Documentaries
BONECRUSHER
(USA 69 mins)
Directed by Michael Fountain
This film is an intimate, moving account of the love between a father and son, and the powerful bond they share, a bond that is put to the test. They live in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where a tight-knit community of coal miners and their families face their harsh life with a toughness and camaraderie as enduring as the earth itself.
MELUNGEON VOICES
(USA 57 mins)
Directed by Julie Williams Dixon
Mystery has surrounded the multi-ethnic Melungeons who have lived deep in the Appalachians for hundreds of years. Their story of coming together from diverse backgrounds and putting aside cultural and racial differences to survive offers a look at an almost forgotten people and a never told piece of America's history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO0UOsp-NZ8
GRANNY BROOKS: LAST OF THE OLD-TIME MID-WIVES (USA)
Directed by Beverly Brooks
Morristown, TN based Granny Brooks was called to be a mid-wife as a young woman. She cared for women, as well as their families, during the birthing process. Over the course of nearly half a century, up until age 92, Granny Brooks assisted in the births of 2,000 children. This remarkable woman’s story is retold by friends, family, and many mothers whose childbirths were made easier by the gentle ways of Granny Brooks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzOuFYkoMDQ
MISSION APPALACHIA: THE STORY OF RED BIRD
(USA 55 mins)
Directed by Ted Scoggins
Deep within the forests of the Appalachia is a storied community of refuge and hope. The mountain people of these hollers refer to it simply, and affectionately, as Red Bird. This mission has been in operation for nearly one-hundred years. The scattered populations and cultural uniqueness make it difficult for many service organizations to operate in this rugged, unforgiving land. But Red Bird has worked exclusively in this area since the 1920's. The Red Bird Mission has been described as the most comprehensive mission site in the world. Nearly 3,000 people journey annually from across the United States to bring support to fellow Americans in this breathtaking landscape. The volunteers are often humbled and inspired by the richness of Appalachian culture. This documentary follows very personal stories of hope. The filmmaker was granted unprecedented access into the private, symbiotic relationship between Red Bird and the mountain people it serves. Highly protective of this relationship for decades, mission leaders grew to trust the filmmaker over the course of several years before allowing this project to proceed. Using discrete audio/video equipment out of respect, the filmmaker captured inspiring stories of strength and resilience. And while poverty in this part of the country is staggering indeed, this documentary looks beyond the broken houses and deep into the very soul and spirit of this people who so graciously revealed their homes and hearts. The result is a story of amazing faith and humbing compassion - set in a backdrop of awe-inspiring beauty.
Dramatic Appalachian Features
THE HILLS HAVE THIGHS: AN APPALACHIAN COMEDY
(USA 82 mins)
Directed by James Cromer
To Boil it down to a low gravy, The Hills Have Thighs is about a Hillbilly who's been abducted by space aliens and the big-legged women who try to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g7zdgtY9z0
SPIES AND MOLASSES
(USA 90 mins)
Directed by Charles Howard Thomas
Mack, an intelligence hitman, retires to small town mountain living with his daughter who has been uprooted all of her life. The two of them befriend a wild gun packing orphan girl. Mack's new romantic interest has an ex who is stalking her, some prior associates are wanting to kill Mack, and Kimmy the orphan girl is just as likely to shoot her new friends as her enemies. It's a Jackie Chan meets Northern Exposure type of romantic comedy spy martial arts film. BOOM!
GOLDEN BLADE III: RETURN OF THE MONKEY'S UNCLE
(USA 91 mins)
Directed by TJ Wiedow
Golden Blade III - Return of the Monkey's Uncle... Kung Fu Comedy created and filmed in Asheville, NC. Our hero, Chen Zen is faced with the challenge of protecting the magical Golden Blade from falling into the hands of the evil Mala Wang. The overdubs are done poorly on purpose to give it the feel of a real kung fu movie... and the subtitles are also misspelled on purpose to add to the comedy. Low Budget as hell, yet funny and professional for DV movie making. 'Best way to win fight... No Be There.'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G0TRVVyTfo
THIS IS NOT THE SOUTH
(USA 85 mins)
Directed by Derek Davidson
As they explore the beauty and complexity of the Appalachian city of Bristol, which bestrides two states, three friends realize that they have a lot more to learn from each other than they had originally thought. With a backdrop of Nascar, a Magritte painting, the Confederate flag, and a lot of stolen soda, they find that defining themselves and each other is a much more complex and ultimately rewarding attempt than it first seemed.
Appalachian Shorts
THE REAL MCCOYS
(USA 22 mins)
Meet Nina and Mickey McCoy, anti-coal activists in the heart of the coalfields. Residents of Inez, KY (home to the US' largest coal sludge spill in history), they have been unable to drink their water for the past 9 years. The McCoys travel to Washington DC, where they decide to risk arrest - in the hopes of drawing attention to coal's devastation of their beloved landscape.
STEAK DREAMS
(USA 13 mins)
Directed by Scott Sullivan
One Man. One Steak. One Dream. Jack is turning 30 and he hasn't done anything with his life so far but he's figured out how to make his mark: He’s going to eat a steak. A really big steak. And if he does it in 30 minutes or less it's free!
DOWN IN NUMBER 5
(USA 8 mins)
Directed by Kim Spurlock
Retired coal miner Carl Short, 65, lives with his 40-year old, developmentally disabled son Sammy. Since his wife died several years ago, Carl has become Sammy’s sole caretaker. He has grown extremely close to his son and relishes their time spent together.
Carl suffers from black lung and when money from a class action lawsuit fails to materialize, Carl realizes his options are running out. Who will take care of Sammy when he is gone? Carl turns to Raymond Atkins, Sammy’s childhood friend and protector. But Raymond is now a middle-aged, single father overwhelmed by his own problems.
Rooted in the Southern Gothic storytelling tradition, 'Down in Number 5' is a tender portrait of a man pushed to his limits for the love of his son and a haunting rumination on family and community in Appalachia. Based on a true story.
GREEN TUNNEL
(USA 4 mins)
A six month journey along the 2,200 mile long Appalachian Trail, condensed and reinterpreted into five minutes of stop-motion.
See also “Coal Country†in environmental films and “David Hostetler: The Last Dance†in Art films for additional Appalachian focused films
ENVIRONMENTAL FILMS
COAL COUNTRY
(USA, 84 mins)
Directed by Phylis Geller
COAL COUNTRY tells of the dramatic struggle around the use of coal, which provides over half the electricity in America. In Appalachia, miners and residents are locked in conflict: is mining and processing coal essential to providing good jobs, or is it destroying the land, water and air? What does this mean for the rest of America and the world? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ9n_Fu_ItE
NATIONAL SACRIFICE ZONE
(USA, 20 minute version and 59 minute version)
Directed by Joseph Brown
NATIONAL SACRIFICE ZONE: COLORADO AND THE COST OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE is a feature length documentary that takes a critical look at the effects of the most current Rocky Mountain energy boom – the oil companies’ efforts to transform shale rock into oil.
Including commentary from both energy 'experts' and local individuals affected by energy development, National Sacrifice Zone tells the story of the conflict between consumption and the environmental degradation taking place in our own back yards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeF6rmEt7FU
MILKING THE RHINO
(USA, 84 mins)
Directed by David E. Simpson
The Maasai tribe of Kenya and Namibia’s Himba - two of Earth’s oldest cattle cultures - are in the midst of upheaval. Emerging from a century of “white man conservation†that turned their land into game reserves and fueled resentment towards wildlife, they are now vying for a piece of the wildlife-tourism pie. Charting the collision of ancient ways and Western expectations, MILKING THE RHINO tells intimate, hopeful and heartbreaking stories of people facing deep cultural change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzWM6Kqbhk
A SEA CHANGE
(USA/Norway 85 mins)
Directed by Barbara Ettinger
Shortly after learning about ocean acidification, Sven Huseby set out to learn more about this threat to the world’s oceans. This journey takes Sven back to his roots in fishing communities from Seattle to Alaska and finally to Norway as he learns first-hand about this devastating phenomenon and what can be done to stop it. Through Sven's travels we uncover the scientific, cultural, political and economic implications of ocean acidification. Upon returning to the United States to visit his grandson Elias, Sven seeks out the individuals and organizations who are pursuing a range of solutions to acidification as he tries to determine where hope may lie in this epic struggle for the future of the oceans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZDRF1pOLpg
BLUE GOLD: WORLD WATER WARS
(USA, 90 mins)
Directed by Sam Bozzo
Wars of the future will be fought over water, as they today over oil, as the source of all life enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling fresh water supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Can the human race survive?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikb4WG8UJRw
CHILDREN OF THE AMAZON
(USA, 72 mins)
Directed by Denise Zmekhol
Journey with Brazilian filmmaker Denise Zmekhol to the heart of the Amazon rainforest, in search of the indigenous children she photographed 15 years ago. CHILDREN OF THE AMAZON invites you to see through the eyes of these inspiring, remarkably resilient people whose lives have been transformed by a road that was carved through their forest home by an outside world. Poetic and visually stunning, this film engages our senses and sympathies as global issues take on a profoundly human perspective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYpcFDCWiGY
¡JUSTICIA NOW!
(Ecuador, 31 mins) Available in Spanish and English versions. The English version has some subtitled segments when Spanish is spoken. Good for Spanish classes.
Directed by Martin O’Brien and Robbie Proctor
Over the past 43 years, ChevronTexaco has intentionally spilled over 10 times the amount of oil in and around Lago Agrio, Ecuador than was lost in the Exxon Valdez disaster and yet not one drop has been cleaned up. An area of pristine rain-forest the size of Rhode Island has been devastated and 1 tribe of indigenous indians has been wiped out. For those remaining natives, water supplies are completely contaminated and serious health issues such as cancer, leukemia, birth defects and skin disease run rampant. ChevronTexaco's attitude towards this has been a combination of strong armed intimidation and complete denial. It's time for action, it's time for Justicia Ya! Starring 2008 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pFn69Tx39M
DRAMATIC FEATURES
SITA SINGS THE BLUES
(USA 82 mins)
Directed by Nina Paley
Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by email. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana. Set to the 1920's jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita Sings the Blues earns its tagline as 'The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y5_zJ1xfQs
REBIRTH OF A NATION
(USA 100 minutes)
Directed by DJ Spooky aka Paul Miller
DJ Spooky spins a revisionist take on D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation.†DJ Spooky applies film techniques, an innovative score and an informed narrative to “remix†the infamous cinematic milestone to reveal it as racist propaganda. The result is simultaneously thought provoking and entertaining. DJ Spooky’s score is played by the Kronos Quartet.
http://www.rebirthofanation.com/
A WOMAN IN BERLIN (ANONYMA (EINE FRAULINE EN BERLIN)
(Germany 131 mins) German with English subtitles
Directed by Max Färberböck
Set in 1945 during the Red Army invasion of Berlin. Women are victims of rape and devastation; one of them is Anonyma (NINA HOSS), who had been a journalist and photographer. In her desperation, she decides to look for an officer who can protect her. She meets a Russian officer Andrej (EVGENY SIDIKHIN) - an encounter which develops into a complex symbiotic relationship that forces them to remain enemies until the bitter end. Based on a true story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEZxcSf9HwM
KABEI (OUR MOTHER) (Kâbê)
(Japan 133 mins) Japanese with English subtitles
Directed by Yoji Yamada
A father’s sudden absence occupies the center of Yoji Yamada’s intricate family drama, adapted from Teruyo Nogami’s bestselling memoir. In prewar Tokyo, after Shigeru “Tobei†Nogami is imprisoned for espousing progressive political views, his wife, known by his daughters as “Kabei,†is left alone to support their family. Helped by the sweet, bumbling student Yamazaki and some of her more anti-authoritarian neighbors, Kabei ekes out a living for her family and struggles through the consequences of Tobei’s anti-Imperialist “thought crime.†Director Yamada, a beloved veteran of Japanese cinema, builds upon the quiet artistry of his recent trilogy of samurai films (The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade, and Love and Honor) and the touching comedy of his epic 48-part Tora San series. Unashamedly emotional without lapsing into sentimentality, Kabei—Our Mother is lightened by a subtle undercurrent of humor and exceptional performances. The film’s meditative approach and impeccable formal construction make it a rewarding exploration of a family’s resilience in the face of distress.
http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/kabei-our-mother/trailer
CHERRY BLOSSOMS (KIRSCHBLÜTEN – HANAMI)
(Germany and Japan 127 mins)
Directed by Doris Dörrie
Only Trudi knows that her husband Rudi is suffering from a terminal illness. It is up to her to tell him or not. The doctor suggests that they do something together, perhaps something they were long planning to do… Trudi decides not to tell her husband about the gravity of his illness and to follow the doctor´s advice. She convinces Rudi to visit their children and grandchildren in Berlin. But once they arrive, they realize that their children are so busy with their own lives that they have no time for them. Then, suddenly, Trudi dies. Rudi is devastated and has no idea what to do next. From his daughter´s girlfriend he learns that Trudi´s love for him had led her to forego the life that she had wanted to live. He begins to see her with new eyes and vows to make up for her lost life. And so he embarks on his last journey - to Tokyo, in the midst of the cherry blossom festival, a celebration of beauty, impermanence and new beginnings…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqiMLQPJUKA
LAKE TAHOE (¿TE ACUERDA DE LAKE TAHOE?)
(Mexico 89 mins) Spanish with English subtitles
Directed by Fernando Eimbke
Teenage Juan crashes his family's car into a telegraph pole on the outskirts of town, and then scours the streets searching for someone to help him fix it. His quest will bring him to Don Heber, an old paranoid mechanic whose only companion is Sica, his almost human boxer dog; to LucÃa, a young mother who is convinced that her real place in life is as a lead singer in a punk band, and to "The One who Knows", a teenage mechanic obsessed with martial arts and Kung Fu philosophy. The absurd and bewildering worlds of these characters drag Juan into a one day journey in which he will come to accept what he was escaping from in the first place--an event both as natural and inexplicable as a loved one's death.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-MA-d9cvks
GIGANTE
(Uruguay 84 mins) Spanish with English subtitles
Directed by Adrian Biniez
Jara is a shy and lonely 35-year-old security guard at a supermarket on the outskirts of Montevideo. He works the night shift, monitoring the surveillance cameras of the entire building. One night Jara discovers Julia, a 25-year-old cleaning woman, through one of the cameras and is immediately attracted to her. Night after night, he watches her on the cameras while she works. Soon he starts following her after work: to the cinema, the beach and even to a date with another man. Jara's life becomes a series of routines and rituals around Julia, but eventually he finds himself at a crossroad and must decide whether to give up his obsession or confront it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6lfxCUHOUc
THE DRUMMER
(Hong Kong-Taiwan-Germany 115 mins) English subtitles
Directed by Kenneth Bi
In the East, the drum is the king of all musical instruments. The intense sound of the drum can penetrate a man's body. The solemn beat of the drum can open a man's heart. The powerful vibration of the drum can awaken a man's soul.
Sid, the rebellious son of Kwan, a controlling and savage triad boss in Hong Kong, has to flee to Taiwan upon enraging his father's adversary, a powerful tycoon and underground business leader. Hiding out in the mountains, Sid encounters a group of Zen drummers whose mesmerizing art, rigorous physical training, and austere way of life pique this hostile urban young man's interest and he requests to join the group. Although Sid despises his father, he is turning out to be a younger version of him: wild and defiant. Immersing in the world of the Zen drummers eventually converts him into a firm and focused young man. Sid's independence from the triad life and his father is profoundly challenged, however, when a twist of fate awaits him back home in Hong Kong and forces him to choose between loyalty to his family and his new found faith in himself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYJU-KoNZME
THE WINDOW
(Argentina, Spain 85 mins) Spanish with English subtitles
Directed by Carlos Sorin
It is a significant day for 80 year old Antonio. After an absence of many years, his estranged son is coming to visit. All must be perfect. There will be a toast with a very special champagne; an embrace; warm words that may finally bridge the gap between them… But before, Antonio must wait. Bedridden, he looks out his window at the Patagonian landscape and sees light and life, the past and the present, while sensing the future. He decides to secretly leave the house, unseen by his faithful caretakers, to take what might be a last walk in his fields, breathing the air, treading the earth, inhaling the scent of the land that had been his life. What could otherwise seem like insignificant memories or moments in one's life, take a special, beautiful meaning and weight in this poetic, humanistic film.
Distinguished Argentine filmmaker Carlos SorÃn ('Bombón, El Perro', 'Historias Minimas') once again trains his camera on the small stories written by life, on the humanity behind human beings. By casting the great Uruguayan writer and scriptwriter Antonio Larreta in the lead role, Sorin establishes a link between fiction and reality that makes the protagonist's fears, hopes and wishes even more palpable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzguWppJiws
RAMCHAND PAKISTANI
(Pakistan 105 mins)
Directed by Mehreen Jabbar
“Ramchand Pakistani†is derived from a true story concerning the accidental crossing of the Pakistan-Indian border during a period of extreme, war-like tension between the two countries by two members of a Pakistani Hindu family belonging to the 'untouchable' caste and the consequences of that action.
The singular theme of the film is how a child from Pakistan aged eight years learns to cope with the trauma of forced separation from his mother while being held prisoner, along with his father in the jail of a country i.e. India, which is hostile to his own, while on the other side of the border, the wife-mother, devastated by their sudden disappearance builds a new chapter of her life, by her solitary struggle for sheer survival.
http://www.ramchandpakistani.com/
THE PERFECT WOMAN
(USA 116 mins)
Directed by Marvel Gima
Nisha, a young energetic, upbeat professional, with a fun loving, free and honest attitude comes across Suraj. Suraj is traditional, conservatively stylish, musically minded software professional. Their friendship grows into a romance. Nisha is torn between her love for Suraj and his structured views on marriage which do not appeal to her. Her blooming romance suddenly takes a turn when she goes through a horrifying experience. Her life, as she knows has changed suddenly.
Nisha is torn between Suraj's expectation and the harsh reality she faces. How should she handle it? How would she deal with it? How does she handle it?
http://www.theperfectwomanmovie.com/
GOOD OL’ GIRLS
(USA 116 mins)
Good Ol' Girls is a rowdy romp. It's been called 'an estrogen high.' This stage musical is based on the stories of Southern novelists Lee Smith and Jill McCorkle and features the music of Nashville songwriters Marshall Chapman and Matraca Berg. Recorded at Cape Fear Regional Theatre in 2008. Funny and poignant, it holds up a mirror for women who were raised in the South.
MORNING SONG WAY
(USA 106 mins)
Directed by Charles Howard Thomas
Ten year old Katy Sage (played by Jennifer Redbird) witnesses a murder committed by her mother's boyfriend. She is then placed with her great uncle (Played by Elvus Kishketon, Jr.), an oldtime Native American medicine man in the Appalachian Mountains. Katy begins to learn the medicine road of the Morning Song Way teachings and in the process helps to revitalize a small Native American community. Then the bad guy gets out of jail and comes after her.
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES
TIBET IN SONG
(USA 82 mins)
Directed by Ngawang Choephel
'Tibet in Song' presents a unique story of struggle and survival - that of Tibetan folk music. The film seamlessly traces the history of Tibetan music to the present day through those Tibetans who most exemplify the Tibetan struggle for cultural survival, but whose voices are routinely stifled by Chinese oppression. Tibetan musicians, singers, and political prisoners, including the film's director, Ngawang Choephel, all speak out in 'Tibet in Song' and hearken the film's message of universal truth and responsibility.
http://www.tibetinsong.com/about/
TODAY LIKE YESTERDAY (HOY COMO AYER)
(Cuba, 32 mins) Spanish with English subtitles
Directed by Laura Delle Piane
Life flows slowly in San Agustin, suburb of la Havana, Cuba. Its inhabitants draw trajectories dictated by every day life’s simplicity. What are the dreams, what are the secrets hidden behind the decadent buildings? How can a stranger have access to them? In Cuba, people don’t speak about the future, they ignore it. Time has stopped. Past and present have been living a single long day for about 50 years now.
www.lasa-cuba.blogspot.com
COLOURS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
(UK/ARGENTINA/ITALY, 56 mins) Spanish with English subtititles
Directed by Ale Corte
In 2006, Benetton celebrated 40 years in business. 40 years of a high-profile commitment to social issues and racial equality. But at the same time as promoting its “united colours†through highly controversial ad campaigns, the company was allegedly evicting an unemployed indigenous Mapuche couple who had settled on 385 hectares of Benetton land in Argentina to raise goats and grow vegetables. Police tore down the couple’s house and confiscated their oxen and plough. Other Mapuche people have had their access to water and transport restricted and even been prohibited from lighting fires. Can Benetton keep maintaining his highly regarded worldwide reputation?
http://www.coloursattheendoftheworld.com/
POW-WOW THUNDER
(Canada, 48 mins)
Directed by Cory Generoux
Pow-Wow Thunder is a journey into the lives of veteran Pow-Wow announcers, taking an intimate look at these versatile personalities that deliver a high-impact entertaining Pow-Wow. Witness the celebrations through their eyes as you have never seen or heard it before! HOKA-HEY! POW-WOW TIME!
DOGZ LYFE: BURDENS OF A GANGSTA RAPPER
(Canada, 48 mins)
Directed by Cory Generoux
Dogz Lyfe takes us inside the world of First Nations Rap Artist, Robin Favel. For some Robin is viewed as an inspiration, an aspiring rap artist with enough talent to make it in to the big time.
But it is not as easy as it sounds. For most of his life, Robin Favel has lived a life of crime, has been in and out of jail; and been a member of one of the most notorious gangs in Saskatchewan, The Native Syndicate. The authorities feel that Robin is trapped in this world and cannot escape.
THE LAST AMERICAN FREAK SHOW
(UK, 85 mins)
Directed by Richard Butchins
A powerful road movie but with a very unlikely group of protagonists. This film deals, in a remarkably candid way, with the hidden world of the carnival “sideshow†and the often overlooked lives of the disabled, delivering it's message in an enlightening and entertaining way. It presents a uniquely personal, compelling and sometimes-hilarious window into a world that you never knew existed.
CLASSMATES OF ANNE FRANK
(Israel, 58 mins)
Directed by Eyal Boers
A game inventor from Israel returns to his childhood neighbourhood in Holland to reunite with five of his and Anne Frank's former classmates, only to discover a surprising truth about the village where he was hiding during World War Two.
DOMESTIC DOCUMENTARIES
LIGHT, BRIGHT, DAMN NEAR WHITE
(USA 70 mins)
Directed by C.C. Stinson and Neobe Velis
Colorism is a form of intra-racial discrimination -- a phenomenon where persons of color are accorded differing social and/or economic status and treatment within their own cmmunity based on skin color. Colorism can be found within the African-American community in North America as well as in the Caribbean, India, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Because those practicing it do not recognize this form of color bias as discriminatory, it goes on without discussion, protest, or opposition. This film examines the impact of colorism within these communities through the eyes of those most touched by it.
ALWAYS BEEN A RAMBLER
(USA 58 mins)
Directed by Yasha Aginsky
ALWAYS BEEN A RAMBLER celebrates fifty years of the New Lost City Ramblers, stars of the 1960's folk revival who have devoted their lives to the pursuit of authentic old-time music of the American South. Backyard and living room music sessions, festival and concert performances, and informal interviews are combined with a wealth of archival footage, photos and music, including more than 50 old-time songs played by more than 50 old-time musicians.
BEYOND THE CALL
(USA 82 mins)
Directed by Adrian Belic
In a Mother Teresa meets Indiana Jones adventure three middle-aged men, former soldiers and modern day knights travel the world delivering life saving humanitarian aid directly into the hands of civilians in some of the most dangerous yet beautiful places on Earth, the front lines of war. This movie is an inspiration for all.
GHENGIS BLUES
(USA 88 mins)
Directed by Roko and Adrian Belic
This 1999 film won the Sundance Festival Audience Award. It follows blind bluesman Paul Pena on a journey to the Republic of Tuva as he becomes the first foreigner to compete in the Tuvan throat-singing competition.
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
(USA 103 mins)
Directed by Terry Benedict
Benedict’s moving documentary gathers surviving veterans to tell the incredible story of 7th Day Adventist and conscientious objector, Desmond Doss, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Doss chose to serve both his religion and his country in World War II as a medic, but he refused to carry a pistol. The Army initially tried to have him tossed out, but his selfless and heroic actions saved scores of US servicemen.
http://www.desmonddoss.com/movie_popup.html
THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC
(USA 63 mins)
Directed by Sasha Waters
THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC weaves together a cultural history of one of the most famous paintings in the world with a quirky portrait of Eldon, Iowa, population 998, site of the house that inspired it. The film follows local boosters over two years as they work towards their dream of a Gothic House Visitor Center to attract tourists and save their dying small town. On the single main street through town, yellow banners commemorating the Gothic House flap proudly in the wind, but the one restaurant in Eldon, called Jones' Gothic Room, stands shuttered and closed. THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC explores the poignant irony of a rural America abandoned to economic hardship trying to rebuild itself through tourism that glorifies a happier, if largely imaginary, country past.
http://videos.al.com/2008/09/this_american_gothic.html
IN AMERICA
(USA 8 mins)
Directed by Olesia Shewchuck and Novia Chen
IN AMERICA, a short documentary directed by Novia Chen and Olesia Shewchuk, investigates the journeys of 3 independent Asian young adults settling into America. Stanley, an athletic and domestic young lad from Taiwan, explores his experiences with his homestay family for the past 6 months and learning the English language in an ESL class. Naomi, an adorable Japanese gal, has lived in America for 2 years and discloses her impressions of the cultural differences between Japan and the USA. And finally, Jia, a talented and artistic Chinese young woman, has lived in America for 12 years. She shares her artistic path despite the medical career path her family sought out for her in America.
DRAMATIC SHORTS
THE DAY AFTER THE 10TH DAY (YEK ROOZ PAS AZ DAHOMIN ROOZ)
(Iran, 25 mins) In Farsi with English subtitles
Directed by Narges Abyar
We always become familiar with very small objects. These are all because we want to escape from our solitude. However, sometimes as the pages of the book of our destinies turn, this leaves us with our loneliness again. This realistic fiction is about an old man when he was alone. He fills his solitary life with a camel, but the camel falls victim to religious customs.
LITTLE DOVE
(USA 13 mins)
Directed by Brandy Raimey Amstel
An Apache girl's life is interrupted by the arrival of a handsome Comanche Warrior. Their sudden and powerful love is forbidden. She is to be married to another who she does not love. These feelings of love lead them both to decisions and actions that go against tradition and their tribes. A historical legend across many cultures, love, tragedy and spirit are central to the story. Set in 1620 before European contact or influence. Shot on and around a 3000 year old Apache settlement near the Big Bend National Park of Texas. The film includes all Native actors and is spoken in Apache and Comanche languages with English sub-titles. Natural untouched landscapes and native music further complete the story.
DEATH AND ME (DODEN & JAG)
(Sweden, 11 mins)
Directed by Haris Mlivic
This is a movie about a man with a boring job in an boring office ruled by a crazy tempered boss who by the looks of it, will explode any day. At night the man dreams of green fields, sunny weather and freedom outside the city borders. At daytime DEATH himself is following the man around, waiting patiently. Soon the overwhelming workload begins to infiltrate the mans dreams, and his wild fantasies begin to get out of control as he gets closer and closer to the end of the line.
LAND GEWINNEN
(Germany 20 mins)
Directed by Marc Brummond
A young illegal immigrant couple spends their time furtively avoiding the German authorities, until the wellbeing of their young son dictates that they resolve their untenable situation.
ON THE ROAD TO TEL AVIV
(Israel, 15 mins)
Directed by Khen Shalem
On the road to Tel-Aviv is a dramatic story (with comedic elements) that shows how, under the tense reality of war and terror, enemies can sometimes find themselves in the same boat (or in the same bus). It is a story of a young Israeli who finds himself in a tricky situation when an Arab woman enters the same bus as his fiancée. As he tries to get his fiancée out without creating a scene, panic ensues and he must right the situation, as the realities of war, terror, and enemies are exposed.
FAST GIRLS SLOW BIKES: THE STORY OF DENVER'S MODs 'N KNOCKERS
(USA 13 mins)
Directed by Joseph Brown
'Fast Girls, Slow Bikes: The Story of Denver's Mods 'n Knockers' tells the story of a tight knit all girls gang brought together by a mutual love of classic Vespa and Lambretta scooters.
FATHERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS
(Canada 37 mins)
Directed by Joseph Rossi
A family drama that deals with themes of guilt and redemption. Connie, a bitter, hardcore career woman and her sister Mary, a timid passive school teacher come together after years of not speaking to attend their father’s funeral. Both regard their father as the man responsible for their individual character traits and unhappy personal lives.
JALEBI
(USA 7 mins.)
Directed by Nawaz Ameen
There is a thin line between desire for the one you love and the jalebi you crave!
TENNER
(UK 12 mins)
Directed by Andrea Bigger and David O’Neill
TENNER is a powerful coming-of-age drama, unfolding through an act of revenge.
HOMER, a seemingly dysfunctional teenager who lives with his eccentric bong-smoking grandfather, JOLLY. HOMER is holding a vendetta against local shop-owner PARDIP. A surprise twist in the story sees him attempt to deftly escape an electronic tagging curfew, and reveals why this campaign of attacks may be justifiable revenge…
UNPLUGGED
(Ireland, 7 mins)
Directed by KC Early
During a heated discussion in a deserted bar, it seems clear who speaks to whom and about what. Slowly it becomes apparent that not all relations are what they appear. In the end everything turns out a bit more twisted.
ABE
(USA 8 mins)
Directed by Ken Shalem
An older dog is forced to leave the loving home he knows and discovers a world that's not accepting of animals without owners.
MY FIRST TOOTH
(USA 14 mins)
Directed by Reaves Washburn
A young single mother must confront the tragic, violent incident in her past in order to protect her daughter from a similar fate.
MY LAST DAY IN LEBANON
(Israel, USA 8 mins)
Directed by Ken Shalem
During the 18 years of the Israeli-Lebanese war, five Israeli soldiers were sent to Lebanon to set a three-day ambush against terrorist units who were trying to cross the border into Israel. The three days of sleepless nights, canned food, minimal hygiene and silence seemed endless. The last day of the ambush was my last day in Lebanon.
GENDER ISSUES
MY DAUGHTER SHAMPORO (NOSHINTO SHAMPORO)
(Peru, Spain 48 mins)
Directed by Tita Portela
ElÃas, leader of the Ashanika tribe (Central Rainforest in Peru), decides to return to his birthplace in search of a medicine woman who will teach his daughter Shamporo all about plants and ceremonial rites. The journey takes them along the Ene river to faraway places as they follow the clues that will lead them to MarÃa, the best medicine women that ElÃas knows. Shamporo discovers the scenary of the river travelling by boat, plane and car and passing through the city. Finally, she arrives at the home of MarÃa, who listens to reflects upon ElÃas request.
BEAUTY MARK
(USA 53 mins)
Directed by Carla Precht and Kathleen Man
At age 28, Diane Israel ended her career as one of the world's top women triathletes when her body collapsed. To understand what was driving her need for physical perfection, Diane sets out on a journey to explore the cultural influences that shape our perception of beauty. Over the next few years, she films surprisingly candid and intimate conversations with fellow champion athletes, body builders, fashion models, burn victims and inner city teens, who share their own experiences and insights relating to self-image. Hearing their stories forces Diane to confront her own painful history, family secrets and failed dreams. An emotionally charged reunion that brings together her paralyzed mother with Diane's mentally challenged brother is the final catalyst for Diane's transformation.
MEINRAD CRAIGHEAD: PRAYING WITH IMAGES
(USA 59 mins)
Follow the lifelong pilgrimage of visionary artist Meinrad Craighead and her mystical encounters with the Divine Feminine. Discover how her life experiences influence her art: early years in Arkansas with a beloved grandmother, teaching and studying in Europe, 14 years as a nun in England, her interactions with the culture in New Mexico where she now lives, and leading women's art and spiritual groups. Learn how Catholicism, ancient mythology, and Native American shamanism shape Meinrad’s art and ideas about God. Experience her moving images and stories of a devastating fire along the Rio Grande River near her home, and travel with her on a recent pilgrimage to the Black Madonna of Montserrat, Spain. See nearly 100 of the artist's paintings and prints in beautiful detail.
PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL
(USA 72 mins)
Directed by Gini Reticker
PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL is the gripping account of a group of brave and visionary women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades old civil war. Combining contemporary interviews, archival images, and scenes of present-day Liberia the film recounts the experiences and memories of the women who stood up to their country's tyrannical leader and brutal warlords, in order to bring peace to their tormented country.
UMOJA, THE VILLAGE WHERE MEN ARE FORBIDDEN
(France, 52 mins)
Directed by Jean-Marc Sainclair
From 1970 to 2003, 1,600 women said they had been raped by British soldiers in northern Kenya. Feeling dishonored, their husbands beat and abandoned them. A handful of these women created Umoja, a village off-limits to men, which became the refuge of Samburu women. Jealous men regularly threaten the village and create many problems for its founder, Rebecca Lolosoli.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7RIaroskuU
THE BUSINESS OF STORY
(USA 87 mins)
Directed by Rebecca Ormond
Antisocial Professor Emerson has overcome great adversity, namely her mother. Now it’s publish or perish time and only one eccentric publisher is interested in Em’s book of childhood stories on the condition that Em include her mother’s account of the events alongside Em’s own.
Em grudgingly agrees to include her mother’s versions, although they are disturbingly absurd; but then so are Em’s. The victim and villain are simply switched in each woman’s surreal retelling of Em’s childhood.
The film weaves these stories with Em’s comically dysfunctional life as Em searches for the “meaningful coincidences†the publisher insist are “the business of story.â€
LGBTQ FILMS
TRINIDAD
(USA 86 mins)
Directed by PJ Raval
Trinidad uncovers Trinidad, Colorado’s transformation from Wild West outpost to “sex-change capital of the world,†and follows three transgender women who may steer the rural ranching town toward becoming the “transsexual mecca.â€
MISSISSIPPI QUEEN
(USA 63 mins)
Directed by Paige Williams
Mississippi Queen follows Paige, a southerner returning home, who digs past the mask of hospitality to examine gay values and the ex-gay ministry, interviewing southerners on both sides of the issues, including her parents who help convert homosexuals.
FOR MY WIFE
(USA 80 mins)
Directed by David Rothmiller
For my wife... is a feature documentary chronicling the making of an activist. After the tragic death of her wife, Charlene Strong was thrust into the national spotlight becoming a powerful voice for the equal rights of same-sex couples and their families, resulting in the passage of Washington State's historic Domestic Partnership legislation and Charlene's embracing a new life as an activist for Marriage Equality.
FAGBUG
(USA 82 mins)
Directed by Erin Davies
On the 11th annual National Day of Silence (April 18, 2007), Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, NY. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin's car was vandalized, left with the words "fAg" and "u r gay" placed on the hood and driver side of her car. Despite initial shock and embarassment, Erin's decided to embrace what happened and film a documentary about her 58-day cross country tour around the US and Canada in her car known worldwide as the fagbug. The film follows Erin's quest to drive her vandalized car over the course of one year.
OUT IN THE SILENCE
(USA 56 mins)
Directed by Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer
The announcement of filmmaker Joe Wilson’s wedding to another man ignites a firestorm of controversy and a quest for change in the small Pennsylvania hometown he left long ago. Drawn back by a plea for help from the mother of a gay teen being tormented at school, Wilson takes viewers on an exhilarating journey through love, hate, and understanding in rural America.
LIGHTSWITCH
(Australia 22 mins)
Directed by Emma Keltie
A story is more than just words on a page… and Danielle is desperately struggling for words as her final deadline draws near… It’s not until she meets Shauna that her story begins to write itself. Their instant connection and attraction take them on a challenging journey of self-discovery and inevitable angst as they fight to find who they are and struggle with what they come to mean to each other. The whirlwind romance soon turns to heartbreak as secrets surface and hard choices are made. Danielle comes to see that sometimes “a story has to be lived before it can be toldâ€.
ART FILMS
DAVID HOSTETLER: THE LAST DANCE (USA 68 mins)
Directed by Casey Howard
After 80 years, world-renowned artist David Hostetler reflects on a life and career filled with more turns and curves than the women he has become so well-known for carving. Drawing on a wealth of never-before-see home movies and images from Hostetler’s past, the film explores the roots of his talent and passions. True to his life, the film is a medley of jazz, wood and women that leads the viewer on a journey to the heart of the creative process and the forces that shape all great art.
ONLY WHEN I DANCE
(UK/Brazil 78 mins)
Directed by Beadie Finzi
Only When I Dance is a classic narrative documentary following two young teenagers, Isabela and Irlan as they strive to realize an extraordinary dream. One girl, one boy; both black and poor, and living in one of the most violent favelas on the outskirts of Rio. Irlan and Isabela both want to dance ballet and their ambition is to leave Brazil to join one of the great companies in the North. For them, dance is the way out, an escape, and on stage, an ecstasy, that is rarely found in their day to day lives. The question is, can they make it? Only When I Dance follows these two gifted teenagers during the year that will make or break all their future dreams.
MORE PLEASE
(USA 7 mins)
Directed by Dustin Zemel
More Please is a reedit of 30 seconds of footage from the cable news program 'Nancy Grace.' Small sections of the film are repeated and slowed down to emphasize how arbitrary included newsreel footage can be. The use of repetitive b-roll with abandoned narration emphasizes its lack of signification, while the heavily slowed down visual bumper shows how much post-production and creativity goes into five seconds of footage the audience never pays any attention to.
RED REVENGE
(USA, 6 mins)
Directed by Eunhua Choi
Red Revenge is a woman revenge dream story related to her dream from childhood. Through her emotional and weird dreams she found that she becomes to be mature. It is 6 minutes animation based on personal experiences and Freud’s dream theory.
VIRTUOUS TOYBOX
(USA 6 mins)
Directed by Dennis Iannuzzi
Experimental animation that explores the relationship between motion graphic techniques, electronic music, typography and the use of traditional graphic design ideas as a way of visually organizing an animated film.
HORROR FILMS
EVIL THINGS
(USA 79 mins)
Directed by Dominic Perez
On January 9th 2009, 5 college students left New York City for a weekend in the country. 48 hours later, all 5 students simply vanished without a trace. There were no leads and no evidence...until now.
GEORGE'S INTERVENTION
(USA 92 mins)
Directed by JT Seaton
George’s friends have gathered for an intervention… George’s intervention. You see, George is a zombie. And his friends are hoping to convince him to stop eating people and to enter 'zombie rehab'. It’s morally wrong to eat people. Plus, it’s unhealthy. The meat is raw. And who knows where these people have been. With the help of a professional interventionist, George’s friends confront George regarding his 'addiction'. But, over the course of the night, George’s friends begin to disappear. Have they given up hope that the intervention will be successful? Or have they become dinner?
COLD OCTOBER
(USA 30 mins)
Directed by Mikel Wisler
Henry has a sleep disorder. Occasionally, while awake, his mind will slip into a dream-like state, and he hallucinates. He runs into an old friend, Emily, who has just moved into the same apartment building where Henry lives. She's trying to get away from a stalker who has been sending her poems and pictures. As Henry learns of this, he begins to believe that what he is seeing in his hallucinations may be glimpses of her future. If so, he has to save her. But can Henry convince those around him and himself that what he sees in these hallucinations are more than a chemical imbalance in his brain? Is there a greater force at work here?
THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MISTER HOLLOW
(Canada 6 mins)
Directed by Rodrigo Gudino and Vincent Marcone
A single image that tells an entire story, THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MISTER HOLLOW is the groundbreaking new film by Rue Morgue founding editor Rodrigo Gudiño (The Demonology of Desire, The Eyes of Edward James) and award-winning visual artist Vincent Marcone (MyPetSkeleton.com, Johnny Hollow). The visually stunning film centers on an unusual photograph dating back to the 1930s. An investigation of its particulars reveals a tapestry of secrets hidden in the details, and a tale of kidnapping and murder captured in a haunting moment.
WHITE ZOMBIE
(USA 37 mins)
Directed by Vincent Nero
White Zombie is the Gothic tale of Jordan, a young lady on the path to adulthood, who runs away with her boyfriend, but when road gets bumpy and become stranded in a desolate village, they rely on a rich widow whose broken heart is mended at the sight of Jordan. Foolishly in love, he will do anything to keep Jordan for his own even turn her into a zombie. It may be a zombie movie, but it's a love story at heart.
Appalachian Documentaries
Dramatic Appalachian Features
Appalachian Shorts
Environmental Films
Dramatic Features
International Documentaries
Domestic Documentaries
Dramatic Shorts
Gender Issues
GLBTQ
Horror
Art
Lance Weiler
American film-maker and writer
Tuesday, November 3rd
5:30 reception Goins Rotunda,
followed by
Talk and Q&A
Pellissippi State's
Goins Auditorium
Roman James
Actors' Innovative Resource
Founder & Chief Creative Officer
| SOAPIFF 2009 30sec. TV Spot (Honoring Quentin Tarantino for Pulp Fiction) Produced in the ETSU Graphic Design Workshop by Students: Video by: Kelly Farrar and Rosie Owens Annimation by: Maja Salavic Actors: Eli Berry and Rebecca Shibao Announcer: Mark B. Compton |