2014 Nantucket Film Festival Catalogue by Nantucket Film Festival

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GENERAL INFO FESTIVAL LOCATIONS

SCHOOL TO HIGH SET & ‘SCON

LE ST

NEW WHA

CANDLE ST

EASY ST OA

OA ST

1 ORANGE ST

NTRE ST

ASH

UT S STN

SEA

FAIR ST

CHE

FEDERAL ST

ER ST

LN SEY ST

T IA S IND

HUS

ASH ST

EASTON ST

ST S WATER

S BEACH ST

N WAT

WASHINGTON ST

LN WALNUT WINTER

FESTIVAL LOCATIONS Festival Box Office 1 Film and Headquarters Greenhound Building 10 Washington Street Theater 2 Dreamland 17 South Water Street

Screenings 3 Beach Children’s Beach

Nantucket High School 10 Surfside Road

4 T he Nantucket Hotel and Resort 77 Easton Street

’ Sconset Casino Siasconset 13 New Street

ennett Hall 5 B First Congregational Church 62 Centre Street

MAI

N ST

LILY S

DIRECTIONS TO ’SCONSET CASINO Located on the eastern end of the island, a 15-minute drive from the Greenhound Building: head toward James Coffin Memorial Rotary, continue on Milestone Road for six miles. Make slight left onto New Street, continue a half-mile, and the Casino will be on the right. DIRECTIONS TO NANTUCKET HIGH SCHOOL A 15-minute walk from the Greenhound: walk toward Atlantic Avenue, continue on Surfside Road, and the High School is on the left. A public bus from the Greenhound to Atlantic Avenue/Prospect Street leaves every 15 minutes. Fare is $1 each way.

FILM FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE AND HEADQUARTERS

FESTIVAL PASSES AND TICKET PACKAGES

NANTUCKET RESIDENTS

Greenhound Building | 10 Washington Street

Legacy Circle Pass $2,500 Patron Pass $1,500 Week Package $600 Festival Nights Package $375 $95 Day Package

With a valid Nantucket-issued driver’s license, you can purchase tickets for up to 50% off! Stop by our box office for more details. Passes and Ticket Packages not available at discounted price.

Wednesday, June 18 - Sunday, June 29 Hours of Operation: June 18-20: 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. June 21-28: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. June 29: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Passes and ticket packages ordered prior to the Festival can be picked up here starting Sunday, June 22. Limited sales and will call also available during the Festival at the Dreamland Theater approximately 30 minutes before first scheduled program of the day.

WEBSITE www.nantucketfilmfestival.org

BOX OFFICE CALL CENTER (212) 279-4200 | Open weekdays: 12:00-8:00 p.m.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE (646) 480-1900

PASSES AND TICKET POLICY Patron Pass priority access expires 15 minutes prior to showtime. Doors open approximately 30 minutes prior to all events for Legacy Circle and Patron Pass holders only. All ticket package holders must pre-select films and programs. If you do not pre-select prior to the Festival, vouchers will be provided and can be redeemed at the box office for applicable program tickets, if space is available. Vouchers can also be used for applicable rush lines at venues.

TICKET PRICES $10 Kids’ Shorts $10 Teen View Showcase $15 General Screening $15 Opening Day Film $20 Morning Coffee With…® $25 Staged Reading: Strange Calls $25 Spotlight Film $25 Centerpiece Film $25 Closing Night Film $30 Opening Night Film $35 In Their Shoes…® $35 Special Screening: Safety Last! $60 All-Star Comedy Roundtable $100 Late Night Storytelling Screenwriters Tribute $200

ADMISSION All ticket buyers and pass holders must be present at the venue 15 minutes prior to scheduled start time. We reserve the right to sell any empty seats after that time. No refunds. No exchanges.

RUSH LINES Screenings and events for which no more advance tickets are available will be listed online and at the box office as RUSH. A rush ticket line will form approximately 45 minutes prior to scheduled event time at the venue. Admission will begin approximately 5 minutes before program start time, based on availability. Admission is not guaranteed.

MOBILE APP Check out our brand new mobile app for iPhone and Android: Create a personalized schedule, connect with other NFF-goers through social media, find the best spots for food and drinks, and get instant notifications on screenings and events! Just search for “Nantucket Film Festival 2014” in the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Sponsored by FUZZROCKET.

welcome MYSTELLE BRABBEE executive DIRECTOR I’m thrilled to welcome you to the 19th Nantucket Film Festival. We pride ourselves on the personal and loyal relationships that have grown over nearly two decades of the festival, and we’re honored by the commitment that the majority of our screenwriters, sponsors, community partners, and passholders show by coming back year after year and helping to support the best and brightest filmmaking talents. I’d like to thank a few major sponsors who have not only supported the Festival, but have truly shaped its personality. Showtime has had great impact in several areas, but its greatest gift is to have sustained a major screenplay competition. Last year’s winning feature script, Cake by Patrick Tobin, was fast tracked and is currently in production with Jennifer Aniston starring and executive producing. The White Elephant has been our gracious host hotel for years. EPIX has come in with a bang, giving the Festival a profile beyond Nantucket by licensing the All-Star Comedy Roundtable presented by Ben Stiller for broadcast and this year sponsoring our gala signature program, The Screenwriters Tribute. The All-Star Comedy Roundtable itself has funded our year-round educational programs, enabling us to double the number of Labs available to Nantucket High School students and to find a great local partner in Channel 18. And a sincere thank you to Legacy Circle members for their generous support of the NFF NOW year-round screening series with the Dreamland. Since January of this year, we’ve been able to screen one film a month, and the Q&As after these films have been in depth and very satisfying. Finally, our hardworking team has pounded the pavement to bring you a top-notch cultural event. Every day I am inspired by the new ideas this group brings to the table, and it’s an honor to work with all of them. We welcome our new film program director, Basil Tsiokos, who has curated a cinematic feast for you. From all of us on the staff, we look forward to sharing this year’s Festival with you. Mark your calendars—our 20th anniversary is up next!

BASIL TSIOKOS Film Program Director Since joining the staff of the Nantucket Film Festival at the start of the year, I’ve looked forward to the Festival beginning—to the moment when audiences finally have the opportunity to see the work that has been exciting and inspiring us for months. Celebrate the start of the Festival with our traditional Opening Day Disney•Pixar program—this year, a curated collection of beloved shorts—followed by our Opening Night Film, The Skeleton Twins, a darkly funny comedy starring Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. Our Closing Night Film, Boyhood, is an unprecedented cinematic coming-of-age film, shot over 12 years. In between, I welcome you to discover intriguing new films that explore the pleasures and pitfalls of modern relationships, portraits of unforgettable characters, and much, much more. Our team, which includes another new addition, program and outreach coordinator Sarah Salovaara, has fallen in love with the films in this year’s line-up, and we trust that you, our audience, will as well. See you at the movies!

screenplay competitions SHOWTIME’S TONY COX AWARDS Part of the Nantucket Film Festival since its inception, these jury awards recognize great unproduced screenplays as the best from a pool of submissions each year. The juries are composed of individuals from the film and television community with original, diverse points of view.

In its 19th year, the Screenplay Competition introduces emerging writers to the film industry and proudly continues its mission to incorporate television and short film writers. All winners receive a reception in their honor at the White Elephant and are invited to a mentor’s brunch, where they can discuss their projects with key Festival participants.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY

TELEVISION PILOT

SHORT SCREENPLAY

COMPETITION FINALISTS

COMPETITIONS

COMPETITION

Early Plus Infinity by Clark Carroll Mona Richy Robby and Ray by Oreathia Smith No Man’s Land by Michelle Davidson and Jeffrey R. Field

Hour-Long TV Pilot finalists to be announced Half-Hour TV Pilot finalists to be announced

Short Screenplay finalists to be announced

The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize, a trip to the Festival, and the opportunity to participate in the Screenwriters Colony. (See page 28.)

The winner of each competition receives a $1,000 cash prize.

The winner receives a $500 cash prize.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY JURY BARRY DALE JOHNSON

STEVE SAMUELS

TATIANA SIEGEL

is vice president, national publicity

founded FilmNation Entertainment

rejoined The Hollywood Reporter

for Fox Searchlight Pictures and

with Glen Basner in 2008. Focused

as a film reporter in June 2012.

has supervised publicity cam-

on the sales representation of

She previously worked at the

paigns for films including 127

international film and television

magazine from 2003 to 2007.

Hours, Black Swan, and 12 Years a Slave. Prior

rights as well as the development, production, and

She covered the film business for Variety from

to working at Searchlight, Johnson served as an

financing of feature films, FilmNation has secured

2007 to 2012 and has freelanced for USA Today,

awards consultant for the company, starting with

an industry-leading slate of titles, including Best

the San Francisco Chronicle, and The Nation.

Little Miss Sunshine in 2006.

Picture Academy Award® winner The King’s

Speech and Under The Skin.

TELEVISION PILOT JURY BRANDY BURRE

ANDREW GUEST

ALISON WIlLMORE

is an American

is a writer and producer who

began covering film for the

actress best known for her

began his career on the Emmy

Independent Film Channel, where

portrayal of Theresa D’Agostino

winning series 30 Rock, where

she helped bring editorial content

on the HBO series The Wire.

he won a WGA award. Subse-

to IFC.com. In 2012, she joined

She is currently the subject of Actress, the critically

quently, Guest worked on NBC’s Community and

Indiewire as TV editor, launching the outlet’s

acclaimed documentary by Robert Greene

ABC’s Suburgatory. He is currently co-executive

first-ever television vertical to cover the small

screening here at the Festival and around the

producer on NBC’s new show Marry Me starring

screen from an indie perspective. She is the first

world.

Ken Marino and Casey Wilson.

film critic to be hired by BuzzFeed.

special presentations OPENING NIGHT FILM

OPENING DAY FILM

DISNEY•PIXAR SHORTS

Animation

Writers/Directors: John Lasseter, Jan Pinkava, Bud Luckey, Andrew Jimenez, Mark Andrews, Gary Rydstrom, Doug Sweetland, Enrico Casarosa | Writers: Jason Katz, Erik Benson, Pete Docter | Directors: Ralph Eggleston, Roger Gould, Peter Sohn, Teddy Newton, Saschka Unseld, Kelsey Mann | USA / 1986-2013 / 72 min The Nantucket Film Festival is proud once again to partner with Disney•Pixar on opening day! This collection of beloved short films spans three decades, in which the magic of Pixar brings the commonplace to life, from desk lamps (Luxo Jr.) and umbrellas (The Blue Umbrella) to clouds (Partly Cloudy) and souvenirs (Knick Knack); imbues indelible personality in birds (For the Birds), sheep (Boundin’ ), aliens (Lifted), and magic rabbits (Presto); and even checks in with some familiar faces (Hawaiian Vacation, Party Central) to bring joy and wonder to the kid in all of us.

Craig Johnson in attendance Infused with comedy and heartbreak, Craig Johnson’s Sundance screenwriting award-winner stars Saturday Night Live alums Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as estranged siblings. A crisis forces Milo, shattered from a recent break-up, to move into the home of his equally depressed sister, Maggie. Though bound by their shared sense of humor, fraught adolescences, and currently tumultuous personal lives, they struggle to reconnect. A funny, bittersweet portrait of brother-sister bonds—bolstered by incredible performances from Wiig and Hader and featuring an instantly classic riff on a Starship tune—The Skeleton Twins proves that sometimes you can choose your family.

Narrative

Writer/Director/Producer: Mike Cahill | Producers: Hunter Gray, Alex Orlovsky | Cast: Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi | USA / 2014 / 114 min Mike Cahill in attendance Writer/director Mike Cahill builds on the promise of his acclaimed first feature, Another Earth, with this daring new foray into the metaphysical connections between love and science. Working with his partner, Karen (Brit Marling), molecular biologist Ian (Michael Pitt), a specialist in the evolution of the eye, makes a startling, potentially world-altering discovery—one with profound personal implications. Seeking confirmation of his theories, he sets off halfway across the world to meet his destiny. Fusing science, romance, and mystery, I Origins is an enthralling, intelligent, and utterly original accomplishment.

BOYHOOD

Narrative

Writer/Director/Producer: Richard Linklater | Producer: Cathleen Sutherland | Cast: Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater | USA / 2014 / 164 min Ellar Coltrane and Cathleen Sutherland in attendance Richard Linklater’s latest film is a revelation, a coming-of-age story in which a boy transforms into a young man before viewers’ eyes. Rather than using different actors to portray the same character at various ages, Linklater filmed the same actors, once a year, for more than a decade, capturing the progression of time—an integral part of the story. The film witnesses moments in the life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he navigates growing up from six to eighteen and negotiates his relationship with his divorced parents (Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette).

Mike Cahill is this year’s recipient of the New Voices in Screenwriting Award. (See page 19.)

presented by:

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

CENTERPIECE FILM

Fri, June 27 – 7:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sat, June 28 – 11:00am – Dreamland Studio Theater

Narrative

Writer/Director: Craig Johnson | Writer: Mark Heyman | Producers: Stephanie Langhoff, Jennifer Lee, Jacob Pechenik | Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason | USA / 2014 / 92 min

Wed, June 25 – 5:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Wed, June 25 – 8:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

Wed, June 25 – 1:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater Wed, June 25 – 3:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater

I ORIGINS

THE SKELETON TWINS

Sun, June 29 – 5:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sun, June 29 – 8:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater

spotlight films

BEGIN AGAIN

Narrative

Writer/Director: John Carney | Producers: Anthony Bregman, Tobin Armbust, Judd Apatow | Cast: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, Catherine Keener | USA / 2013 / 104 min Despite her natural songwriting skills, Gretta (Keira Knightley) has stayed in the background, following her boyfriend, Dave (Maroon 5’s Adam Levine), to New York as his music career takes off. But after he breaks her heart, an encounter with washed up record executive Dan (Mark Ruffalo) leads to a creative collaboration that allows Gretta to discover her voice, and Dan to find redemption. Punctuated by catchy songs wonderfully performed by Knightley all around the city, this upbeat comic drama continues the revitalization of the musical begun with writer/director John Carney’s Oscar®-winning Once.

Sat, June 28 – 12:45pm – Dreamland Main Theater

LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM

Documentary

LIFE ITSELF

Documentary

Director/Producer: Rory Kennedy | Producer: Keven McAlester | USA / 2014 / 97 min

Director/Producer: Steve James | Producers: Zak Piper, Garrett Basch | USA / 2014 / 112 min

Rory Kennedy in attendance

Steve James in attendance

Rory Kennedy (Ethel) returns to the Nantucket Film Festival with this stirring chronicle of the eleventh hour U.S. withdrawal from Saigon in the final weeks of the Vietnam War. With the invasion of the North Vietnamese Army imminent, the White House ordered the evacuation of U.S. citizens only—but their South Vietnamese allies flooded embassy grounds seeking help. Kennedy captures the dramatic evacuation from multiple perspectives, weaving little-seen archival footage with interviews, providing a palpable sense of the difficult choices made by those in command—choices whose consequences still reverberate in the present day.

Acclaimed filmmaker Steve James (Hoop Dreams) pays tribute to the late Roger Ebert and to the love of movies in this touching documentary. Using Ebert’s memoir as a launching point, James adroitly traces the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic’s career, demonstrating how Ebert, with sparring partner Gene Siskel, popularized film criticism for the masses. Folded into the film is the story of the health issues that ultimately claimed Ebert’s life, how he adapted to his physical limitations to thrive online, and, most affectingly, his personal life with his beloved wife, Chaz, and their family.

Sat, June 28 – 10:15am – Dreamland Main Theater Sun, June 29 – 5:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

Fri, June 27 – 1:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Sun, June 29 – 2:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater

Steve James is this year’s recipient of the Special Achievement in Documentary Storytelling Award. (See page 19.)

NFF MOBILE APP Sponsored by

LOVE IS STRANGE

Narrative

Writer/Director/Producer: Ira Sachs | Writer: Mauricio Zacharias | Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Jayne Baron Sherman | Cast: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Darren Burrows, Charlie Tahan, Cheyenne Jackson | USA / 2014 / 98 min After nearly four decades together, New Yorkers Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) finally are able to tie the knot. But as a consequence, George loses his longtime job at a Catholic school, forcing the couple out of their beloved apartment. With Ben retired and space at a premium, the pair are forced to separate, moving in with friends and family, which puts a strain on all of their relationships. Lithgow and Molina lead an excellent cast in fully realizing Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias’ profound script about the resilience of love.

Thu, June 26 – 7:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sat, June 28 – 1:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

THE ONE I LOVE

™

Narrative

Writer: Justin Lader | Director: Charlie McDowell | Producer: Mel Eslyn | Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson | USA / 2014 / 91 min Married couple Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss) are having serious relationship problems. While their marriage counselor (Ted Danson) doesn’t seem to be helping, the secluded weekend retreat he suggests might be just what they need to reconnect and work out some issues. But what they experience there is nothing close to what they anticipated. To say more would rob the audience of the joys of discovering Justin Lader’s clever script and Charlie McDowell’s distinct directorial dissection of the unpredictability of relationships, brought to life through astonishing performances from Duplass and Moss.

Sat, June 28 – 5:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

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feature films

112 WEDDINGS

Documentary

Director/Producer: Doug Block | Producer: Lori Cheatle | USA / 2014 / 95 min Doug Block in attendance Director Doug Block’s previous films, 51 Birch Street and The Kids Grow Up, explore themes of love, marriage, and family. For the past two decades, Block has supported his filmmaking career by documenting the relationships of other couples, filming more than 100 wedding videos. While a pivotal part of their special days, he then typically lost touch with these new brides and grooms as they set off for their expected happily ever afters. Curious to see if reality matched their fairy tale fantasies of wedded bliss, Block revisits nine couples for a candid, humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking exploration of the joys and challenges of matrimony.

Documentary

Director/Producer: Michael Rossato-Bennett | USA / 2014 / 74 min

Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory was the winner of the U.S. Documentary Competition Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Michael Rossato-Bennett’s affecting film reveals the remarkable power of music to reawaken those previously considered lost to Alzheimer’s or dementia. When social worker Dan Cohen played familiar music for typically unresponsive nursing home patients, the impact was dramatic and immediate: their eyes would light up, they would begin to sing, and some would even dance. Recognizing the revolutionary potential of this personalized, music-based approach to radically improve their quality of life, Cohen embarks on an inspirational mission to bring iPods to facilities around the country as an alternative to ineffective, and costly, drug treatment. Thu, June 26 – 12:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

Narrative

Writer/Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet | Writer: Clara Roquet Autonell | Producers: Tono Folguera, Jana Díaz Juhl, Sergi Moreno | Cast: Natalia Tena, David Verdaguer | Spain-USA / 2013 / 98 min When an opportunity for Alex to pursue her passion for photography separates her from Sergi, the couple must navigate a long-distance relationship, using technology to bridge the titular distance between Los Angeles and Barcelona. Putting plans for a baby aside until Alex is done with her yearlong residency, the lovers soon discover the limits of virtual intimacy, and their commitment to one another is challenged. In his feature debut, Carlos Marques-Marcet expertly melds form and content, charting the fracturing of a relationship through a series of fragmented virtual encounters that reveal the bittersweet isolation behind our computer screens. Thu, June 26 – 2:30pm – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 4:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

Fri, June 27 – 5:00pm – Nantucket Hotel Sat, June 28 – 11:30am – Bennett Hall

ALIVE INSIDE

10,000KM

AMONG RAVENS

Narrative

Writer/Director: Russell Friedenberg | Director: Randy Redroad | Producers: Teddy Grennan, Heather Rae, Dori Sperko | Cast: Amy Smart, Joshua Leonard, Will McCormack, Natalie Imbruglia, Johnny Sequoyah | USA / 2014 / 90 min Russell Friedenberg and Teddy Grennan in attendance Reminiscent of The Big Chill, Russell Friedenberg and Randy Redroad’s Among Ravens recalibrates relationships among friends who reunite for their annual July Fourth retreat. They are joined by Chad (Will McCormack), an enigmatic nature photographer who unexpectedly bonds with the daughter of the household. While her parents (Amy Smart, Joshua Leonard) try to drive Chad away, others find unsettling cause for introspection reflected in his lens. Among Ravens proves that rather than healing wounds, time may exacerbate them. Sun, June 29 – 9:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

ACTRESS

Documentary

Director: Robert Greene | Producers: Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa | USA / 2014 / 87 min Robert Greene and Brandy Burre in attendance Approaching documentary as melodrama, director Robert Greene presents this mesmerizing portrait of a woman who finds herself having to choose between family and career. Actress Brandy Burre was on the verge of breakout success with a recurring part on HBO’s The Wire when she discovered she was pregnant. Putting acting to the side, she fled the city for the suburbs to begin a family. A few years later, dissatisfied despite her best efforts to embrace her new role, the compelling Burre seeks a comeback, ultimately upsetting the fragile balance of her present domestic life in unpredictable ways.

Sat, June 28 – 7:00pm – Bennett Hall Sun, June 29 – 2:30pm – Nantucket Hotel

APPROACHING THE ELEPHANT Documentary

Director/Producer: Amanda Rose Wilder | Producers: Jay Craven, Robert Greene | USA / 2014 / 89 min Amanda Rose Wilder in attendance Seeking an alternative to America’s troubled educational system, Alex, an idealistic young teacher, opens a small free school in Little Falls, New Jersey, where all classes are optional and determined by student interest, and the only rules that exist are democratically decided upon by both the teachers and the students. Director Amanda Rose Wilder immerses the viewer in this radical and fascinating experiment, chronicling the school’s tumultuous inaugural year. While wonderfully individuated children adapt to unprecedented freedom and must take responsibility for their own learning, Alex and his staff also must contend with the inevitable strong personalities that test the limits of their open community. Sat, June 28 – 2:00pm – Bennett Hall Sun, June 29 – 10:00am – Bennett Hall

Documentary Features presented by:

APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

Narrative

ARLO AND JULIE

Narrative

Writer/Director: Desiree Akhavan | Producer: Cecilia Frugiuele | Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed | USA-UK / 2014 / 86 min

Writer/Director: Steve Mims | Producers: Andrew Cottrell, John Wood, Joe Bailey, Jr. | Cast: Alex Dobrenko, Ashley Spillers, Chris Doubek, Sam Eidson, Hugo Zesati, Mallory Culbert, Annalee Jefferies | USA / 2014 / 76 min

Desiree Akhavan is a triple threat in her feature debut, serving as the writer, director, and star of this frank, funny look at contemporary relationships and their pitfalls. Shirin is twenty-something, Persian-American, and bisexual—and decidedly not out to her traditional parents, who are busy fussing over her overachieving brother’s impending nuptials. Recently single after a bad break-up with her girlfriend, sardonic Shirin tries to figure out what went wrong, even as she makes a fresh start with a new apartment, a new job teaching filmmaking to out-of-control kids, and a headfirst plunge into the deep end of the dating pool.

Steve Mims in attendance

Thu, June 26 – 10:00pm – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 8:00pm – Bennett Hall

Thu, June 26 – 9:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Fri, June 27 – 5:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater

BREAK POINT

Narrative

Documentary

Directors/Producers: Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman | Co-Director: Mark Becker | USA / 2014 / 89 min Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman, and Mark Becker in attendance With short Font Men, 6 min (See page 16.)

In this charming and clever comedy, appealing young couple Arlo and Julie have shared an unremarkable life for three years—he’s a Civil War historian with an office job, and she waits tables in a restaurant. All that changes when anonymous envelopes begin arriving daily, each containing an increasing number of jigsaw puzzle pieces. Soon, their comfortable status quo is upended with intrigue and uncertainty as they rearrange their daily routines to wait for their loquacious postal carrier so they can get to the bottom of the mystery.

CALVARY

ART AND CRAFT

Narrative

Writers: Gene Hong, Jeremy Sisto | Director: Jay Karas | Producers: Gabriel Hammond, Jeremy Sisto, Devin Adair | Cast: Jeremy Sisto, David Walton, Joshua Rush, J.K. Simmons, Amy Smart, Adam DeVine, Chris Parnell | USA / 2014 / 90 min

Writer/Director: John Michael McDonagh | Producers: Chris Clark, Flora Fernandez-Marengo, James Flynn | Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Marie-Josée Croze | Ireland-UK / 2014 / 105 min

Prickly tennis pro Jimmy (Jeremy Sisto) wants to revive his ailing career by making a run at the Grand Slam. But after his latest doubles partner leaves him, he turns to his estranged brother, Darren (David Walton), whose athletic dreams Jimmy crushed long ago when he dropped Darren for a better-ranked player. Now a substitute teacher, Darren reluctantly serves as father figure to his flamboyant preteen student Barry (scene-stealing Joshua Rush), who helps the mismatched brothers find common ground in this sure-toplease comedy.

At the start of this darkly comic murder mystery, Father James Lavelle (Brendan Gleeson) receives a death threat from an unidentified parishioner in the confessional booth. Given a week to put his affairs in order, Lavelle matter-of-factly sets out to visit with his troubled flock, each a lost soul who might be capable of the impending crime. As he tries to prevent his own murder, he must also comfort his visiting daughter, who is reckoning with her own troubles. Writer/director John Michael McDonagh fashions a thought-provoking morality fable about faith and forgiveness.

Wed, June 25 – 9:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Thu, June 26 – 12:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

Sat, June 28 – 10:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

Over the past 30 years, Mark Landis has placed his art in museums across the country—an impressive feat under normal circumstances, but especially noteworthy in this case, because Landis is an art forger. He doesn’t seek financial gain for his copies, but instead donates his work, adopting various identities—from estate executor to Jesuit priest—to facilitate his grifting. Technically, he may not even have committed a crime, but that hasn’t stopped Matthew Leininger, the museum registrar who first discovered Landis’ con, in his mission to end the deception. Fri, June 27 – 4:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Sat, June 28 – 12:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

CAPTIVATED

Documentary

Director: Jeremiah Zagar | Producer: Lori Cheatle | USAUK / 2014 / 96 min In Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart, Jeremiah Zagar presents a cogent critique of our media-obsessed culture with this in-depth look at its origins. In 1991, a small-town New England murder became the harbinger of reality TV when Pamela Smart’s trial was televised. The unprecedented media scrutiny that resulted, and the audience fascination that fed off of it, influenced the guilty verdict. Afterward, continued interest led to adaptations such as the Nicole Kidman film To Die For, enabling the construction of a separate, competing version of the case that has left a troubling legacy. Zagar’s engrossing revisitation of Smart’s trial offers a sobering reflection on the consequences of allowing media to distort fact with fiction. Thu, June 26 – 9:30pm – Bennett Hall Fri, June 27 – 2:00pm – Bennett Hall

feature films

THE CASE AGAINST 8

Documentary

Directors/Producers: Ben Cotner, Ryan White | USA / 2014 / 112 min Amid celebration of Barack Obama’s victory in 2008, LGBT Americans faced the sobering reality that voters in California had elected to ban same-sex marriage through the state’s Proposition 8 ballot initiative. The fight to repeal began immediately. Progressive David Boies and ultra-conservative Ted Olson, legendary foes who had faced off in Bush v. Gore, formed an unexpected legal partnership, and two same-sex couples were chosen to serve as the opposition’s public face. In their award-winning film, Ben Cotner and Ryan White follow their fight all the way to the Supreme Court, simultaneously presenting a fascinating look at the legal process and a human portrait of two loving couples seeking equality under the law.

Sat, June 28 – 9:30am – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 7:30pm – Nantucket Hotel

E-TEAM

Documentary

Directors: Ross Kauffman, Katy Chevigny | Producer: Marilyn Ness | USA / 2014 / 89 min Ross Kauffman in attendance

CREEP

Narrative

DIVIDE IN CONCORD

Documentary

Writer/Director: Patrick Brice | Writer/Producer: Mark Duplass | Producer: Jason Blum | Cast: Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass | USA / 2014 / 80 min

Director: Kris Kaczor | Producers: David Regos, Jaedra Luke | USA / 2014 / 82 min

Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass in attendance

With short Unwanted. Unloved. 9 min (See page 16.)

Responding to a cryptic online ad seeking discreet filming services, Aaron (writer/director Patrick Brice) meets Josef (writer/producer Mark Duplass) in a remote cabin. Amiable, if eccentric, Josef reveals the nature of the project—he has inoperable brain cancer and wants to create a record of a day in his life for his unborn son before it’s too late. Constantly videotaping, Aaron indulges Josef over the course of a long day that begins strangely and gets increasingly creepy, suggesting that Josef and this job are not what they seem. Brice’s feature debut is a clever, darkly funny, and disturbing twist on the found footage genre.

The residents of Concord, Massachusetts take pride in their town’s role in the American Revolution and celebrate direct democracy at annual town meetings where all citizens may propose and vote on bylaws. For two years running, feisty octogenarian Jean Hill has unsuccessfully lobbied to ban the local sale of plastic bottled water. She’s giving her bylaw one last try, facing off against her nemesis, publicist-turned-pundit Adriana Cohen, who balks at having her freedom encroached upon. Divide in Concord is an engaging exploration of participatory democracy and the power of individuals to enact change.

Sat, June 28 – 10:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

Wed, June 25 – 2:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Thu, June 26 – 5:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

GABRIEL

Narrative

Writer/Director: Lou Howe | Producers: Luca Borghese, Ben Howe | Cast: Rory Culkin, David Call, Deirdre O’Connell, Emily Meade, Louisa Krause, Lynn Cohen | USA / 2014 / 78 min

The winner of the U.S. Documentary Cinematography Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Ross Kauffman and Katy Chevigny’s breathtaking film chronicles the dangerous but life-affirming work performed by the Human Rights Watch Emergency Team, or E-Team, intrepid investigators willing to enter hostile territories to document crimes against humanity. Allowing an outside filmmaking team to follow them for the first time, unforgettable E-Team members Anna, Ole, Fred, and Peter travel to warzones in Syria and Libya in harrowing, visceral scenes that demonstrate the real threats they face in their efforts to put an end to dictatorial impunity.

Longing for stability in the throes of mental illness, Gabriel (Rory Culkin) will stop at nothing until he proposes to his high school girlfriend—never mind the fact that they haven’t seen each other in years. Abrasive and irrational, Gabriel nonetheless evokes empathy as he wends his way through New York City and Long Island on his quest, in large part thanks to Culkin’s commanding performance. A sure-footed portrait of a young man on the edge, Lou Howe’s debut feature examines our societal fixation with the nuclear household.

Sat, June 28 – 5:00pm – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 3:00pm – Bennett Hall

Thu, June 26 – 10:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater Fri, June 27 – 6:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

Lou Howe in attendance

Kris Kaczor in attendance

GOODBYE TO ALL THAT

Narrative

Writer/Director: Angus MacLachlan | Producers: Mindy Goldberg, Anne Carey | Cast: Paul Schneider, Melanie Lynskey, Audrey Scott, Anna Camp, Heather Graham, Heather Lawless, Amy Sedaris, Celia Weston | USA / 2014 / 89 min Angus MacLachlan in attendance Angus MacLachlan, writer of Junebug, makes an assured directorial debut with this sweet comedy about divorce and new beginnings. Otto (Paul Schneider) is blindsided when his wife, Annie (Melanie Lynskey), informs him that their marriage is over. He moves out, tries to bond with his young daughter, and begins exploring the world of no-strings-attached online hook-ups, meeting characters like the hot and cold Debbie Spangler. But will the reemergence of his old crush, Laura, at his summer camp reunion open the door to a new life? Thu, June 26 – 7:30pm – Nantucket Hotel Fri, June 27 – 12:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

Documentary Features presented by:

HAPPINESS

Documentary

HAPPY VALLEY

Documentary

Director/Producer: Thomas Balmès | Producers: Juliette Guigon, Patrick Winocour, Kaarle Aho | France-Finland / 2013 / 80 min

Director: Amir Bar-Lev | Producers: John Battsek, Ken Dornstein, Jonathan Koch, Steve Michaels | USA / 2014 / 98 min

Convinced that development would increase his people’s “gross national happiness,” the King of Bhutan announced in 1999 that he would finally allow his country to have television and the Internet. The small village of Laya has been waiting ever since. Taking an understated, observational approach, Thomas Balmès (Babies) follows eight-year-old monk Peyangki and his uncle on a long trip to the nearest city to purchase a television set in anticipation of the imminent arrival of electricity. What he finds there reveals the seductive power, and danger, of progress over a traditional way of life. Exquisitely shot, Happiness was the winner of a cinematography award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Amir Bar-Lev in attendance

Fri, June 27 – 9:30am – Dreamland Main Theater Sun, June 29 – 10:00am – Dreamland Main Theater

Thu, June 26 – 11:00am – Dreamland Studio Theater Fri, June 27 – 2:30pm – Nantucket Hotel

AN HONEST LIAR

Documentary

State College, Pennsylvania, home to Penn State University, has long prided itself on its football program, lionizing head coach, Joe Paterno. But when “Saint Joe” is caught up in the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal, the community splinters. With impressive access to family members and community residents reeling from the accusations, director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) handles an exceedingly difficult subject with deftness, challenging viewers to question the truth they believe they know to seek out thornier, more complex answers about hero worship, the court of public opinion, and their impact on everyday people caught in their wake.

THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY Documentary

Directors/Producers: Justin Weinstein, Tyler Measom | USA-Spain-Italy / 2014 / 90 min

Director/Producer: Brian Knappenberger | USA / 2014 / 105 min

Justin Weinstein in attendance

From an early age, Aaron Swartz showed a prodigious affinity for the Internet, establishing himself as a peer to programmers decades his senior. He became a pioneering information activist and a leader in attempts to push back against Web censorship. Arrested for downloading academic journal articles from MIT, Swartz faced federal prosecution, crippling fines, and 35 years in prison. Denied a plea bargain, he committed suicide. Brian Knappenberger’s The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz is an affecting portrait of a brilliant life cut short, as well as a catalyst for engagement on society’s relationship to technology and information access. In the era of WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden, Swartz’s prosecution—and persecution—won’t be the last.

Renowned magician-turned-paranormal-skeptic James “The Amazing” Randi has been debunking claims of pseudo-science and the supernatural for more than four decades. Incensed that his beloved magic tricks were being co-opted by con artists for their own financial gain at the expense of the gullible general public, Randi and his collaborators have exposed faith healers, psychics, fortune tellers, and gurus around the world, often duplicating their tricks publicly to demonstrate how willing we all are to be deceived. But Randi himself is not immune to self-deception, especially in matters of the heart, as revealed in Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom’s lively and entertaining portrait. Fri, June 27 – 11:30am – Bennett Hall Sat, June 28 – 9:30pm – Bennett Hall

Wed, June 25 – 4:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Fri, June 27 – 11:00am – Dreamland Studio Theater

THE HEART MACHINE

Narrative

Writer/Director: Zachary Wigon | Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Alex Scharfman | Cast: John Gallagher, Jr., Kate Lyn Sheil, David Call, Louisa Krause, Roderick Hill | USA / 2014 / 85 min Zachary Wigon in attendance Zachary Wigon’s impressive feature debut explores the pleasures and perils of virtual relationships. Happy young couple Cody (John Gallagher, Jr.) and Virginia (Kate Lyn Sheil) communicate frequently via Skype—he’s in Brooklyn, and she’s in Berlin, working on an academic project. Despite their deep connection, they’ve never actually met in real life, a situation that soon breeds paranoia, upsetting the delicate balance of their longdistance rapport. What begins as a modern-day romance transforms into an intriguing mystery.

Sat, June 28 – 2:30pm – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 6:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER Narrative

Writer/Producer: Nathan Zellner | Writer/Director: David Zellner | Producers: Cameron Lamb, Chris Ohlson, Andrew Banks, Jim Burke | Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Shirley Venard | USA-Japan / 2014 / 105 min Holed up in her cluttered Tokyo apartment, solitary Kumiko (Academy Award® nominee Rinko Kikuchi) devotes nights away from her dead-end job to compulsive viewings of the Coen brothers’ Fargo. It’s not the film that fascinates her so much as the bundle of cash Steve Buscemi’s character buries beneath the snow in the titular city’s outskirts—a treasure Kumiko believes is tied to her destiny. Based on a true story, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter lays bare the universal human need for adventure and escapism, proving that real life is stranger than fiction.

Wed, June 25 – 7:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Thu, June 26 – 6:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

feature films

LAND HO!

Narrative

MAY IN THE SUMMER

Narrative

Writers/Directors: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz | Producers: Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy, Christina Jennings | Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson, Karrie Crouse, Elizabeth McKee, Alice Olivia Clarke, Emmsjé Gauti | USA-Iceland / 2014 / 96 min

Writer/Director: Susanna Fogel | Writer/Producer: Joni Lefkowitz | Producers: Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker, Jordana Mollick, Brendan Bragg | Cast: Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody, Gabourey Sidibe, Abby Elliott, Mark Feuerstein | USA / 2014 / 93 min

Writer/Director/Producer: Cherien Dabis | Producers: Alix Madigan, Chris Tricarico | Cast: Cherien Dabis, Alia Shawkat, Nadine Malouf, Ritu Singh Pande, Hiam Abbass, Alexander Siddig, Bill Pullman, Elie Mitri | USA-Qatar-Jordan / 2013 / 99 min

Bored with retirement, foul-mouthed former surgeon Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson in a breakout performance) surprises his reserved ex-brother-in-law Colin (Paul Eenhoorn) with an impromptu trip to Iceland, and the odd couple head to Reykjavik to recapture their youth. Like two seventy-something kids in a candy store, they visit ice bars, geothermal spas, and trendy restaurants in an attempt to ignore their fears of growing old and being alone. Set against breathtaking vistas, Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz’s road trip buddy comedy is an immensely pleasurable, if bittersweet, look at aging and companionship.

Susanna Fogel in attendance

Successful New York City author May (Cherien Dabis, past winner of NFF’s Adrienne Shelly Award for Amreeka) gets a severe case of pre-wedding jitters when she returns to her native Jordan for her impending nuptials. Her born-again Christian mother Nadine (Hiam Abbass) objects to her fiancé, a Muslim, since her own intercultural, interfaith marriage to Edward (Bill Pullman) ended in a bitter divorce. Her younger sisters only seem interested in partying, leaving the family drama for May to shoulder as she sorts out her own future in this buoyant comedy drama.

Fri, June 27 – 10:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sat, June 28 – 4:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

Sat, June 28 – 9:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Sun, June 29 – 12:00pm – Dreamland Main Theater

THE NOTORIOUS MR. BOUT Documentary Directors/Producers: Tony Gerber, Maxim Pozdorovkin | USA-Russia / 2014 / 90 min Maxim Pozdorovkin in attendance Who is Viktor Bout? According to the U.S. government, he’s a ruthless international arms smuggler, a view promoted by Hollywood in Lord of War, the Nicolas Cage film inspired by his infamy. But if you ask the good-natured Bout or his devoted wife, Alla, they’ll tell you he is simply a Russian entrepreneur who took full advantage of Russia’s embrace of capitalism after the fall of the USSR. Using a treasure trove of Bout’s charmingly amateurish home movies, juxtaposed with the DEA surveillance footage that eventually led to his conviction, filmmakers Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin skillfully capture competing constructions of Bout’s identity, creating their own version in the process. Thu, June 26 – 1:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Fri, June 27 – 9:30pm – Bennett Hall

LIFE PARTNERS

Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) and Gillian Jacobs (Community) shine in this effervescent comedy about two codependent best friends and the man who comes between them. Sasha (Meester) is a slacker receptionist who tends to date younger, immature women. Her straight BFF, Paige (Jacobs), a lawyer, is unlucky in love—until she meets Tim (Adam Brody). Fearful of losing Paige, Sasha is forced to face what she really wants out of life in this charming debut feature. presented by:

RICH HILL

Documentary

Directors/Producers: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos | Producers: Chris Tragos, David Armillei | USA / 2014 / 92 min Winner of the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Rich Hill is a deeply human look at three adolescents and their impoverished rural home. Filmmakers and cousins Andrew Droz Palermo and Tracy Droz Tragos have roots in the eponymous Missouri town, and they bring a sensitive touch to this richly observed and sublimely shot portrait of teens Andrew, Harley, and Appachey—genuine, multi-faceted characters not typically represented on screen except as stereotypes. Immersing the audience in their environment and in their lives, the film inspires hope that they’ll find a way not only to survive their circumstances, but to thrive despite them. Thu, June 26 – 2:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Fri, June 27 – 7:00pm – Bennett Hall

Thu, June 26 – 4:30pm – Bennett Hall Fri, June 27 – 10:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

SHE’S LOST CONTROL

Narrative

Writer/Director/Producer: Anja Marquardt | Producers: Kiara C. Jones, Mollye Asher | Cast: Brooke Bloom, Marc Menchaca, Dennis Boutsikaris, Laila Robins, Tobias Segal, Robert Longstreet | USA / 2014 / 90 min Ronah (Brooke Bloom), a graduate student in psychology, is completing her training by working as a sex surrogate to help male clients overcome problems with intimacy. Though supportive and nurturing, to protect both her clients and herself she is clear that theirs is a professional relationship. Outside of these sessions, too, Ronah doesn’t allow personal matters, including her brother’s concern over their mother’s health, to affect her. But when she is faced with a particularly challenging new client, Johnny (Marc Menchaca), her rigid demarcations between the professional and the personal threaten to give way.

Fri, June 27 – 9:00pm – Dreamland Studio Theater Sat, June 28 – 6:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

Documentary Features presented by:

SOUNDING THE ALARM

Documentary

THE SUPREME PRICE

Documentary

Director/Producer: John Block | USA / 2013 / 58 min

Director/Producer: Joanna Lipper | USA / 2014 / 75 min

Special screening and conversation with John Block and Bob and Suzanne Wright of Autism Speaks

Joanna Lipper in attendance

Since the 1990s, the number of reported cases of autism has increased dramatically, with the most recent Centers for Disease Control estimates suggesting a prevalence rate of one in 68 children. A decade ago when Bob and Suzanne Wright’s grandson Christian was diagnosed, the couple set out to discover the causes, treatments, and cure for the disorder, and they founded the advocacy organization Autism Speaks. Filmmaker John Block’s moving documentary tells the Wrights’ story, as well as the stories of other families affected by their children’s autism diagnoses, detailing their day-to-day struggles and triumphs as they seek better lives for their loved ones.

Fri, June 27 – 12:00pm – Nantucket Hotel

WARREN

While Hafsat Abiola was attending Harvard in 1993, her father, M.K.O. Abiola, was elected president of their native Nigeria, but he was never permitted to take control of the government. The country’s corrupt military rule refused to relinquish power, M.K.O. Abiola was imprisoned, and the election results annulled. His wife, Hafsat’s mother, Kudirat, took up his struggle and led the nation’s prodemocracy movement, but at a terrible cost. Continuing their legacy, the fearless Hafsat returns to Nigeria to correct the wrongs perpetrated against her parents and her people, and to empower other women to become involved in the struggle for greater democracy and equality.

Writer/Director/Producer: Alex Beh | Producers: Mark Hannah, Jack Heller, Dallas Sonnier, Orian Williams | Cast: Alex Beh, Sarah Habel, Jean Smart, John Heard, Andrew Santino, Joseph A. Nunez, Austin Stowell | USA / 2014 / 84 min Alex Beh in attendance With short Future Hero, 6 min (See page 16.) Unsuccessful in his bid to become a comedian, late twenty-something Chicagoan Warren (Alex Beh) works a dead-end job as a barista. Meanwhile, his dad (John Heard), delays signing the papers to finalize his divorce from Claire (Jean Smart) and insists on painting the family home, though it’s slated for demolition. Warren seems fated to get stuck in a similar rut, until his ex-girlfriend returns to town and rekindles his dreams.

Sat, June 28 – 7:30pm – Nantucket Hotel Sun, June 29 – 11:00am – Dreamland Studio Theater

WATCHERS OF THE SKY

Documentary

Director/Producer: Diana Whitten | Producer: Mitchell Block | Executive Producers: Abigail Disney, Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous | Co-Executive Producer: Jenny Raskin | Co-Producer: Elissa Brown | Animator: Emily Hubley | USA / 2014 / 88 min Diana Whitten in attendance Moved by the plight of desperate women in countries with restrictive reproductive rights, Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts founded Women on Waves, which uses laws governing international waters to bring much-needed abortion and contraceptive services to those with no other recourse. As demonstrated in Diana Whitten’s SXSW award-winning film, despite the religious, political, and logistical obstacles, Gomperts and her team persevere, coming up with creative workarounds that enable them to educate and empower women around the world. Thu, June 26 – 9:30am – Dreamland Main Theater Fri, June 27 – 7:30pm – Nantucket Hotel

Thu, June 26 – 2:00pm – Bennett Hall Sun, June 29 – 12:30pm – Bennett Hall

Narrative

VESSEL

Documentary

WE ARE THE GIANT

Documentary

Director/Producer: Edet Belzberg | Producers: Amelia Green-Dove, Kerry Propper | USA / 2014 / 114 min

Director/Producer: Greg Barker | Producers: John Battsek, Julie Goldman | USA-UK / 2014 / 93 min

Special screening and conversation with Edet Belzberg presented with Facing History and Ourselves on Friday (See page 28.)

Julie Goldman in attendance

The winner of two awards—for editing and animation— at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Edet Belzberg’s masterful film is a meditation on the world’s response to genocide, focused on the man who coined the term, Raphael Lemkin, a Polish Jew who lost 49 relatives in the Holocaust. Belzberg recounts his Sisyphean, and largely unheralded, mission to make the international community take a stand on crimes against humanity, linking his postWorld War II efforts to the work of present-day humanitarians—and showing that we can each take personal responsibility for making the world a better place.

Since 2010, more than a dozen nations have experienced popular uprisings termed the Arab Spring. In a series of portraits, director Greg Barker explores what it means to participate in collective action with the potential to unseat dictators. Osama describes how his Virginia-raised son fought Gaddafi’s forces in Benghazi. Ghassan and Motaz remain committed to peaceful resistance, even as Syria descends into violence. Sisters Maryam and Zainab become pivotal opposition figures while their father suffers in a Bahrain prison. Their stories, underscored by those of resistance leaders from Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrate what drives revolutionaries and reveal the sacrifices they must make.

Fri, June 27 – 2:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sat, June 28 – 4:30pm – Bennett Hall

Thu, June 26 – 7:00pm – Bennett Hall Fri, June 27 – 9:30am – Nantucket Hotel

presented by:

feature films FREE BEACH SCREENINGS NFF is pleased to present FREE nighttime beach screenings at Children’s Beach just after sunset (around 8:00pm) on Thursday and Friday nights. Appropriate for folks of all ages. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and a sweater, and come enjoy something even better than a drive-in: a movie shown on the big screen against a star-filled sky.

WE’LL NEVER HAVE PARIS

Narrative

Writer/Director: Simon Helberg | Director: Jocelyn Towne | Producers: Katie Mustard, Robert Ogden Barnum | Cast: Simon Helberg, Maggie Grace, Melanie Lynskey, Alfred Molina, Zachary Quinto, Jason Ritter | USA / 2014 / 92 min This romantic comedy of errors is based on the real-life story of directors Jocelyn Towne and Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory). Neurotic hypochondriac Quinn (Helberg, also the screenwriter) plans to propose to lovely Devon (Melanie Lynskey). But when he learns his comely co-worker (Maggie Grace) has a crush on him, he instead inadvertently breaks up with Devon, who retreats to Paris in response. Realizing his mistake, Quinn jets to the City of Lights to attempt to win Devon back from the suave French musician who has soothed her broken heart. presented by: Sat, June 28 – 7:30pm – Dreamland Main Theater Sun, June 29 – 1:30pm – Dreamland Studio Theater

PING PONG SUMMER

Narrative

THE MUPPET MOVIE

Writer/Director: Michael Tully | Producers: George Rush, Brooke Bernard, Ryan Zacarias, Michael Gottwald, Billy Peterson, Jeffrey Allard | Cast: Susan Sarandon, Lea Thompson, John Hannah, Amy Sedaris, Marcello Conte, Emmi Shockley | USA / 2014 / 91 min

Writers: Jack Burns, Jerry Juhl | Director: James Frawley | Producers: Jim Henson, David Lazer, Lord Lew Grade, Martin Starger | Cast: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Charles Durning, Austin Pendleton | USA / 1979 / 95 min

It’s the summer of 1985, and 13-year-old Rad and his family have just made their annual trek to Ocean City, Maryland. The suburban hip-hop fanatic meets three people who will make this vacation unforgettable— instant best friend Teddy, local bombshell Stacy, and mysterious next-door neighbor Randi (Susan Sarandon), who, like Rad, harbors a love for ping pong. But trouble ensues when local rich kid Lyle pegs Rad as an easy target. Michael Tully’s charming, and gloriously awkward, love letter to 1980s coming-of-age comedies is the perfect beach movie.

“It’s time to meet the Muppets…” Hot on the heels of this year’s Muppets Most Wanted, celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Muppet Movie, the wacky, delightful romp that catapulted Jim Henson’s gang to the big screen. The Muppets’ classic first feature follows Kermit the Frog as he heads to Hollywood to become a star. Featuring hilarious cameos—from the likes of Mel Brooks, Orson Welles, Madeline Kahn, and Richard Pryor—and the Oscar®-nominated song “The Rainbow Connection,” The Muppet Movie is can’t-miss family fun!

Thu, June 26 – 8:00pm – Children’s Beach

Fri, June 27 – 8:00pm – Children’s Beach

Project: Dreamland Theater Final Identity Client: The Dreamland Foundation (Kit Noble, Marketing Director) Date: 3/22/12

Image Design Studio, LLC PO Box 3221 | Nantucket, MA 02584 ph: 508.257.1335 | e: info@idnantucket.com

PRE-FESTIVAL LAUNCH EVENT: SAFETY LAST! PRIMARY LOGO

ACCOMPANIED BY BERKLEE SILENT FILM ORCHESTRA | presented with: NFF is proud to collaborate with the Nantucket Dreamland Foundation to present a special pre-festival screening of Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last!, featuring a new music score composed and performed live by the Berklee College of Music Silent Film Orchestra.

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Safety Last! (1923), starring comedic genius Harold Lloyd, is widely considered one of the greatest silent films of all time and features the iconic image of Lloyd dangling from a giant clock on the side of a building over a bustling Los Angeles street below. Ensemble conducted by three-time Emmy® nominee Sheldon Mirowitz (Outside Providence, Missing in America). Tickets available at the Dreamland Theater box office and at www.nantucketdreamland.org

in collaboration with:

sponsored by:

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Tuesday, June 24 – 7:30 p.m. – Dreamland Main Theater

short films

FOUREYES

LE REFUGE

shorts program i

REACHING HOME

THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST

94 MIN

Prepare to laugh with this occasionally irreverent collection of comedic shorts.

FOUREYES

THE HYPERGLOT

Writer/Director: Conor Byrne | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 13 min

Writer: Michael Levi Harris | Director: Michael Urie | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 25 min

A 10-year-old boy contends with puberty when he gets a new pair of eyeglasses.

Jake has a knack for languages, but still has trouble talking to women.

THE BADGER’S PROMISE

THE BRUNCHERS

Writers/Directors: Harris Wittels, Armen Weitzman | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 10 min

Writer/Director: Matt Winn | UK / Narrative / 2013 / 19 min

A group of friends on mushrooms fear aliens are invading their yard.

Fearing they’ve become boring, a thirty-something couple tries to go to the newest spot for brunch.

YEARBOOK Writer/Director: Bernardo Britto | USA / Animation / 2013 / 5 min A man struggles to compile the history of the world before the Earth is destroyed.

LE REFUGE Writer/Director: Elliot Thomson | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 22 min An American family thinks they’ve found the perfect spot for dinner while on vacation in Switzerland.

Thursday, June 26 – 9:30 a.m. – Nantucket Hotel Friday, June 27 – 4:30 p.m. – Bennett Hall

shorts program II 88 MIN This grouping of short work focuses on the experiences of women and girls. THE UNKNOWN SEVEN

THE ROUTINE THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST

Director: Alix Lambert | USA / Animation / 2013 / 2 min

Writer: Tara Price | Director: Brian Groh | USA / Narrative / 2013 / 10 min

Writer/Director: Moon Molson | Writer: Eric Fallen | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 17 min

Whimsical animation reveals a young woman’s childhood imaginary friends.

Technology fails a woman isolated in her home.

A mother doesn’t want to hear the news two Army officers are tasked with delivering. Winner of the 2013 Showtime’s Tony Cox Short Screenplay Competition.

PAULINE ALONE BIG GIRL Writer/Director: Janicza Bravo | USA / Narrative / 2014 / Writer/Director: Lisa Melodia | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 16 min

13 min A woman takes unusual steps to connect with strangers.

A six-year-old must act like a big girl the day her mom keeps her out of school.

THE CLEAN UP

REACHING HOME

Writer/Director: Jesse Allen | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 13 min

Writer/Director: Kenneth Murphy | USA / Narrative / 2014 / 17 min

Two office cleaners try to hide the dirty truth behind a businessman’s death.

Thursday, June 26 – 11:30 a.m. – Bennett Hall Sunday, June 29 – 12:00 p.m. – Nantucket Hotel

Still adjusting to life on her own, Janet finds her plans for a happy family holiday upended.

short films

BAXTER

THE GALLANT CAPTAIN

CHERRY POP

KEHINDE WILEY

kids’ shorts 78 MIN Enjoy a new collection of family-friendly animated and live-action shorts great for ages 4-11. TUMBLEWEED TANGO

THE GALLANT CAPTAIN

Writer/Director: Samuel Stephens | USA / Animation / 2013 / 3 min

Writer/Director: Graeme Base | Director: Katrina Mathers | Australia / Animation / 2013 / 8 min

A balloon dog must navigate treacherous terrain to find true love.

An imaginative boy and his cat set sail for adventure.

BLUE BAXTER Writers/Directors: Katelyn Bianchini, Rena Cheng, Asia Writer/Director: Ty Coyle | USA / Animation / 2013 / 3 min

Lancaster | USA / Animation / 2013 / 8 min

An obsessive raccoon gets up to no good in a candy store.

A balloon fears for his safety when he passes into the hands of a young boy.

FAIRYTALE Writer: Justin Small | Director: Kyle Laffey | USA / Narrative / 2013 / 6 min Two medieval knights battle to impress a beautiful princess.

THE MORNING OF EVERYTHING

FORTISSIMO Writer/Director: Noah Wagner | Writers: Matt Stephenson, Maxwell Nicoll | USA / Narrative / 2013 / 14 min A washed-up mime draws inspiration from a young girl with an unexpected talent.

THE DAM KEEPER Writers/Directors: Dice Tsutsumi, Robert Kondo | USA / Animation / 2014 / 18 min

Though picked on at school, young Pig works hard to protect his town from danger, until a new student SNOW BOAT changes everything. Writer: Samantha Aguiar | Director: Mirror Su | USA / Animation / 2013 / 6 min When the sun comes out in an ice world, a man builds a boat to protect his snow companion.

Writer/Director: Jeff Stern | USA / Narrative / 2013 / 12 min This love letter to fatherhood involves a dad, his threeyear-old, and a lost owl.

Thursday, June 26 – 9:00 a.m. – Bennett Hall Sunday, June 29 – 9:30 a.m. – Nantucket Hotel

95 MIN documentary shorts These five short documentary portraits feature fascinating pets, people, and places. CHERRY POP: THE STORY OF THE AERODROME WORLD'S FANCIEST CAT Director: Devin Pickering | USA / 2013 / 18 min Director: Kareem Tabsch | USA / 2014 / 11 min

KEHINDE WILEY: AN ECONOMY OF GRACE

Before Lil Bub and Grumpy Cat, a cat named Cherry Pop

Painter Kehinde Wiley, acclaimed for recasting classic portraiture with African-American men, turns his focus to female subjects.

Pilots recapture the magic of the early days of flight in this stunningly shot film.

took the pre-Internet world by storm.

THE NEXT PART ONE YEAR LEASE Director: Brian Bolster | USA / 2014 / 11 min Get to know Rita, a cat-loving landlady with a propensity for hysterical voicemail messages.

Director: Jeff Dupre | USA / 2014 / 39 min

Director: Erin Sanger | USA / 2014 / 16 min A young woman struggles to start a family despite her husband’s severe war injuries.

Saturday, June 28 – 9:00 a.m. – Bennett Hall Sunday, June 29 – 5:30 p.m. – Bennett Hall

shorts before features FONT MEN FUTURE HERO UNWANTED. UNLOVED.

Before Art and Craft, page 9.

Before Warren, page 13.

Before Divide in Concord, page 10.

Director: Dress Code | USA / Documentary / 2013 / 6 min

Writer/Director: Ramin Serry | USA / Narrative / 2013 / 6 min

Director: Kit Noble | USA / Documentary / 2013 / 9 min

Typographers Jonathan and Tobias shape the way we see the world.

When his son travels back from the future, Adam realizes he’s got to man up.

Nantucket resident Matthew Oates sees potential where others see junk.

NFF19 AWARDS SHOWTIME’S TONY COX AWARDS FOR SCREENWRITING IN A FEATURE FILM & SHORT FILM These awards are bestowed upon remarkable contributions to the art of screenwriting. All narrative feature-length and narrative short films in the Nantucket Film Festival line-up are eligible in their respective categories.

presented by:

BEST WRITER/DIRECTOR This award honors a filmmaker who displays both storytelling skill and directorial innovation in a feature film.

BEST STORYTELLING IN A DOCUMENTARY FILM This honor goes to an outstanding documentary filmmaker for indelible and unique work in non-fiction storytelling.

BEST SHORT FILM A jury of industry professionals selects the best short film. See below.

presented by:

™

AUDIENCE AWARDS A festival favorite, these awards are chosen by you, our audiences! Cast your votes for Best Feature and Best Short after the first screening of each film.

THE ADRIENNE SHELLY FOUNDATION EXCELLENCE IN FILMMAKING AWARD

This award recognizes a promising female writer/director through the Nantucket Film Festival with a $5,000 grant from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation (ASF) in honor and remembrance of Adrienne Shelly’s film legacy. Previous recipients of the ASF Award at the Nantucket Film Festival include Penny Lane, as director of Our Nixon, and American Teen director Nanette Burstein. Filmgoers loved Adrienne Shelly’s wit, charm, and acting prowess in Hal Hartley’s classics Trust and The Unbelievable Truth, and in more than 20 other films. As a filmmaker, Shelly wrote and directed several shorts before moving on to features with Sudden Manhattan (1997) and then I’ll Take You There (1999), which garnered her a Best Director Award from the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. She wrote the critically acclaimed Waitress while pregnant. It went on to generate $22 million at the box office and was a major DVD success.

TEEN VIEW ON NFF AWARD A teenage jury gives this award to the short film deemed the most inspiring. See page 24.

shorts jury The NFF Shorts Jury reviews and selects the best unproduced screenplay from the Tony Cox Short Screenplay Competition and Best Short Film and Best Screenwriting in a Short Film from the Short Films Program. DANIELA BAJAR

JEFFREY BOWERS

EMILY DOE

was program director of the

handles programming at three

is a short film programmer for the

Nantucket Film Festival for four

different New York festivals

Sundance Film Festival. She also

years. Today she serves as

—Rooftop Films, Tribeca

works for the San Francisco Inter-

program manager for Pradga and

Film Festival, and the Hamptons

national Film Festival, bringing films

founder-director of the boutique distribution com-

International Film Festival. He also writes and

and filmmakers into classrooms around the Bay

pany Magic Lantern. She holds an M.A. in cinema

curates a weekly short film column for VICE.

Area. Previously, she was an editor at Wholphin DVD.

studies from New York University and a B.A. in screenwriting from Argentina’s University of Film.

THE 2014 SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE SATURDAY, JUNE 28 ’SCONSET CASINO

COCKTAILS AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENTATION AT 8:00 P.M.

SCREENWRITERS TRIBUTE AWARD AARON SORKIN If a writer’s success can be judged by the development of a recognizable voice, then Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin is one of the most successful writers for film, television, and theater in the United States. His quick and clever dialogue, canny observation of modern workplace relationships, and savvy political commentary are instantly identifiable, yet unique to each new project. At the age of 28, Sorkin made his Broadway debut with the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men. In 1993, his film adaptation of A Few Good Men was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and five Golden Globes, including Best Screenplay. He went on to pen acclaimed screenplays for Malice, The American President, and Charlie Wilson’s War. In 2011, Sorkin won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, Critics Choice Award, Writers Guild of America Award, USC Scripter Award, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award (BAFTA) for his adapted screenplay for The Social Network. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and was named Best Drama at the Golden Globes. Sorkin then adapted Moneyball, which won the Critics Choice Award and New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Sorkin’s next film project is an adaptation of Steve Jobs, the Walter Isaacson biography of the late Apple co-founder. Additionally, he has acquired rights to The Politician, Andrew Young’s bestseller about the downfall of former senator John Edwards. Sorkin will make his directorial debut with that film, which he will also produce. On television, Sorkin has been a game-changer, responsible for

A FEW GOOD MEN

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE WEST WING

creating some of the most indelible programming of the last 20 years. He created and produced the NBC series The West Wing, which received a total of 26 Emmy Awards during its run and won Sorkin two Peabody Awards, the Humanitas Prize, a Golden Globe Award, and a Writers Guild of America Award. Sorkin also produced and wrote the ABC series Sports Night series The Newsroom. and the hit HBO The Nantucket Film Festival is honored to pay tribute to Aaron Sorkin for his significant contribution to American cinema and television. His storytelling and character development are rich and nuanced, portraying situations of intense moral complexity, and his dialogue is unrivaled. We’re eager to see where he takes us next. FILM CREDITS:

TELEVISION CREDITS:

Moneyball (co-credit) (2011)

The Newsroom (2012-present), creator and executive producer

The Social Network (2010) Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) The American President (1995) Malice (1993) A Few Good Men (1992)

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007), creator and executive producer The West Wing (1999-2003), creator and executive producer Sports Night (1998-2000), creator and executive producer

Award presented by

bradley WHITFORD

presented by:

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING AWARD STEVE JAMES Documentary filmmaker Steve James is best known for his work as director, producer, and editor of Hoop Dreams, which late film critic Roger Ebert (the subject of James’ Life Itself) deemed “the best film of the 90s.” Upon its release, Hoop Dreams garnered every major critic’s prize, as well as a Directors Guild of America Award and a Peabody Award. James’ other award-winning films include Stevie; the miniseries The New Americans; and At the Death House Door. James’ 2011 film, The Interrupters, was his fifth to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and won an Emmy. Life Itself, based

HOOP DREAMS

THE INTERRUPTERS

on Ebert’s memoir of the same name, delves into the critic’s belief that movies could change lives—something that James himself has proven time and again. We’re honored to have the opportunity to recognize Steve James whose thoughtful documentaries inspire national conversations on the topics they cover.

LIFE ITSELF SCREENS: FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – 1:30 P.M.– DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – 2:30 P.M. – DREAMLAND MAIN THEATER

presented by:

NEW VOICES IN SCREENWRITING AWARD MIKE CAHILL Mike Cahill is fast becoming known for intelligent screenplays that combine science and compelling narrative. I Origins, which Cahill also directed and produced, won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Cahill co-wrote and directed the 2011 film Another Earth with Brit Marling. Another Earth also won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, as well as a Special Jury Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and it was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures and released in July 2011. Additionally, Cahill directed the documentary Boxers and Ballerinas and edited the acclaimed music documentaries Everyone Stares:

ANOTHER EARTH

I ORIGINS

The Police Inside Out and Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man. We’re thrilled to recognize Cahill’s originality and honor him at the start of what promises to be a long and fascinating career.

I ORIGINS SCREENS: FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – 7:30 P.M. – DREAMLAND MAIN THEATER SATURDAY, JUNE 28 – 11:00 A.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER

ALL-STAR COMEDY ROUNDTABLE PRESENTED BY BEN STILLER HOSTED BY MICHAEL IAN BLACK For the last five years, Ben Stiller has brought together some of his favorite writers, directors, and performers for the All-Star Comedy Roundtable. For the sixth annual edition, we are delighted to present a roster of comedy’s brightest rising stars engaging in an insightful, inspiring, and hilarious conversation about their big breaks and what they have in store. Michael Ian Black began his career with The State, a sketch comedy troupe he co-founded at New York University that then had a successful run on MTV. He wrote the screenplay for Run, Fatboy, Run. Michael has appeared in both television and film with Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911!, and Burning Love.

VIDEO GREETING FROM BEN STILLER

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – 2:00 P.M. NANTUCKET HIGH SCHOOL

2014 PARTICIPANTS

BILLY EICHNER is known for his in-your-face interview style on his show Billy on the Street. Eichner recently landed a co-starring role in the new Amy Poehler produced television series Difficult People.

RON FUNCHES writes for Comedy Central's Kroll Show. His unique and nonchalant delivery has garnered him a cult following on the standup circuit. This summer, he will be starring in NBC's comedy Undateable.

BENEFITING NFF TEEN VIEW The proceeds generated from the All-Star Comedy Roundtable in 2013 allowed the NFF Teen View Program to expand to eight writing, directing, and editing labs this year. See page 24 for information on the 2014 Teen View labs.

JENNY SLATE stars in the indie hit Obvious Child . Slate also employs a deadpan style on her cult web series Marcel the Shell, NBC’s Parks and Recreation, and Comedy Central’s Kroll Show.

LATE NIGHT STORYTELLING AN EVENING OF FIVE-MINUTE CURATED STORIES TOLD BY ISLANDERS AND GUESTS OF THE FESTIVAL

THEME: ROOKIES Rookies. First-timers. Newbies. A time when bravery trumped knowledge. They say you always remember your first time, and we want to hear about it! Tell us a tale about your freshman woes, whether it was your first date, first job, first time away from home, or the first time you felt like you were really living. Disclose the sordid details of whatever it was that made you rookie of the year to our storytelling audience.

“ She just kept shouting, ‘I’m Shannon Daly. Take me to Hyannis!’” – Jim Bowers

Join us at ‘Sconset Casino as we welcome a group of handpicked storytellers who are ready to spill their most embarrassing and heroic tales.

HOSTED BY OPHIRA EISENBERG Ophira Eisenberg is a comedian and writer and the host of NPR’s weekly comedy trivia show, Ask Me Another. Her debut memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, was recently optioned for a feature film by Zucker Productions. She is a regular host and storyteller for The Moth.

“ Even the guy who hated me the most borderline stalks me on Facebook.” – Ophira Eisenberg

“ We didn’t know what to do so we Googled ‘smuggling a dog out of China.’ I don’t know why I’m surprised but there were, like, 1,000 hits.” – Roger Ross Williams

“ There we were dancing to ‘Love Shack’ when the spotlight hit us and he leaned in to kiss me–right in front of my ex-husband and his new wife.” –Bonnie Levinson

COCKTAILS AND STORIES FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – 8:00 P.M. ’SCONSET CASINO

presented by:

“ So when you are casting a butt double, usually someone comes in, says yeah they are having a great day and then shows you their butt.” – Jace Alexander

special events STAGED READING The Nantucket Film Festival’s long list of screenplay readings demonstrates its commitment to the written word. This year, we are thrilled to bring you a TV script.

STRANGE CALLS written by DONICK CARY In the offseason on Nantucket things get weird. Really weird. Boston cop Toby Banks has been exiled to the island to answer the strange calls that come into the police station. This is a job that no one wants—for very good reason.

CAST INCLUDES

Tom Cavanagh

ANTHONY EDWARDS

FRED WILLARD

Credits include Ed, Scrubs, Eli Stone, The Following, Breakfast with Scot, and Providence.

Credits include ER, Zodiac, Top Gun, Northern Exposure, and Revenge of the Nerds.

Credits include Best in Show, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Waiting for Guffman, This Is Spinal Tap, and Modern Family.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 – 6:00 P.M. DREAMLAND MAIN THEATER

IN THEIR SHOES...® WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS Chris Matthews brings the outspoken and impeccable interviewing skills he has honed on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews and NBC’s The Chris Matthews Show to engage renowned Festival guests in in-depth conversations. Here at the Nantucket Film Festival, Matthews has delved into the lives and careers of Glenn Close, Nancy Meyers, Vera Farmiga, David O. Russell, Frank Langella, and more.

F E A T U R I N G 22

Bradley Whitford Kicking off the festival’s two-part series, Chris will sit down with Emmy-award winner Bradley Whitford (The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) to discuss his celebrated acting career in television and film as well as his recent foray into political journalism (The Huffington Post, Real Time with Bill Maher). –

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 – 4:00 P.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER

AARON SORKIN Our esteemed Screenwriters Tributee will discuss his critically acclaimed body of work as a scribe for film, television, and theater. SATURDAY, JUNE 28– 2:00 P.M. – DREAMLAND MAIN THEATER

conversations MORNING COFFEE WITH...® A Festival favorite from day one, Morning Coffee With…® offers a chance to hear captivating and inspiring working tales from the filmmakers’ perspective. This year’s Morning Coffee With…® is sure to entertain as it serves up both highly anticipated festival attendees and a delectable assortment of coffee and treats.

presented by:

HOSTS INCLUDE RAUL ESPARZA

DONICK CARY

JONATHAN BURKHART

KATHLEEN MATTHEWS

Four-time Tony-nominated actor known for his work on Broadway and television, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Hannibal.

Executive Producer of New Girl and Parks and Recreation, and former writer for The Simpsons and Late Show with David Letterman.

Founder of NFF and producer of Higher Ground, The Last Keepers, and Peace, Love & Misunderstanding, as well as television and theater.

NFF Board chair and award-winning journalist and currently the chief communications and public affairs officer for Marriott International.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 – 9:00 A.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – 9:00 A.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 – 9:00 A.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – 9:00 A.M. – DREAMLAND STUDIO THEATER

AFTERNOON TEA AND TALKS Take a break between afternoon screenings and come to the Dreamland Theater’s beautiful Harborview Room for a lively, moderated conversation with select Festival guests over tea and treats. Access available for all Festival pass and ticket package holders with badge.

GUESTS INCLUDE

cathleen sutherland Cathleen Sutherland

Ellar Coltrane ellar coltrane

The producer and the star of one of this year’s most-talked about features, Boyhood, NFF’s Closing Night Film, talk about the decade-in-the-making film. (See page 6.)

Steve James steve james

Rory Kennedy

Special Achievement in Documentary Storytelling recipient for 2014 Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Life Itself) and 2012 honoree Rory Kennedy (Ethel, Last Days in Vietnam) reveal the stories behind their critically acclaimed films. (See page 19.)

CONVERSATION WITH CATHLEEN SUTHERLAND & ELLAR COLTRANE CONVERSATION WITH STEVE JAMES & RORY KENNEDY SATURDAY, JUNE 28 – 12:30 P.M. – DREAMLAND HARBORVIEW ROOM SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – 12:00 P.M. – DREAMLAND HARBORVIEW ROOM

education AT THE FESTIVAL

TEEN VIEW SHORTS SHOWCASE AT NFF As part of our commitment to youth education, we’re rolling out the red carpet for student filmmakers. This event features eight shorts that are the work of students from Nantucket High School who participated in the winter and spring Teen View Labs, where they wrote, directed, produced, and edited a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and mockumentary projects. Students were given access to professional equipment and now will have the opportunity to experience their work with a festival audience.

TEEN VIEW INTENSIVE

TEEN VIEW JURY

Students in our year-round Teen View Labs may also participate in this weeklong crash course in production. The students use footage shot as part of a live production crew (NCTV18) to make videos for the NFF website.

Five Nantucket eighth graders will screen this year’s shorts, discuss each one, and in the process learn the fundamentals of critical film analysis. At the end of the Festival, the jury will give the Short Film Award to the filmmaker whose short best inspires discussion.

Program director and screenwriter/director Jeff Tocci is a year-round Nantucket resident. As executive director, Tocci has developed Nantucket Community Television into one of the most advanced public access stations in the country. Katie Castle, Ally Loredo, Emmet Daly, and Ronan Daly are participating.

This year’s Teen View on NFF Jury is composed of Nantucket eighth grade students Caroline Richards, Celia Gillum, Angela Muhler, Mac French, and Ramon Partida (pictured left to right). Jury coordinator | Kristen Kellogg

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – 9:00 A.M. BENNETT HALL

Teen View programs in collaboration with Nantucket Community Television under the direction of Jeff Tocci

YEAR-ROUND LABS TEEN VIEW LABS Nantucket High School students participating in our Teen View Labs have an opportunity to develop the basic skills required to write, shoot, and edit documentaries and narrative films. Students spend the spring in the Labs creating films from four to seven minutes long. The students’ films are then analyzed and critiqued by their peers. The finished films have their world premiere screenings during the Festival. Teen View Filmmaking Lab students this year were Grace Bartlett, Virginia Bullington, Katie Castle, Ronan Daly, Emmet Daly, Ty Fleischut, Ally Laredo, Alex Monto, Cecilia Ponsati, Sophie Proch, Mike Viveiros, and Courtney Yancy. STORYTELLING IN FILM LAB: January 31-February 2 LIGHTING AND INTERVIEWS LAB: February 15-16 CAMERA TRAINING: February 28 - March 1 REVISITING THE STORY LAB: March 7-9 EDITING I LAB: April 25-27 EDITING II LAB: May 2-4 PEER REVIEW LAB: May 31 ADDING GRAPHICS AND PRIVATE SCREENING LAB: June 7-8

Nantucket Film Festival Year-Round Labs presented with:

NFF NOW AND BEYOND NFF NOW In January 2014, the Nantucket Film Festival and the Nantucket Dreamland Foundation proudly announced the launch of NFF Now, a yearround programming initiative that features the season’s best feature films, followed by Q&As with the films’ directors. The Festival enlisted the guidance of Nantucket residents in shaping this program, and through NFF Now we have further realized our mission of bringing excellent storytelling and cultural awareness to the island year-round. THIS YEAR’S SCREENINGS INCLUDED

DESERT RUNNERS

January 9, 2014

FINDING VIVIAN MAIER February 12, 2014

PARTICLE FEVER

March 13, 2014

THE GALAPAGOS AFFAIR

Project: Dreamland Theater Final Identity Client: The Dreamland Foundation (Kit Noble, Marketing Director) Date: 3/22/12

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