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In conjunction with
WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Independents on the Air
the Woodstock Film Festival presents
CRAZY SEXY CANCER
directed by Kris Carr
Friday, June 29, 8pm
at The Linda, 339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY
An irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding her life. Weeks after she was diagnosed, filmmaker Kris Carr began documenting her story. Taking a seemingly tragic situation and turning it into a creative expression, Kris shares her wild journey with exuberance, humor and sass.
Director's Bio:
Kris is an award-winning actress, a photographer, and writer from Woodstock, NY. This is her first feature length documentary after working in shorts and the theater. Her advice-from-the-trenches "Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips" book, a practical (and funny) survival guide with insights of other young women with cancer, will be published this fall under the new skirt! imprint of The Globe Pequot Press. |
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LEGAL WORKSHOP
The Woodstock Film Festival, The Hudson Valley Film Commission and Seven21 Media Center will present a seminar on LEGAL ISSUES FOR FILMMAKERS by Jackie Borock, Esq. on June 13, 2007, 7 pm, at Seven21 Media Center, 721 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401.
Jackie Borock, an experienced arts and entertainment attorney who recently relocated to the Hudson Valley, will provide some insight into the legal issues which arise for filmmakers, and help protect them from the potential problems that can arise with respect to copyrights, clearances and contracts. Ms. Borock is the former Director of Legal and Business Affairs at TLA Entertainment, Inc. in Philadelphia, an international multi-media distributor. She has represented dozens of writers, filmmakers, performers and artists, and is also the director of an award-winning documentary, A JOYFUL NOISE. Come join us for an informative evening! |
Jackie Borock with Ira Schrek
at 2006 WFF Entertainment Law Panel |
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The Woodstock Film Festival Film Series
sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill,
presents a special screening of
Confronted by the death of his stepfather, Director Thomas Allen Harris embarks on a journey of reconciliation with the man who raised him as a son but whom he could never call “father.” B. Pule Leinaeng ("Lee") was an ANC foot soldier, who sacrificed his life for the freedom of his country. As part of the first wave of South African exiles, Lee and his eleven comrades left their home in Bloemfontein in 1960 to broadcast to the world the brutality of the apartheid system and to raise support for the African National Congress (“ANC”) and its leaders, Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. Drawing upon the memories of the surviving disciples and their families, young South African actors portray the harrowing events of the exodus and exile and in so doing, forge their own reconciliation between the generations.
Saturday, June 9, 1:00pm
at the Shadowland Theater
157 Canal Street (get directions)
Ellenville, NY 12428
(845) 647-5511
Running Time: 73 Minutes
The screening will be introduced by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill.
Post screening Q&A with Director Thomas Allen Harris will follow.
Admission is FREE for the public.
Tickets are limited and will be available first come first served. Reservations are no longer available for this event. |
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The Hudson Valley Programmers Group and
Woodstock Film Festival Film Series
sponsored Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill,
presents a special film/performance mashup
featuring Mitchell Rose
"Mr. Rose is a rare and wonderful talent," pronounces The New York Times, the heaviest newspaper in the world. And all this… can be yours! FOR FREE!
it's
THE MITCH SHOW
Sunday, June 3, 7:30pm (doors open)
at the Bearsville Theater
291 Tinker Street (get directions)
(Route 212, Woodstock, NY 12498)
The Mitch Show is more than just a retrospective of offbeat comic short films spanning the oeuvre of the artiste. It's a film/performance mashup. Not only does Mitchell present his hilarious, innovative films, but he also leads several comic audience-participation performance pieces. The result is pure cineformatainment.
As can be plainly discovered on MitchellRose.com, Mr. Rose is the former housemate of Paris Hilton. Let the art begin.
Admission is FREE for the public, but reservations are required.
To reserve tickets online, click here, or call (845) 810-0131.
THE MITCH SHOW will also be presented (click on links for details)
June 1, 8pm at the Linda in Albany, NY
June 2, 8pm at Lady Washington Firehouse in Poughkeepsie, NY |
The New York Times has likened Mitchell Rose to
"... Woody Allen, with more than
a dash of Abbie Hoffman thrown in."
The Washington Post has described his work as "in the tradition of Chaplin, Keaton, and Tati --
funny and sad and more than the sum of both."
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The WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL FILM SERIES
sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill,
presents a special screening of
Nicole Quinn's RACING DAYLIGHT
starring David Strathairn, Melissa Leo and Giancarlo Esposito.
Saturday, May 5th, 1:00 pm
at the Rosendale Theatre
408 Main Street, Rosendale, NY
What happens when time collides?
RACING DAYLIGHT is the story of Sadie Stokes (Melissa Leo) who has returned to the family farm to care for her catatonic Grandma (Leclanche Durand). There have always been Stokes in Cedarsville, but Sadie and Grandma are the last. When Harry (David Strathairn), a deceased Civil War soldier beckons Sadie from a mirror, Sadie begins to take on the character of her ancestor Anna, and a rich history of love and mystery unfolds.
This magical love story of hope and forgiveness is set against the backdrop of the beautiful Hudson River Valley and the historically rich Shawangunks.
The screening was introduced by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill. A post screening Q&A with principal cast and crew was hosted by US Weekly Film & DVD critic Thelma Adams. |
Kevin A. Cahill, director Nicole Quinn, Sabrina Lloyd, Meira Blaustein (Woodstock FIlm Festival) Melissa Leo, Jason Downs, Elizabeth Bracco and Aidan Quinn at a special screening of Nicole Quinn's Racing Daylight... part of the Woodstock Film Festival Film Series sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill
Photo Credit: Martin L. Gardlin
Click here to view the trailer
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HUDSON VALLEY FILM COMMISSION BENEFIT
All of us at the Hudson Valley Film Commission are extremely proud of the work that has been done to attract more film and TV production to the region. We are working hard on bringing more production to the area including interesting projects such as the National Geographic special HUMAN FOOTPRINT, which we are currently working on with the hope that they will shoot and hire locally.
On Saturday, May 5, a BENEFIT was hosted at BYWATER BISTRO for HUDSON VALLEY FILM COMMISSION to celebrate the 1pm sneak preview screening of RACING DAYLIGHT (shot in 2006 in the Hudson Valley). The benefit was sponsored by Mary Collins Real Estate.
The fabulous reception, featured delectable Hors D'oeuvres, wine, and the great company of emerging and established talents. |
Director Nicole Quinn, Melissa Leo, Jason Downs, Aidan Quinn, Sophia Raab Downs, Denny Dillon and Laurent Rejto (kneeling) at Hudson Valley Film Commission benefit at Bywater Bistro.
Photo Credit: Martin L. Gardlin
Sponsored by Mary Collins Real Estate
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The WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL FILM SERIES
sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill,
presents a special screening of
Davis Guggenheim’s GRACIE
starring starring Carly Schroeder, Dermot Mulroney, Andrew Shue and Elisabeth Shue.
Saturday, May 12th, 1pm
at the Tinker Street Cinema
132 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498
GRACIE is the inspirational, touching story of a sixteen-year-old girl, who, after a family tragedy changed her life, fought for and won the right for girls everywhere to play competitive soccer. The film is set in 1978 and inspired by the Shue family’s real life events.
GRACIE is hot off the press, literally – as the Picturehouse film is slated for a theatrical release of June 1st. Producer Lemore Syvan and select cast and crew will head the post screening Q&A session, hosted by Filmmaker Magazine Senior Editor Peter Bowen. |
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BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES
The Future of American Music Hangs In the Balance...
Introduced by Kate Pierson of the B-52’s.
Independent dobro/vocal/stompboard musician Bret Mosley performed prior to and following the screening. His style is an original and soulful mix of blues, folk and country music that anyone can enjoy.
Never have so few companies controlled so much of the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores. At the same time, there are more bands and more ways to discover their music than ever. Music seems to have split in two - the homogenous corporate product that is spoonfed to consumers and the diverse independent music that finds devoted fans online and at clubs across the country.
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BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES both riveting and exhilarating.
At the heart of BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES are interviews with musicians, industry insiders, music critics, and fans that reveal how music has reached this moment of truth. Featured performances from a truly diverse group of artists, ranging from The Dave Matthews Band and Erykah Badu to Seattle street performers and Mississippi gospel singers show us that great music is always out there… as long as you know where to look. BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES will renew your passion for great music, and inspire you to play an active part in its future.
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IFC Films, Red Envelope Entertainment and WFF presents
AN UNREASONABLE MAN
In 1966, General Motors, the most powerful corporation in the world, sent private investigators to dig up dirt on an obscure thirty-two year old public interest lawyer named Ralph Nader, who had written a book critical of one of their cars, the Corvair. The scandal that ensued after the smear campaign was revealed launched Ralph Nader into national prominence and established him as one of the most admired Americans and the leader of the modern Consumer Movement. |
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| Over the next thirty years and without ever holding public office, Nader built a legislative record that is the rival of any contemporary president. Many things we take for granted including seat belts, airbags, product labeling, no nukes, even the free ticket you get after being bumped from an overbooked flight are largely due to the efforts of Ralph Nader and his citizen groups. Yet today, when most people hear the name "Ralph Nader," they think of the man who gave the country George W. Bush. As a result, after sustaining his popularity and effectiveness over an unprecedented amount of time, he has become a pariah even among former friends and allies. How did this happen? Is he really to blame for George W. Bush? Who has stuck by him and who has abandoned him? Has our democracy become a consumer fraud? After being so right for so many years, how did he seem to go so wrong? With the help of exciting graphics, rare archival footage and over forty on-camera interviews conducted over the past two years, "An Unreasonable Man" traces the life and career of Ralph Nader, one of the most unique, important, and controversial political figures of the past half century. |
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Woodstock Film Festival
in association with
Warner Independent Pictures
present a special screening of
THE PAINTED VEIL
As part of its year-round screening
series, the Woodstock Film Festival, in association with Warner
Independent Pictures, will offer a special sneak preview of one of
this year’s most anticipated new films, THE
PAINTED VEIL.
Based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham, THE PAINTED VEIL is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter, a middle class doctor and Kitty, an upper – class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else.
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When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, he accepts a job in a remote village in China ravaged by a deadly epidemic, and takes her along. Their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth.
A Q&A with the film’s screenwriter Ron Nyswaner will follow. A Hudson Valley resident, Nyswaner was nominated for an Academy Award for the screenplay of PHILADELPHIA. Other screenplays include SOLDIER’S GIRL, and MRS. SOFFEL. |
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WFF in association
with Yari Film Group Releasing, and Allied Advertising
presents a special screening of
THE ILLUSIONIST
Director Neil Burger, who will be in attendance for the
screening, follows up INTERVIEW WITH AN ASSASSIN, which won best
feature film at the 2002 Woodstock FIlm Festival, with what NPR's Bob
Montello calls, "Romantic, smart... gorgeous!"
THE ILLUSIONIST stars Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti
as two men pitted against each other in a battle of wits: Norton as
mysterious stage magician Eisenheim, and Giamatti as Vienna's shrewd
Chief Inspector Uhl, with Jessica Biel sharing the screen as the
beautiful Sophie von Teschen.
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| When word of Eisenheim's astounding illusions reaches the powerful and pragmatic Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), the ruler attends one of the magician's shows in order to debunk Eisenheim during the performance. But when the Prince's intended, Sophie von Teschen, assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods and a dormant love affair is rekindled. As the clandestine romance continues, Uhl is charged by Leopold to intensify his efforts to expose Eisenheim, even while the magician gains a devoted and vocal public following. With Uhl doggedly searching for the reasons and the man behind the trickery, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest illusion yet. For more info, visit THE ILLUSIONIST |
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The WOODSTOCK IN THE CITY Screening Series
sponsored by Indiepix.net proudly presents a SNEAK PREVIEW of
CROSSING ARIZONA
and a Q&A with the NYC-based documentary filmmakers Joseph
Mathew & Dan DeVivo
“On the last day or two (of Sundance) you hurry
between screenings, trying to catch films everybody tells you not to
miss. One I especially admired was CROSSING ARIZONA.” -Roger
Ebert
“Deftly sustaining many points of view... in a
complex, still-evolving debate.“
-Dennis Harvey, VARIETY
Synopsis:
With Americans on all sides of the issue up in arms and
Congress embroiled in a knock-down-drag-out policy battle over how to
move forward, CROSSING ARIZONA tells the story of how we got to where
we are today.
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Heightened security in California and Texas has pushed illegal border-crossers into the treacherous Arizona desert in unprecedented numbers – an estimated 4,500 a day. Most are Mexican men in search of work, but increasingly the border-crossers are women and children seeking to reunite with their husbands and fathers. This influx of migrants crossing through Arizona and the attendant rising death toll have elicited complicated feelings about human rights, culture, class, labor and national security. “Crossing Arizona” examines the crisis through the eyes of those directly affected by it. Frustrated ranchers go out day after day to repair cut fences and pick up the trash that endangers their livestock and livelihoods. Humanitarian groups place water stations in the desert in an attempt to save lives. Political activists rally against anti-migrant ballot initiatives and try to counter rampant fear mongering. Farmers who depend on the illegal work force face each day with the fear that they may lose their workers to a border patrol sweep. And now there are the Minutemen, an armed citizen patrol group taking border security into their own hands. As up-to-date as the nightly news, but far more in-depth, “Crossing Arizona” is an indispensable primer on what is already turning into the most divisive issue of this election year.
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The WOODSTOCK IN THE CITY Screening Series sponsored by Indiepix.net proudly presents
THE LAST WESTERN
Followed by a Q & A with filmmaker Chris Deaux, and a
reception hosted by Indiepix.net at 9 pm
Welcome to Pioneertown,
California - a dusty outpost perched on the edge of the Mojave Desert
in the shadow of Los Angeles. Built in 1946 by Gene Autry and Roy
Rogers, the town would go on to serve as the backdrop for some of
Hollywood's last B-Westerns and television serials, including
"The Cisco Kid," "Buffalo Bill Jr." and Gene
Autry's final film, "The Last of the Pony Riders." The
town's time in the spotlight would be short lived, however, and by the
mid-1950's Pioneertown sat forgotten and decaying in the desert sun.
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For
more info, visit 7th Art
Releasing.
“THE LAST WESTERN is filled with colorful
characters whose tradgedies and triumphs breathe life into a town that
is truly one of Hollywood’s forgotten gems.” -
Solomon Jones: Columnist, Philadelphia Weekly and author of
“Ride or Die.”
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| A virtual ghost town, Pioneertown became a hangout for motorcycle gangs, dope dealers and desert rats. A few of the hearty drifters stayed on and moved into the decaying old west storefronts, creating a surreal 21st Century version of Hollywood's 1950's version of the Wild West: real cowboys, outlaws and desert drifters surviving in the crumbling film sets of near forgotten B-Western movies. THE LAST WESTERN chronicles the bygone era of the B-Western and the colorful citizens of Pioneertown who thrive on the town's Wild West past and celebrate the remarkable freedom afforded by living life outside the lines in Hollywood's version of America's last, great Western town. |
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LITTLE
MISS SUNSHINE
A WFF SNEAK PREVIEW,
in association with FOX SEARCHLIGHT
Q&A with producer Peter Saraf to follow
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE tells the story of the
Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families ever seen on
motion picture screens. Together, the motley six-member family treks
from Albuquerque to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in Redondo Beach,
California, to fulfill the deepest wish of 7-year-old Olive, an
ordinary little girl with big dreams. Along the way the family must
deal with crushed dreams, heartbreak, and a broken-down VW bus,
leading up to the surreal Little Miss Sunshine competition itself. On
their travels through this bizarrely funny landscape, the Hoovers
learn to trust and support each other along the path of life, no
matter what the challenge.
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| Fox Searchlight acquired worldwide rights to the hilarious and heartfelt film following its 2006 Sundance Film Festival world premiere, which inspired the audience to a rare standing ovation. Marking the feature film directorial debut for renowned music video directors (and husband and wife team) Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and the first feature script penned by Michael Arndt, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE stars an award-winning ensemble cast led by Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano and Greg Kinnear. |
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CAN MR. SMITH GET TO
WASHINGTON ANYMORE?
Q&A with filmmaker Frank Popper and
reception hosted by Indiepix.net to follow
CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANYMORE?, which made
its World Premiere at Silverdocs Festival on June 16th, is a riveting,
edge-of-seat story about Jeff Smith, a 29-year old underdog
campaigning for Congress. With a group of like-minded idealists, the
young spitfire, lacking experience, funding, and even familial
support, tirelessly campaigns against career politicians backed by the
wealthy and powerful. Inspiring and rousing, CAN MR. SMITH GET TO
WASHINGTON ANYMORE? is proof that there is still room in our
increasingly corrupt, corporatized political system for one determined
individual to incite change.
Audience Award Winner at 2006 Silverdocs
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| Frank
Popper wandered into a photo lab while teaching high school
English in St. Louis. Seeing the magic of his friend's print come to
life took his professional life in a new direction-from photography to
award-winning multi-image productions to film. Popper produced THE
LOUNGE PEOPLE, a feature starring Buck Henry and Christine Ebersole,
which aired on Starz. He was principal videographer of EROICA!, a
documentary that aired on PBS about The Eroica Trio's collaboration
with a classical music composer. CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON
ANYMORE? is his first feature-length documentary. Click here to eMail
Frank
Popper |
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OUR BRAND IS CRISIS
Produced & Directed by Rachel Boynton
For decades, U.S. strategists-for-hire have been quietly influencing the opinions of voters and the messages of candidates in elections around the world. Rachel Boynton’s OUR
BRAND IS CRISIS is an astounding look at one of their campaigns and
its dramatic aftermath.
The filmmaker follows a crack team of Democratic
political consultants, including James Carville, Tad Devine and Jeremy
Rosner as they strategize
for a struggling presidential candidate in Bolivia. This
thrilling adventure is a fly-on-the-wall account of the machinations
behind the turbulent re-election campaign of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada
(“Goni”). In a country facing a calamitous economic
crisis, Goni - a wealthy businessman who privatized Bolivia's economy
and created social security (when he was president in the
mid-‘90s) - isn't a popular candidate. Yet the consultants
devise a U.S.-style campaign marked by savvy media techniques and
negative ads, emphasizing
a single, strong message. They reintroduce Goni as an
appealing brand in an attempt to win an election whose aftermath is
nothing short of devastating.
Recently Bolivia’s new leftist president, Evo
Morales, has put the country
back in the news. Morales, previously a leader of the coca
leaf-growers’
union, became the nation’s first indigenous leader in
December. Boynton’s
film is both a terrific case study in the events leading up to
Morales’s win
and a shocking example of how U.S. marketing strategies can
affect the spreading of “our brand of democracy”
overseas.
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“It’s hard to know
whether to marvel or weep when James Carville goes into his Bill
Clinton-meets-Looney Tunes act in Rachel Boynton’s knockout
documentary. Darkly amusing. Boynton has extraordinary access –
bewildering access, given the damning nature of what she
gets.”
– David Edelstein, New York Magazine
“(A) momentous documentary! Will pack a
punch! The unrestricted access we are given to these discussions that
would normally take place behind closed doors is astounding.”
– Laura Kern, The New York Times
“Riveting. Remarkably suspenseful! James
Carville is, of course, already a media star. Midway through the
movie, he delivers and extended and shrewdly self-deprecating
advertisement for himself. Among other things, he compared a campaign
to sex: ‘You never know when it’s going to
peak.’”
– J. Hoberman, Village Voice |
Visit WAMC for complete details.
This event made possible through the generous support of the
New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency. |
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BOXERS & BALLERINAS
Boxers and Ballerinas is about four
young people forever united by their cultural heritage and forever
divided by 90 miles of water and over 40 years of political
conflict. The documentary traces the lives of a boxer and a
ballerina in Miami, Florida, and a boxer and a ballerina in Havana,
Cuba: their triumphs and failures, their power and
powerlessness, and the singular intensity and violence of being young.
Boxers and Ballerinas cuts through the
romantic mystery of Cuba, the neon stereotype of Miami, and the
political noise of US-Cuba relations to the sweat, sex, grace and
aggression of winning the fight, nailing the pirouette, and chasing
the dream until the body gives in.
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Director Mike Cahill was a former staff editor, cinematographer and field producer for National Geographic TV and Film in Washington D.C. Co-Director Britt Marling dropped out of Georgetown University to make Boxers and Ballerinas. She returned to university to graduate number one in her class. Producer Nick Shumaker has worked with Emmy and Peabody Award winning producer, Mike Cerre and Globe TV, a Production company in California.
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THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS
Courtesy of New Line Home
Entertainment, the Woodstock Film Commission and the Bearsville
Theater will co-host a DVD release party screening of THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS starring Paul Reiser
(TV’s Mad About You, Bye Bye Love, Diner) and Peter
Falk (TV’s Columbo, Wings of Desire, The In-Laws). The
feature film was shot almost entirely in Ulster County due to the
efforts of the Woodstock Film Commission. The film was originally
slated to shoot in Pennsylvania. Hundreds of local residents appeared
as extras in film while others worked as crew members.
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| A hilariously truthful journey into the ties that bind family, love and marriage – as well as the misunderstandings that inevitably bring people closer together – is at the heart of New Line Home Entertainment’s THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS, an affecting dramatic comedy arriving on DVD on February 14, 2006. Screenwriter Paul Reiser co-stars with the legendary Peter Falk in this deeply personal, semi-autobiographical film about a father and son on a road trip that leads, ultimately, to a strengthened sense of family. Also featuring Academy Award®-winner Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck, Steel Magnolias) and Elizabeth Perkins (Must Love Dogs, Big). |
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WFF goes to Hollywood with
THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS
at the Egyptian Theatre in L.A.
American Cinematheque and Woodstock FIlm Festival partner
for LA premiere of THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS. For the first time ever,
the WFF is partnering with the prestigious American Cinematheque to
showcase a selection from the 2005 festival in the
Cinematheque’s historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
On Thursday, November 10, the American Cinematheque
will present THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS as part of its Alternative
Screen Independent Film Showcase series. The filmmakers, as well as
Woodstock Film Festival Executive Director Meira Blaustein, will be
present for a Q&A and a gathering of old friends and new from both
coasts after the screening. The screening will take place at 7:30 PM
at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Tickets are $9 a person.
For more information, visit the American Cinematheque
website
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| Frustrated
with the traditional documentary form, writer Lewis Lapham, director
John Kirby, and producer Libby Handros created THE AMERICAN RULING
CLASS, the first ever dramatic-documentary-musical. This hybrid satire
seeks to answer the questions: “Is there an American ruling
class? If so, how does one join?” That's what Yale grads Mike
and Jack want to know. Lewis Lapham, the jaded socialite-cum-muckraker
editor of Harper's, is Mike and Jack's guide in this star-studded
journey through America's establishment. We get to meet Kurt Vonnegut,
Walter Cronkite, Mike Medavoy, Robert Altman, Barbara Ehrenreich,
Vartan Gregorian, Martin Garbus, Bill Bradley, Larry Summers, James
Baker, Pete Peterson, Hodding Carter, and the insistent opposition
voice of Pete Seeger. Mike attempts to find out whether a good banking
job is all that his future holds and Jack wonders if his offer from
Goldman Sachs is the right first step to take. Whatever the answers,
you'll love to hear from these mentors in the ruling class—which
might or might not exist. Judge for yourself. |
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Woodstock Film Festival in the City and Reel Works Teen
Filmmaking presents THE BEST OF THE LAB 2005,
an evening of extraordinary short documentaries produced
by NYC teens
at The Two
Boots Pioneer Theater
The Lab, supported by HBO, is a four-time Emmy award
winning youth media program that challenges teens to create short
films about their lives.
Powerful, personal and uncensored, the films of The
Lab take us inside the real life challenges teens face every day.
Stories about racism, teen pregnancy and depression. Stories of love
and survival. With courage, artistry, and great storytelling, our
young filmmakers break down the wall between the neighborhood and New
York City.
If you ever wondered whether or not teens today had
powerful and profound
things to say about the world, listen to the stories of The Lab.
For more info about the lab at http://www.reelworks.org
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Woodstock Film Festival in the City presents HARSH BEAUTY
at The Two Boots Pioneer Theater
Harsh Beauty follows the lives of Jyothi, Usha and Hira
Bai, three Eunuchs who live as women in India, as they struggle
to find a place for themselves in a culture splintered by religion,
caste and politics.
Still existing as they have for centuries, the
Eunuchs (or Hijra) are considered the third gender, neither men nor
women. Although the Eunuchs are part of India’s ancient cultural
history, they remain largely unknown outside of the country.
By definition, Eunuchs are either born hermaphrodites
or are men who are voluntarily emasculated. Their origins are
ambiguous, but from the ancient Vedas to the holy Mahabharata, there
is evidence of their presence and their spiritual powers.
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The elevated role Eunuchs once held has faded and with it their reputation and respect, leaving instead many isolated communities of prostitutes and beggars where everything has a price, be it a spiritual or sexual favour.
In a society structured by rigid social codes, Jyothi and Usha found a community that welcomed them, bringing a true sense of freedom and belonging. They, like Hira Bai, desire to live openly as women, and be accepted for whom they truly believe themselves to be.
A challenge in making this documentary was to enter the lives of these three Eunuchs, and without presenting an anthropological perspective, take a glance into their community and their lives.
Set against the vibrant energy of the Indian metropolis, Harsh Beauty uses a verité feel to create intimate and personal accounts of the characters making it a unique documentary about this subject. |
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Rumur Releasing and Greenhouse Pictures present
OCCUPATION:DREAMLAND
OCCUPATION: DREAMLAND is an unflinchingly candid portrait of a squad of American soldiers deployed in the doomed Iraqi city of Falluja during the winter of 2004. A tense and grimly humorous study of the soldiers unfolds as they patrol an environment of low-intensity conflict creeping steadily towards catastrophe. Through the squad'‚s activities OCCUPATION: DREAMLAND provides a vital glimpse into the last days of Falluja. The film documents the city's waning stability before a final series of military assaults began in the spring of 2004 that effectively destroyed it.
Filmmakers Garrett Scott and Ian Olds were given access to all operations of the Army's 82nd Airborne. They lived with the unit 24/7, giving voice to soldiers held under a strict code of authority as they cope with an ambiguous, often lethal environment. The result is a revealing, sometimes surprising look at Army life, operations and the complexity of American war in the 21st century.
"... a gut-wrenching six weeks in the life of the 82nd Airborne Division...
a portrait of tension rising."
- Chris Vognar, The Dallas Morning News |
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WFF and WAMC present
MURDERBALL
Featuring fierce rivalry, stopwatch suspense, and
larger-than- life personalities, MURDERBALL, Winner of the Documentary
Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing at the 2005
Sundance Film Festival, is a film about tough, highly competitive
rugby players. Quadriplegic rugby players. Whether by car wreck, fist
fight, gun shot, or rogue bacteria, these men were forced to live life
sitting down. In their own version of the full-contact sport, they
smash the hell out of each other in custom-made gladiator-like
wheelchairs. And no, they don't wear helmets.
From the gyms of middle America to the
Olympic arena in Athens, Greece, MURDERBALL tells the story of a group
of world-class athletes unlike any ever shown on screen. In addition
to smashing chairs, it will smash every stereotype you ever had about
"gimps" and "cripples." It is a film about family,
revenge, honor, sex (yes, they can) and the triumph of love over loss.
But most of all, it is a film about standing up, even after your
spirit - and your spine - has been crushed.
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“Fierce, funny, and inspiring.”
-PREMIERE
“A nonfiction film about sexy, sumbitch
quadriplegics who ram the
living daylights out of one another playing rugby in
souped-up wheelchairs.”
-Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly |
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PLAYING FOR CHANGE:
A Cinematic Discovery of Street Music
Former street musician Jerry Mitnick, who also ran Woodstock's legendary Tinker Street Café in the 80's, will entertain with live music prior to the movie. Bring some change.
Directed by Mark Johnson & Jonathan Walls, "PLAYING FOR CHANGE" is a 70-minute musical journey of discovery that celebrates the freedom and the lives of street musicians existing in America today. Focusing on the three cities of Los Angeles, New Orleans, and New York, the film brilliantly captures an array of musical styles and human moments that would otherwise slip through the cracks of society. Two of the artists who appear in the film were signed to recording contracts. The soundtrack is available on CD and broadcast rights were recently picked up by the Sundance Channel. For more info about the film, visit Playing For Change .
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MAD HOT BALLROOM
MAD HOT BALLROOM
is an inspiring look inside the lives of New York City
school kids on a journey into the world of ballroom dancing – a new and unexpected arena where they discover home
truths about attitude, movement, style and commitment.
Told from the candid, sometimes hilarious perspective of the
boys and girls themselves, the picture chronicles their
transformation from typical urban kids to “ladies and
gentlemen,” as their school teams aim towards a
final citywide competition.
MAD
HOT BALLROOM made its world premiere in January 2005 as the opening
night film for the 2005 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
The film is directed by Marilyn Agrelo (a part time Hudson Valley
resident) and produced by both Angelo and Amy Sewell, and written by
Sewell. Brian Gange, another upstater, line produced.
Filmmakers will be
present for a Q&A following the screening |
For additional information, visit
Paramount Classics or Nick Movies.
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| WFF in the City presents
LIBERIA: THE LOVE OF LIBERTY
BROUGHT US HERE
THE LOVE OF LIBERTY tells the personal story of Director Gerald K. Barclay whose family was forced to flee their homeland of Liberia after a coup in 1980, which led to a devastating 15-year civil war. After 24 years of being away from his homeland he's lost all desire to ever return to the now war ravaged nation. He is offered an assignment to produce a documentary on influence of Hip Hop on African culture. While in Ghana, he visits the Liberian refugee camp to find a relative. During that search, he begins to listen to the stories of survival from the refugees. One of the stories brings him face to face a notorious killer, now a born-again preacher, General Butt Naked. This encounter makes a dramatic impact on Gerald's life and he then embarks on a 4 year journey of documenting the devastating effects of the war that eventually leads him back to war torn Liberia, reuniting him with the past he tried so hard to forget. |
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The Woodstock Film
Festival and IFC Films
cordially invite you to a special benefit screening for
the East Coast Premiere of
Rebecca Miller's
THE BALLAD
OF JACK & ROSE
starring Daniel
Day Lewis, Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Paul Dano, Ryan McDonald,
Jena Malone, Jason Lee and Beau Bridges.
Award-winning filmmaker Rebecca Miller ("Angela,"
"Personal Velocity") has created a powerful and poetic
feature about a man who has cut himself off from the world that
refuses to live up to his ideals, and a young girl’s sensual
coming–of–age. |
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The
Woodstock Film Festival
and WAMC, Northeast
Public Radio present
V-DAY: UNTIL THE VIOLENCE
STOPS
Directed by Abby Epstein
Featuring appearances by Tantoo Cardinal, Rosario Dawson, Eve Ensler,
Jane Fonda, LisaGay Hamilton, Salma Hayek, Amy Hill, Rosie Perez,
Isabella Rossellini.
UNTIL THE VIOLENCE
STOPS follows the grassroots impact of V-Day in five international
communities while exposing the pervasive and cultural forms of
violence that women experience all over the world. Directed by Abby
Epstein, the story begins at a star-studded V-Day benefit at Harlem's
Apollo Theater and travels to regional events in Ukiah California, the
Philippines, and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, culminating in the
opening of the first V-Day Safe House for girls in Kenya. What emerges
is an alternately devastating and hopeful look at the global and
grassroots efforts in motion to stop violence against women and
girls.
Visit WAMC for complete
details.
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This event made possible through the generous support
of the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.
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PARALLEL LINES
Winner of the Audience
Award for Best Documentary at 2004 Woodstock Film
Festival
Parallel Lines is an American roadtrip movie with
a twist. The journey takes place in the fall of 2001, as filmmaker
Nina Davenport drives from California back home to New York, where her
apartment once overlooked the World Trade Center. The events of
September 11th quickly recede into the background of this documentary,
becoming instead a portal into the inner lives of Americans. The
filmmaker stops along the road to talk with strangers who end up
sharing their personal stories of loss with astonishing candor: A
woman tells of losing custody of her children; a veteran describes his
battle with post traumatic stress disorder; a cowboy reveals that his
mother murdered his father. Touching on a wide range of subjects from
the meaning of love to the horror of the atomic bomb, a film that
begins as the story of one New Yorker’s journey home in the
aftermath of tragedy becomes a portrait of American identity and
history.
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For
more info visit Parallel
Lines
"Funny, unabashedly entertaining and personal." -Indiewire |
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MESSENGERS
It's winter in the quiet fishing village of Brighton Mills
when the town doctor suddenly dies. His patients panic. There seems to
be no one else who understands their special needs. When his daughter,
the cool and logical Dr. Sarah Chapel returns home, she embarks on a
quest to find out why he had been medicating his patients when their
only ailments seem to be an inability to get sick and die. Digging
deeper into the unusual atmosphere of Brighton Mills, Sarah tries to
make sense of her father's interest in the paranormal, and the
paranoid townspeople who can't seem to find relief from the voices
that haunt them. |
For more info, visit Messengers. |
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DOWN TO THE BONE
WFF's 2004 Winner Best Feature
In upstate New York, Irene (Vera Farmiga) struggles to
raise two sons, keep her stale marriage together, and manage a secret
cocaine habit. Isolated in a dead-end job at a strip mall on the
edge of town, Irene isn’t sure when she went from high school
partying to skimming off the grocery money to supply her growing
habit. Desperate to alter her life, she puts herself in rehab,
hoping she can reshape the world she has made with her husband, Steve
(Clint Jordan). But once she’s back home, the distance between
them seems to widen, and Irene ends up falling into an affair with Bob
(Hugh Dillon), a nurse and former addict she met in
rehab. Bob’s attention and affection revives her pushed-aside
life, but all too soon she realizes they have more in common than she
bargained for. |
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AVOID EYE CONTACT
Animator Signe Baumane
presents a custom selection of works from Avoid Eye Contact,
Volume I and and the upcoming Volume II. This special
animated shorts screening will feature top New York animators
including: Aleksey Budovsky, Patrick Smith, Signe Baumane, John
Dilworth, Geroge Griffin, Bill Plympton, PES. Beyond the art form,
Avoid Eye Contact is truly visionary in terms of commercial
distribution. Animator Signe Baumane states, “The entire
production of this DVD has been done by the animators
themselves” she continues, “The look and quality of this
volume would not have been possible without the animators taking
complete control”.
Additional information including clips and the Volume
I DVD, is available on the artist-run website
www.squarefootagefilms.com.
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FARMINGVILLE
by Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini
The shocking hate-based attempted murders of two Mexican
day laborers catapult a small Long Island town into national
headlines, unmasking a new front line in the border wars: suburbia.
For nearly a year, Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini lived and
worked in Farmingville, New York, so they could capture first-hand the
stories of residents, day laborers and activists on all sides of the
debate. |
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WFF celebrates the DVD release of
THE WEATHER
UNDERGROUND
with extras and
bonuses galore, explodes on retail shelves May 25th. To celebrate the release WFF's monthly Can Film
Festival will present a special screening at the Woodstock Community
Center Friday, May 21 at 8:30pm. The Oscar nominated doc by Bill Siegel and Sam Green
was distributed theatrically by Shadow
Distribution in association with
Rhinebeck’s Upstate
Films. Canadian distribution was handled by Ron
Mann’s Film We Like. Domestic DVD distribution is being handled
by Docurama,
which is co-owned by advisory board member Steve (New Video) Savage.
One of the top documentaries of the year, this Academy Award nominee interweaves extensive archival material with modern-day interviews to explore the incredible story of THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND, one of America's most notorious modern revolutionaries.
Click here to buy the DVD.
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WAMC, Northeast Public
Radio and the Woodstock Film Festival present:
ALTERNATIVE EXPLORATIONS
FOR FILMS THAT MATTER
Following up on their successful evening with award-winning
cinematographer Haskell Wexler and Pamela Yates, the Woodstock Film
Festival and WAMC/Northeast Public Radio's Independent Film On The Air
project will present Alternative Explorations for Films That
Matter.
In keeping with the theme of issues-oriented filmmaking that has
characterized the WFF/WAMC collaboration, this program will address
how different social issues can be explored on film through a variety
of approaches including animation, music videos, drama, humor, and
both narrative and non-narrative filmmaking.
The event will include screenings of short films, and a
panel discussion, moderated by Lisa Phillips. Filmmakers joining the
panel for the evening will be Dominic Inzana, Cruz Angeles, Patrick
Downs, Glenn Clements, Martina Radwan and Amos Poe.
Made possible by NYSCA and the City of Albany.
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Films and Filmmakers
Featured:
25 Ways
to Stop Smoking, Bill Plympton
Going
Down, Dominic Inzana
Family
Hour, Glenn Clements
The
Show, Cruz Angeles
Broken, Patrick
Downs
Over
Yonder, Amos Poe
Spring
in Awe, Martina Radwan
Thorn
Grass, D. Robin Hammer |
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The WAMC Independent Film On The Air and
the Woodstock Film Festival present
MEDIUM COOL
Directed by Haskell Wexler
An Evening with Haskell Wexler, Pamela Yates, and others.
Where is the line between fantasy and reality? Check out "Medium Cool," and you'll have trouble finding it. Pioneering cinematographer Haskell Wexler got the bright idea that the 1968 Democratic National Convention would be a hotbed of riots (with Vietnam in its worst years, Martin Luther King recently assassinated, and a growing movement fed up with the government) and he was right. Wexler decided to make a (fictional) movie set during all of this -- but rather than wait until it was over and done with, he took a group of actors to ground zero, tossed them in among the cops and the protesters, and had them "act." The result is one of the most vibrant and eye-opening films ever made, a bit of fantasy that seems devastatingly real -- because, in large part, it is. The story -- about a jaded America during the 1960s -- has become more relevant than ever.
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SHORTS BY WOMEN
IF YOU STEP ON A CRACK by Jennifer Atkins
When the Cubs are your home team, losing can become a permanent state of mind. But the night before her breast biopsy, a worried woman refuses to give up hope.
GYPSY BLOOD by Samantha Sanders
Despite mounting pressure to keep her feet on the ground and procreate, a woman endowed with a remarkable set of wings learns how to use them.
NON-DISCLOSURE by Julie Pham
A New York publicist on the fast track makes a difficult decision between her sister and her biggest client.
GUNPLAY by Stefanie Berk
It’s Alice’s 13th birthday and her father Jake’s gift is a shiny new gun and a lesson on how to shoot it at the local suburban gun range.
WAIT HERE by Gilly Barnes
Two men anticipate success in this hilarious look at the audition process. |
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INTO THE FIRE:
American Women in the Spanish Civil War
Introduced and directed by Julia Newman, Exemplary Films Inc.
"Hemingway, Dos Passos, Orwell, and other famous
men have related their experiences during the Spanish Civil War; now
we hear from some considerably less-known women, and their stories are
vivid and moving tales that Hollywood could usefully adapt into
big-screen fiction." Seattle Weekly
In July 1936, a
right-wing military uprising tried to overthrow the new, legally
elected, democratic government of Spain. Hitler and Mussolini quickly
joined the fight in support of the rebel General Francisco Franco. In
response, about eighty American women joined over 2700 of their
countrymen in defiance of their government to volunteer for the
Spanish Civil War, the first major battle against fascism. They were
part of the International Brigades' 40,000 volunteers from fifty
countries who came to fight for democracy in Spain. In 1996, sixty
years after the start of the war, two of the American nurses returned
to Spain with other survivors of the International Brigades to be
given honorary citizenship in recognition of the heroic part they
played in Spain's fight against fascism. |
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GARBAGE, GANGSTER, AND
GREED
Directed by
Fred Isseks and his Middletown High School Electronic English
Class
A film screening and student town
meeting co-presented by WAMC
Northeast Public Radio, and the Woodstock Film Festival.
Since 1991 Middletown High School students have been
investigating and documenting the history and health implications of
toxic waste disposal in the lower Hudson Valley, the primary source of
drinking water for New York City. As part of their course work, they
produced a documentary about the organized crime-figures,
law-enforcement officers, politicians and state regulators who
participated in pointless pollution, then kept it hidden. (Scheduled
guests include Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Ward Stone,
educator/filmmaker Fred Isseks, ex-Police Officer Armondo Bilancione,
and student filmmakers.) |
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FORBIDDEN WEDDING
A film by Flavia Fontes
A gentle love
story about human sexuality, the rights of the disabled, and faith.
"Forbidden Wedding" is the story of Hedir, a paraplegic man
in Brazil, who was forbidden to marry his love because the Catholic
Church suspected that he was sexually impotent. According to Vatican
Law 1084, a person who cannot copulate cannot get married in the
Church. This film documents Hedir's struggle to get married and the
impact his story had on his small town and Brazil. An intimate account
of their personal story and an exploration of disability rights,
sexuality, and faith. |
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Flavia Fontes has been making award-winning documentaries since 1989. She was associate-producer of the award-winning "Chico Mendes: Voice of the Amazon," produced by The Better World Society and aired on Turner Broadcasting System and TNT. This documentary went on to win several awards, including the Golden Eagle (Cine) and the Outstanding Achievement Award (National Educational Association). For more information, visit Means of Productions. |
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OFF THE CHARTS: The Song-Poem Story
A film by Jamie Meltzer
Jamie Meltzer's debut film, OFF THE CHARTS: THE SONG-POEM STORY, is a fascinating, at times unsettling, documentary that exposes the strange underworld of the song-poem industry. In this little known subculture, "ordinary people" respond to come-on ads on the back pages of magazines ("Send in Your Lyrics and Make $50,000 in royalties!"), mailing in their heartfelt but often bizarre poems to "music industry" companies that, for a fee, turn those poems into real recordings. Through interviews with several song-poem writers, the jaded producers and musicians who set their words to music, and a few of the growing number of zealous song-poem connoisseurs, OFF THE CHARTS explores a truly unique, never-before-seen slice of Gothic Americana.
Vassar's Jamie Meltzer began his filmmaking career as a news stringer, shooting natural disasters, police chases and fires for the San Francisco Bay Area TV News. His ten-minute documentary, "Pegasus," chronicled the adventures of a gay motorcycle club on a joy ride in Marin County. This short 16mm film was screened at the 1998 San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. OFF THE CHARTS: THE SONG-POEM STORY marks his feature film debut. (courtesy of ITVS). Co-presented by Woodstock Film Festival, Inquiring Mind and Alternative Videos of Woodstock
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GOODBYE HUNGARIA
A film by Jon Nealon
Both political tale and love story, “Goodbye Hungaria” is set in a refugee camp in Hungary. This cinema verité documentary chronicles the lives of a Palestinian refugee and an American volunteer. They both struggle to make life better in a camp caught in the bureaucracy of international politics and, in the process, fall in love. The film traces their unlikely story from the hopelessness of the refugee camp, to the United States where they come to start a new life.
Jon Nealon is a documentary filmmaker and editor based in New York City. He started his career working with Robert Drew – one of the founders of the cinema verité movement in the United States. Since then, he has produced and directed numerous documentaries for television, including “Ruby Ridge: Anatomy of a Tragedy” for The Learning Channel. Most recently, he was the Senior Producer for the award-winning verité series “Women and the Badge,” for the Oxygen Network, which chronicles the lives of women in law enforcement. “Goodbye, Hungaria” is his first independent film. (Co-presented by Woodstock Film Festival, Inquiring Mind and Alternative Videos of Woodstock) |
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LIFE WITHOUT DEATH
A film by Frank Cole and Francis Miquet
Life Without Death is an intense personal account of filmmaker Frank Cole's Guinness Record crossing of the Sahara Desert by camel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. In the course of his journey, as he overcomes thirst, loneliness and getting lost, Cole is also forced to confront his own mortality.
Striking images of his Saharan odyssey and flashbacks of his aging grandfather timelessly fuse with an evocative music score by Richard Horowitz to create an unsettling meditation on death and a powerful cry for life. For more information, visit Necessary Illusions Productions. |
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HOLI-DAYS
A film by Randi Steinberger
Inspired by the quote from St. Francis of Assisi, "you are what you are seeking," award-winning filmmaker Randi Steinberger set out to document her observations and those of the contemporary traveler. Shot entirely in the three mythic cities of Jerusalem, Florence and Las Vegas, tourists, guides and experts reveal a subtle contradiction between the modern pilgrims' anticipated expectations and their actual experiences. Visit Tell Tale Productions for additional info. (Co-presented by Woodstock Film Festival, Inquiring Mind and Alternative Videos of Woodstock) |
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