Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

Since I have so many students who go to Brigham Young University after they complete their studies at MCC, I am getting quite familiar with their program. Both their film and animation programs look quite impressive. Some of the student productions have won prestigious awards and their graduates are doing quite well! I found a wonderful animated short that they’re working on called OUT ON A LIMB. They’ve got character sketches, environments, animatics and support materials online.

Since I’ve studied in Mexico (twice), I love the idea of a story from a piñata’s point of view! Not to mention, when I was in sixth grade, my family took a trip to California. We crossed the border to Tijuana and misplaced my younger brother for a short while. (Fortunately, we found him under a table.) My mom bought a piñata that she wanted to bring home. There was no room in the car. There was some suggestion about tying it to the roof of the car but Dad said it would be shredded in seconds. So, we left it behind.

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I wanted to update you on how things are going here in Utah. I am a T.A. for Jeff’s class this semester (MCC graduate Jordan Pack is taking it) and loving the teaching opportunities.

As for my own projects, myself and my writing buddy bought a Panasonic DVX100a in May of last year, and paid it off pretty quick with about 4 wedding videos. We shoot a lot of corporate videos, weddings, live events and love the new multi-cam feature on FCP. We time-code sync multiple DVX’s together and then line them up automatically in FCP, allowing us to switch between angles in real time. It saves us so much time in editing and our videos look pretty dang good. The DVX is an awesome camera, and it has been good to really get to know it inside and out. I also used it to shoot all of the behind the scenes footage for Mr. Dungbeetle. That really helped me to know the camera better, since most of the shoot was outside, in the mountains, under all kinds of weather conditions and a week and a half of night shoots.

I check your blog daily and love to hear about the newest news (CLG comment: They know how to make me happy!) in indie filmmaking. Your podcasts from sundance have been great, and have made me jealous. Between school, finishing up mr. dungbeetle, and pre-pro on Togther Again, I didn’t have time to sundance this year. I did have a ticket for michel gondry’s film “science of sleep” but got stuck behind an accident on I-15 that made me irreparably late for it. I am still upset about it.

You have always been and will continue to be the guru of independent film production knowledge and I appreciate all the help and experience I gained while at MCC. It’s exciting to see what my Mesa peers are working on and would love to see SHATTERED when it’s finished.

Anyway, that’s my update. Not too shabby I suppose, thanks to great teachers like you and Jeff Parkin who have inspired me and given me opportunites to learn, teach and grow. I’d like to send you a dvd of the work I’ve been doing, so if you could email me back your address then I can send you one with all my short films, commercials and a Mr Dungbeetle trailer. Thanks for all that you’ve done for me and so many other students. You are great. (CLG comment #2: Jared was diligent, determined and creative student. Sometimes they give us the credit but it’s really their hard work that pays off … we just open the door for them!)

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Since I’m now blogging on indieWire and AZCentral, it seems that this particular blog can have a few more personal entries. It seems like this space will be for people who know me more personally.

I’m working diligently on the Zambia project these days. We’re getting ready for the Annual Student Art Show. Every year, the Art Show is the MOST stressful month because we’re doing posters and postcards, setting up panels, burning DVDs, typing-printing-cutting-posting labels, coordinating judges, color-coding, photographing the winners, prepping the reception AND teaching our classes and all the usual stuff we do. It’s really rewarding because the students get to show their best efforts in a juried competition.

(I figured out that we have about 1500 students each semester. Each student does 3 to 5 projects per class. Multiply that out over two semesters and you realize that between 9000 and 15,000 works are created EACH YEAR. At the JURIED show, the top 160 to 200 works are exhibited. Awards are given. So, while it is an ENORMOUS amount of work … seriously, people have no idea what it takes to put on the show … it’s worth it for the students!)

This year, I’m super happy because we’ve got some really terrific film, animation and media art illustrations in the show. I think the students have done some pretty impressive work this year. So, it will be fun to see how people react to it.

The only bad thing is that it’s on the 3rd Floor of the Library instead of in the Student Center. It’s much smaller so we won’t be able to accommodate as many family and community members. That will be disappointing because it’s really great to see the Mothers and Fathers and Brothers and Sisters and Spouses and Children and Grandparents on campus, admiring the work of their loved one. We see how our teaching touches more than just the people in the room. There is nothing like it!

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Mirko Whitfield from TvFormats LTD. graciously emailed the presentation slides from SXSW. During the last 15 years, he has organized conferences and trade shows in Austin, Bali, Berlin, Cannes, Cologne, Hong Kong, Lisbon, Miami, New York, Seoul, Singapore, and Vancouver. Between 1994-2001, Mirko worked for Reed MIDEM Organisation (RMO) as a Director of Sales and Marketing working out of their Paris, Hong Kong and New York offices. Here then are a number of valuable links for documentary filmmakers:

Information on Documentaries

• Real Screen
• World Screen TV Docs
• C21 Media Net
• EDN

Important International Documentary Festivals

(Note: Visit C21 or RealScreen for a complete listing)

• Real Screen Summit Washington, Jan-Feb
• The Berlinale Berlin, 12-13 Feb, 2006
• MIPDOC Cannes, 1-2 April, 2006
• Hot Docs Toronto, 28Apr - 7May, 2006
• Cannes Film Festival Cannes, 17-28May, 2006
• Sunny Side of the Doc La Rochelle, 27-30Jun, 2006
• IDFA Amsterdam, 23Nov-3Dec, 2006

N. American & European Funding Bodies

• MediaPro
• EuroDoc
• Sundance Institute
• Telefilm Canada
• National Film Board

Asia Pacific Region Funding Bodies

• FFC Australia
• ScreenWest
• Media Development Authority
• New Zealand On Air
• Korean Broadcasting Institute
• Mandy

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I just got back from the screening of Julia Kwan’s EVE AND THE FIREHORSE at our very own Phoenix Film Festival. The theatre was fairly full and the audience seemed to enjoy the film.

Zambian filmmaker Jabbes Mvula joined us for the screening. It was interesting to discuss it with him afterwards. Like his film, the story was an exploration of a non-western culture. On the way to the film he said that he found American culture boring because everyone is always tired and works too much. He said the Zambian culture was rich and more interconnected. He said friends gather almost every day after work to talk and visit and dance. In the U.S., he said, even when he had time, friends were rarely free to spend time.

RING OF FIRE Feature

Last year at Sundance, Alec and I saw a powerful documentary entitled RING OF FIRE: The Emile Griffith Story. It was one of Alec’s favorite films of that year.

The documentary centers on a fatal fight in 1962. At Madison Square Garden, in a live broadcast, Emile Griffith punched rival Benny “Kid” Paret unconscious, leaving him in a coma. Paret died 10 days later. It was later revealed that Paret had called Griffith maricón, the Spanish word for “faggot.” Visit the website listed above to watch video clips from the documentary including comments by Griffith and the actual fight.

Variety is reporting that the documentary is being made into a feature. According to the trade publication, Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures have tapped George C. Wolfe to direct the feature version of the boxing-centered doc “Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story.”

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Eve and the Firehorse

Podcast on Sunday, March 26, 2006
Recorded at SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas

Show Details

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AZCentral blog
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By Cyndi Greening. Phoenix, Arizona USA (indieWIRE) — Director Julia Kwan and Producer Erik Paulsson share their thoughts on their lyrical film Eve and the Firehorse and discuss distribution, the festival circuit and upcoming projects.

According to their press kit, JULIA KWAN is an international award-winning writer, director and producer living in Vancouver, B.C. Ms. Kwan attended Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto to study film and minor in psychology. While at Ryerson, Ms. Kwan produced, wrote and directed, INFLAMED (1993). After graduation, Ms. Kwan moved to San Francisco and worked as an Associate Producer, Co-writer and Actor for the film, CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE (1994).

Upon returning to Vancouver, Ms. Kwan produced, wrote and directed several short films, including the experimental film, PRIZED POSSESSIONS (1997), which premiered at the Festival de Films de Femmes in Creteil, France and the comedy/drama, 10,000 DELUSIONS (1999), which was honoured with the Lumiere Award (best film award) at the New Orleans International Film Festival. In 2001, Ms. Kwan was a director resident at the prestigious Canadian Film Center, founded by Norman Jewison. There, she made her short drama, THREE SISTERS ON MOON LAKE (2001). EVE & THE FIRE HORSE (2005) marks Ms. Kwan’s feature film debut. The script was awarded The Charles Israel Screenwriting Prize for best unproduced screenplay at the 2001 Writer’s Guild of Canada’s Top Ten Awards.

Producer ERIK PAULSSON is an award-winning producer/director of documentary and feature films. He is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre for advance film study as well as Concordia University’s undergraduate film program. In 1999, Mr. Paulsson founded his company Red Storm Productions for which he has produced five films to date: EVE & THE FIRE HORSE (2004), ARMY OF ONE (2003), SAY I DO (2002), PROTECTION (2000), and ISLAND OF SHADOWS (2000).

(Note: Thanks to Lindsey Black for assistance!)

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FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES: The story behind The Lion Sleeps Tonight — As Solomon Linda first recorded it in 1939, it was a tender melody, almost childish in its simplicity — three chords, a couple of words and some baritones chanting in the background.

But the saga of the song now known worldwide as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is anything but a lullaby. It is fraught with racism and exploitation and, in the end, 40-plus years after his death, brings a measure of justice. Were he still alive, Solomon Linda might turn it into one heck of a ballad.

Born in 1909 in the Zulu heartland of South Africa, Mr. Linda never learned to read or write, but in song he was supremely eloquent. After moving to Johannesburg in his mid-20’s, he quickly conquered the weekend music scene at the township beer halls and squalid hostels that housed much of the city’s black labor force.

He sang soprano over a four-part harmony, a vocal style that was soon widely imitated.

By 1939, a talent scout had ushered Mr. Linda’s group, the Original Evening Birds, into a recording studio where they produced a startling hit called “Mbube,” Zulu for “The Lion.” Elizabeth Nsele, Mr. Linda’s youngest surviving daughter, said it had been inspired by her father’s childhood as a herder protecting cattle in the untamed hinterlands.

“The lion was going round and round, and the lion was happy,” she said.

When Mr. Linda died in 1962, at 53, with the modern equivalent of $22 in his bank account, his widow had no money for a gravestone.

How much he should have collected is in dispute. Over the years, he and his family have received royalties for “Wimoweh” from the Richmond Organization, the publishing house that holds the rights to that song, though not as much as they should have, Mr. Seeger said.

“I didn’t realize what was going on and I regret it,” said Mr. Seeger, now 86, adding that he learned only recently that Mr. Linda received less than the 50 percent of publishing royalties Mr. Seeger says he was due. “I have always left money up to other people. I was kind of stupid.”

But where Mr. Linda’s family really lost out, his lawyers claim, was in “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” a megahit.

(Follow the link above for the complete article … and several versions of the song!)

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The 2006 Tribeca Film Festival announced the line-up for its Short Film Competitions. The program includes 76 shorts selected from among 2,150 submissions. Appearing in this year’s short narrative films are actors David Straitharn, Henry Winkler, Sandra Bernhardt, and Jeffrey Tambor. Documentary subjects include Don Cheadle, Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint and Roseanne Cash.

Shorts in Competition - Narrative

This year the Narrative Shorts program includes international films from 15 counties, such as Chile, South Korea and Egypt. It also features works directed by New York music icon Laurie Anderson and actors Adrian Grenier and Melissa Joan Hart.

• Afraid So, directed by Jay Rosenblatt, written by Jeanne Marie Beaumont (U.S.A.)
• After June, directed by Michael Civille, written by Matthew Haberman (U.S.A.)
• Alone at Last, directed and written by David Shuff (U.S.A.)
• Attention (Intabih), directed and written by Akram Agha (Saudi Arabia)
• Between 2 Houses (Tussen 2 Huizen), directed by Clara van Gool (Netherlands)
• Blackberries, directed and written by Nicolas Panoutsopoulos (U.S.A)
• The Booth, directed by Gabriela Yepes, written by Yepes and Kristin Tucker (U.S.A.)
• Carla Cope, directed and written by Aileen McCormack (U.S.A.)
• Dilemma, directed and written by Boris Paval Conen (Netherlands)
• Errata, directed by Alexander Stewart (U.S.A.)
• Euthanasia, directed by Adrian Grenier (U.S.A.)
• The Falling Man, directed and written by Kevin Ackerman (U.S.A.)
• Flow, directed and written by Scott Nyerges (U.S.A.)
• Garden of Eden, revisited (Hof van Eden, revisited), directed and written by Titia Reiter (Netherlands)
• Hidden Inside Mountains, directed and written by Laurie Anderson (U.S.A.)
• I Did Not Expect You (Non ti aspettavo), directed by Barbara Rossi Prudente
• Jane Lloyd, directed and written by HAPPY (U.S.A., U.K.)
• K-7, directed and written by Christopher Leone (U.S.A.)
• King of Central Park, directed by Max Winkler and David Gelb (U.S.A.)
• Longtime Listener, directed by Keven Undergaro and Maria Menounos, written by Undergaro (U.S.A.)
• Lure, directed and written by Mark Mollenkamp (U.S.A.)
• Marion, directed by Ry Russo-Young (U.S.A.)
• Mute, directed by Melissa Joan Hart, written by Kristin Lipiro (U.S.A.)
• Octave, directed by Emily Hubley (U.S.A.)
• The Offshore Reserves, directed and written by Jamie Bradshaw and Alexander Doulerain (Russia)
• Out of the Woods, directed and written by Samuel Dowe-Sandes (U.S.A.)
• The Package, directed and written by Brad Spencer (U.S.A.)
• Paradox, directed and written by Jeremy Haccoun (U.K.)
• Piece of Cake, directed and written by Cynthia Boorujy (U.S.A.)
• The Secret Language (Teanga Runda), directed and written by Brian Durnin (Ireland)
• Shiner, directed and written by Mike Doyle (U.S.A.)
• The Shovel, directed and written Nick Childs (U.S.A.)
• Spanish Boots, directed and written by Domenica Cameron-Scorsese (U.S.A.)
• The Temptation of Victoria, directed by Michael Shamberg (U.S.A. and France)
• Today 30 November, directed by Mahmood Soliman (Egypt)
• Topor and me (Topor et moi), directed by Sylvia Kristel, written by Ruud Den Dryver (Netherlands)
• Torte Bluma, directed by Benjamin Ross, written by Barry Langford (U.S.A.)
• Wedlock, directed by Chris Callahan (U.S.A.)
• Who cares how long the batteries last? (¿Qué importa cuánto duran las pilas?), directed by Gustavo Rondón Córdova, written by Rafael Velásquez (Venezuela)
• Women Workers Leaving the Factory (Obreras Saliendo de la Fabrica), directed and written by José Luis Torres (Chile)

Shorts in Competition - Documentary

The Documentary Shorts program reflects real-life drama, from Don Cheadle’s family trip to Africa in Journey Into Sunset, to Roseanne Cash’s recollections of family and music in Marines and Musicians.

• A Long Struggle, directed by Lea Rekow, written by Matthew Phillip (U.S.A.)
• Dear Talula, directed by Lori Benson (U.S.A.)
• I’m Charlie Chaplin, directed by Jay Rosenblatt (U.S.A.)
• Ideas of Order in Cinque Terre, directed by Ken Kobland (U.S.A.)
• Inside Out, directed and written by Zohreh Shayesteh (Iran)
• The Highwater Trilogy, directed by Bill Morrison (U.S.A.)
• Journey Into Sunset, directed by Rick Wilkinson (U.S.A.)
• Mariners and Musicians, directed by Steven Lippman (U.S.A.)
• My Empire, directed by Ted Ciesielski (U.S.A.)
• Native New Yorker, directed and written by Steve Bilich (U.S.A.)
• Never Like the First Time! (Aldrig som forsta gangen!), directed by Jonas Odell (Sweden)
• Offside (Nivdal), directed and written by Daniel Sivan and Dorit Tadir (Israel)
• Prom Date, directed by Poull Brien (U.S.A.)
• Putting the River in Reverse, directed by Matthew Buzzell (U.S.A.)
• Roads of Kiarostami, directed by Abbas Kiarostami (Iran, South Korea)
• SARS, A Love Story, directed and written by Mathieu Borysevicz (U.S.A., China)
• She Rhymes Like A Girl, directed by JT Takagi (U.S.A.)
• Swan’s Island, directed by Bill Brand and Katy Martin (U.S.A.)
• The Tribe, directed by Tiffany Shlain, written by Shlain and Ken Goldberg (U.S.A.)

Shorts in Competition - Student

Student shorts in competition represent projects from the leading film schools in the United States as well as international film programs in Israel, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia. Creative storytelling characterizes these works from talented emerging filmmakers.

• Chicxulub, directed and written by Malona P. Voigt (U.S.A.)
• Dead End Job, directed and written by Samantha Davidson Green (U.S.A.)
• The Debt, directed and written by Levan Koguashvili (U.S.A.)
• Duncan Removed, directed and written by Peter Livolsi and Matthew Schaefer (U.S.A.)
• In a Single Bound, a documentary, directed and written by Ross Marroso (U.S.A.)
• Interview, directed by Boyoung Lee (South Korea)
• Kite Circuit, directed and written by Austin Andrews (Australia)
• Night Visions, a documentary, directed by Kathy Huang (U.S.A.)
• Orange Bow, directed and written by Dee Rees (U.S.A.)
• Playing the News, a documentary, directed by Jeff Plunkett and Jigar Mehta (U.S.A.)
• The Projectionist (Dian Ying Fang Ying Yuan), directed and written by Elaine Liu (U.S.A.)
• Recalled, directed and written by Michael Connors (U.S.A.)
• Shelter, directed and written by Luke Hutton (U.S.A., Canada)
• The Substitute (Hayelet Bodeda), directed by Tayla Lavie, written by Lavie and Oded Binnun (Israel)
• Twenty Dollar Drinks, directed and written by David Brind (U.S.A.)
• Under the Rubble (Bajo los Escombros), directed by Carlos Davila Yeo (Mexico)
• Walk on a Little More, directed and written by Minyoung Shim (South Korea)

Synopses, cast and crew credits and press contacts for the short films announced can be viewed in the press section of the Tribeca Film Festival website www.tribecafilmfestival.org

Tribeca Announces Showcase & Restored

The 2006 Tribeca Film Festival announced the films to be featured in their Showcase While they are new to NY, these films have been highlights of other festivals.

Akeelah and the Bee, directed and written by Doug Atchison (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. A Lionsgate Release. Akeelah is a precocious 11-year-old from south Los Angeles with a gift for words. Despite her mother’s objections, she enters several spelling contests, and with the support of a special tutor and the entire neighborhood, she earns a spot at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This uplifting film stars Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Curtis Armstrong, and Keke Palmer.

Al Franken: God Spoke, a documentary directed by Christine Hegedus and Nick Doob (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. This hilarious doc about one man’s unceasing battle against the Right tracks Al Franken’s transformation from mild-mannered comedy writer to full-on political player. Featuring appearances by Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Henry Kissinger.

Black Sun, a documentary directed by Gary Tarn (U.K.) - New York Premiere. Where there is no vision, does the artist perish? In this haunting, original first-person narrative, NYC-based French painter and filmmaker Hugues de Montalembert, who lost his sight after a mugger threw paint thinner in his eyes, narrates his journey into sudden blindness and out of despair, as composer-turned-filmmaker Gary Tarn’s mesmerizing web of sounds and images recreates the world from his point of view.

Brothers of the Head, directed by Louis Pepe and Keith Fulton, written by Tony Grisoni (U.K.) - New York Premiere. An IFC Release. London, 1975. Conjoined twins with a creepy, crypto-erotic bond take the burgeoning glam/punk scene by storm in this eerie mockumentary-style adaptation of Brian Aldiss’ novel. Luke and Harry Treadway deliver searing performances as two very different parts of one fatally compromised whole, and the film and its music will stick with you for days.

Close to Home (Karov La Bayit), directed and written by Dalia Hager and Vidi Bilu (Israel) - New York Premiere. In this critically acclaimed study of Israeli women and compulsory military service, two diametrically opposed women are thrown together on patrol in Jerusalem: Mirit is respectful of her military superiors, while Smadar barely conceals her desires for rebellion. When a bomb explodes, the two reconcile their differences, and a tenuous friendship is forged.

Eden, directed and written by Michael Hofmann (Germany) - North American Premiere. In this charming culinary comedy, Gregor is a distinguished chef who specializes in aphrodisiac dishes but can’t seem to work his sensual magic on women. When the portly chef meets the delectable but married Eve, he gets a taste of true love. But can their shared gastronomical passions turn into something more substantial?

Hanging Garden (Kuutyuu Teien), directed and written by Toshiaki Toyoda (Japan) - New York Premiere. Meet the Kyobashis, a model suburban Japanese family. Or are they? In director Toshiaki Toyoda’s skillful examination of contemporary domestic malaise, a mother’s plan for the perfect family initially seems to be working, but we soon learn that her perceived perfection is a lie that each family member chooses to believe at the expense of reality.

The Heart of the Game, a documentary directed and written by Ward Serrill (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. A Miramax Release. In the tradition of Hoop Dreams, this heart-pounding documentary about girls, race, and basketball follows a talented if occasionally self-destructive teenage star and her coach over the course of six years as she, her team, and her coach suffer crushing defeats and soaring victories on and off the court.

Kill Gil (Volume 1), a documentary directed by Gil Rossellini (Italy) - New York Premiere. Gil Rossellini (son of Italian filmmaker Roberto and brother of actress Isabella) documents his battle with a rare and devastating bacterial infection, which made him a paraplegic. Shot in a charmingly low-tech, off-the-cuff manner, Kill Gil (Volume 1) conveys a tremendous sense of hope and perseverance, while avoiding pat feelings of pity and morbidity. In English.

loudQUIETloud, a documentary directed by Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. The Pixies reunite 12 years after their inauspicious split and set out to re-conquer the world, and their own demons. This dazzling concert doc eschews rock-god clichés and goes straight to the heart of four people who need music-and one another-more than they ever knew.

Madeinusa, directed and written by Claudia Llosa (Peru, Spain) - New York Premiere. The title heroine of this stunning debut work lives in a remote Andean village where, every Easter weekend, the villagers live sinfully without fear of celestial reprisal. When our ostensible hero blows into town from the big city and meets the heroine, what could spin into a classic fairy-tale takes a surreal, satisfying turn. I saw this film at Sundance in January 2006 and it was extraordinary!

The Sacred Family (La Sagrada Familia), directed and written by Sebastián Campos (Chile) - New York Premiere. In this keenly observed debut feature, architecture student Marco brings Sofia, his new and impulsive girlfriend, home to meet his parents over Easter weekend. Sofia’s flirtatious, manipulative ways soon crack the veneer of Marco’s bourgeois family, turning the entire household upside-down.

The Shutka Book of Records, a documentary directed by Aleksandar Manic (Serbia and Montenegro) - New York Premiere. In the Balkan town of Shutka, the Romani (Gypsy) population is thriving and everyone is considered a champion at something. This droll film introduces us to a variety of Shutka’s colorful, comically self-assured champions, from the boxer and the lovemaker to the grave robber and the vampire hunter.

Sound of the Soul, a documentary directed by Stephen Olsson (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. In a world where religions often drive people apart, Sound of the Soul offers a joyfully welcome reminder that spirituality can also bring us together. The film explores Morocco’s historic heritage of tolerance, and showcases a stunning array of brilliant musicians at the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, whose profound expressions of love and longing are unforgettable.

Taking Father Home (Bei Ya Zi De Nan Hai), directed by Ying Liang, written by Ying Liang and Peng Shan (China) - New York Premiere. Filled with bitterness and a thirst for revenge, a 17-year-old boy leaves his rural Chinese village to seek out the father who abandoned him 6 years earlier. But once the boy arrives in the big city of Zigong, the long-awaited encounter with his father leads him to make a dramatic decision. In Mandarin.

Viva Zapatero!, a documentary directed and written by Sabina Guzzanti (Italy) - New York Premiere. When Italian comedienne Guzzanti’s satirical TV show was canceled after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s media corporation filed a 20-million-euro lawsuit, she got serious, sort of. Following in the footsteps of Michael Moore (only far more talented at imitating her target), Guzzanti exposes the seedy underbelly of Berlusconi’s Right-wing regime in this viciously funny work.

Wah-Wah directed and written by Richard E. Grant (U.K.) - New York Premiere. A Roadside Attractions Release. Partially based on childhood of this first-time director (and well-known actor) in British-controlled Swaziland, Wah-Wah paints a picture of colonialism on the wane and frames it with the story of a boy’s awakening to the wider world. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Miranda Richardson, and Emily Watson.

Word Play, a documentary directed by Patrick Creadon (U.S.A.) - New York Premiere. An IFC Release. Tag along with Will Shortz, the legendary crossword editor of the New York Times, as he and his fellow word enthusiasts construct the newspaper’s brainteasers and the annual American Crossword Tournament, which Shortz founded. Also featuring interviews with crossword-puzzle devotees Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Jon Stewart, Ken Burns, the Indigo Girls, and others. Co-presented by the New York Times.

The Restored/Rediscovered films at Tribeca 2006 include:

Barren Lives (Vidas Secas), directed and written by Nelson Pereira dos Santos (Brazil, 1963). A newly-struck copy of a classic early film by Pereira dos Santos, whose Brasilia 18% is premiering at the Festival. Adapted from a novel by Graciliano Ramos, the film follows a ranch hand and his family, who are forced off their land in the early 40’s by a severe drought and social injustice, and head off in search of work and a better life.

Big Combo, directed by Joseph H. Lewis, written by Philip Yordan (U.S.A., 1955) - World Premiere Restoration. The UCLA Film & Television Archive’s new restoration of this memorably nasty film noir is especially good news since it was shot by the master of noir lighting, John Alton, and the prints available in recent years didn’t do justice to his art. Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy, and Lee Van Cleef give standout performances in this cult classic.
Burning Patience (Ardiente Paciencia), directed and written by Antonio Skármeta (Portugal and Germany, 1983) - North American Premiere Revival. A postman’s life is forever changed when Pablo Neruda, the famous Chilean poet and diplomat, is exiled to the postman’s remote village. Writer/director Skarmeta’s charming, sexy, and largely overlooked film was the original screen adaptation of his own popular novella, which was also the basis for the 1994 film, Il Postino. In Spanish

Fair Wind to Java, directed by Joseph Kane, written by Richard Tregaskis (U.S.A.) World Premiere Restoration. This 1953 South Seas adventure, starring Fred MacMurray and Vera Ralston, is the essence of Republic Pictures’ “B” movie style, and it’s been lovingly restored to its TruColor glory by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Climaxing with a volcanic explosion that must be seen to be disbelieved, it’s the ultimate Saturday matinee experience. Introduced by Martin Scorsese.

On the Bowery, directed by Lionel Rogosin, written by Richard Bagley and Lionel Rogosin (U.S.A., 1957). World Premiere Restoration. On the heels of its lovely restoration of Lionel Rogosin’s Come Back, Africa (1960), which premiered at TFF last year, the Cineteca di Bologna has just finished restoring Rogosin’s first film, the Oscar©-nominated documentary about the harsh and often shocking realities of life on what in the ’50s was New York’s Skid Row.
Prix de Beauté, directed by Augusto Genina, written by René Clair and G.W. Pabst (France). As her final starring role, the legendary Louise Brooks plays a typist who wins a beauty contest in this French-shot feature. We are screening the rare silent version, which is somewhat different from the sound version that is usually shown. Preceded by Giovani Pastrone’s one-reeler, The Fall of Troy (1911). Both films with live piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin and live translation of French and Italian intertitles.

The River, directed by Jean Renoir, written by Rumer Godden and Jean Renoir (India, U.S.A.). A not-to-be-missed screening of a recent restoration, which returns one of the most memorable and lovely color films of all time to its original glow. A group of English colonials on the banks of the Ganges gradually succumb to India’s eternal perspectives. Renoir’s images flow with the same languor as the metaphorical river. In English.

Tribute to Nam June Paik, A collection of work by Korea-born, New York-based video art pioneer Nam June Paik, who died in January. Presented in collaboration with the Nam June Paik Studio, Electronic Arts Intermix, and John Hanhardt, Senior Curator of the Film and Media Arts department at the Guggenheim Museum.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
    Marcel Proust (1871 - 1922)
    French Novelist

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Spring Break is over and I’m back at school. A lot of the faculty say we shouldn’t have spring break because the students never really come back. There are the obvious ones who literally drop out. There’s the other bunch who are there in body but their minds are elsewhere. Yesterday, I was having trouble coming back, too. Between the proposal writing, the festival adventures and the Zambia project, I was awash in things to think about and do. Now, I’ve got to buckle down and get back to lecturing.

Last night, I was talking with another professor, Cindy Shievitz. She was talking about how her favorite moments in the classroom were when you could see “the lights go on” when a student grabs hold of a concept and gets excited about the possibility of what he/she can do with the knowledge. I agreed that those were amazing moments (such a rush for a teacher). I think it’s those types of moments that keep me teaching. I love digital media and that rush of having someone else come to love something about it is incredibly energizing. So, last night, even as I was struggling to return from spring break, we started talking about spot color channels in Photoshop, mock duotones and sophisticated two-color design. The class got excited and so did I. Everyone should feel that good about doing his/her job.

Prayer for Jabbes’ Daughter Rough news for Jabbes yesterday. He got word from home that his daughter was ill. He spent the day text messaging back and forth to find out that Taonga is suffering a bout of malaria. We were supposed to do some recording yesterday but he was too worried and distracted. So, those of you who are so inclined, please say a prayer for her or hold her in a good place in your thoughts.

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I’ve spent the weekend working on the Proposals for Jason’s film about the homeless and my two Zambian films.

The big plus to working with Jason on his proposal (besides being able to support him in what he’s trying to accomplish) is that it helped me clarify what I need to put together for my projects. Having spent last week at the South by Southwest Film Festival, I heard a lot of discussion in the documentary panels about what to put in one’s proposal package. Working with Jason, I could really see the value of the process because it helped ME clarify what he was trying to do. His documentary has a modest budget and the proposal shows why investing in the project would be a good investment and morally satisfying, too.

Among the things that go into a proposal package:

• Treatment / Summary of the Story
• Qualifications of Key Creatives
• Production Schedule
• Budget
• 4 to 6 minute promo piece
• Marketing Plan

It was a grueling process. For creative people who think and work visually, the proposal generation is tedious and agonizing. But, in the end, it was really useful. I can’t believe how much clarity it brings to everything. One of the challenges is that film ideas are always wonderful and perfect in one’s imagination. It’s the manifesting of that idealized story into reality that is quite tricky. As they say, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

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We got exciting news from Zambia a couple of days ago. Apparently someone in the government presented the film project that we’re working on to the Vice President of the nation of Zambia!! That was terribly exciting and motivating. I guess it’s like having your idea present to and supported by Dick Cheney … without the fear of getting shot!

Last week, the Zimbabwe International Film Festival contacted Jabbes to inquire about the film. Word has gotten around in Africa. They called to say that they’d would like to feature the film in their festival, if it were completed in time. The festival begins August 25, so I don’t know if we can get it done in time. Regardless, it was incredibly encouraging to know that the film was already desired in the world.

People are excited because it’s the first dramatic narrative from Zambia. They’re moved because it will bring the Zambian voice to the world. Many are supportive because it will encourage economic development in the country. I, too, am very motivated by all of those factors.

I have the additional advantage of knowing what the story is about. After the film is complete, I think people will be even more excited because the story is so compelling. BAD TIMING (yes, the title does tweak the superstitious side of me), is based on a stage play by Zambian playwright Samuel Kasankha. As is typical of his work, the story concerns the lives of contemporary Zambians and the challenges they face.

BAD TIMING: This story concerns Chiku, a social activist who is soon to be married to Mutinte. Shortly before the wedding, he is indiscreet with a young woman. Arrested just after his wedding, Chiku must defend a false charge made by the girl’s family. While he did not commit the crime, his actions bring shame to his bride, embarrassment to his social cause and compromise his life’s work. Ultimately, he must defend himself and right the wrongs that he has inflicted on those he loves most.

Working with Co-writer/Director Jabbes Mvula has been most rewarding because of his deep commitment to his people and his culture. Part of his goal in telling this story is to reveal the rich Zambian culture and traditions that pervade their day-to-day lives. He and Kasankha allow to world to share in the marriage rituals and training of bride and groom. The community involvment in the wedding negotiations, the quest to build wealth for the children and the consequences of economic limitations help to unveil the hearts and minds of the people. Chiku’s legal battle demonstrates the national desire for justice and honor. As we develop the script, I find that I really enjoy the characters and want to know more of the “real” Zambia.

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I’m writing to request that you alert Phoenix area residents of a film that will be screening at the Phoenix Film Festival. We saw EVE AND THE FIREHORSE at SUNDANCE 2006. It was really terrific!! It does not have distribution in place so it’s important to catch it when it screens here.

It only screens once — March 28th @ 7:10 pm — so you only have ONE CHANCE to catch it. It’s worth the effort to get there!

Watch the E&TF Trailer and decide for yourself.

The synopsis: Eve, a precocious nine year old with an overactive imagination, was born in the year of the Fire Horse, notorious among Chinese families for producingthe most troublesome children. Caught between her 11-year-old authoritative sister’s fantasies of sainthood and cultural confusion and her own sense of right and wrong, Eve faces the challenges of childhood with fanciful humour and wide-eyed wonder. Sometimes the most troublesome children are the ones that touch our hearts most deeply.

(NOTE: I recorded a podcast with director Julia Kwan and producer Erik Paulsson at the SXSW festival that will be posted this weekend. In the interview, Julia shares that the film is based on her own childhood. After her grandmother’s death, she was told that her grandmother had been reincarnated as a goldfish (pictured below). Later, in her Catholic grade school, she found out that, as a Buddhist, her grandmother was destined for hell. The film shows how a young girl wrestles with those two conflicting messages about her grandmother’s ultimate fate.

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I’ve been back for a couple of days, now, but there are still a bundle of things I’m hoping to blog about. When it comes to festivals, there’s so much that happens in a short period of time, it’s tough to fit it all in. I’m going jot several things into this post so you can explore on your own (until I have time to do these items some justice).

• Indie HD Training DVD — One of the MOST exciting things that happened was that I met Mike Curtis from HDforIndies. Although we’ve had numerous email exchanges, podcasts and corresponding site referrals, we had never met in person. After a recording session for SW Studio, we were able to discuss the a project that has been near and dear to my (professor) heart for quite some time. Mike tells me that he’s going to put all of the precise, money-saving information in his head into a DVD and/or web application for independent filmmakers. As a teacher, this excites me terribly. For all of the people who don’t make it to Austin (which is, of course, most of the world), there’s an easy way for people to make good decisions about equipment, save money AND ensure the optimal production workflow for their projects. AWESOME! I’ll keep you posted on his progress.
• BSIDE — is a new approach to independent film marketing. As I understand it, BSIDE goes to film festivals and creates a giant P2P environment that allows the filmmakers to communicate about their films (in a blog type format), allows audience members to rate films and post comments, allowing festival attendees to find the films with the strongest audience appeal. They also distribute films in conventional ways (e.g. IFC) AND use very tight-target niche marketing to connect avid audiences with films on their preferred topics. Their business model dovetails with the Documentary Panelists who indicated that the path to profitability for many independents is this sort of web-based niche marketing.
• Julia Kwan, Erik Paulsson Podcast — One of the best films I saw at Sundance 2006 was EVE AND THE FIREHORSE. I found out that the film will be screening at Phoenix Film Festival next week, so I’m going to encourage EVERYONE in Phoenix to get to the film. While at SXSW, I recorded an interview with the film’s talented director and gifted producer. I’m going to rush that PODCAST to “press”.
• IndieWIRE — I finally caught up with Eugene Hernandez from IndieWIRE. I had met him years earlier at Telluride and had been following both his “serious” reporting and his blog. He always seemed to be covering the stories that I would have liked, breaking independent film stories that I loved reading. I also met the two Brians … just to make it confusing for the rest of the world. They came to our panel discussion on Blogging About Film. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t on it, as well. Regardless, one of the highlights of my festival was meeting up with them.
• Screeners — After the panel discussion, a few independent filmmakers gave me “screeners” of their films. All were documentaries and, in each case, the filmmaker requested feedback and coverage if his/her film was good. So, I’ve got a few films to watch yet. One is about a young pilot who explores Australia with her father as a co-pilot. Another is about what happens after one dies. It covers everything from burial to being shot into space. I described it to a friend who LOVES documentaries and she said it sounded interesting to her. See, there is an audience for every film! I’ll blog more after I view the films.
• SXSW Interactive — earlier in the week, I started to write about how valuable I thought SXSW was ideal for faculty professional growth for college, university and secondary school teachers. Next year, I’m going to make more of an effort to catch several of the Interactive Panels. I met some of the interactive attendees and ended up talking about building better websites for film projects, web standardization and CSS. A lot of the information was directly applicable to MCC classes. I’m going to encourage more Maricopa faculty to attend SXSW.

No doubt I’ll be blogging more about these topics in the near future. I just wanted to get the rest of the topics out because no one likes to read old news. It’s even less fun to write it.

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