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Stonewall Remembered in Fest & Films
- Details
- Parent Category: Film Festivals
- Category: Previews
- Published on Monday, 28 June 2010 12:45
- Written by Perry Santanachote
Pink triangle. Rainbow flag. Metallic blue 1969 Cadillac Coupe deVille. All enduring symbols of gay pride. All sights to behold at the annual New York City Pride festivities this week, June 23 to June 27, 2010.
The caddy's claim to fame was during the Stonewall Rebellion in the year of its making. Over 40 years later, it still represents the culmination of the gay rights movement.
The uprising began on a hot Friday night on June 27, 1969. New York City police were conducting a routine raid of the Stonewall Inn, a Christopher Street hangout for gays. For whatever reason, that night, the gays pushed back. As the police attempted to arrest Stonewall patrons, a spontaneous burst of outrage came over the crowd and they began throwing beer bottles, bricks and random objects at the cops. The police responded by beating whoever they could get their hands on. During the scuffle, for unknown reasons, two officers dressed in civilian clothes got in the Cadillac convertible that was parked in front of the Stonewall Inn and drove it to the old Sixth Precinct station.
Days later the owner recovered the car at the impound without a single scratch. The car subsequently became recognized in the village as the Stonewall Car.
Protests lasted for days after the Stonewall raid and the infamous rebellion sparked the gay-rights movement, with the first pride march in 1970 on its anniversary. The Stonewall Car, now owned by the Stonewall Veterans Association, has been along for the ride ever since and still leads the pride march in New York City every year.
This year the route was shortened and began at noon. at 36th Street, where it marched down Fifth Avenue to 9th Street before crossing over to Christopher Street and ending at the Stonewall Inn.
Pridefest, the annual street fair, took place on Hudson Street between Abingdon Square and W. 14th Street from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Performances headlining the StageFest this year were
- the female rock group Antigone Rising
- transgender singer Nikki Exotika
- singer-songwriter Barry Brandon
- spoken word artist London Bridgez
- country trio Ménage à Twang
- drag act Switch n' Play, and
- a cappella group The Red States.
On Monday, June 28, the Stonewall Anniversary Screening and NewFilmmakers remember the Stonewall Riots with a reception and a special screening program.
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Reception to follow the screening
David Gerson's ULTRA VIOLET FOR SIXTEEN MINUTES (2009, 18 Minutes, Video)
A sixteen-minute portrait of Ultra Violet -- Salvador Dali's mistress in the 60s, Andy Warhol's Factory superstar in the 70s, and a born-again Mormon.
7:30PM NEWFILMMAKERS FIRST SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Mattias Thernström Florin's THE SHOES (2009, 5 Minutes, Video)
A boy has been bullied and is left alone in the school gymnasium without shoes on his feet. This film is about conscience and reconciliation, following such an event.
Barbara Distinti's A COMING OUT HOMECOMING (2010, 5 Minutes, Video)
A woman brings her girlfriend home to meet the parents.
Erik Gernand's NON-LOVE-SONG (2009, 8 Minutes, 16MM)
On the last day of summer before heading off to college, two 18-year old best friends attempt to connect as adults and for the first time in their lives share a real moment.
8:15PM NEWFILMMAKERS SECOND SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Suzanne Hillinger's THE FAUX REAL (2010, 20 Minutes, Video)
Three brazen women put on wigs, false eyelashes and sequins to challenge definitions of drag, gender, and what it means to come of age as a woman without feeling like one.
Paul Haber's LOVE IS DEAF (2010, 19 Minutes, Video) Boy meets girl. Girl sings horribly. Boy doesn't care. "Love Is Deaf" is the romantic tale of a man so in love he just can't hear what the rest of the world hears. Featuring a New York cast (including Joe Forbrich, a series regular on Law & Order), the film was shot guerrilla-style around the city -- on the subways, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Katz's Deli (essentially everywhere they weren't allowed to shoot).
9:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
Lola RocknRolla's I WAS A TRANNIE WEREWOLF (2009, 10 Minutes, Video)
A woman struggles with body hair untill she is finally possessed by it and becomes a werewolf.
Joseph Sullivan's DEAD SERIOUS (2005, 80 Minutes, Video)
A master vampire with his bloodsucking slaves and a right-wing militia leader with his armed fanatics take the patrons of a gay bar hostage, setting the stage for a night of gore and gunplay and the weirdest live broadcast in television history.
Anthology Film Archives
32 2nd Avenue at 2nd Street
New York City, NY
Visionfest Marks its 10th Anniversary
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- Parent Category: Film Festivals
- Category: Previews
- Published on Sunday, 27 June 2010 13:32
- Written by Laura Blum
For the 10th year, Visionfest: The Other Festival peered into its crystal ball with the aim of "bringing you tomorrow's visionaries today" through its American indie showcase, held June 23 to 27, 2010 at Tribeca Cinemas (corner of Varick and Laight streets in New York City).
To celebrate its first decade, Visionfest opened its 45-film slate with the East Coast premiere of Ron Farrar Brown's family drama, Consent. The film explores how a brother and sister cope with the suicide of their older sister.
Screening prior to Consent were two short films, Arturo Cubacub's Stretch and Molly Allis' Seahorse, and to cap off Opening Night, the 1970s band Disco Unlimited rocked a disco-themed bash at the Tribeca Lounge, abutting Tribeca Cinemas.
Tonight VFX closes with the New York premiere of Christina, a historical drama by writer-director Larry Brand (Halloween Resurrection). Starring Nicki Aycox (TNT's Dark Blue), Jordan Belfi (HBO's Entourage), and Stephen Lang (Avatar, Public Enemies), the film is inspired by the true story of a young German woman whose plans to depart WWII-ravaged Berlin for America with her G.I. fiancé are foiled by a police inspector out to expose her dark secret and keep her tethered to her past. Christina was shot with the Red One digital camera.
Screening alongside this multiple award winner is a short film by Florida State University student Stephen Bell, The Quartering Act. Like Christina, the film is set in the Second World War era.
Christina joins four other narrative features making their New York premieres and vying for this year’s Independent Vision Awards.
Brand's short film, The Jester's Bell, was featured in the first edition of VF's own filmmaking initiative, the 5x5 New York State of Mind Digital Project, in 2003. Curated by the Festival's organizing group, the Brooklyn-based Domani Vision Film Society, 5x5 offers indie filmmakers the services and tools to shoot five five-minute digital shorts over five days. This year's program, which will be screened during VF's Closing Night Awards Ceremony, taps the work of VF alumni Alexandra Roxo, Justin Sullivan and Elizabeth Van Meter.
Two other alum, Nyle Cavazos Garcia and Ari Taub, brought their creative efforts to other platforms in this year's Festival; Garcia presented a staged reading of his script, Tag, which took last year's Feature Screenwriting Competition award, and Taub's narrative feature Last letters from Monte Rosa now received its world premiere out of competition. Also among the Festival's feature narratives were Miss Ohio, from Gregory Fitzsimmons, Steve Balderson's Stuck!, and Desert Son, from James Mann and Brandon Nicholas.
Documentaries at VF10 spanned a range of subjects, from Todd Drezner’s Loving Lampposts, about autism, and Jeremy Taylor's Burma: An Indictment to Michael Webber's tell-all on exotic pets, The Elephant in the Living Room, and Tim VandeSteeg’s My Run, about a man who takes on 75 marathons in 75 days to raise awareness about single-parent families.
See the full Festival agenda at www.visionfest.com.
VisionFest
June 23 to 27, 2010
Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick Street
New York, NY 10013
The 3rd GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival Tour Ends
- Details
- Parent Category: Film Festivals
- Category: Previews
- Published on Monday, 21 June 2010 20:28
- Written by Brad Balfour
The GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival is the nation's first festival dedicated to works by stop-motion artists who use GI
Joe figures (12", 8" -sigma 6- and 3 ¾ sizes) as main characters or actors.) The Festival is sponsored by The Onion.
Currently the 3rd GI Joe fest has been touring the United States -- Austin, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, New York and now, back home to Denver -- with the winning films from 2009. Subsequently, winning films from 2010's Festival will travel in 2011.
The line-up for this year's fest boasts screenings of such treats as the Taiwanese film, Race of Evil, a Second World War flick with an unexpected twist; Cobra's Prom Night Crush where Cobra Commander falls madly in love; and the naughty British film Rick's Battle Shock, a Vietnam deliverance tale.
The GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival award ceremony will be held October 20th, 2010 at the Alamo Drafthouse (in Austin, Texas) and will combine the excitement of world premiere short films and fan tributes with the allure of Austin's nightlife. The GI Joe Film Festival highlights both up and coming filmmakers as well as masters of the craft, and has attracted award-winning films in past years.
Under the direction of festival president Gio Toninelo, it has became one of the hottest and fastest growing stop-motion festivals in the country. And the 2010 selections haven't disappointed. The closer of this innovative festival of stop-motion shorts featuring America's last action hero will be held in Denver at the Bug Theatre (3654 Navajo Street) on June 24th at 8 pm.
In addition there is a GI Joe Stop-Motion Workshop on Sunday, June 20th, from 10 am to 4 pm at Photospace Denver (209 Kalamath Street). Equipment and class provided by ASIFA Colorado.
The workshop will offer the opportunity to develop both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to create a piece of stop-motion animation. The course aims to stimulate students' abilities to generate an overall perspective of a project, from concept to final product. All films will be screened at the GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival. Pack a lunch and willingness to work in a group.
Bring G.I. Joe dolls if you want, otherwise the fest will have some on hand. Space is limited. Tuition is $65.00.
Sign up here: www.asifa-colorado.org/register.gijoeworkshop
The GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival
June, 24th, 2010
Bug Theatre Company
3654 Navajo Street
Denver, CO 80211
For a ticket to the Denver closing to go to our box office page or for more information, try: http://www.gijoefilmfestival.com/
To learn about other Fest events, call the Bug Hotline as well at:
303-477-5977 or 303-477-9984
Los Angeles Film Festival Turns Sweet 16
- Details
- Parent Category: Film Festivals
- Category: Previews
- Published on Thursday, 17 June 2010 19:45
- Written by Laura Blum
In a town where seeing movies is a busman's holiday, how does a film festival seduce industry brass? That's one riddle teasing the Los Angeles Film Festival as it heads into its 16th reel in Los Angeles, California, June 17 to 27, 2010.
Another is how to ignite a sense of "must see" for this Academy Award-qualifying forum that comes so early in the awards cycle. (Answer: offer free tickets.) And yet another brain teaser gets at the Festival's very identity and purpose.
Nearly a decade ago, LAFF dropped "independent" from its name with the idea of broadening its appeal. That was shortly after it was taken over by non-profit shingle Film Independent, the IFP/Los Angeles reincarnation that runs the Spirit Awards. So since the early 00s, the Festival has been showcasing American indie and world cinema while also dangling Hollywood fare and some of the tinseled names behind it.
As has become all too familiar to LAFF director Rebecca Yeldlam and now David Ansen – the former Newsweek film critic who marks his first year as artistic director -- this strategy has stirred some questions about the Festival's target audience. Yet providing something for all Angelinos appears precisely the point.
LAFF is expected to draw 80,000 attendees to its new Downtown home. Short of an earthquake pulverizing a major thoroughfare, few other events could occasion the pitter-patter of so many pedestrians in L.A. The pull is more than 100 features, shorts, and music videos from some 40 countries -- plus, the organizers hope, greater artistic cachet than its old Westwood Village holler could offer. The main redoubt for the 2010 Festival is the L.A. Live complex and its Regal Theaters multiplex.
This year the Festival will mount the world premieres of two big, shiny titles, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (invitation only) and the animated work, Despicable Me. And Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Ben Affleck and Josh Brolin are among the celebrities lending their spark to the 10-day event. To be sure, sharing air space with movie makers and talent has its perks.
The Opening Night film is Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right, starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. The creator of High Art and Laurel Canyon marries melodrama with comic relief in this Focus Features production about two siblings (Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska) who seek out their lesbian parents' sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) and unleash family chaos. As Moore's character notes, a grounding in Russian novels would help in assimilating the story's satisfyingly layered dynamics, and that about sums up why some festival-goers will adore it, and others may run for the Hollywood Hills.
Other brightly anticipated titles are The Tillman Story, Amir Bar-Lev's documentary about former NFL star Pat Tillman, who died during military service in Afghanistan, and the gala screening of Revolución, a collaboration by Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Rodrigo García and seven other Mexican filmmakers marking the centennial of the Mexican Revolution.
Harder core cinephiles will relish the four-title retrospective of Argentine director, producer and screenwriter Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, including his 1959 gothic tale of sexual awakening, The Fall/La caída). And digging further back in the foreign film archives, they'll find Carl Froelich's rarely shown 1913 film, The Life of Richard Wagner. This silent relic from the dawn of film biography charts the composer's coming of age and artistic apotheosis as the creator of Parsifal and The Ring.
For a current take on a dead, white, German-speaking composer, there's the gala world premiere of Mahler on the Couch/Mahler auf der Couch. Directed by Percy Adlon, it noses into Gustav Mahler's nosing into his young wife's adulterous affair, and what Sigmund Freud had to say about it.
Alongside the program of screenings, some of which will take place under the stars at the Ford Amphitheater, LAFF will present panels, professional seminars and Family Day. Its hallmark event is the two-day pre-Festival filmmakers retreat, hosted by this year's guest director Kathryn Bigelow at Skywalker Ranch in Northern California.
Nearly as buzzed about is the Spirit of Independence Award ceremony and gala. But this being L.A., steep competition comes from the Festival's Poolside Chats.
For comprehensive details, consult www.lafilmfest.com.
Los Angeles Film Festival
June 17 to 27, 2010
866-345-6337
Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14
1000 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
GRAMMY Museum
800 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Downtown Independent Theatre
251 South Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
REDCAT
Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theatre
631 West 2nd Street
(@ Disney Concert Hall)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
John Anson Ford Amphitheater
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA 90068
Grand Performances @ California Plaza
350 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90071
