Hill Country Film Festival 2016 by Ken Esten Cooke

R EEL IN D I E . R E A L T E XA S A P R I L 2 8 - M AY 0 1

REEL INDIE. REEL TEXAS.

FREDERIC KSBURG,

H I L L C O U N T R Y F F .C O M

fritztown cinema • Fredericksburg

THIS WEEKEND!

A P RIL 2 8 — M AY 1 , 2 0 1 6

MORE SATURDAY FEATURES Rwanda & Juliet | 3 p.m. Directed by Ben Proudfoot “Rwanda & Juliet” is a featurelength documentary that follows Ivy League professor emeritus Andrew Garrod to Kigali, Rwanda, where he mounts Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with Rwandan college students from both Hutu and Tutsi backgrounds. Twenty years have passed since the 1994 Genocide that left 1,000,000 Tutsis dead. Predominantly orphans, the cast of young Rwandans, led by a stunning, strong headed Juliet, tackle their country’s past and their own future as hopes, expectations, pasts, personalities and cultures collide as opening night approaches. Transpecos | 4:45 p.m. Directed by Greg Kwedar

Co-writer/ producer Clint Bentley will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

For three Border Patrol agents working a remote desert checkpoint, the contents of one car will reveal an insidious plot within their own ranks. The next 24 hours will take them on a treacherous journey that could cost them their lives.

A Song for You: The Austin City Limits Story | 7 p.m | Directed by Keith Maitland Packed wall to wall with the greatest music from Texas and beyond, including performances from Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ray Charles, Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Cash, Lightnin Hopkins, Beck, Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead, “A Song for You: The Austin City Limits Story” is music to the ears of fans everywhere. This film highlights the PBS series’ evolution through pivotal bookings, proving that after 40 years and 800 performers, ACL is more relevant now than ever before. Featuring interviews with dozens of artists and fans, and untold insights from long-time producer Terry Lickona, a musical institution himself, “A Song for You” transcends the television show and gives audiences a front-row seat and backstage pass to the greatest performances of the longest running music show in television history. (Texas Film)

ACL television show producer Leslie Nichols will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Sunday Sendoff at pedernales cellars

This event is for badgeholders only.

May 1 • 11 a.m. Pedernales Cellars is committed to crafting world class wines that are made exclusively from Texas grapes. 2916 Upper Albert Rd. • Stonewall, TX 78671 See map in HCFF event program for directions. PANEL DISCUSSION

A Writer’s Journey A conversation on the screenwriting process. Panelists

Clint Bentley – Dallas

NT Bullock – New Orleans

Russ Nickel – Los Angeles

Blayne Weaver – New York

Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Indie Film Series at Fritztown Cinema Already dreading the end of the festival? Don’t despair! Get your fix of independent film on the big screen monthly, beginning in July. Visit www.hillcountryff.com/events for more information.

Fredericksburg students working on-set for their short film in last year’s inaugural HCFS summer film camp.

Summer Film Camp: The Adventure Continues

“Film Affäre” Inspires with Film and Food In February, Hill Country Film Society (HCFS) presented “Film Affäre,” an evening at Hoffman Haus celebrating the emotional connection between food and film. The fundraising event was hosted by Tom Provost, award-winning filmmaker, chef, author, and graduate screenwriting professor at Pepperdine University. Provost set up iconic scenes from “The Godfather,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Lady and the Tramp,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca,” and films from nearly every genre in between, creating a backdrop for a five course meal crafted by Chef Adam Yoho from Otto’s German Bistro and complemented by wine from Pedernales Cellars. “Tom did an amazing job showing our guests how food can influence our perspective of cinema and vice versa,” said Chad Mathews, HCFS executive director. “We can’t wait to see what he’ll come up with next year.” Proceeds support HCFS year-around programming that includes the festival, film camp, and Indie Film Series.

Hill Country Film Society (HCFS) staff, working with the Fredericksburg Independent School District’s Community Education program, will hold a film camp June 13-16 for students entering grades seven through twelve. This is the second year for the camp, which generated positive reviews from students and parents last summer. Campers will meet each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to learn story structure, theme, character development and post-production (editing). Students will learn the fundamental elements of visual story telling and experience the ins and outs of a film set as they make a short film. The finished film will be screened at Fritztown Cinema on Saturday, June 18, for campers and their families. “We are thrilled to see the educational part of our mission come to life, said Wade Lee, HCFS director. “Part of the HCFS mission is supporting the next generation of independent filmmakers and we believe the film camp does just that.” For more information visit www.hillcountryff.com/events.

The Hill Country Film Society (HCFS) is a nonprofit organization, which encourages discovery through visual storytelling. We create experiences that educate, inspire and engage. HCFS relies on members to help us achieve the mission and ensure the future of film as a part of our vibrant, creative culture. Several membership levels are available.

Visit www.hillcountryff.com/film-society to learn more.

Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

• Indie Film Series, a free monthly screening showcasing the best of independent film, hosted in partnership with Fritztown Cinema Our all-volunteer staff commits time and energy into making sure that film remains a vibrant part of our culture and community. For that, I am extremely thankful to them.

Chad Mathews, Executive Director, HCFF

Welcome to the 7th Annual Hill Country Film Festival! Welcome to Fredericksburg, Fritztown Cinema and the 2016 Hill Country Film Festival. Thank you for joining us for the 7th annual festival in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. This year’s schedule of screenings, panel discussions and events has something everyone will love. Whether you are looking for a foreign film experience or an outlandish American comedy, to gain industry advice or to meet the next “big” filmmaker, Fredericksburg is the perfect town to complement that experience. The Hill Country Film Festival is our signature celebration so each year at this time we are powerfully reminded of why our film society was formed in the first place: to encourage discovery through visual storytelling. Our goal is to create experiences that educate, inspire and engage throughout the year. We accomplish this by hosting the festival and other events including: • Film Affäre, an annual fundraiser that pairs food, film and lively discussion • Film Camp, a week-long camp teaching filmmaking and producing a student-made short film, delivered in partnership with Fredericksburg ISD Community education

We are grateful for the generous sponsors, donors and film society members who share our commitment to supporting film as an art form. None of this would be possible without you. And finally to our movie-goers and out-of-town guests, thanks for spending the weekend with us. We hope you enjoy your time at the festival and we encourage you to take in a museum or art gallery, hike Enchanted Rock and explore Main Street. We know you’ll fall in love with all that Fredericksburg has to offer. Happy movie watching!

Ticket Prices

The badge is the best value

All Access Badge — $200 Day Pass — $45 (Friday or Saturday) Single Block Ticket* — $10 Badges and Day Passes are available for sale online at www.hillcountryff.com or at the festival headquarters: Fritztown Cinema *Subject to availability and can be purchased at Fritztown Cinema.

Festival Headquarters:

Fritztown Cinema | 2254 Hwy. 87 South, Fredericksburg, TX

Why Buy an All Access Badge? You’ll get access to VIPerks including: • Preferred seating for all screenings (subject to cut-off times) • Filmmaker Welcome Reception (April 28 @ 6 p.m.) • Panel Discussions with Breakfast (April 29-30) • On-site VIP Lounge with beverage sponsors Pedernales Cellars, Treaty Oak Distillery, Dulce Vida Organic Tequila and Shiner Beers (April 29-30) • Closing Night Party and Awards at the Nimitz Museum (April 30 @ 9 p.m.)

Chad Mathews, Executive Director

• Sunday Send-off Party and Panel Discussion at Pedernales Cellars (May 1 @ 11 a.m.)

SCHEDULE View the entire schedule online: www.hillcountryff.com Printed copies of the event program are located at the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. Programs will be available in town on April 27. All festival events at Fritztown Cinema unless otherwise noted.

PLEASE NOTE: VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISORY INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE EVENT PROGRAM.

Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Daylight Come | 4:15 p.m. | Directed by Evan Vetter 2015 HCFF alum Evan Vetter (“Times Like Dying”) directs this documentary featuring two American women struggling to help a group of Congolese women rebuild their lives amidst the scars of sexual violence and poverty following decades of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As their Western ideas create new challenges, “Daylight Come” begs the question: in the face of tremendous suffering, can one person really make a difference? Offering a new voice in the story being told about Congo, “Daylight Come” reveals hope can still be found no matter how long the night.

Special Screening of the 1971 classic, The Last Picture Show.

The Book of Life | 4:45 p.m. Directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez A family-friendly animated comedy feature, “The Book of Life” is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. This special out-of-competition screening comes from producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez and features the voice talent of Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana and Channing Tatum.

High school seniors and best friends, Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges), live in a dying Texas town. The handsome Duane is dating local beauty, Jacy (Cybill Shepherd), while Sonny is having an affair with the coach’s wife, Ruth (Cloris Leachman). As graduation nears, both boys contemplate their futures. While Duane eyes the army and Sonny takes over a local business, each boy struggles to figure out if he can escape this deadend town and build a better life somewhere else.

7:45 p.m. Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Many Thanks to Our 2016 Sponsors

JOIN US FOR THE

OPENING night party April 28 • 9:30 p.m.

Auslander Restaurant & Biergarten 323 E. Main Street  This party is open to the public

Download the GoFred app today to discover more of Fredericksburg.

Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Short Films: Great Stories in Small Packages By Matt Ward

At first glance, short films may not seem like something to get excited about. But when you get up close, shorts are the lifeblood of true indie filmmaking; a form in which future Hollywood stars and directors can cut their teeth and break into the industry. HCFF alum Shawn Christensen’s short film “Curfew” wowed audiences at our 2013 festival, taking home the award for best short film. When “Curfew” went on to win the same category at the Academy Awards, Christensen was able to expand that short into the feature film “Before I Disappear,” which debuted at South by Southwest and earned HCFF’s 2014 best feature film award. Like “Curfew” before them, two Oscar-nominated short films will screen at this year’s festival. Nominated for best live action short at the 88th Academy Awards, “Ave Maria” follows a family of religious Israeli settlers

whose car breaks down in a rural area of the West Bank. After crashing into a statue of the Virgin Mary, the family must seek aid from five nuns obligated with a vow of silence. Screens Friday, April 29, 10:15 a.m. (Block 7). “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos” will make its Texas premiere at HCFF after an Oscar nomination for best animated short. The short tells the story of two roommates training to become cosmonauts who are separated by space when one of the duo is selected for the next mission while the other sits at home as an alternate. Screens Saturday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. (Block 25). Purchase All Access badges and day passes online, or individual block tickets onsite during the festival. Please note that space is limited and badge holders will be accommodated first, followed by day passes and block tickets.

2016 festival t-shirts Be sure to get your 2016 souvenir t-shirt on Saturday. Ramona Press, the official apparel sponsor of the 2016 festival, will be on-site printing three unique designs.

Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

FRIDAY FEATURES Nathan East: For the Record | 12:15 p.m. | Directed by Chris Gero Reminiscent of the Oscar-winning film 20 Feet From Stardom, “Nathan East: For the Record” documents the journey of career session and touring band bassist Nathan East. Director Chris Gero’s film takes viewers behind-the-scenes as one of the most influential bass players in modern music recorded his debut solo album. His long-awaited solo album, Nathan East, features legendary musicians Michael McDonald and Eric Clapton as well as pop artist Sara Bareilles. The record spent four weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart and 34 weeks in the top position on smoothjazz.com. “For The Record” also chronicles Nathan’s three decade plus career from when he hit the road age 16 with Barry White, his session and touring work across musical genres and membership in the legendary jazz quartet Fourplay. The film features interviews with many of the musicians he’s worked with including Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Don Was and more.

Some Beasts | 12:45 p.m. Directed by Cameron Bruce Nelson Living in an insular farming community, Sal Damon, a modern-day Thoreau, seeks solace from a past relationship in Appalachia. After his neighbor dies and he discovers a feral child living on the lam, he must reconcile his place in a world that lives outside of the law. HCFF Notes: Director, Cameron Bruce Nelson will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

TOWER | 2:30 p.m. Directed by Keith Maitland Nearly fifty years ago, a gunman rode the elevator to the twenty-seventh floor of The University of Texas Tower and opened fire. “Tower,” an animated and action-packed documentary, shares the untold story of that day — when the worst in one man brought out the best in so many others.

The Texas-made film dominated the 2016 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, winning best documentary in both the audience and juried competitions in its world premiere. Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Filmmakers Keith Maitland and Hillary Pierce will be in attendance along with former Austin Police Department officer, Ray Martinez, who was integral in ending the deadly UT tower shooting.

Director Michael David Lynch and producer, Kristine Lynch will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

Dependent’s Day | 3 p.m. Directed by Michael David Lynch Michael David Lynch’s quirky relationship comedy will make its Texas debut at this year’s Hill Country Film Festival. Claimed as a ‘dependent’ for tax purposes by his successful bread-winning girlfriend Alice, Cam struggles to prove himself as he stumbles through different jobs and life’s obstacles in the hopes to live out his Hollywood dream and finally rise to the occasion. “Dependent’s Day” is a hilarious, heartfelt, authentic relationship comedy about the adventures of being in love and making it work.

MAD | 4:45 p.m. Directed by Robert G. Putka After a late-in-life divorce, and compounded by bi-polar disorder, Mel finds herself in a psych ward. Her two daughters, Connie and Casey, facing varying problems of their own, would rather dodge the responsibility than care for her. Personal grievances, both petty and pointed, bubble to the surface. Cut to the Chase | 7 p.m. Directed by Blayne Weaver Max Chase (Blayne Weaver) has always been on the wrong side of the law, but his younger sister Isobel (Erin Cahill) always bails him out… Until the day she disappears. Isobel’s abusive boyfriend (Luke Sexton), the district attorney (Patrick Kirton) and the city’s crime boss known as “The Man” (Lance Henriksen) are all suspects in her disappearance. Fearing for the life of his innocent sister, Max dives back into the world of his dark past while being pursued by The Man’s loyal enforcer (Patrick Day). Max’s only ally is a manipulative yet captivating criminal (Lyndie Greenwood), who is also on the run from The Man. Max will do whatever it takes to find his baby sister.

Filmmaker Blayne Weaver will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Weaver is a 2013 HCFF alum – “6 Month Rule.”

FRIDAY,April 29th • 9 p.m – MIdnight

JOIN US!

Open to the public — all ages welcome

after PARTY At west END PIZZA Hill Country Film Festival

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www.HillCountryFF.com

Keeping it “Reel” with HCFF By April Soechting

Some of us are film industry insiders: working actors, writers, directors, producers, musicians and technicians. Some of us were introduced to independent film for the very first time through this group of friends and fell in love with the unexpected, quirky, genuine stories told by artists outside the movie studio mainstream. Some of you have joined us as Film Society members, volunteers, and community supporters and have become part of our Hill Country Film family. If you already love independent film, we can’t wait to see you at the fest (because obviously you reserved an all access badge months ago). If “indie film” sounds like some mysterious thing you’re just not sure about… but you’re still reading anyway… this is the perfect festival to find out for yourself. Even if you don’t fall head-over-heels like we did, you’ll meet new people in a laid-back setting and have a good story or two for Monday morning.

HCFF all-volunteer staff You may have noticed a new tagline on the cover, “Reel Indie, Real Texas,” that we believe reflects the personality of Hill Country Film Festival. We are a group of friends and family who share, among other things, a love of movies and hanging out together. Quite simply, hospitality is how we’re wired. We love to throw fun, come-as-you-are parties, and hosting the festival each year is one of our favorite gatherings – only with a few hundred more friends like you. Hill Country Film Festival

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HCFF was founded by a close-knit group of friends and family.

www.HillCountryFF.com

SATURDAY FEATURES Co-writer Russ Nickel will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening.

Bear with Us | 12:15 p.m. Directed by William Stribling “Bear with Us” is a modern farce about a guy who attempts to propose to his girlfriend in the most romantic way possible, but his plan starts to fall apart when a ravenous bear stumbles upon their charming cabin in the woods. It’s a total comedy of errors that takes a close look at just how far we’ll go to preserve our relationships.

Interwoven | 12:45 p.m. Directed by VW Scheich Starring Academy Award® winner Mo’Nique (“Precious”), “Interwoven” is a drama exploring the human condition and the search for connection. Inspired by true stories of people struggling with love, loss, addiction, homelessness, and suicide, Director VW Scheich weaves together 13 captivating stories to create one compelling tale of how strangers can impact our lives in unimagined ways, thus revealing the fragile ties which bind us all, as everyone searches for their meaning of life.

Filmmakers VW Scheich and Uyen Le will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Scheich and Le won Best Feature Screenplay at the 2014 festival. Stereotypically You | 2:30 p.m. Directed by Benjamin Cox When Charlie Carroll (Aaron Tveit) quits his job and his girlfriend on the same day, it seems as though he’s finally found freedom. But after a quick dip in the dark waters of the NYC dating pool, Charlie begins to wonder if he’s made a mistake. He’s not equipped for single life. In fact, Charlie might not be equipped for life in general. With no job and no love, Charlie is forced to go on a journey of self-discovery so intense that he begins to suffer from surreal hallucinations, flashbacks and fantasies. Will he find “the one?” Or did that ship already sail, taking with it his only hopes for relationship sanity?

Filmmaker Bonnie Edwards will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Hill Country Film Festival

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