Antoine Fuqua's Southpaw (with Jake Gyllenhaal) Is Officially Shooting in Western Pennsylvania!

Back in March, I passed along a rumor that Southpaw would shoot here this summer. As you've probably seen, it's official, Southpaw will be shooting in our area.

If you live near Indiana, PA, you'll have the chance to go to an open casting call this Saturday, May 24. The movie will shoot for a few weeks in Indiana in June and most of July and early August in Pittsburgh.

You can also follow Movie Casting Pittsburgh on Facebppl for ongoing information.

Drop by the Women in Film and Television International Summit (Westin Pittsburgh)

There are a few summit items that you can attend by paying to go to that item only:

• Gideon's Army Screening, Friday, 5:30, Point Park University, 414 Wood St., GRW Theater. $10 for reception, screening and Q&A. Speakers include Kalpana Biswas, Anna Ahronheim, Bret Grote, Jasmine Gonzales Rose
• War Reporting, Saturday, 1:30, Westin, Westmoreland Ballroom (2nd floor). $25 for this panel: Documentary filmmaking and broadcasting in war zones is an extremely dangerous mission and requires special skills, information and education. The expansion of women filming women who are disadvantaged, suffering in war zones or who are victims in war-torn countries is on the increase. Speakers include Martin Savidge, Kalpana Biswas, JulieHera DeStefano, Lynn Johnson, Kirsten Johnson.
• Opal Awards Reception, Saturday, 7:00pm, Westin, Westmoreland Ballroom (2nd floor). $55 for this event: The Opal Awards will be held to honor local women for their work in the film and television industry. The evening will also present three scholarships to local women enrolled in colleges and universities with over $4,000 in funds for their education in a film or television curriculum. The Women In Film and Television International Board of Directors will present an award to a deserving woman in the film or television industry. Along with the dessert reception, there will be a cash bar. Honorees include Deborah L. Acklin, Catherine Hardwicke, Dawn Keezer, Eleanor Schano. The event will be MCed by Carol Lee Espy.

You can buy admissions for War Reporting, the Opal Awards Reception or for the entire summit in the 2nd floor Rotunda of the Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh beginning at noon today. You can buy admissions for the Gideon's Army screening at the GRW Theater at Point Park University beginning at 5pm on Friday.

Women in Film & Television International Summit Arrives in Pittsburgh on May 16

This weekend, a number of movers and shakers in the media biz will be giving presentations and participating in the Women in Film & Television International Summit. Women in Film & Media - Pittsburgh is managing this occasional event, which brings together producers, writers, directors and all kinds of media professionals. Panelists include:

• Thirteen and Twilight's director Catherine Hardwicke
• Ghost Whisperer's producer Kim Moses
• CNN's Martin Savidge

The summit will have a few dozen panels and presentation on many aspects of the media biz, including:

• Women in the Director's Chair
• Creative Direction - Current Programming
• War Reporting

In addition to the conference, Pittsburgh's Opal Awards will be awarded at a reception on Saturday night. The reception opens at 7pm with a dessert reception. Director Catherine Hardwicke, WQED CEO Deborah L. Acklin, Pittsburgh Film Office's Dawn Keezer, and longtime Pittsburgh journalist Eleanor Schano will be honored during Opal ceremony.

You can register or buy Opal Award tickets online through midnight (EDT) on Wednesday, May 14. Conference registrations and Opal Award tickets will be available at the door beginning at noon on Thursday, May 15 in the 2nd floor Rotunda of the Westin Pittsburgh Convention Center.

pghflicks.us is a conference sponsor, and is sponsoring complimentary WIFI in the Westmoreland room on Saturday.