Small Town Rage[/caption]
The 2017 New Orleans Film Festival will debut a new strand, titled “Change Makers” that brings to the forefront stories of social activism and advocacy. From farm workers’ union activists in the 60s, to the front lines of AIDS activism in the 80s and recent protests against Confederate monuments, Change Makers will feature nine feature-length documentary films and ten documentary short films.
Additional strands in the festival include the return of Caribbean Cinema in its third incarnation. This strand of five feature films and ten short films recognizes the historical and cultural ties between the Caribbean and New Orleans—oftentimes called the northernmost Caribbean city—and showcases the vibrant and varied landscapes and cultures of the Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora, featuring stories from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.
Longtime festival-goers will remember previous film strands OUTakes, which spotlighted LGBTQ content, and keeping{SCORE}, which focused on music-themed films. While these strands will not be formally part of this year’s festival, the content reflected in both strands will continue to be folded into the programming in important ways.
Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities
A monumental, essential, and compelling survey of the history and cultural significance of HBCUs in America.
Directed by Stanley Nelson
Genre(s) Documentary Film
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New Orleans Film Festival Debuts “Change Makers” Strand – Featuring Stories of Social Activism and Advocacy
[caption id="attachment_24557" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Small Town Rage[/caption]
The 2017 New Orleans Film Festival will debut a new strand, titled “Change Makers” that brings to the forefront stories of social activism and advocacy. From farm workers’ union activists in the 60s, to the front lines of AIDS activism in the 80s and recent protests against Confederate monuments, Change Makers will feature nine feature-length documentary films and ten documentary short films.
Additional strands in the festival include the return of Caribbean Cinema in its third incarnation. This strand of five feature films and ten short films recognizes the historical and cultural ties between the Caribbean and New Orleans—oftentimes called the northernmost Caribbean city—and showcases the vibrant and varied landscapes and cultures of the Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora, featuring stories from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.
Longtime festival-goers will remember previous film strands OUTakes, which spotlighted LGBTQ content, and keeping{SCORE}, which focused on music-themed films. While these strands will not be formally part of this year’s festival, the content reflected in both strands will continue to be folded into the programming in important ways.
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John Ridley’s ‘Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992’ Among 10 Films on 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Black Lens Lineup
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Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992[/caption]
The Black Lens program returns to the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival featuring documentary and fiction films by African American filmmakers that explore a range of topics rooted in the black community and are relevant to all.
The lineup includes Academy Award winner and Milwaukee Film Board Member John Ridley’s new documentary Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992, a 20th anniversary, 35mm screening of the classic film Love Jones, and two shorts programs titled Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters and Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found.
Geraud Blanks, Black Lens co-programmer states, “Adding additional films, including two shorts programs, means a greater diversity of voices and perspectives. We have more women and mixed-race directors, writers, and producers than ever before, in-large part because of our ability to expand our programming this year. The added room also made honoring Love Jones and bringing Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 back to Milwaukee possible without eliminating deserving films from emerging filmmakers.”
“The addition of a second shorts program is exciting, as it helps us to strengthen the mission of Black Lens,” states Donte McFadden, Black Lens co-programmer. “We want to make Black Lens a destination for African American filmmakers to screen their work. The shorts program allows for us to introduce many emerging filmmakers from across the country and allows Milwaukee residents the chance to see films that they wouldn’t see anywhere else.”
The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival will take place at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, Landmark Downer Theatre, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill, Times Cinema, and Avalon Theater from September 28th – October 12th.
2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Black Lens Program
72 Hours: A Brooklyn Love Story? (USA / 2017 / Director: Raafi Rivero) Three short days separate 18-year-old Caesar from leaving Brooklyn for a prestigious upstate university. But between his long-time girlfriend calling it quits and his crew already planning for his imminent exit, Caesar finds himself pulled between the comfort of a world he’s always known and the exciting promise of a bright future. A vibrant, textured work that powerfully captures the dizzying nuance of teen love and the thrum of a rapidly-changing borough, 72 Hours is an exacting portrait of what it means to be young, gifted and black. ACORN and the Firestorm (USA / 2017 / Directors: Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard) It’s a story whose reverberations will be felt across the political landscape for many years to come: ACORN, America’s largest grass-roots community organization (teaching low- and medium-income families across the nation to advocate for themselves), shuttered by a pair of amateur journalists posing as a pimp and prostitute, igniting a media firestorm that helped spawn the Breitbart News empire. This real-life political thriller does much to explain our current divisive state, persuasively drawing a line from ACORN’s bankruptcy to our polarized present and its constant cries of “fake news.” Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters An evening of shorts that tackle the notion of family in all of its complicated glory – whether it’s protecting the ones you love, leaning on them for support, bringing each other together or tearing each other apart, these shorts (alternately funny, thrilling and sad – just like family itself!) have something for everyone! Amelia’s Closet (USA / 2016 / Director: Halima Lucas) Cul-De-Sac (USA / 2016 / Director: Damon Russell) Gema (USA / 2016 / Director: Kendrick Prince) The Homecoming (USA / 2016 / Director: Paulina Bugembe) Night Shift (USA / 2017 / Director: Marshall Tyler) New Neighbors (USA / 2017 / Director: E. G. Bailey) Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found This second series of Black Lens shorts at this year’s MFF showcase the infinite possibilities in the world of contemporary black filmmaking – watch these characters undergo a journey of discovery (in search of acceptance, love, recognition, and more) while covering a wide array of topics ranging from gun violence and love to classic folklore and the radical art of self-acceptance. A fascinating night at the movies. 90 Days (USA / 2016 / Directors: Jennia Fredrique Aponte, Nathan Hale Williams) Dear Mr. Shakespeare (USA / 2016 / Director: Shola Amoo) The Forever Tree (UK / 2017 / Director: Alrick Brown) Hold On (USA / 2017 / Director: Christine Turner) See You Yesterday (USA / 2017 / Director: Stefon Bristol) #WhereIsBeauty (USA / 2016 / Director: Angela McCrae) You Can Go (USA / 2016 / Director: Christine Turner) Destined (USA / 2016 / Director: Qasim Basir) One unforgettable moment in a young man’s childhood in Detroit creates two startlingly alternate paths: in one, he’s Rasheed, an ambitious architect seeking to ascend the corporate ladder, while in the other he’s Sheed, a drug kingpin who has remained on the streets of his childhood, seeking to exert his will over them. A gripping urban crime thriller with a unique approach to cinematic storytelling, Destined weaves between these two stories, each echoing and diverging from one another in mysterious ways, with both Rasheed and Sheed moving inexorably towards their ultimate fate. Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (USA / 2017 / Director: John Ridley) 25 years later, the Rodney King verdict and the subsequent riots are still etched in our minds. Culminating a decade of struggle with a justice system unequipped to deal with issues of race and class, the riots seem both entirely preventable and utterly unavoidable. Director John Ridley (Jimi: All Is By My Side, MFF14; Milwaukee Film Board Member) avoids simple moralizing or tidy conclusions as he examines the lead-up to and events of that day, instead letting those who lived through the experience speak for themselves in this heartbreaking portrait whose power is only magnified on the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JGY-GjzKp4 Like Cotton Twines (USA / 2016 / Director: Leila Djansi) American volunteer Micah sees his teaching job in Ghana as an opportunity to reconnect with his ancestral roots while also helping young Ghanaians reach their fullest potential. But when 14-year-old Tuigi, one of his brightest students, must abandon her studies in exchange for a life as a sex slave as recompense for her father’s transgressions, Micah finds himself stuck in the middle of a culture clash, desperate to extricate Tuigi from the cycles of history and tradition that threaten to swallow her whole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AKgApSQohI Love Jones (USA / 1997 / Director: Theodore Witcher) Nina (Nia Long) is not looking for love when she meets Darius (Larenz Tate) at a poetry slam. Despite the scorching chemistry that instantly ignites, both insist the relationship is purely physical and certainly not a case of the love jones. A witty, sexy portrait of young Black love and romance (set in a middle-class, bohemian milieu that Hollywood still struggles to showcase 20 years on) that is a generational classic, this film will receive a rare 35mm screening at the historic Oriental Theatre! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNMoQ_Cqt4E Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (USA / 2017 / Director: Stanley Nelson) Over the course of 150 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have paved the way for Black intellectuals, revolutionaries, and artists alike to pursue higher education and defy stereotypes among their peers in an unapologetically Black environment. Now the remarkable story of their role in African-American history is finally told. Fest alum Stanley Nelson (The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, MFF15) returns with this captivating panorama of HBCUs from their conception to the modern day, a stirring portrait of perseverance in pursuit of knowledge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8hmqpAzjRo Unrest (USA / 2017 / Director: Jennifer Brea) 28-year-old Jennifer Brea is in the prime of her life as a PhD student and soon-to-be newlywed, when a sudden fever leaves her perpetually bedridden and desperate for answers. A host of unsatisfactory diagnoses lead her to discover an abandoned online community of those similarly afflicted (with what is commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). A medical mystery nestled in an intensely personal portrait of a husband and wife’s healing journey, Unrest shines a light on a condition that confounds the medical community through its panoply of personal perspectives on suffering.
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Geena Davis’ 2017 Bentonville Film Festival Reveals Panels and Showcase Films Lineup
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Everything, Everything[/caption]
The 2017 Bentonville Film Festival kicks off today May 2nd, and will feature a panels lineup that builds upon the mission-oriented foundation set in the previous years, while boldly expanding into progressive conversations surrounding comedy, music, toys, tech, and STEAM.
The festival is brining back favorites like the Samsung Create Student Short Film Competition and the star-studded “Geena and Friends” panel featuring Meg Ryan and Brooklyn 99’s Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz, which invites some of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces to participate in a live script-reading of iconic scenes from popular films with one catch: all major roles are gender-swapped to prove to the audience, in a fun way, that women characters can do anything male characters can do. The panel “In Control of Her Own Destiny” asks what would happen if we gave all young girls the ability to forge their own path, free from the weight of implicit bias? It will feature actress Judy Greer. Filmmaker and actor William H. Macy will be joining us on our “Stories Matter” panel.
We’re excited to announce our partnership with Snapchatter CyreneQ, who will be presenting “Through Our Lenses,” a visual compilation of diverse perspectives created by Snapchatters around the world. We are also collaborating with the IW Group to screen the documentary “Relocation: Arkansas,” and host a panel to discuss the history of Japanese-American internment camps in Northwest Arkansas and the power of healing through art and acceptance. Director Stanley Nelson will share with attendees his film, “Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities.”
Outside of the Narrative, Documentary, Spotlight, Episodic, and Short Film Competitions, the festival has hand-selected this year’s Showcase films to provide a series of screenings that celebrate recent works from major studios that embody that changes we hope to see in the entertainment industry. These films include the heartwarming 2017 Sundance favorite, “Step” from Fox Searchlight (director and cast in attendance) and the intimate Latino family drama, “Lowriders” starring Gabriel Chavarria, Demian Bichir, Theo Rossi, and Eva Longoria from Universal. Lionsgate will be presenting Saban’s “Power Rangers;” panel with director Dean Israelite and actress Becky G to follow. The festival will also showcase short films, “The Forever Tree,” co-written and produced by Chrishaunda Lee Perez and starring Olivia Washington and “Writer’s Block,” starring Jane Lynch.
SPECIAL SCREENING EVENTS
Everything, Everything Directed by Stella Meghie and written by J. Mills Goodloe. (USA). A teenager, who’s lived a sheltered life because she’s allergic to everything, falls for the boy who moves in next door. Immediately after the screening, Warner Bros. and MGM invites you to a moderated discussion with director Stella Meghie and novelist Nicola Yoon. STEP Directed by Amanda Lipitz. (USA) The senior year of a girls’ high school step team in inner-city Baltimore is documented, as they try to become the first in their families to attend college. The girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest. Q&A with director and cast will follow. DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bumblebee and Katana square off against Korugar Academy in the Intergalactic Games, but trouble is in the air as Lena Luthor takes advantage of the gathering of the Supers to enact her villainous plan! In addition to product giveaways and toy samples on displays from toylines inspired by Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming action adventure feature film ‘Wonder Woman,’ Warner Bros. Consumer Products is also excited to bring out the real DC Super Hero Girls costume characters who will be available for photo opportunities Friday and Saturday! Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities Dir: Stanley Nelson (USA) A haven for Black intellectuals, artists and revolutionaries-and path of promise toward the American dream-Black colleges and universities have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field. They have been unapologetically Black for 150 years. For the first time ever, their story is told. Following the screening, a moderated discussion with film representatives will follow. Painted Woman Directed by James Cotton (USA). A young woman with a dark past finds wisdom in her identity in the romance of the old west. Following the screening, the filmmakers will be joined by panelists from Starz, the Screen Actors Guild, and Walmart to share solutions they’ve discovered in the quest to defend diversity and improve gender representations in film. Relocation, Arkansas: Aftermath of Incarceration Directed by Vivienne Schiffer and Johanna Demetrakas (USA). This film explores the effect of the Japanese American incarceration experience in Arkansas during WWII on the generation that was born after the camps closed, the unlikely tale of those Japanese Americans who remained behind, and the even more unlikely tale of how a small town Arkansas mayor became a legend in the Japanese American community. Themes surrounding the complexity and hypocrisy of race relations in America and the journey toward forgiveness and understanding across cultural boundaries are just two of the many reasons this compelling story must be told. Saban’s Power Rangers Directed by James Cotton (USA) 2017. The film follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it’s too late, band together as the Power Rangers. Moderated panel discussion with director Dean Israelite and actress Becky G (Trini/yellow ranger) will follow. “Through Our Lenses” with Snapchatter CyreneQ Location/Time TBA Through Our Lenses is a Snapchat-made documentary told by 30 individuals inviting us to get a glimpse of their daily life. Each storyteller captured and edited their own documentary with only a smartphone and the app Snapchat. By allowing the storytellers to document themselves, it gives the most authentic representation of their lives, through their very own lenses. Come see the story of artists, musicians, nomads, thrill seekers and so much more, told and created by the amazing individuals themselves.BFF LEGACY SERIES
Each year, the Bentonville Film Festival pays homage to early pioneers and icons of film. In 2017, this tradition will be continued through two efforts: first, with a video-based exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art focused on pioneers of African-American cinema and second, with the following ground-breaking screenings at BFF, of early films that broke barriers for women and diverse voices: “The White Raven” Directed by George D. Baker. (USA) A young woman swears revenge on the man who left her father destitute in the Yukon gold fields. She tracks him to the opera houses of New York, where he is a director, but the man’s daughter and a mysterious stranger combine to disrupt her plans. In an effort to recreate the authentic audience experience of its time, this 1917 silent film will be accompanied by a live pianist. “Hamlet” Directed by Svend Gade, Heinz Schall. (Denmark) This revolutionary 1921 silent film sees Hamlet made into a female character – a princess forced to masquerade as a man by her scheming mother. This film will also be accompanied by a live pianist. “The Flute of Krishna” Early Color Film made in 1925 by Eastman Kodak. Martha Graham’s dance “The Flute of Krishna” is performed in front of the camera by students from the Eastman School of Music.PANELS
From Script to Screen – with American Cinema Inspires and UP TV American Cinema Inspires will offer insight into the upcoming UP TV movie Runaway Romance as well as other upcoming and recent projects including the use of VR. The panel will include the CEO/President and Founder of UP TV, Charley Humbard, Veteran Producers George Shamieh and Chevonne O’Shaughnessy of American Cinema Inspires, Runaway Romance novel writer Miralee Ferrell and CEO of Observe Media, Travis Cloyd. Inclusion: Does That Include Me? What does it mean to be underrepresented? How do we champion inclusion without excluding anyone? Geena Davis leads a panel discussion dedicated to diversity, exposing our own implicit bias, encouraging connection, empathy, and more. A lively round of Inclusion-inspired 5-Second Rule by PlayMonster will serve as a conversation catalyst for panelists from Wonder Crew, Coca-Cola, Mars and Walmart, who will share their gamified insights. Lights! Camera! Inclusion! Actor Joey Travolta founded ‘Inclusion Films’ to support and empower individuals with developmental disabilities by creating custom-designed filmmaking workshops and camps. Actress and advocate Jane Seymour and his fellow panelists help us identify resources in our own lives to empower us to become agents for good, right where we are. Stories Matter Storytelling is the oldest form of entertainment and a good tale is timeless. But if great responsibility comes with great power, what did the power of narrative ask of us 100 years ago? What does it ask of us today? And what will it implore us to do tomorrow? To answer these questions, a handful of the industry’s best and brightest examine story as one of the most effective tools for social change. Storytelling through Music In a week dedicated to the visual mediums of film and television, we take a moment to recognize recording artists who use sound and the power of mission-driven music to advocate for the causes that matter most. Hollywood is Not Your Prince Charming Women filmmakers, producers, directors, actors are not freelancers but are becoming self-made. To become self-made is the new ticking clock for women, it’s not if but when. The times we live in demand that women become financially self-reliant. There is no Prince Charming that will come and save us, no mate, no boss, no studio so we must all learn the trick to find the hidden money in America and go get our own chips! We must create a life equally grounded in Mission and in Money. The State of Womanhood In this session A+E Networks’ Ad Sales executives, Marcela Tabares, SVP Strategic Insights, Joetta Gobell, VP, Primary Research Strategic Insights and Amy Baker, EVP, deconstruct what defines who “she” is and how “she” responds to advertising as well as diving deeper on how marketers can be thinking about catering to the female audiences that feel underrepresented in media. Girls Rule What do some of TV’s most strong, inspiring and provocative female characters have in common? A team of strong, inspiring and provocative women who are responsible for bringing them to the screen, and to life. Karen Bailey, Maril Davis, Emma Frost and Tanya Saracho, showrunners and executives behind television hits including “Outlander,” “The White Queen,” “The White Princess” and more, share their stories and advice on creating premium dramas and empowering female voices in all stages of development and production. In Control Of Her Own Destiny What would happen if we gave all young girls the ability to forge their own path, free from the weight of implicit bias? Is it even possible? Well, it is possible, especially when we work together. These women share the tools they use in their personal and professional lives to make that possibility a reality. Progress vs. Perfection Presented by Mattel Whether you’re an individual or a business, when striving for gender equality and cultural diversity, fear of failure and the paralyzing desire to “do it right” can keep you from ever reaching the finish line. If we wish to leave behind a legacy of lasting change, these panelists explain why the future is counting on us to seek progress, and not unattainable perfection, to measure our success. Gender Norms in Entertainment Presented by Common Sense Media In today’s media world, kids are flooded with messages about how they should look and act. As parents navigate entertainment for their children, how women, girls, men, and boys are portrayed on screen is critical — something that 80% of surveyed Common Sense members agree on and want more information about. In this panel, we’ll discuss why this topic is so important for kids, families, content creators, and more. Geena and Friends Presented by L’Oreal Each year, Geena Davis and a handful of celebrity friends come together to swap gender roles while reading scenes from some of Hollywood’s favorite scripts to expose implicit bias and have some fun! This year’s guests include Brooklyn 99’s Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz, Meg Ryan, and other special guests! If You Can Read it, See It, Play It, Be It… All forms of media have the power to inspire and change lives. That’s why our founder Geena likes to say, “If they can see it, they can be it.” Looking beyond film and television, this event showcases forward-looking companies, innovative artists, and cutting-edge creators on their mission to create BOOKS, GAMES, TOYS, and TECH that inspire everyone.STEM to STEAM
Adding the “A” for Arts to STEM creates STEAM. Creativity is important to fueling the innovation that companies seek in order to stay competitive. The solution to narrowing the STEM pipeline gap and innovation may lay in the arts for engaging the underrepresented demographic of girls and kids of color. This panel is dedicated to demonstrating why the Arts are just as essential as the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Kids: Shaping Tomorrow’s Influencers Today Presented by Mattel If our destiny is diversity, then it’s never too early to begin these important conversations with our kids. Meet the children’s television programmers and product developers who have dedicated their life’s work to making those conversations a little bit easier. Game Changers Success in Sports hinges on teamwork and collaboration. We rise together or fall together… Winning does not discriminate. These game changers discuss what inspired them to accomplish the incredible! Sustainability: Going Further Recycle, reduce, reuse, right? Sustainability actually goes way beyond all that. From managing our natural resources to maintaining health, safety, and labor rights for workers, learn why this issue is becoming increasingly vital to all industries and discover what inspired our panelists to commit significant portions of their lives to fighting for this cause. #OurPurposeIsProgress Samsung Create Student Short Film Competition Student filmmakers were challenged to make a short film based on the mission of BFF by utilizing the incredibly powerful Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet. The top films will premier at BFF followed by a Q&A with the student filmmakers. A League Of Their Own 25h Anniversary Game Yes it has been 25 years! Join our BFF’s Geena Davis, select cast members from the film, and the Rockford Peaches for an afternoon at the ballpark with the family. The game will feature Celebrity and Professional athletes competing against our BFF partners. And remember, “THERE IS NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!”SHOWCASE FILMS
3 Generations, directed by Gaby Dellal, written by Nikole Beckwith and Gaby Dellal. (USA) After Ray decides to transition from female to male, Ray’s mother, Maggie, must come to terms with the decision while tracking down Ray’s biological father to get his legal consent. 6 Below, directed by Scott Waugh, written by Madison Turner. (USA) An adrenaline seeking snowboarder gets lost in a massive winter storm in the back-country of the High Sierras where he is pushed to the limits of human endurance and forced to battle his own personal demons as he fights for survival. Animal Crackers, directed by Tony Bancroft, Scott Christian Sava and Jaime Maestro (USA) A family must use a magical box of Animal Crackers to save a run-down circus from being taken over by their evil uncle Horatio P. Huntington. Cries From Syria, directed by Evgeny Afineevsky. (USA). We follow child protesters, revolution icons, activists and their relatives, and high-ranking Army generals who defected to join the fight of the people. It tells the story of the Syrian people who have never lost hope. Despite the Falling Snow, directed and written by Shamim Sarif. (UK). In 1950s Moscow, communist Katya secretly spies for the Americans in the Cold War arms race. When she lands her biggest assignment, stealing secrets from rising government star Alexander, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with him. Guardians of the Galaxy 2, directed and written by James Gunn. (USA) In Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” the Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Leap!, directed by Eric Summer and Eric Warin, written by Carol Noble, Laurent Zeitoun & Eric Summer. (USA) An orphan girl dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her rural Brittany for Paris, where she passes for someone else and accedes to the position of pupil at the Grand Opera house. Lowriders, directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, written by Cheo Hodari Coker, Elgin James. (USA) A young street artist in East Los Angeles is caught between his father’s obsession with lowrider car culture, his ex-felon brother and his need for self-expression. Painted Woman, directed by James Cotton (USA) A young woman with a dark past finds wisdom in her identity in the romance of the old west. Paris Can Wait, directed and written by Eleanor Coppola. (USA) Long married to a successful, driven but inattentive movie producer, Anne unexpectedly finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with a business associate of her husband. What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a carefree two-day adventure replete with diversions involving picturesque sights, fine food and wine, humor, wisdom and romance, reawakening Anne’s senses and giving her a new lust for life. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson (USA) Alice returns to where the nightmare began: The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. Sonic The Hedgehog: Just A Guy, a CGI showcase episodic starring Sega’s iconic Sonic the Hedgehog, directed by Natalys Raut Sieuzac (USA/Japan/France). When Sonic insults his friend Mike the Ox by calling him “just a guy,” the village teaches Sonic the important lesson that it’s better not to judge or label anyone. We all are special. The Eagle Huntress, directed by Otto Bell (UK) Thirteen-year-old Aisholpan trains to become the first female in twelve generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle huntress. The Red Turtle, directed by Michael Dudok de Wit (France/Belgium/Japan) The dialogue-less film follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs and birds. The Forever Tree, a showcase short film directed by Alrick Brown. (USA) Tawny Bennett, an antiquarian’s apprentice, receives a visitor in the middle of the night with a mysterious clue to a legend which threatens to disrupt her quiet life. (paired with opening film, “3 Generations”) Underworld: Blood Wars, directed by Anna Foerster (USA) Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. Writer’s Block, a showcase short film directed by Troy Miller. (USA) Past her prime and afflicted with a severe case of writer’s block, a veteran songwriter finds new inspiration in a bird that takes up residence outside her home, starring Jane Lynch. (paired with showcase feature, “Paris Can Wait”)ADDITIONAL SPOTLIGHT FILMS
Like Cotton Twines, directed and written by Leila Djansi. (USA) Micah Brown, an American volunteer takes a teaching job in a remote African village where he meets Tuigi, a 13-year old girl who is to become Trokosi, wife to the gods. A practice of religious sexual slavery. Accepting of her fate, Tuigi’s only desire it to be able to write her GED.
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Amanda Lipitz’s STEP to Open and Zoe Lister-Jones’ BAND AID to Close 2017 Montclair Film Festival
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STEP[/caption]
The 6th Montclair Film Festival, taking place April 28 to May 7, 2017, will open with Amanda Lipitz’s STEP on Friday, April 28 and close with Zoe Lister-Jones’ BAND AID on Saturday, May 6. In addition, the fiction centerpiece film, Geremy Jasper’s PATTI CAKE$, will be presented on Friday, May 5 and the documentary centerpiece film, Stanley Nelson’s TELL THEM WE ARE RISING: AMERICA’S BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES will be presented on Saturday, May 6.
Montclair Film is teaming up with the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) on a partnership that helps build meaningful opportunity for African American professionals in the film and television industry, and which celebrates the work of established artists in the field. This year’s partnership includes a new program, Emerging Black Voices, which will offer opportunity to filmmakers and producers at both the MFF and ABFF, as well as multiple panel discussions, screenings, and the House Party, a celebration of African American filmmakers held each year at the MFF.
The festival will welcome Retro Report as the partner for a two-part series at this year’s festival that examines the state of news, reporting, and media consumption. The partnership features a program of films, curated by the Retro Report team and including the premiere of their latest film ZAPRUDER , that examines the way in which media stories can shape the public conversation, as well as a conversation entitled TRUE OR FALSE?: REPORTING IN THE AGE OF “FAKE NEWS” which will feature a panel of distinguished journalists and offer a look inside the job of reporting the facts when audiences are more inclined than ever to challenge them.
Two special restorations – George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and Andrei Tarkovsky’s STALKER will be presented at this year’s festival.
First, George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD will screen in a stunning new 4K restoration and will be presented on April 29 at the Wellmont Theater. Featured special guests will include Producer Russ Streiner, who also played Johnny in the film and delivered the now-famous line “They’re coming to get you, Barbara,” actress Kyra Schon, who portrayed the 11 year-old Karen Cooper in the film and provided one of the film’s most unforgettable moments, and investor and the film’s sound recordist Gary Streiner, who oversaw the film’s restoration on behalf of Image Ten.
Next, the Festival will present Mosfilm’s beautiful new 2K restoration of Andrei Tarkovsky’s STALKER, screening Saturday, April 29. This restoration will be the first film ever screened in Cinema505, Montclair Film’s own cinema located in their new home at the Investors Bank Film and Media Center at 505 Bloomfield Avenue in downtown Montclair.
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Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces New Docs and Invited Program Lineups
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116 Cameras[/caption]
The 2017 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, revealed its NEW DOCS lineup of 48 films – 27 features and 21 shorts; and the Invited Program lineup featuring 23 films – 22 features and 1 short— screening out of competition.
“We are proud to present 71 new titles at the festival this year,” said Full Frame artistic director Sadie Tillery. “These selections represent a wide breadth of current work, and illuminate the many forms that documentary film can take. Festival attendees are in for an extraordinary experience that is fitting of our 20th anniversary.”
The 20th Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival will be held April 6 to 9, 2017, in Durham, North Carolina.
NEW DOCS
116 Cameras (Director: Davina Pardo) Surrounded by a twinkling constellation of cameras, Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss records her stories for an interactive hologram project, preserving her experience for future generations. World Premiere All Skate, Everybody Skate (Director: Nicole Triche) Tucked away in picturesque Topsail Island, N.C., Miss Doris’s roller skating rink pops with energy as she leads her customers in games and skates, as she’s done for over 50 years. Anatomy of a Male Ballet Dancer (Directors: David Barba, James Pellerito) Praised for the sublime way he partners ballerinas, Marcelo Gomes is the center of this intimate film that takes us inside his world to chart a luminous 20-year career with American Ballet Theater. Asiyeh (Director: Leila Merat) An intelligent, no-nonsense bonesetter in northern Iran has been healing the people in her community for as long as anyone can remember. US Premiere Balloonfest (Director: Nathan Truesdell) In 1986, the United Way of Cleveland sets out to break a world record, releasing over a million balloons in the air, but the event has unexpected consequences when the lift off doesn’t go as planned. The Botanist (ботаник) (Directors: Maude Plante-Husaruk, Maxime Lacoste-Lebuis) This breathtaking short follows Raimberdi as he ingeniously constructs a hydroelectric generator to better survive in the mountains of Tajikstan. City of Ghosts (Director: Matthew Heineman) Captivating in its immediacy, City of Ghosts follows the journey of “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently,” a group of anonymous Syrian activists who band together to document the Islamic State’s crimes after the city is taken by ISIS. Depth Two (Dubina Dva) (Director: Ognjen Glavonić) This suspenseful illumination of long-buried war crimes, which began in 1999 with NATO bombings in Serbia, is told in a harrowing combination of narrated testimonies and present-day images of the sites in suburban Belgrade where the crimes took place. Donkeyote (Director: Chico Pereira) The grandest adventure of all is afoot for a Spanish septuagenarian and his mischievous dog and stalwart donkey, if only they can survive chronic arthritis, impertinent travel agents, and just one more bridge. Dysphoria: Inside the Mind of a Holocaust Survivor (Director: Joseph Edward) This poetic and visually arresting exploration of one man’s memories takes an inventive and sensory approach, immersing the viewer in his experiences. World Premiere The Earth Did Not Speak (La Tierra No Habló) (Director: Javier Briones) Survivors of the 1982 government-sponsored massacre in Rio Negro, Guatemala, share their stories as the camera quietly pans across seemingly tranquil places that once were home. Far Western (Director: James Payne) Fueled by music and personal charisma, Charlie Nagatani embodies Japan’s obsession with American country and western music. North American Premiere The Force (Director: Peter Nicks) A riveting, on-the-ground look at the Oakland Police Department during a period of intense scrutiny and reform, as a new sergeant aims to correct protocol in the wake of charges of misconduct and abuse. Funne – Sea Dreaming Girls (Le ragazze che sognavano il mare) (Director: Katia Bernardi) A whimsical tale of a group of elderly women in a small Italian village who get creative while trying to raise funds for a trip to the sea, which many of them have never seen. North American Premiere The Great Theater (Wielki Teatr) (Director: Sławomir Batyra) A meandering camera takes a graceful, evocative journey through the spaces and operations of Warsaw’s Grand Theatre as it presents the opera Madama Butterfly. Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 (Director: Frank Stiefel) Animated drawings and extraordinary shots of Mindy Alper’s sculptures create a lovely portrait of the artist as she unabashedly examines her experiences with a mental disorder (that prevented her from speaking) while discussing art, love, and life. I’M OKAY (Director: Pia Lenz) Adult themes unfold through the perspective of young protagonists in this beautifully photographed feature that captures the experiences of two refugee families struggling to rebuild their lives in Germany. North American Premiere Island Soldier (Director: Nathan Fitch) Through the intimate stories of two soldiers, this film explores the high cost of opportunity. In the Federated States of Micronesia—an “associated state” of the U.S.—a high proportion of residents serve in the American military, with few resources to support their lives after duty ends. World Premiere The Kodachrome Elegies (Director: Jay Rosenblatt) A short and lyrical ode to Kodachrome film stock that reflects on family, loss, and the end of an era. Last Men in Aleppo (Director: Feras Fayyad) Urgent and harrowing, this film follows the White Helmets’ unrelenting efforts to save fellow Syrians. When air strikes devastate homes, they descend on the wreckage to rescue buried men, women, and children, refusing to leave their people or their city behind. The Last Pig (Director: Allison Argo) This lyrical film follows an introspective farmer as his beliefs undergo a dramatic shift, from believing that there are more humane ways to slaughter animals to questioning the premise of his life’s work. US Premiere Life in Riva (Tra ponente e levante) (Director: Lorenzo Giordano) An aging resident imparts the history of his seaside Italian town. His recollections, and a trove of impeccably photographed artifacts, reveal the evolutions of one place over time. North American Premiere Luis & I (Directors: Roger Gómez, Dani Resines) The wife of a human cannonball describes their life in the circus and the ways their love has endured decades of this itinerant lifestyle. Mommy’s Land (Director: Garret Atlakson) As the Cambodian government demolishes homes, and arrest counts and brutal police violence increase, elder resident “Mommy” and other neighborhood women prove to be peaceful, and vivacious, resisters. World Premiere My Father’s Film (Director: Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz) A daughter crafts a portrait of her father through the spaces he occupied, a meditation shaped by the tools he left behind. World Premiere One October (Director: Rachel Shuman) Filmed in the final weeks of the 2008 presidential campaigns, this city symphony follows a radio reporter as he takes to the streets to invite fellow New Yorkers to share their thoughts and opinions in a time of great uncertainty. World Premiere The Original Richard McMahan (Director: Olympia Stone) A visionary artist painstakingly recreates the masterpieces of others, producing thousands of intricate miniature replicas of works made across centuries, from Van Gogh’s The Starry Night to King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Plastic China (Director: Jiu-liang Wang) At a recycling center in the Chinese countryside, two families survive between seas of plastic bottles and wrappers shipped from the U.S. and other countries; processing this waste has become their burden, and yet for their children, they dream of a better life. QUEST (Director: Jonathan Olshefski) This thoughtful and incisive observation of the Rainey family over the course of ten years seamlessly captures pivotal life experiences as well as issues of poverty, politics, and gun violence in a North Philadelphia neighborhood. The Rain Will Follow (Director: Eugene Richards) From his chair in a retirement home, 90-year-old Melvin Wisdahl shares poignant recollections of wartime and strife in this deeply personal account set aglow by beautiful images of North Dakotan farmland. Samuel in the Clouds (Director: Pieter Van Eecke) Samuel Mendoza continues the family tradition of operating the ski lift in a Bolivian Andes resort, while a melting glacier below threatens everyone’s way of life. Shivani (Director: Jamie Dobie) In this unique tale of grief and healing, three-year-old Dolly Shivani, believed by her parents to be the reincarnation of their dead son, trains as an Olympic archer. World Premiere Slowerblack (Director: Jessica Edwards) A hand-poke tattoo artist in Brooklyn reflects on her unique style and approach to inking. World Premiere Socotra, the Island of Djinns (Socotra, la Isla de lod Genios) (Director: Jordi Esteva) In this extraordinary black-and-white account, a group of camel herders travel inland on the island of Socotra to avoid the rainy season while sharing nighttime tales of supernatural djinns. US Premiere Still Tomorrow (摇摇晃晃的人间) (Director: Jian Fan) In rural China, a determined, courageous woman balances her fame as an eloquent and frank poet with societal expectations around disability, independence, and family obligation. Storyboard P, a stranger in Sweden (Director: Matthew D’Arcy) In this mesmerizing vignette, a dynamic Brooklyn street dancer travels to Sweden to teach and perform—a journey that tests his devotion to the art form. Strong Island (Director: Yance Ford) Director Yance Ford rigorously unpacks the events surrounding the death of his brother, who was shot in 1992. Profoundly cinematic and deeply personal, their family story is a powerful examination of race in America. The Submarine (Director: Wenceslao Scyzoryk) A 95-year-old cinematographer returns to his lab each day to perfect his invention—a machine that repairs celluloid damage. The Swirl (El Remolino) (Director: Laura Herrero Garvin) As the largely abandoned town of El Remolino in Chiapas, Mexico, struggles to yield viable crops and keep its school open, two siblings remain to battle the rainy season and their painful childhood. They Took Them Alive (Director: Emily K. Pederson) In 2014, 43 students disappeared from a bus traveling in Iguala, Mexico. Their families seek answers as the official investigation comes to a troubling and suspicious halt. World Premiere Through the Repellent Fence (Director: Sam Wainwright Douglas) The artist collective Postcommodity examines lines, origins, and the people to whom land really belongs with a two-mile-long installation of inflatable spheres high above the U.S.–Mexico border. Timberline (Director: Elaine McMillion Sheldon) This short documents a West Virginia town caught between transitional pressures: an abandoned naval base is up for auction, and the NSA occupies a station just down the road. What will become of the locals for whom this place is home? World Premiere Tribal Justice (Director: Anne Makepeace) Two dynamic Native American women—chief judges for the state’s largest tribes—draw on tradition and village wisdom to help defendants rebuild their lives, encouraging healing over jail time and punishment. Two Worlds (Dwa Swiaty) (Director: Maciej Adamek) In this expressive study of family relationships, a daughter helps her two deaf parents navigate the world—as she has since she was three—and balances life between school, home, and self. Waiting for Hassana (Director: Ifunanya Maduka) Jessica, an escapee, recollects a friendship shattered by the 2014 kidnapping of 276 Nigerian girls by the Boko Haram. Winter’s Watch (Director: Brian Bolster) The longtime winter caretaker of the Oceanic Hotel off the coast of New England welcomes months of solitude, relishing the opportunity for introspection and productivity. Zaatari Djinn (Director: Catherine van Campen) This incandescent portrait documents four children in a refugee camp who are transformed by the light of imagination and possibility despite numerous hardships. North American Premiere Zuzana: Music Is Life (Directors: Peter Getzels, Harriet Getzels) The life story of eminent Czech harpsichordist Zuzana Ruzickowva transcends the personal in a deeply affecting look at the redemptive power of art throughout the Czech Republic’s turbulent 20th century. World PremiereINVITED PROGRAM
500 Years (Director: Pamela Yates) A sweeping examination of resistance movements in Guatemala, including the recent uprising, and a chronicle of the country’s first trial for war crimes committed against the Mayan people. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (Director: Steve James) In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the only U.S. bank accused of mortgage fraud was the family-owned Abacus Federal Savings in Manhattan’s Chinatown. This stunning film chronicles the Sungs’ legal battle as they fight to defend their business and their family name. Austerlitz (Director: Sergei Loznitsa) In vivid black and white, tourists and guides visit concentration camps. In observing their interactions, Austerlitz provides a powerful meditation on the (often imperfect) ways human beings connect, remember, and reflect. Bronx Gothic (Director: Andrew Rossi) With a blend of performance footage and penetrating discussions about her purpose and process, this film follows Okwui Okpokwasili as she tours her powerful one-woman play around the country. World Premiere Buzz One Four (Director: Matt McCormick) In 1964, a B-52 long-range bomber crashed on a Maryland mountainside with two thermonuclear bombs on board. This suspenseful account, crafted by the pilot’s grandson, skillfully weaves archival footage with personal recollections. The Challenge (Director: Yuri Ancarani) Miles of barren desert provide the backdrop for this surreal compilation of images: private jets, race cars, exquisite birds, and even a pet cheetah descend on the Qatar dunes to take part in a remote falconry tournament. Dina (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) At once tender and triumphant, humorous and hard, Dina introduces a woman in love as she navigates complex expectations in the days leading up to her impending nuptials. EXPRMNTL (Director: Brecht Debackere) This lively overview of the legendary EXPRMNTL film festivals held in Belgium from 1949 to 1974 interweaves archival footage with the recollections of the makers who defined experimental cinema. US Premiere The Good Postman (Director: Tonislav Hristov) An inspired citizen decides to run for mayor on a daring platform: that embracing the arrival of refugees may be the key to revitalizing his Bulgarian village. The Grown Ups (Director: Maite Alberdi) Adult students with Down Syndrome question their unknown futures. After attending the same school for decades, is there anything left to be discovered in this place, and what opportunities exist in the outside world? In Loco Parentis (Directors: Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane) For more than 40 years, John and Amanda Leyden have taught elementary-age children at a remote Irish boarding school. Filmed over the course of a year, the teachers bring wonder to their classrooms and roll with the joys and challenges that the changing seasons bring their young pupils. An Insignificant Man (Directors: Khushboo Ranka, Vinay Shukla) With unimaginable access, this film follows the turbulent campaign of Arvind Kejriwal, a businessman turned politician who formed India’s Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party) in 2012, as he runs for his country’s top office. Life – Instruction Manual (Leben – Gebrauchsanelitung) (Directors: Joerg Adolph, Ralf Buecheler) Featuring short excerpts from a wide range of classes, from childbirth to end-of-life care, this film reflects on the myriad ways that we depend on learning, particularly from others. North American Premiere Long Strange Trip (Director: Amir Bar-Lev) Personal interviews, performances, and never-before-seen footage create a multifaceted portrait of the Grateful Dead. They were more than a band. They were a movement. May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers (Directors: Judd Apatow, Michael Bonfiglio) Personal, rich, and from the soul, this film follows the equally soulful Avett Brothers as they record a new album, reflect on the creative process, and navigate strong ties while managing lives spent on the road. Project X (Directors: Laura Poitras, Henrik Moltke) Rami Malek and Michelle Williams understatedly narrate guidelines from a top-secret NSA handbook, as the viewer travels from stark and isolated spots in the National Business Park to a windowless skyscraper in downtown Manhattan. Purple Dreams (Director: Joanne Hock) This film follows six students at the Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, N.C., who thrive as performers in the first-ever high school musical production of The Color Purple while grappling with difficult and stressful issues in their own lives. World Premiere STEP (Director: Amanda Lipitz) This inspiring film follows three members of the Lethal Ladies step-dance team at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women. With the support of their intrepid coach and an uncompromising counselor, they are determined to attend college. TAKE EVERY WAVE: The Life of Laird Hamilton (Director: Rory Kennedy) In sparkling cinematography and intimate interviews, this epic look at the surfing legend’s life in and out of the waves is also a no-holds-barred illustration of one man’s dedication to continually reigniting his passion. Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (Director: Stanley Nelson) A monumental, essential, and compelling survey of the history and cultural significance of HBCUs in America. This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous (Director: Barbara Kopple) Gregory Lazzarato to Gregory Gorgeous to Gigi Gorgeous—family members and millions of followers support the makeup and beauty YouTube star before, during, and after her transition. Trophy (Director: Shaul Schwarz, Co-Director: Christina Clusiau) This revelatory and exquisitely photographed investigation into conservation practices and big game hunting invites nuanced scrutiny and debate. Whose Streets? (Director: Sabaah Folayan, Co-Director: Damon Davis) This unflinching story of the Ferguson uprising is told by the activists who were there, chronicling the birth of a new generation of resisters in America.