festival---- DELRAY BEACH FILM FESTIVAL!! This is an awesome festival and we are tremendously excited! Screening times in March will be announced at a later date. For more information on the festival:

http://www.dbff.us/

On another note, Michael's first feature ROOM 314 is having it's theatrical release and NYC Premiere! This is a great opportunity to support true independent filmmaking. Here are the details:

January 31st - February 6th 
shows at 9PM

Two Boots Pioneer Theater
155 east 3rd street (between A & B)

Link to buy tickets: 

http://www.twoboots.com/pioneer/room314.htm

And, if you missed her this season, check out Jordana Spiro in her hit comedy series "My Boys" on TBS. She, of course...ROCKS!

Finally, I am excited to be working with Sundance alum, Robert Saitzyk, producing his next feature film COMFORTABLE SKIN. Watch out for this guy!
More about Robert:

http://www.alterityfilms.com

For those of you who can make it, the screening will be 24.January 2007 at 6 PM at the Anthology Film Archives. It is a first come, first serve basis, so get there early! The cost is $5 dollars.

Again, we are so excited to be able to share the hard work and creativity of the cast and crew of ARGO with our hometown peeps!

With ARGO barely into it's festival run we are thrilled to announce that we received news that not only was ARGO nominated in every category at The Independent Film Festival of North Texas but ARGO WON in 4 categories!!!

WINNER :: BEST ACTRESS - Jordana Spiro

WINNER :: BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Michael Knowles

WINNER :: BEST DIRECTOR(S) - Jordan Bayne + Michael Knowles

WINNER :: BEST PICTURE : LONG-SHORT FILM - Argo

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Nominated: Best Actor - Marcus Chait
Nominated: Best Editing - Michael Knowles
Nominated: Best Script - Jordan Bayne + Michael Knowles

An excerpt from a note from the festival director tonight:

"You had to have known by now that your film and team work with Michael, Jordana and Marcus is well... priceless."

ARGO is gearing up for it's New York Premiere in January at the NewFilmMakers Winter Screening Series. We hope to see you there! More details to follow.

Thanks to everyone for the continued support!

'Boys' life agrees with impressive young actress
Jordana Spiro is heart of shrewd new TBS sitcom

By Frazier Moore, Associated Press | December 24, 2006

NEW YORK -- PJ Franklin is a 20-something gal who's one of the guys.
But not as a poor substitute for romance. Someone that appealing has no need to compromise.

Instead, the go-her-own-way heroine of the TBS sitcom "My Boys" is just respecting her druthers. For PJ the dependable joys of weekly poker games, pub hopping, sports as a hobby and career (she covers the Cubs for the Chicago Sun-Times), and abundant sassy banter soundly trump the pitfalls of dating. No wonder she prefers fraternal ties -- and not just figuratively (one of the guys is her older brother) -- to sorting out a love life's mysteries.

Meanwhile, her boys endorse her membership. She's the one girl they can be themselves around.

"My Boys," which premiered last month, is a shrewd look at what the genders have in common, and can learn from each other, when they let their guard down. The single-camera comedy , which airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m., sports a fine cast, in particular, Jim Gaffigan as PJ's reined-in married brother. But the heart of the show is Jordana Spiro. As PJ, she is deliciously authentic, and irresistible.

Viewers may remember Spiro from "The Huntress," a USA drama in which she played the teenage daughter who teamed up with her widowed mom as bounty hunters. She has also had guest shots on such series as "CSI: NY," "Cold Case," and "JAG."

And those who saw the 2005 romantic comedy "Must Love Dogs" were charmed by Spiro in a tiny but indelible performance as John Cusack's ditzy date. On screen less than three minutes, when she airily dismisses the film "Doctor Zhivago" by saying "I didn't get it," her cluelessness speaks volumes. Spiro can bring substance even to a bubble-head, and do it in a flash.

She has much more to work with now as PJ, who (if a recent conversation proves anything) happens to be someone with whom she shares several qualities: the beaming smile; the plummy voice never far from a chuckle; and an eager curiosity. She is wearing a black sweater and black jeans, her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. Maybe a little more girly than PJ; maybe not.

But there are also distinct differences. "PJ could probably drink me under the table," says Spiro. "Not that I don't enjoy a few libations every once in a while. But she would slam me down.

"And prior to 'My Boys,' I had never gotten too involved in the world of sports: The first baseball game I went to, I asked what time the show started."

Not that she wasn't interested before, she hastens to add. It just wasn't something she was raised with.

Spiro grew up in Manhattan, the middle of five kids whose parents were art dealers. They encouraged her interest in acting with one caveat: that she never forget it's a business.

So she has made it her business to use acting as a path for exploration.

"I'm one of those people who's interested in everything and have a difficult time choosing," says Spiro, "so I wanted a career that was project-oriented, where I could learn a whole new set of things, and then move on and learn another set of things."

After high school, she moved to Los Angeles and soon landed a guest shot on Marie Osmond's short-lived ABC sitcom, "Maybe This Time," where immediately she learned a useful lesson.

"The director pulled me aside at one point and said, 'Right now you're this way, and I'd like you to be that way.' Then the producer pulled me aside and said, 'Could you do it more this way and less that way?' They were completely in conflict! "So I decided to just do it the same as before. And they both loved it."

Another project she fondly recalls is "From Dusk Till Dawn 3."
"Nobody really knows there was even a '2,' " she says with a chuckle. "But for me it was great, because I got to go to South Africa, and I've always been interested in traveling."

In the film, set in Mexico a hundred years ago, "I got to play a girl who was posing as a boy who wanted to be an outlaw," she explains, "and that was fun. I was fixed on the idea that my character would chew tobacco. They were saying you could just take black Twizzlers and stick 'em in your mouth. But I would say, 'Tish, tosh, I'm [a method actor]. If my character chews tobacco, I chew tobacco!' "

Now, as PJ, she has a whole new set of skills to master. She recounts an introductory chat with "My Boys" creator Betsy Thomas, who offered her some tips on preparing for the role.
"She said, 'You need to learn how to play poker, you need to start watching as much baseball as you can, and you need to come out and drink with us.' I said, 'This is the best job I've ever had in my life! If we can also fit in saving the world, I'm gold!' "