56 films have been selected to screen during the three day Derby City Film Festival held February 17th – 19th, 2012. The lineup includes 24 International films representing 16 countries as well as 8 World Premieres, 5 US Premieres, and 28 KY Premieres. Eight films were produced in the Bluegrass State and another 5 have ties to Kentucky.
Opening night includes two feature films shot in Kentucky. At 7:00 PM on February 17th “Wid Winner and the Slipstream” will open the fest. “Winner”, which was directed by Kentucky native Alex O Gaynor, tells the story of two men who embark on a cross-country journey to face the past, change the future, and collect enough used-auto parts to build a time machine. The 8:00 PM film, “Sam Steele and the Crystal Chalice” is from New Albany filmmaker Tom Whitus and was shot in Downtown Louisville. The film stars Jacob Hays, Kevin Sorbo, Katherine McNamara & Dee Wallace. “Crystal Chalice” is the sequel to “Sam Steel and the Jr. Detective Agency” which screened at DCFF in 2010. The final film on Friday is the suspense film “Johnny’s Gone” from writer and actress LaDon Drummond. “Johnny’s Gone” tells the story of the unsettling but heartfelt relationship between Sarah and a two year-old she calls Johnny. Sarah hides a dark secret that will take them on a road trip across five states from California to Louisiana.
A full slate of workshops, panels, shorts, docs, and features also happen all day Saturday. Highlights include the world premieres of the feature films “Frames” & “Blind Turn”, Producer and Louisville native John Paul Rice’s latest film “Mother’s Red Dress”, the road trip documentary “Bailout”, four short film groups, and 2 International features, “Znikniecie” and “Meherjaan”. Saturday afternoon there will also be a Filmmaker Symposium and Awards Presentation at Clifton’s Pizza from 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM.
Saturday night features 3 more films with Kentucky roots. Louisville natives, and Ballard High graduates, Scooter Downey & Sean Elliot bring the feature “It’s in the Blood” to their hometown. Featuring Lance Henriksen, Elliot & Rose Sirna, “Blood” tells the tale of a father and son who become stranded in the wild and must confront the horrors of their past to escape with their lives. However, this wilderness is not what it seems, and as they deteriorate, so to does their concept of reality: horrifying creatures, ghostly apparitions, is it all in their heads, or could the truth be far more terrible? “It’s in the Blood” screens at 8:00 PM with the short film “Endless”.
At 10:00 PM on Saturday audiences will receive a double treat from Louisville filmmakers. First Kristofer Rommel premieres the short “Wireface: In the Beginning” starring Josh Loren, Cindy Maples & Joe Chrysler. “Wireface…” is a prequel film which details the slow decent into madness that turns a loving family man into the serial killer known as “Wireface”. Following the short is Matt Niehoff & Brian Cunningham’s feature film “Overtime”, which was shot in Louisville and features Al Snow, John Wells & Sebrina Siegel. “Overtime” follows two hitmen who find themselves caught up in a conspiracy they never imagined which includes alien zombies. Both films are included on one ticket.
Sunday February 19th features, among other films; the World Premiere of “Smells Like Community Spirit” from Cincinnati filmmaker Isaac Stambaugh, the controversial documentary “Israel vs. Israel” and “Legendary: When Baseball Came to the Bluegrass” from Lexington filmmaker Michael Crisp.
The closing film of the festival will be the Edward Furlong film “Below Zero”, which will screen at 6:00 PM on Sunday. “Zero” follows screenwriter Jack “The Hack” (Furlong) who, facing writer’s block and a crucial deadline, decides to remove himself from all distractions by locking himself in the freezer of an abandoned slaughterhouse, where fiction and reality blur. Inspired by true events, method writer Signe Olynyk’s BELOW ZERO is a twisty story within a story, within a real-life story. The film also stars Kristin Booth and Michael Berryman. “Zero” was directed by Justin Thomas Ostensen who’s film “By the Wayside” screened at the inaugural DCFF in 2008.
The following includes the full list of selected films for the 2012 Derby City Film Festival. Country and premiere status in ( ).
US Features:
Below Zero (KY Premiere)
Blind Turn (World Premiere)
Frames (World Premiere)
It’s in the Blood (KY Premiere)
Johnny’s Gone (KY Premiere)
Mother’s Red Dress (KY Premiere)
Overtime
Sam Steel and the Crystal Chalice (KY Premiere)
Smells Like Community Spirit (World Premiere)
Wid Winner and the Slipstream
International Features
Meherjaan (Bangladesh)
Znikniecie (Poland – US Premiere)
Documentary Features
Bailout (USA – KY Premiere)
Israel vs. Israel (Israel – KY Premiere)
Legendary: When Baseball Came to the Bluegrass (USA)
The Book of Vaudeville (Canada – US Premiere)
US Shorts
20th Century Man (World Premiere)
A Finger, Two Dots Then Me (KY Premiere)
Ambiguous Figure (KY Premiere)
Bizarnival: Tuxedos in the Attic
Blue Highway (KY Premiere)
Easy Street (KY Premiere)
Grounded (World Premiere)
Just for Today (World Premiere)
Love’s Got My Goat (KY Premiere)
Penny
Please Try Again (World Premiere)
The Eater (KY Premiere)
The Scream of the Screaming Screamer! (World Premiere)
Wireface: In The Beginning… (World Premiere)
International Shorts
108.1 FM Radio (Italy – KY Premiere)
A Fable About Beauty (Canada – KY Premiere)
Air (UK – KY Premiere)
Donkey (UK – KY Premiere)
Employee of the Month (Switzerland – KY Premiere)
Endless (UK – KY Premiere)
Protect the Nation (South Africa/Germany)
The Anchor (UK – KY Premiere)
The Unicorn (New Zealand – KY Premiere)
Tocaia para Tuco Valente (Brazil – US Premiere)
Student Shorts
Balls (USA – KY Premiere)
Closed (Australia – KY Premiere)
GoldenBox (USA)
Live Outside the Box (Taiwan – KY Premiere)
Look to the Cookie (USA)
Made in China (USA – World Premiere)
My Avatar (USA/Singapore – KY Premiere)
Normal People (Poland – KY Premiere)
The Birds Upstairs (USA)
Thin Air (USA – World Premiere)
Will & The Worry Dolls (UK – US Premiere)
Wonderland (Kuwait – KUY Premiere)
Workers Leaving the Factory (Germany – KY Premiere)
Documentary Shorts
As Time Goes By (Germany – KY Premiere)
Hey Rube! (Canada – KY Premiere)
Holding the Line (Libya/UK – US Premiere)