Friday, January 25, 2008

Catch a Flick at the Show-Me Film Fest

You love movies, don’t you? Some of you readers, a very small few, actually make your own films. Don’t forget that Springfield is home to the Show-Me Missouri International Film Festival. This year’s event will be from Feb. 15-17 at various place throughout the city: The Springfield Regional Arts Council, The Moxie, and The Gillioz.

The website has this to say about the whole shindig:

The Show-Me Film Festival is an annual event hosted by the Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield, which celebrates the art of independent filmmaking. This year represents the third year that this festival has been a part of the Springfield scene. The event will be held February 15th through 17th, 2008 at these venues: The Springfield Regional Arts Council, The Moxie Theatre, and The Gillioz Theatre.


Here is a list of the films (descriptions from the press release):

FEATURE FILMS

El Cantante (Director: Leon Ichaso, USA, 2006, 1 hr 56 min, color)
Husband-wife team Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez team up for the true story of Hector Lavoe as told through his wife, Puchi. A tragic tale of love, redemption and destruction based on the true story of the salsa legend whose voice inspired millions of people. A breathtakingly beautiful and challenging film filled with amazing music and stellar performances from Mark Anthony and J. Lo. (R – for pervasive language, some sexuality, drug use)

Henry May Long (Director: Randall Sharp, USA, 2006, 1 hr 39 min, color)
Henry May is the golden child of a prominent family in 1887 NY. Henry Long is a resourceful entrepreneur. Their chance meeting at the beginning of Long's terminal illness irrevocably changes their lives. Each man needs the other but for very different reasons. (PG-13 – for adult themes.)

The Last Stop for Paul (Director: Neil Mandt, USA, 2006, 83 min, color)
Cliff and Charlie embark on a wild whirlwind tour of the world intent on spreading the ashes of a departed friend who always dreamed of traveling but never took the time to see the world. Shot in over 20 countries, Cliff and Charlie have unbelievable adventures as their lives are changed forever. (PG-13, sexuality.)

Red Road (Director: Andrea Arnold, UK, 2006, 1 hr 53 min, color)
Winner of 17 awards including the Cannes Film Festival Jury prize, Red Road is a taunt portrayal of characters devastated by a tragic accident. Jackie works as a CCTV operator for the police in Glasgow. Each day she watches over a small part of the world, protecting the people living their lives under her gaze. One day a man appears on her monitor, a man she thought she would never see again. A man she never wanted to see again. This extraordinary first feature film by an Academy
Award winning director is a must see. (R - sexuality, language & nudity.)

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: Red Road really appeals to me. It looks like a great film. For what it is worth, this is the one that I recommend.)


SHORT NARRATIVE FILMS

Duck Duck Goose (Director: Nathan Springer, USA, 2007, 20 min 30 sec, color)
In this black-comedy set in Springfield, MO and made by students from Missouri State University, a young man named Oed (as in Oedipus) reaches his breaking point. Torn between his slob of a roommate, his cheating ex-girlfriend, his boss who has just fired him and two long-term acquaintances who drive him crazy, Oed tries to decide which one of them must die.
(PG13 – adult language and themes.)

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: Duck Duck Goose also looks good, and it was made by some locals.)

Feeding (Director: James Arnall, USA, 2007, 11 min 45 sec, color)
A suburban homemaker in a loveless marriage finds solace in an intimate but bizarre relationship with her garbage disposal. When her husband learns of her straying affections, she is forced to choose between her two relationships.

In the Name of the Son (Director: Harun Mehmedinovic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2007, 25 min, color) After escaping execution, Tarik, a Bosnian prisoner of war, immigrates to the United States looking to leave his past behind. Years later, the Serb man who spared his life shows up on Tarik’s doorstep seeking release and redemption. An extraordinary short film edited by Missourian and MSU graduate, Tyler Earring. (PG13 – adult themes & violence.)

PULSE (Director: Emma Savage, UK, 2007, 12 min 49 sec, color)
PULSE is a fantasy romance with a darkly comic edge. It tells the story of Liam, a young man struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife, Carla. After an accidental electric shock, Liam becomes addicted to electricity believing that it provides a possible means to connect with dead wife.

Pumamercial (Director: Heather Coker, USA, 2007, 8 min 23 sec, color)
From Branson native, director and choreographer, Heather Coker, comes this hybrid film melding long form commercial advertising with short narrative filmmaking. A young man with a dream of greatness journeys far and wide in the pursuit of a pair of perfect dancing shoes. So dance your way to this film and don’t forget your own dancing shoes.

Rabia (Director: Muhammad Ali Hasan, USA, 2008, 23 min 30 sec, color)
Rabia is a woman who decides to become a suicide bomber. From the moment she straps explosives around her waist, we gain insights into Rabia’s past, which is filled with abuse, rejection, and struggle. By the time she steps onto a popular Israeli beach, determined to kill innocent civilians in a massive explosion, we find ourselves asking whether Rabia’s act is one of unmitigated evil or something more complicated? (PG13 – adult themes and violence.)

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: This has controversy written all over it. It also looks profound. Don’t you hate it when artists make it hard to blindly hate?)

The Real Son (Director: Kelly King, USA, 2007, 9 min, color)
A comedy about the communication gap that exists between a country club dad and his artist son. Freddie is 15 and resents that a copy machine is closer to his dad than he is. But Mr. Deansman runs a tight ship and no skate-punk son of his is going to stop him from doing his job...or is he?

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: How about this funny little gem? I think it is right up my alley.)

Reflections (Director: Barry Caldwell, USA, 2007, 15 min 30 sec, color). Come see Missouri native, Adrienne Wilkinson, in this short crime thriller about the supernatural. When Carol looks into a mirror -- any mirror -- she sees images that horrify and repulse her. She's not a Medium, she's not a Ghost Whisperer, she's a frightened young woman on the edge of madness. Will the handsome stranger who offers to help turn out to be her salvation, or her final vision of terror? The cast includes actors who have appeared in Xena: Warrior Princess, 24, The Sopranos, Deadwood, and Kill Bill.

Simulacra (Director: Tatchapon lertwirojkul, USA, 2006, 4 min 6 sec, color)
This animated short looks at the life of a planet made up entirely of robots and mechanical life forms. When one of the robots discovers organic life on the planet, he wants to save it, no matter what peril he must face to do so.

Wasp (Director: Andrea Arnold, UK, 2003, 26 min, color)
A gritty and poignant glimpse into the life of an impoverished single mother in Dartford, England. When she fails to tell an old friend who asks her out that she has four kids, her lie places her children in real jeopardy. Sad, touching and full of suspense, this 2005 Academy Award winner for Best Short Live Action Narrative is worth going out of your way to see. (R – Sexuality, brief nudity, adult language.)

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: WASP looks very intriguing.)


DOCUMENTARIES

Behind Forgotten Eyes (Director: Anthony Gilmore, shot and edited by Ryan Seale, South Korea, 2007, 76 min, color) During WWII over 200,000 Korea women were forcefully used as sexual slaves by the Japanese army...now they demand to be heard. Behind Forgotten Eyes examines the enduring legacy of this horrifying chapter of history in both Korea and Japan with a candid look into an issue that has been ignored for far too long. (PG13 – adult themes.)

Behind This Convent (Director: Gilbert Ndahayo, Rwanda, 2007)
Survivor and storyteller, Gilbert Ndahayo, pulls together testimonials of those who survived Rwanda’s genocide. A heart rendering documentary. (PG13 – adult themes.)

Beyond Belief (Director: Beth Murphy, Associate Producer, Sean Flynn, USA, 2007, 97 min, color) A remarkable and moving documentary about the lives of two women widowed during the September 11th attacks. Determine to make something positive come out of their personal tragedies, they set out to help war-widows in Afghanistan, the country where the terrorists who took their husbands’ lives were trained. In the process, they discover a powerful bond with each other and an unlikely kinship with widows halfway around the world.

Beyond the Call (Director: Adrian Belic, USA, 2006, 82 min, color)
From the Academy Award nominated director of Ghengis Blues comes this Mother Teresa meets Indiana Jones adventure involving three middle-aged Samaritans. Ed Artis, James Laws and Walt Ratterman’s idea of adventure involves taking desperately needed food and medicine into the world's most forbidding yet beautiful places on Earth, always on the front lines of war. (Adult language and themes).

Ghengis Blues (Director: Roko Belic, USA, 1999, 88 min, color)
This Academy Award nominated documentary takes a look at the extraordinary odyssey of a U.S. bluesman, Paul Pena. Blind and recently widowed, Pena has taught himself the exotic art of throat singing. When he’s invited to the 1995 to attend the annual throat-singing competition in Kyzyl, he undertakes an arduous and emotional journey that reveals much about the universal brotherhood of man and musicians.

Sin by Silence (Director: Olivia Klaus, USA, 2007, 61 min, color)
This powerful documentary investigates the lives of five women in prison for murdering their husbands. Inside the California Institution for Women, the first inmate-initiated, inmate-led advocacy group, Convicted Women Against Abuse, shatters many misconceptions about domestic violence.

(BLOGGER’S NOTE: All of these documentaries look good. It would be hard to pick.)


TICKET PRICES

Single event tickets for films for panels
$7.50 – adult
$6.50 – children, students with id’s, seniors over 60 and MFAS members)

Film Maker Pass
$25
See as many films and panels as you choose on Saturday only.

Weekend Pass
$40
Includes the Film Maker Pass and the film screenings on Fri-Sat at The Moxie.

Film Maker Celebration
$10
Nonna’s Restaurant
Saturday, 9:30-10:30 pm
Celebrate with the filmmakers after the Saturday night screenings.

“Meet the Filmmaker” events are free.
The Sunday awards ceremony is free.


For info contact:
Helen Krudwig
725-0120
heb.krudwig@att.net

2 comments:

The CDM said...

Sounds like a great way to kill some free time. Since you mentioned the Moxie, great theater, Saw a few great flicks there and Southland Tales looks mighty tempting. Gotta love that student discount.

Jason said...

"This has controversy written all over it. It also looks profound. Don’t you hate it when artists make it hard to blindly hate?"

Well, I don't hate suicide bombers and I know they're usually products of their upbringing. Still doesn't mean they're not cold blooded murderers. That's the rub. It doesn't matter how sympathetic they are if they kill innocent people.