Film Guide
The following films have been selected for the 2007 Kansas International Film Festival. We are adding to this page regularly. Please check back for updates. A printable version of the film guide will be posted once it becomes available.
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An American Opera Directed by Tom McPhee In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, America suffered the worst domestic animal crisis in its history. Tens of thousands of house pets were left to perish in neighborhoods all across the gulf when the owners were forced to evacuate without their pets. Tom McPhee went to Gonzales, Louisiana not knowing how he would help, just knowing he needed to help somehow. He volunteered at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center and by chance found himself spending the next four days taking picture after picture of thousands of house pets rescued from flooded New Orleans. For the next 16 months Tom would document this historic event as it unfolded, trying to understand where it all went wrong. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 91 min. USA |
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American Scary Directed by John Hudgens American Scary is a look at the nation's tradition of horror hosting, from Zacherley to A. Ghastlee Ghoul. With interviews from major hosts from the 1950s to the present day, along with memories from celebrities and fans who were influenced by these hosts, you'll follow this American folk art form from its glamorous beginnings, through repeated waves of popularity, to its scrappy resurgence and survival in the age of cable access and the Internet. American Scary looks to remind people how much fun local TV could be - and maybe could be again. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 92 min.
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amour-LEGENDE Directed by Mi-sen Wu It's a story about a disappearance. There are two important women in Oshima's life: April and May; they're both his favorite seasons as well. From the spring to the summer, Oshima gradually senses the smells of rotten Tropicana fruit starting to spread out from his inner body. The man later known as Oshima （"Big island"）, wakes up in the middle of a desert. He doesn't seem to remember anything. A woman is unconscious and found besides him. When she regains her conscious, she claims herself as Coco and tells him what's happened according to her own version. Drama, English, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, w/ English
subtitles, 118 min. Taiwan/Japan |
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Anathema Directed by Agim Sopi Kosovar journalist Emma Berisha, working with two American journalists, Laura and David Schwartz, report from war torn Kosova. When the war reaches the highest point, the American journalists are ordered to flee. They unsuccessfully try to persuade Emma to get out of Kosova, to leave with them. Emma is determined to stay. The serbian soldiers rape Emma. She becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl, which she names Ana. When the war is over, there is nobody to help Emma. From a very loved person during the war, she becomes an unloved person, abandoned and forgotten by everyone. All relatives look upon Ana as a misbegotten child and they try to persuade Emma to abandoned her. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, Albanian w/ English
subtitiles,
99 min. Kosovo |
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Begging Naked Directed by Karen Gehres Begging Naked began in 1996. My friend Elise asked me to video tape her stories of being a teen runaway and prostitute. She knew she'd never write her autobiography and I was just learning how to use a video camera. When Elise decided to go back into stripping at age 30, the story went on an unpredictable course. Over the next 7 years, Mayor Guiliani wiped out the sex businesses on 42nd Street leaving Elise unemployed. Elise began to spiral mentally out of control , stopped paying rent and was eventually evicted. She now lives in Central Park. All of these events have been documented in Begging Naked. The events in Elise's life have dictated the 9 years of production. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 70 min. USA |
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Big Dreamers Directed by Camille Hardman Once upon a time there was a sugar producing town in tropical Australia called Tully. A very prosperous little town until Brazil dumps its sugar stockpile on the global market. The townsfolk call a meeting to save the town from financial disaster. One man stands up and proposes to build The World's Biggest Gumboot in honour of Tully's record rainfall of 7.98 metres in 1950. Ron Hunt, the quixotic town elder hires the famous Bryan Newell to build the monument, which puts local artist and frogologist Roger Chandler's off side. The cost of the boot blows way out of hand, and the building of the boot is forever delayed by ... RAIN. After all the cost and bother, will it save the township from ruin? Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 55 min. Australia |
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Body/Antibody Directed by Kerry Dye and Jordan Hoffman Kip Polyard (Robert Gomes) suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and hasn't left his rent-controlled Manhattan apartment in 10 months. When the beautiful Celine (Leslie Kendall) moves in across the hall, Kip finally opens his door ... to romance. But when Celine's jealous ex-boyfriend Andy (Frank Deal) shows up, Kip realizes that he's let in more than he bargained for. Also featuring Deborah (Debbie) Gibson, this darkly comic thriller will keep audiences guessing until the very last scene. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama/Comedy, English, 98 min. USA |
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Brand Upon the Brain! Directed by Guy Maddin Director/co-writer Guy Maddin's humorous tale is equal parts childhood reminiscence, expressionist horror movie, teen detective serial and Grand Guignol reverie. Guy (Sullivan Brown) and his teenage sister (Maya Lawson) live on a mysterious island they share with a horde of orphans. When suspicious head wounds start appearing on recently adopted children, teen detectives Wendy and Chance (both played by Katherine E. Scharhon) launch into an investigation. Guy develops a hormone-driven crush on Wendy, while Sis is flush with love for Chance—a love that must be kept hidden from the siblings' tyrannical mother (Gretchen Krich). Narrated by Isabella Rossellini. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 95 min. Canada |
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Celebration of Flight Directed by Lara Juliette Sanders Celebration of Flight is about a very rare sort of adventurer you are unlikely to find today. A film about the oldest dream of mankind and the only remaining dream of an old man: at the age of 78, Daniel Rundstroem wants to build his own plane in the middle of the tropical forest, on Dominica, an island paradise in the Caribbean. About a unique friendship between a 78 year old Swede and a 16 year old native boy from the Caribbean Sea. They share one desire for which they are willing to sacrifice everything: to develop and build their very own aircraft. With it, they are planning to take part in one of the world's biggest air shows in Florida and win a prize. Documentary, English, 78 min. Germany |
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Celluloid #1 Directed by Steve Staso Clayton Beaubien has become a shell of the brilliant artistic renegade of his youth following his dazzling film debut 'Delusion #1'. His current claim to fame? A demeaning troller of the celebrity red carpet. He desparately tries to resuscitate his auteur credentials with a conceptual piece exploiting the theory of 'soft celebrity'. His willing victim is the proclaimed film star Caprice Geoffries, who is currently suffering from a celebrity diet of press, drugs and commercial mediocrity. He understands that the 5' heels she toters on is littered with the upheaval of her 'daddy' issues, the strain of her absentee husband and finally the self-loathing of her 'titled' social standing. Separting these two raging egotists looms Cyndi Readeen, Caprice's PR handler, who is a levelheaded, professional, African-American woman. Her presence in this conceptual interview project is to protect Caprice's image although she is hell-bent on destroying it. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Experimental, English, 78 min. USA |
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The Church on Dauphine Street Directed by Rustin Thompson, Ann Hedreen Life's not about you, it's about others. Tragedy teaches you that. A church, a priest, two kindred spirits, and the kindness of strangers.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when nearly all hope was drowned
in the flood, one church in the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans did not
give up. This is a story about Father Joseph Benson, a Northern Irishman,
and Arthine Vicks, an ex-Marine fluent in American Sign Language: two
unlikely allies working to reunite one of New Orleans’ most unusual,
most independent congregations. It’s a story about a businessman
from Seattle who witnessed the desperation in the faces of the people
in New Orleans and brought together more than 160 volunteers to do something
about it, including dozens of New Orleans union laborers, many of whom
lost their own homes to Hurricane Katrina. But more than anything this
is a story about home, and the mysterious, powerful allure of New Orleans.
When your roots grow deep, sometimes not even a hurricane can pull them
up. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. World Premiere! Documentary, English, 83 min. USA |
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David & Layla Directed by Jay Jonroy Inspired by a true story: a modern Romeo & Juliet; a "Spicy Romantic Comedy" about the sparks that fly when a Jew and a Muslim fall in love in New York. David, a TV host of Sex & Happiness, becomes smitten with the voluptuous Layla- a mysterious, sensual dancer. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 108 min. USA |
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Don Juan Tenorio - To Love and to Die in Seville Directed by Víctor Barrera Based on the play of writer Jose Zorrilla. Don Juan Tenorio accompanied by his loyal butler, Ciutti returns to Seville to resume the bet he made to Don Luis Mejia by which they should determine who has been luckier while acting more despicably. However, they both end up making a new bet because they have killed an equal number of men and won over the same number of women. The new bet is about them winning the heart of a novice and of virgin about to get married. Don Juan only has six days to do this, and he forewarns Don Luis that the virgin will be Doña Ana de Pantoja who is Luis bride to be. The loser should pay with his own life. Drama, Spanish w/ English subtitles, 85 min. Spain |
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Dough Boys Directed by Louis Lombardi Dough Boys is a slice of life drama that serves up the story of Lou and Frank, two Bronx brothers running the family bakery. Faced with Lou's gambling problem the shop is about to be taken from them by the neighborhood gangster, in which his brother has no idea. The fate of this local landmark hangs like a "pie in the sky." Will it be a sweet dream, or a nightmare? Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, USA |
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The Edge of Eden: Living with Grizzlies Directed by Jeff Turner The grizzly bear is considered by many to be the most dangerous animal in the world. But there is one man, Canadian Charlie Russell, who thinks differently. He believes that grizzlies are misunderstood animals and that our fear of them is not only unnecessary but driving them to extinction. His beliefs have taken him to Russia where he has been raising orphaned grizzly bear cubs for the past ten years in the wilderness of the Southern Kamchatka peninsula. Becoming their surrogate mother he struggles to keep his cubs alive and teach them everything they need to survive a life in the wild. But will it be enough? Documentary, English, 88 min. USA |
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End of the Line Directed by Maurice Devereaux In this unsettling and creepy thriller, Karen (Ilona Elkin), a young nurse who works in a psychiatric ward, boards the last subway train of the night only to have it stop suddenly in the middle of the tunnel. As those around her are brutally murdered, Karen and a handful of survivors must face supernatural forces, homicidal religious cult members, as well as their own fears and suspicions of Armageddon, in order to survive. Horror, English, ? min. Canada |
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Everything or Nothing Directed by Gary Chason This is a cautionary tale of drugs, environment vs. heredity and our social system as it relates to orphans. What happens when the abused children become adults? We shall see. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, ? min. USA |
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Facing Sudan Directed by Bruce Janu A custodian. A housewife. A pediatrician. A grandmother. Seemingly ordinary individuals. Yet these individuals have a story to tell. It is the story of suffering and death. It is the story of refugees. It is the story of terrified villagers running for cover. Yet, at the same time, it is a story of strength, courage and hope. It is the story of Sudan. Over the last 20 years, millions have died in Sudan. A civil war devastated the South and currently a genocide is occurring in the western region of Darfur. Facing Sudan is the story of ordinary individuals, moved into action by the events in Sudan. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things, even in Sudan. Documentary, English, 90 min. USA |
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From the 50 Yard Line Directed by Doug Lantz Live the emotional marching band story up-close and personal by going through auditions, practice, band camp, the marching season, and 2006 competitions, and see the life-changing effects for these exceptional students. This is truly marching band as you have never seen it before. From the 50 Yard Line was chosen to receive the Viola M. Marshall Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 100 min. USA |
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Good Time Max Directed by James Franco James Franco directs, writes, and stars in this feature about two polar-opposite brothers forever connected despite the drastically different life choices they've made. Vince Jolivette co-stars. Drama, English, 78 min. USA |
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Groundhog Crossing Directed by Tom Carr Sometime after last year's famous Groundhog prediction of yet another six more weeks of winter (96 times in the last 100 or so years), the Shadow falls into a deep depression. Self-saddled into believing that he (and he alone) has been and will continue to be responsible for more cold and misery for most of the world, he concludes an unimaginable decision; that Punxsutawney, PA would be better off without him. Having discovered the shadow far, far out west, the Groundhog must endure not only the long journey home, but the shadow's debilitating depression and extreme reluctance to return at all. The cross-country trek will prove to be any number of things, but what it will not be is a vacation. Independent, English 70 min. USA |
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Her Best Move Directed by Norm Hunter High school is crazy enough, but for fifteen-year-old soccer star SARA DAVIS (Leah Pipes), it's about to get even crazier. On the field she dances through opponents to make impossible shots on goal - skills honed by her father GIL (Scott Patterson), a pro soccer coach. Encouraged by best friend TUTTI (Lalaine) to jump-start her life outside soccer, Sara makes up for lost time and discovers there's more to life than just sports. As Gil pushes Sara to make the Development Team, her hopes of performing in the dance recital and exploring a relationship with JOSH (Drew Tyler Bell), are shoved aside. With scouts watching every shot, Sara faces the challenge of discovering who she is before making the best move of her life. Family Comedy, English, 100 min.
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IFC Trailer Trash Competition Trailer Trash Film Competition judged by Troma Films co-founder and filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman. Film: 3-minute (or less) grindhouse style faux movie trailer in a creative narrative, music video or documentary work. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Independent, English, 90 min. USA |
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Intervention Directed by Mary McGuckian Set in a fictional rehab clinic in the desert, Intervention offers a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors when an eclectic groups of people drawn from all walks of life find themselves under one roof for 28 days with one thing in common - addicition. Drama, English, 93 min. Canada/United Kingdom |
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Kansas vs. Darwin Directed by Jeff Tamblyn Kansas vs. Darwin is a smart, funny, feature-length documentary about the Kansas state school board hearings on evolution. Features intimate revealing interviews with all major players on both sides, and exclusive, multi-camera footage of the hearings. Far more than a political film, Kansas vs. Darwin skillfully weaves multiple themes into a gripping dialectic, putting you face to face with, and inside the heads of, those who oppose your most closely held beliefs. Challenging and entertaining, it's packed with fascinating characters who will leave you in admiration and astonishment, embarrassment and exasperation, as they feverishly pursue their goals, sometimes stumbling over their own eagerness in the attempt to win the most important battle of their lives. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 82 min. USA |
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Kilowatt Ours Directed by Jeff Barrie Kilowatt Ours is the story of filmmaker and conservationist Jeff Barrie's 18-month journey across the southeastern U.S. to document our energy-related problems and present practical, cost-saving solutions for consumers. Widespread problems revealed in Kilowatt Ours include mountaintop removal, air pollution, global warming, childhood asthma, and mercury contamination. The film illustrates practical solutions that help homeowners save more than $600 per year on energy bills while helping the environment and protecting human health. Documentary, English, 57 min. USA |
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The Lather Effect Directed by Sarah Kelly On the eve of the sale of her parents' home, thirtysomething Valinda throws an '80's rager, reuniting high school friends for one last chance to relive their wild youth - and the hangovers that went with it. As Valinda's friends help her clean up the completely trashed house the next day, old passions flare and lingering miscommunications are untangled. Sharing several themes with The Big Chill and backed by an amazing soundtrack of prime '80s hits, The Lather Effect unpacks the baggage of nostalgia and tells us that to truly live in the present, we sometimes need to say good bye to the past. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Romantic Comedy, English, 93 min. USA |
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A Life in Hashistan Directed by Tonya Dreher Chris Turner entered Afghanistan in 1967 armed with his 16mm camera and his hash pipe. The beauty and adventure that he found in this tumultuous country made him return again and again. After 40 years of tribal living, drugs, prison, and war, Chris's life stories are incredible and his perspective on his second home, Afghanistan, truly unique. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 66 min. USA |
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Midnight Clear Directed by Dallas Jenkins For five people spread across a Southwest town, Christmas Eve is the loneliest time of the year. A middle aged man, jobless and recently evicted, and an old woman estranged from her family, contemplate suicide; a church youth pastor takes his teens for a night of bad caroling to shut-ins; a young mother and her son visit her brain-damaged husband on the anniversary of his car accident; and on the outskirts of town, a gas station owner spends the slow day bored and depressed. As the night progresses, they randomly cross paths, and in unique and subtle ways, change each other's lives forever. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 99 min. USA |
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Mr. Blue Sky Directed by Sarah Gurfield An unconventional love triangle between three childhood buddies; two girls, one born with Down syndrome, and one boy, who all grow up fighting who they are inside, how they are perceived by society as a whole, and who they ultimately strive to become as individuals through the obstacles that are inherently present. Drama, English, 86 min. USA |
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Netherbeast Incorporated Directed by Dean Ronalds Employees of Berm-Tech Industries, Inc. have kept the family secret for a long time. For years it has been business as usual, until the top vampire in charge contracts a dreaded disease and invites the first humans to work in the office in more than a century. Soon the new employees discover that some of their associates are not what they appear to be, especially the dead one in the cubicle with a wooden stake through his heart. Starring Darrell Hammond (SNL), Judd Nelson (Breakfast Club and Suddenly Susan), Dave Foley (Kids in the Hall and NewsRadio), Jason Mewes (Clerks, Clerks II, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), Steve Burns (Blue Clues), Amy Davidson (8 Simple Rules) and Robert Wagner (Austin Powers and Hart to Hart). Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Comedy, English, 90 min. USA |
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Poultrygeist, Night of the Chicken Dead Directed by Lloyd Kaufman Poultrygeist is both a satire of the zombie genre, and an assault on the fast-food industry’s stranglehold on America. Director Lloyd Kaufman states that “... giant, devil-worshipping conglomerates today control the food & media we consume—and it’s the media that perpetuatesthe hegemony of a restaurant industry that is literally killing us and turning us into McNuggetcraving zombies.” Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Comedy/Satire, English, 99 min. USA |
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Racing Daylight Directed by Nicole Quinn Told as three short films in 2 different times Racing Daylight is a ghost story, a murder mystery and a love story which crosses time. Sadie Stokes is a mousey librarian who's returned to the family farm to care for her catatonic Grandma. There have always been Stokes in Cedarsville ... Sadie and Grandma are the last. Except for the longing Sadie bears for Henry, the farm's handyman, she's pretty content to let life pass her by, until the man appears in her mirror, calls her "Anna" and disappears. As Sadie starts to take on the characteristics of her ancestor Anna Stokes she realizes that they both want the same thing ... they both want Henry. Only Anna thinks Henry is her long lost Harry. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 85 min. USA |
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Rain in the Mountains Directed by Christine Sullivan and Joel Metlen Inspired by a strange encounter with a dead man, a Native American man raised outside of traditional customs takes it upon himself to bring his people back to their traditional ways. Comedy, English, 90 min. USA |
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Red is the Color Of Directed by Anne Norda The tense marriage between two artists is disrupted when the husband's provocative nude model ignites his wife's sexual and spiritual awakening. Mary's signature blood paintings have made her a celebrity in the art world. Her husband, David, can't get a gallery to show his realistic nudes - they're just not 'now' enough. When Mary meets David's new model, Julie, she becomes fascinated with her free spirit and outrageous honesty. Their friendship unexpectedly opens a door to deep intimacy missing in her marriage. But as Julie becomes more deeply enmeshed with the couple, her façade of detachment crumbles and she wreaks havoc on all their lives. Ultimately, Mary's quest for happiness leads her to discover what it means to be truly free. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 87 min. USA |
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Resting Places Directed by Melissa Villanueva Explores the controversy over roadside memorials which often pits grieving families against church versus state activists. The film examines what has become a world wide phenomenon. Narrated by Liam Nielson. Shown with Hush, a short film exploring issues of recovery and drug addition. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. World Premiere! Documentary, English, 48 min. USA |
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The Rich Have Their Own Photographers Directed by Ezra Bookstein This is a deeply inspirational film about the life and artwork of America's premiere social documentary photographer alive today. After being persecuted for being a communist in 1957, Milton Rogovin refused to be silenced. He began photographing poor, disenfranchised and working class communities in Bufffalo, NY and then around the World. Now 97, his entire collection is housed by both the Center for Creative Photography and the Library of Congress. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 60 min. USA |
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The Saddest Music in the World Directed by Guy Maddin In 1933, in Winnipeg during the American Great Depression, the legless baroness of beer industry, Lady Helen Port-Huntley (Isabella Rossellini), promotes a contest to choose the saddest music in the world and find where the real drinkers are. People come from all parts of the world, including her former lover Chester Kent (Marc McKinney) representing USA with the nymphomaniac amnesic Narcissa (Maria de Medeiros); his brother, who misses his dead son and his vanishing wife, Roderick Kent / Gravillo the Great (Ross McMillan), representing Serbia; and his father and the man who sever her legs in a car accident, Fyodor Kent (David Fox). During the competition, Roderick finds his wife. During the competition, Roderick finds his missing wife. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Drama, English, 100 min. Canada |
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Shadrin – Triple Agent Directed by Wojciech Bockenheim Poland - 1958, during the Cold War between the East and West. The captain of a Soviet destroyer, Nikolai Artamonov, falls in love with a young Polish student while on a training mission in Poland. Her feelings are mutual. Soon Nikolai has to return to Moscow. Ewa doesn't want to emigrate to the USSR. The only way to save their love is to escape from the Eastern Bloc. Ewa entered the Polish port of Gdynia on the deck of Nikolai's captain's motorboat on a July afternoon in 1959 and sails into the unknown. Neither of them yet realizes that many military officers fleeing from the Eastern Bloc become bait in the brutal machinations of rival intelligence services in battle for world-wide hegemony of the superpowers. Documentary, Polish w/ English subtitles , 89 min. Poland |
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Shut Up & Ride Directed by Mike Anzalone, Mark Hoffman Shut Up and Ride is the story of a group of black bull riders on the rodeo circuit. Jamie, Danelle, Dale, Peter and Andy travel from town to town with the common goal of making it to the Finals. The long road to the finals in Oklahoma City is paved with the challenges of living in the back of pick up trucks, broken bones, time away from loved ones, rodeo politics and the danger that exists in the span of 8 seconds. This film explores the stereotypes surrounding America's most cherished icon: The Cowboy. In the end, determination and sacrifice will lead one cowboy to the title of IPRA World Champion Bull rider. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 93 min. USA |
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The Singing Revolution Directed by Jim Tusty and Maureen Castle Most people don't think about singing when thinking about revolutions. But in Estonia song was the weapon of choice when, between 1987 and 1991, Estonians wanted to end decades of Soviet occupation. The Singing Revolution documents how, during these years, hundreds of thousands of Estonians gathered publicly to sing forbidden patriotic songs and to listen to protest speeches, risking their lives to proclaim their desire for independence. The revolutionary songs they created anchored Estonia's struggle for freedom, which was ultimately accomplished without the loss of a single life. Singing fueled the non-violent revolution that defeated a very violent occupation. The Singing Revolution is an inspiring account of one nation's dramatic rebirth and a transcendent evocation of the sustaining and liberating power of hope. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, Estonian
w/ subtitles, 94 min. Estonia/USA |
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Speed Dating Directed by Tony Herbert A heartbroken heir to millions becomes obsessed with Speed Dating in the search for love and meaning. A brief encounter with a mysterious stranger leaves him amnesiac and suspected in a murder. With help from his quirky friends and family he must clear his name, if he can remember it! Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Comedy, English, 85 min. Ireland |
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Strictly Background Directed by Jason Connell Strictly Background is a heartfelt documentary that explores the charm and determination behind some of Hollywood's hardest working actors, professional 'extras'. Following ten background actors, the film examines life on and off set as they attempt to make a living as a face in a crowd. Strictly Background is the true story of the struggle to stand out. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, English, 84 min. USA |
Student Screenings - Future of Filmmaking Enjoy short films from students at local universities which showcase the creativity and skills of young talent from animation to science fiction and documentary. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Short film, English, 90 min. USA |
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Suspension (Work in Progress) Directed by Ethan Shaftel Daniel loses his wife and son in a car accident. Recovering from his injuries in an empty house, Daniel begins to rebuild his son's video cam-era that was destroyed in the crash. Infused with power from the moment of the crash, the camera develops the ability to stop time when Daniel presses the pause button. This discovery restores Daniel's purpose, and he fills the vacuum in his life by taking responsibility for another victim, Sarah, a newlywed who lost her husband in the same accident. At first Daniel watches, then tries to improve her life in small ways. But using his power to “help” becomes an addiction, and the vastness of Daniel's power can do only one thing... corrupt him. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Science Fiction, English, 98 min. USA |
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That Beautiful Somewhere Directed by Robert Budreau A detective (Roy Dupuis) haunted by his past military experience and his role as guardian for his mother on life support teams up with a young female archaeologist (Jane McGregor) hiding a critical condition. They develop a deep bond as they try to unravel the mysterious death of a 'bog body' found in a native swamp rumored to have curative powers. A story of two wounded souls who come together and risk everything to find healing and redemption. Film Noir, English, 93 min. Canada |
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A Tribute to Kansas City Jazz Directed by Kenneth K. Martinez Burgmaier A journey through Kansas City, back to the 20's, 30's and 40's up till today. Honoring the Jazz Master Jay McShann who discovered Charlie Parker in KC! With Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove, TS Monk, Earl Klugh, James Moody, Clark Terry. A beautiful historic film on Jazz... World Premiere! Documentary, English, 43 min. USA |
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Tulsa United Film Festival The festivals showcase the work of talented filmmakers with diverse backgrounds, and unite creativity, energy, talent, and art in three major American cities: Los Angeles, Tulsa and New York. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Short Films/Experimental, English, 87 min. USA |
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VHS - Kahloucha Directed by Néjib Belkadhi Documentarian Néjib Belkadhi trails amateur Tunisian filmmaker Moncef Kahloucha as he makes his latest feature, Tarzan of the Arabs. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, Arabic w/English subtitles, 80 min. Tunisia |
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White Shadows Directed by Mialyn Hanna An inspirational story of survival and transformation, White Shadows profiles Dalee Henderson, a famed celebrity hairstylist who is diagnosed with AIDS and must reconcile himself to the changes the disease affects upon his body and mind. A gay, African-American man raised in the rural, segregated South of the 1950s, Dalee escaped to the West Coast to live life openly and proudly, arriving in Los Angeles in the late '70s, where he achieved great professional and personal success, amassing a wealth of friends by virtue of his gregarious nature. His life changed when he learned of his HIV status, but his spirit and hope remain despite the deterioration of his body. Documentary, English, 72 min. USA |
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Women of Tibet: Gyalyum Chemo - The Great Mother Directed by Rosemary Rawcliffe Explores the amazing life of Dekyi Tsering, the late mother of the 14th Dalai Lama. The film interweaves the story of two Mothers—a Universal Great Mother that lives within each of us and Dekyi Tsering, a simple village woman who became known as the Great Mother of the Tibetan nation. Dekyi Tsering's story is uniquely Tibetan, yet it shares the same core qualities of all universal Great Mother stories: loss and resurrection, love and sacrifice, and the courage to survive. Filmmaker(s) to attend. Q&A to follow. Documentary, 60 min. |