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Letter from the Executive Producer Welcome to ReadingFilmFEST 2016!!! On behalf of Pennsylvania’s Americana Region, formerly GoGreaterReading Visitors Bureau, the Berks Arts Council, our business and hotelier sponsors and scores of volunteers… Welcome to the ReadingFilmFEST! We are so excited to have you here! ReadingFilm is proud to lead the newly designed FEST for a second year. With more than 2000 film festivals in the U.S., our contribution is a festival built on the philosophy that earns our film office the respect of filmmakers and producers: treat every filmmaker as if they are an Oscar or Emmy winner and provide the best concierge-like service possible. We make it easy to film in Greater Reading, we want it to be easy to showcase your films here as well. We want to be the filmmaker’s film festival – planned by filmmakers for filmmakers. In the interest of supporting independent filmmaking everywhere and our continuing effort to be bold in the films we select and the program we present, we took two important steps this year. First, we’ve added a StudentFEST film competition, educational opportunities, and outreach to local high school and college students. A mission of ReadingFilm is to grow the local film production community. The StudentFEST is an important step in this direction. Second, although ReadingFilmFEST has a no waiver policy, we are aware that filmmakers from some countries are not able to submit because of their country’s economic barriers to trade. In 2016, we created an exception and offered submission fee waivers to filmmakers from countries with restricted trade who prevent their artists from participating. Two of those films are being featured in our festival’s Middle East Block. Reading/Berks County, PA has once again stepped up for the arts and culture! Lead by the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, our generous Hospitality Sponsor, we are happy to welcome Hoffmann Communications, Boscov’s, Performance Toyota, Empire Builders, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Berks Packing to our distinguished roster of sponsors. And, we gratefully welcome back Tompkins VIST Bank, Customers Bank, Lisa Tiger Homes and Bullfrog Films, as well as the Berks Arts Council, Wyomissing Foundation, Berks Products Foundation and PA Partners in the Arts, of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. There are many more who serve as reception hosts and sponsors. Then there are our volunteers, more than 50, who are so welcoming and helpful, and so excited about celebrating film with our honored filmmakers and our audience. Please take a moment to review the all of the wonderful companies, organizations and individuals acknowledged in our awesome program by Hoffman Communications, who are “making movies happen here” in Reading/Berks County. I want to personally acknowledge some members of the FEST “crew” who play such an important role in the ReadingFilmFEST production – Tracy Schott, our Festival Director, Sue Lange, Associate Director, both fine filmmakers, too, and Tara Sands, Program Manager, along with Karen Lynn Haver, Berks Arts Council Executive Director, and Crystal A. Seitz, President, Pennsylvania’s Americana Region. All these exceptional individuals, and the outstanding companies represented on the following pages of this program, have contributed to the success of our 2016 FEST. To our filmmakers - thanks for sharing your storytelling gifts with our audiences! To our visitors – thanks for joining us, come back often! To our local community – thanks for supporting us, we are so grateful! Santo D. Marabella Executive Producer, ReadingFilmFEST Film Commissioner, ReadingFilm (a Visit PA Americana Region production)
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Pennsylvania’s A mericana Region welcomes Readi are delighted to ngFilmFEST 20 have so many ta 16! We lented filmmaker our beautiful loca s and film enthusia le. Greater Readi sts in ng, Berks Count tion to the arts an y celebrates your d wishes you wel dedical in the film com petition. Pennsylvania’s A mericana Region is a venue, we offer a film-friendly dest hospitable comm ination. As a film unity, an able wor convenient locatio kforce, an afforda n, and a destinat ble and ion ripe for visual urban areas, lush media. Keep our countr yside, quai diverse nt Main Streets, covered bridges, scenic mountains magnificent arch , historic itecture, and uniq your next projec ue resources in m t. Great films ha ind for ppen here! Welcome! Crystal Seitz President, Pennsy lvania’s American a Region, Reading-Berks C ounty
ingFilmFest 2016 g organization Welcome to Read led to be a sponsorin ril th e ar we il, nc who is here to rks Arts Cou iation to ever yone ec pr ap On behalf of the Be r ou nd te ex st have been gFilmFest. I of ReadingFilmFe ff sta e of the 2016 Readin th d an ilm fest with a great g. ReadingF e filmmaker’s film tru a celebrate filmmakin g in m co be is ssible without a festival that e festival is not po Th s. working to create m fil l na io at the festival l and intern mmakers, panelists, fil e th mix of local, nationa rs, ro ju e th for coming and dedication of k you to ever yone an th d the hard work and an , em th to ff. Thank you committee and sta aking! , the Art of Filmm us celebrating, with Karen Lynn Haver il Berks Arts Counc or ct ire D ive ut Exec
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Festival Director Welcome Welcome to ReadingFilmFEST - the Filmmaker’s Film Festival! As filmmakers, we love going to festivals, meeting our audiences, hanging with other filmmakers and finding new opportunities to develop our craft! We created this festival to cater to the producers, directors, writers, crew and talent who bring movies to life. We’re thrilled that so many of them are here to represent their work and meet you, their audience. Please give them a big Reading welcome! The 2016 ReadingFilmFEST is presenting a diverse group of short and feature length narrative and documentary films from around the country and around the world. This line-up has something for everyone - thrillers, romantic comedies, drama, foreign selections, and inspiring and topical documentaries. Once again, ReadingFilmFEST will feature a block of Made in Reading films created by local filmmakers. It is always fun to see your hometown and people you know on the big screen. We think you’ll be surprised and impressed by this block of work. Don’t miss it! ReadingFilmFEST is also pleased to present our first StudentFEST – a wonderful selection of the best student films from high schools and colleges from around the region and beyond. As filmmakers, we know how important it is to continually challenge yourself, follow the technology, and find new ways to get your work out there. This year’s educational opportunities will be of interest to both professional and student filmmakers, and to anyone out there who’d just like to learn more about the business! Check out the schedule on Saturday to learn more. We hope you plan to spend the whole weekend with us! From Friday evening’s Opening Gala to Sunday evening’s Special Film Selection, The Father and the Bear, with Hollywood filmmaker and Chambersburg native, John Putch, ReadingFilmFEST 2016 has something for everyone! Welcome! Tracy Schott ReadingFilmFEST Director
ReadingFilmFEST Staff Santo D. Marabella Executive Producer - ReadingFilm co-founder, Santo D. Marabella has served as the Film Commissioner since 2006. He wrote and executive produced LOCATION! LOCATION! to promote Reading/Berks County as a “location destination” for film, TV and new media projects. Other screen credits include SENIOR EXPOITS (Writer/Executive Producer); THEN CAME YOU (Executive Producer); BREAKING THE HABIT (Executive Producer); AMERICAN STANDARD (Producer); and, A PERFECT YOU (Producer). Santo is a Professor of Management at Moravian College.
Tracy Schott Festival Director - Tracy Schott is a producer/director and founder of Schott Productions, and has created hundreds of film and video projects, including television commercials, web-content, corporate communications, theatrical and event content. Tracy produced ReadingFilm’s LOCATION! LOCATION! She directed the Emmy-nominated DREAM WEDDINGS for 3 seasons, and recently completed the award-winning documentary film examining intimate partner violence, FINDING JENN’S VOICE.
Sue Lange Associate Director - Sue Lange is a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. Sue Lange’s short film, A PERFECT YOU, has been nominated for Best Comedy and Best Production Design in the 2016 Southampton International Film Festival. Currently her project, AMAZING BERKS, is available at a youtube near you. She is the resident playwright for the Reading Theater Project. She also writes the Got Club column in the Reading Eagle.
Tara Sands Program Coordinator- Tara is the current President and Artistic Chair at Fleetwood Community Theatre and has been managing, directing, or designing shows for the past 18 years. She has a BFA from Syracuse University and appreciates everything the arts can provide. Tara works full time as a Retail Manager. This is Tara’s first year helping as the Program Coordinator for ReadingFilmFEST and she is very happy to have been able to help bring this great event to Berks County.
Volunteers
Table of Contents
Yasiris Alvarado
Lisa Tiger
Jim Blickle
Carol Toomey
About our Film Selection
10
Liz Clark
Albert Walentis
Adry Eberhard
Matthew Walsh
Awards Judges
11
Natalie Farst
Lauren White
Weekend Schedule
12
Theresa Gettle
Chris Woodward
Film Descriptions
14
Shannon Harris
Jani Wolf
Erin Healy
Kathleen Yarmush
Educational Programs
24
Stefanie Henne
Amanda Zerr
Student Fest
25
Panelist Biographies
26
Hospitality, Parties & Receptions
28
Special Closing Night Screening of The Father and the Bear
30
Made in Reading
31
Erica Hesselson Donna Hey
TRIOSE
Greg Hilbert
Christina Callis
Miles Klein
Lori Dashner
Rod Knoll
Andre Davis
Richard Koch
Erin Ellis
Scott Kunkle
Kyle Lamb
Marnice LePore
Jessica Paladino
Karen Linder
Rosemary Pritchard
Donald Maher
Ira Tauber
Kathy Miller
Amanda Wilson
Randy Miller David Morales
STUDENTS
Mike O’Brien
Kaitlyn Conklin
Michael Piersol
Aleasha Ettinger
Stefanie Pilkerton
Erin Hutchko
Andrew Pochan
Mariama Jalloh
Mark Ratcliffe
Cheyenne Krow
Pat Rehr
Chris Logar
Jen Reimer
Amanda Reinoehol
Noel Sanjuan
Kiley Santos
Harry Serio
Noah Schippers
Gloria Schott Dave Speace
Producing Partners Berks Arts Council Pennsylvania’s Americana Region ReadingFilm Hospitality Sponsor DoubleTree by Hilton Reading Film Venues Albert Boscov Theater at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts Louis Long Gallery at GAPS Reading Movies 11 & IMAX Major Sponsors Boscov’s Performance Toyota Tompkins VIST Financial TRIOSE Hoffmann Publishing Group Corporate Sponsors Customers Bank Empire Builders Media Sponsors BCTV LAND Displays M. Kolb Design & Art Production Pretzel City Productions PI Photography & Fine Art Reading Eagle Schott Productions WEEU 8
ReadingFilmFEST Sponsors
Grants
ReadingFilmFEST would like to thank its sponsors for their support!
Berks Arts Council Berks Products Foundation Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Friends of the Festival Berks Digital Printing Elizabeth Clark Encompass Media
em encompass media
Greater Reading Alliance of Community Theaters Iris, Ltd. Andrew Pochan Reception Hosts Berks Packing Company, Inc. Bullfrog Films Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lisa Tiger Homes Pennsylvania’s Americana Region PJ Whelihan’s Pub & Restaurant Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza Sweet Street Reception Venues Abe’s by Chef Alan at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel Cheers at the DoubleTree by Hilton The Cohen Gallery at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts DoubleTree by Hilton Reading The IA Club Mike’s Tavern The Speckled Hen WineDown Cafe 9
About our Film Selections The official selections of the ReadingFilmFEST were curated through the FilmFreeway festival submission platform. This year we had over 100 films screened by 29 jurors. Each film was viewed by at least three jurors in order to decide which films would be selected for the festival. We also had a good number of local and regional filmmakers, which made it interesting to see who near us was creating films. A new award category this year, Best Music in a Film, enriched the viewing experience as we kept watch for outstanding work in that area. After the films were accepted into the festival, our celebrity judges decided on the final award winners. National Geographic documentarian, Tony Gerber, judged documentaries; notable film director, Barry Berman, judged narrative features; and Jenny Hayden from Shorts TV judged the shorts. Marty Mellinger did the honors for the Best Music in a Film award. For the StudentFEST film awards, we invited one of last year’s short filmmakers, Adam Evans, to judge the finalists. It was a great experience for all of us. Hectic at times, but watching great movies is never a burden. It’s great to see the best ones on the big screen now at the festival. Sue Lange Associate Festival Director
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Awards Judges Barry Berman (Best Narrative Feature)
Marty Mellinger (Best Music)
Barry Berman is a screenwriter and director, who was born in Allentown, PA. He is best known for MGM’s 1993 release of “Benny and Joon.” He went on to write and direct Waterproof (1998), starring Burt Reynolds. He has traveled the world and continued to write, and, in 2008, founded a chef school for the disadvantaged of Cape Town, South Africa. His most recent film, “The Moon & The Sun” is scheduled to be released this fall or early next year, starring Pierce Brosnan and William Hurt.
Marty Mellinger is a musician, music producer, arranger and composer. Owner of Cross Keys Productions Recording Studio, Mr. Mellinger has written and produced over 450 commercials and short film scores. He was nominated for a regional Grammy as Jazz Producer in 1988. Mr. Mellinger is also a highly sought after pianist and has performed with Simone, Rick Derringer, Mary Wilson, Ray Parker, Jr., Rita Coolidge (he was even asked by Bruce Springsteen to be the original keyboard player in the E Street Band). He recently composed the score for Finding Jenn’s Voice, an award-winning documentary feature.
Tony Gerber (Best Documentary Feature) Tony Gerber is a two-time Emmy recipient and the producer, writer, director and cinematographer of over a dozen documentary films for National Geographic. His films include the award winning Full Battle Rattle, The Notorious Mr. Bout and Remote Control. He recently produced Rachel Beth Anderson’s First to Fall about the broken promise of the revolution in Libya. Mr. Gerber is the co-founder of Market Road Films, which is producing a trans-media project about how poverty is changing the American narrative, which includes The Reading Project.
Jenny Hayden (Best Short Film) Jenny Hayden works in Acquisitions for USA, Shorts International. She has been acquiring distribution rights to television programs under the banner of Planet Pictures since 1989 where she built a distribution catalog of over 2000 hours and managed sales into over 180 countries. She has worked as an undercover investigative reporter and has created, produced and managed an array of innovative public service campaigns and community outreach programs for a CBS-owned channel. Many of Ms. Hayden’s documentaries and public service campaigns received multiple national awards for excellence, including the Dupont, Columbia, the George Foster Peabody, and the national Emmy.
Adam Evans (StudentFEST) Adam Evans is an award winning producer and director, whose work includes award winners “Pine Tree” and “The Witmans” as well as short documentaries “Meta: The Culture of IPL” and “Recipes from Yuiza’s Kitchen.” He is a Freese Foundation Award Winner and recipient of the Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Finishing Fund grant. Adam graduated from Temple University in 2014 and now works in marketing for a non-profit company outside of Philadelphia. He also is a published film writer and contributor to multiple award-winning film websites.
ReadingFilmFEST Jurors
Kelly Beiler Beka Birch Tom Birch Jim Blickle Stephen G Dzielak Rosemary Frank-Vitale Theresa Gettle Erica Hesselson Miles Klein Scott Kunkle Justen Patrick Lander Karen Linder Donald Maher Randy Miller Sebastian Nieves
Stefanie Pilkerton Michael Piersol Andrew Pochan Jon Pretz Noel Sanjuan Sharon Scullin Harry Serio Carol Toomey Bill Vitale Albert Walentis Lauren White Jani Wolf Chris Woodward ReadingFilmFEST gratefully acknowledges the time and talents of our Awards Judges and Jurors
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Weekend Schedule 2016 RFF Film Schedule Block FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2016 FRIDAY TIME
GoggleWorks
IMAX
GAPS
DoubleTree
Receptions
3 PM
Registration Opens
4:30 PM
Happy Hour
Happy Hour at Cheers
5:30 PM
OPENING GALA
OPENING GALA at DoubleTree
6 PM
Registration Opens
Registration Opens
Registration Opens
7:30 PM
Until 20
Friday Night Shorts Dead Giveaway; T his Time Tomorrow; Cap’n Flapjack; Seagulls
Shu DE!
9:30PM 9:00 PM
After Party -The Speckled Hen
Cage the Bear
11:00 PM
After After Party at IA Club
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2016 SATURDAY TIME
GoggleWorks
IMAX
10 AM 11:00 AM
Made in PA Docs: There were Giants; Triple Divide
Legal Issues in Filmmaking
Heredity
From Script to Screen Community Engagement Campaigns
Immigration Block East of Salinas; PrismA
DIY Short Film Distribution Who’s the Crew?
Middle East Block Hoda’s Story; War or Peace; Butterflies; The Endless River
4:00 PM 4:30 PM
Jumbo Wild
Skin Deep Docs: Beautiful Me; Drawing on the Body
2:00 PM
3 PM
DoubleTree Panels: ReadingFilm Update
12:00 PM 1:00 PM
GAPS
Incarcerating Us Saturday Shorts Got This; Sarge; Oedipus; Ella;
Bittersweet Lane;
Actor’s Workshop: Acting for Film and Television
Receptions
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2016 GoggleWorks
IMAX
5 PM
GAPS
DoubleTree
Receptions
Case #5930
5:30 PM
Happy Hour at the Abe Saloon
6 PM 6:30 PM
Planetary
7:30 PM
Funeral Day
8 PM
StudentFEST Winners
Saturn Returns
Bloodletting
Parisiennes
9:30 PM
After Party at Mike’s Tavern
SUNDAY SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2016 TIME
GoggleWorks
IMAX
10 AM
12:30 PM
Made in Reading SHORTS A Perfect You; American Standard; Classic Car Night; Catastrophic Choices; Just like a Human; No Strings Attached
3:30 PM
Filmmaking in PA; Q&A with Hollywood Director John Putch
4:30 PM
Awards Ceremony
5:00 PM
7 PM
Awards Reception
GAPS
DoubleTree
Receptions
Filmmaker Brunch Location Tour to Follow
Filmmaker Brunch at DoubleTree
Awards Reception at Cohen Gallery GoggleWorks Special Screening of The Father & the Bear
GoogleWorks, 201 Washington St, Reading, PA R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX, 30 N. 2nd St, Reading, PA Gallery Above Penn Square (GAPS), 128 N. 5th St, Reading, PA DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St, Reading, PA
Cheers @ DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St, Reading, PA The Speckled Hen Cottage Pub & Alehouse, 30 S. 4th St, Reading, PA Abe’s Restaurant & Bar @ Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 100 N. 5th St, Reading, PA Mike’s Tavern, 135 Exeter St, Reading, PA
Film Descriptions
American Standard
Made in Reading Short Director: Justen Patrick Lander 17 minutes After waiting years for his daughter to visit, Edward Bracket decides to escape his nursing home. www.justenpatrick.com/terrestrial.html
Beautiful Me!
Documentary Director: Ruby L. Taylor 58 minutes Beautiful Me seeks to diversify the definition of the word beauty through the inclusion of black girls and women of all hues by using fine art to immortalize and praise their worthy images on canvas. www.forblackgirls.org
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Bittersweet Lane
Narrative Short Director: Lindsay Vitale 10 minutes Sal Parker returns home from college to Doylestown, PA on one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, only to run into the person she’s tried desperately to forget. www.sourcilfilms.com/bittersweet-lane-short-film
Bloodletting
Narrative Thriller Director: Stuart Connelly 77 minutes When the deadly crash of a prisoner transport van spares the lives of Nick and Guy, two convicts chained together, their cobbled-together escape plan hinges upon using an off-the-beaten-path farmhouse as a hideout. But things aren’t exactly as they seem at that desolate farm... And what starts as a simple attempt to gain their freedom leads to a tense and unintended hostage situation — one with unforeseen and diabolical consequences. This film was shot entirely in Chester County, PA.
Butterflies
Cap’n Flapjack
Documentary Short, Iran Director: Adnan Zandi 3 minutes This short documentary follows a nervous mother desperately trying to find a private space in a bustling city to breastfeed her hungry baby.
Narrative Short Director: Josh Steinbauer 18 minutes A lonely pirate with a pancake delivery service has several stops to make.
Cage The Bear
Case #5930
Narrative Feature, Made in Reading Director: Adrian Horodecky 80 minutes Patriotic Ukrainian hackers break into the Kremlin’s global terror network and transfer funds designated for their invasion of Ukraine. The Russian FSB kidnaps their friend, takes her to the United States and forces the hackers to make the exchange there, far away from the prying eyes of Putin.
Narrative Short Director: William D. Prystauk 30 minutes In 2012, Trooper Andrew Weingarten of the New Jersey State Police was killed in one of the most shocking and bizarre cases in law enforcement history. A police car dash-can captured the day’s events. http://crashpalaceproductions.com
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Film Descriptions
Catastrophic Choices
Made in Reading Short Director: Andrew Valentino 25 minutes On August 15th, 2004, Zach Foose got behind the wheel of his truck with a blood alcohol level of .18. The resulting accident left him permanently paralyzed. In this documentary, Zach discusses the the string of decisions that led him through escalating drug and alcohol addictions to that moment, illustrated through animation. www.catastrophicchoices.com
Classic Car Night at Bowmansville Days 2015
Made in Reading Short Director: David Speace 12 minutes This short documentary highlights some of the classic cars on display at the annual Bowmansville Days Summer festival. This was shot on Aug 7, 2015. Meet the owners of some very interesting classic and unusual cars and hear what they have to say about them. http://dzpvideo.com
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Dead Giveaway
Narrative Short Director: Ian Kimble 31 minutes After a long and reckless night in Philadelphia, Jill awakens to the slaughtered remains of a man she does not recognize. Determined to prove her innocence, she seeks the help of her best friend, Lia, to sift through the foggy memories of the previous night’s events. The search for answers only becomes more difficult when they’re forced to deal with unwelcome visitors. www.shoestringgold.com
Drawing On The Body
Documentary Short Director: Peg Speirs 26 minutes This documentary explores the body as a means of expression through the art of tattoos. A series of interviews with tattoo artists and people with tattoos were recorded in various settings including private one-on-one, a semi-public tattoo studio, and a fully public tattoo convention. Multiple perspectives of tattooing are explored through the lenses of history, culture, gender, health, and art.
East of Salinas
Documentary Director: Laura Pacheco & Jackie Mow 53 minutes EAST OF SALINAS begins with 3rd grader José Anzaldo telling us what he wants to be when he grows up. His parents work from sun up to sun down in the heart of California’s “Steinbeck Country,” the Salinas Valley. But José was born in Mexico--and he’s on the cusp of understanding the implications of that. As we watch this play out over three years, we begin to understand the cruelty of circumstance--for José and the many millions of undocumented kids like him. EAST OF SALINAS asks, What is lost when kids like José are denied opportunities? http://eastofsalinas.com
Ella
Narrative Short Director: Monica Lickona 8 minutes A young girl named Ella is brought into the hospital to have her tonsils removed. During her stay at the hospital, she befriends a young boy and together they create memories that stay with them a lifetime. They part ways, only to intersect again fifteen years later at the same job interview.
The Endless River
Narrative Short Director: Mohammad Mohammadian 3 minutes A young boy is sitting next to a dry river, watching the barren land while fantasizing about fishing.
Funeral Day
Narrative Comedy Director: Jon Weinberg 80 minutes Scott thinks he might be dying. Not at all an uncommon thought for Scott, but today the lump he believes he found might actually be there. Today also happens to be the day of his friend Ken’s funeral who did in fact die of cancer. Funeral Day is a darkly funny movie about a man who skips his friend’s funeral in an attempt to start living his own life to the fullest. www.facebook.com/FuneralDayMovie
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Film Descriptions
Got This
Narrative Short Director: Susan Barry 16 minutes When beloved Bugsy goes missing at the worst possible moment, Hope and Jack are at loose ends. Make way for the Cat Patrol: the day may yet be saved! http://saturdayafternoonpictures.com
Heredity
Narrative, Columbia Director: Carlos G. Vergara Montiel 100 minutes Tati will do whatever to bring her husband Pedro, back to the reallity. He believes he is a child because of a physicologist disorder that he suffers. http://www.biomanos.com
18
Hoda’s Story
Documentary Director: Johan Eriksson 57 minutes Twelve years in the life of a girl in Gaza who was blinded by a bullet. Her hope to be cured deprives her of the willpower to learn the techniques needed by visually impaired persons. After the 2009 war, Hoda is visited by Mervat, the girl who sat next to her when the bullet came. The encounter is a life changing moment for Hoda.
Incarcerating Us
Documentary Director: Regan Hines 84 minutes Incarcerating exposes America’s prison problem and explores ways to unshackle the Land of the Free through vital criminal justice reforms. Through dramatic firsthand accounts, expert testimony, and shocking statistics, Incarcerating US asks fundamental questions about the prison system in America: What is the purpose of prison? Why did our prison population explode in the 1970s? What can make our justice system more just? http://incarceratingus.com
Just Like A Human
Made in Reading Short Director: Jake Hunsicker 7 minutes Mary is struggling to make ends meet, but continues to look to help others, despite the harsh world around her. www.facebook.com/Just-Like-A-Human
Jumbo Wild
Documentary Director: Nick Waggoner 60 minutes Jumbo Wild tells the true story of the decades-long battle over the future of British Columbia’s iconic Jumbo Valley and highlights the tension between the protection of wilderness and the backcountry experience and ever-increasing development interests in wild places. Set against a backdrop of incredible backcountry ski and snowboard footage, Jumbo Wild documents all sides of a divisive issue bringing the passionate local fight to protect the Jumbo Valley to life for the first time. www.sweetgrass-productions.com/jumbo-wild/
No Strings Attached
Made in Reading Short Director: Jake Hunsicker 18 minutes Brody and Neil are heroin addicts, one is trying to get clean, the other not so much. www.facebook.com/Noble-F-Productions
Oedipus
Narrative Short Director: Roxanne Bordeaux 14 minutes A young boy named Lily must live out the rest of his unnatural life in limbo, reliving the same day for eternity. Unfortunately for Lily, it’s with his enamoured grandfather. https://www.facebook.com/OedipusHorror
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Film Descriptions
Parisiennes
Narrative Drama Director: Slony Sow 86 minutes Seeking inspiration for the main character in her next novel, Japanese author Kyoko Murakai heads to the French capital of Paris to meet twelve women from all walks of life. Instead, she finds herself on a mythical journey of self-discovery and renewal... Film website: https://www.facebook.com/Parisiennes
A Perfect You
Made in Reading Short Director: Sue Lange 1o minutes A Perfect You follows Nell as she goes through the daily routine in her perfect life. She eats perfect vegetarian meals, listens to enriching music, reads profound literature, cleans her house perfectly. At night she sleeps perfectly and on the perfect schedule. One day, though, she discovers a gray hair. All hell breaks loose. www.APerfectYouFilm.com
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Planetary
Director: Guy Reid 52 minutes PLANETARY is a provocative and breathtaking wakeup call—a cross continental, cinematic journey, that explores our cosmic origins and our future as a species. It is a poetic and humbling reminder that now is the time to shift our perspective. PLANETARY asks us to rethink who we really are, to reconsider our relationship with ourselves, each other and the world around us—to remember that we are PLANETARY. http://weareplanetary.com
PRISMa
Documentary Short Director: Alexis Cadenas 20 minutes A first person documentary revealing the impact and stress of immigration on family life.
Sarge
Director: Benjamin Dewhurst 23 minutes Franklin Spencer (Sarge) is an elderly Army veteran with dementia and PTSD. He longs to escape his nursing home to be with his granddaughter for her high school graduation, but is confronted at every turn by the unruly co-residents, a draconian janitor, and the sinister visions of his G.I. war buddy. For Franklin, the mission only ends when the last man’s forgiven. http://sargethemovie.com
Saturn Returns
Narrative Comedy Director: Shawn Tolleson 99 minutes Five college friends on the cusp of 30 reunite for a wedding weekend. When the long-lost sixth friend - the former best friend of the groom and soul mate of the bride - shows up uninvited and unexpected, they are each forced to reexamine their lives and choices. http://saturnreturns.net
Seagulls
Narrative Short Director: David DuBos 8 minutes On an anniversary, childhood friends Avery and Chip look back on their relationship through a series of memories.
SHU-DE!
Documentary Feature Director: Michael R Faulkner 85 minutes Music is the language in this exploratory documentary filled with rare recordings and open landscapes. Following in the footsteps of Paul Pena (Genghis Blues), Beatboxer, Shodekeh, travels across the world from Baltimore, MD to Kyzyl, Tuva, Russia to take part in a festival celebrating the 50th Birthday of the legendary musician, Kongar-ool Ondar. While there, he collaborates and competes with some of the world’s best Tuvan throat singers in pursuit of a goal to create an oasis of unity with music. http://shu-de.com
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Film Descriptions
There Were Giants
Director: Scott Orris 18 minutes The city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has had an important yet largely unknown significance in the history of both race relations and baseball. In 1867, Harrisburg hosted a conference held by the Philadelphia ‘Base Ball’ Association which became the first baseball league to officially segregate black and white players. However in 1954, a Negro League team in Harrisburg called the Harrisburg Giants, became the first team in the Eastern Negro League to integrate white players on their team. This is their story.
This Time Tomorrow
Narrative Short Director: Kellen A. Cunningham 29 minutes A depressed journalist investigates a story and finds a peculiar companion. Together, they explore the challenges of life and finality of death over a daily cup of coffee. Film website: http://www.filmitnow.com/this-time-tomorrow/
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TRIPLE DIVIDE [REDACTED]
Documentary Directors: Joshua B. Pribanic & Melissa A. Troutman 59 minutes A ‘bombshell’ documentary about the impact of fracking with exclusive interviews from oil and gas industry leaders, independent experts and impacted residents. TRIPLE DIVIDE covers five years (2011 - 2016) of cradleto-grave investigations by investigative news nonprofit Public Herald that reveals how regulators and industry keep water contamination “off the books.” www.tripledividefilm.org
Until 20
Director: Jamila Paksima 84 minutes Is a good life measured by its length or its depth?Until 20 is a feature documentary about the inspirational life of James Ragan, a Texas native and promising young golfer. What James does after receiving a life threatening diagnosis is a story you’ll never forget. www.until20.com
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Educational Programs Saturday November 12, 2016 Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Amphitheater 10 AM
What’s happening in Reading?
Presented by ReadingFilm Commissioner, Santo D. Marabella. An update on film projects in Reading, why you should shoot your next project here, and a screening of the 2010 short film production by ReadingFilm, Location! Location! Plus! An announcement by from Alvernia University about their Student Film Competition. 11 AM
Legal Issues in Filmmaking
Presented by Joel Ready, Esq., John Hoskyns – Abrahall, Regan Hines Why dotting your “i’s” and crossing your “t’s” is critical to distribution (or how to make an indie film and not get sued) 12 PM
From Script to Screen
Presented by Matt Fotis & Sue Lange What’s it take to get your screenplay off your computer and on to the big screen? 1 PM
Community Engagement Campaigns for Documentary Films
Presented by Kelly DeVine, Tracy Schott A conversation about self-distribution, community building, and identifying the allies to help your documentary film find its audience.
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2 PM
DIY Short Film Distribution
Presented by filmmakers Zach Alexander & Matt Lipke Join producer Zach Alexander (former distributor at Kino Lorber) and independent filmmaker/DP Matt Lipke for a screening of their new short film-noir-satire MURDER MY TWEET followed by an out-of-the-box look at the growing landscape for DIY short film distribution. 3 PM
Who’s The Crew?
Meet a gathering of local and regional film professionals and learn how you can make a living in the production world outside of Hollywood and New York! Q&A followed by Show & Tell, as our panel share their favorite toys!
4:30 PM
Acting for Film & Television: “The 25 Biggest Mistakes Actors Make & 10 Tricks of Top Bookers”
presented by acting coach, Ann Gillette Whether you are an actor who is just starting out or have been working in the business for years, this seminar will give you valuable insight and tips that may help improve your booking ratio and help you better navigate the commercial, tv and film production industry.
Sunday November 13, 2016 Location Reading Movies 11 & IMAX 3:30 PM
Moviemaking in Pennsylvania
Presented by John Putch, with Santo Marabella moderating. Join Hollywood director, John Putch, for a discussion about micro-budget filmmaking in Central PA, and why he prefers creating films in this way.
Student Fest As a film office, ReadingFilm has as a core mission to develop the production community in the region. For 2016, we created a special competition for student filmmakers to encourage and support their growth.
The winners of the StudentFEST competition will be announced and screened at Reading Movies 11 and IMAX on Saturday at 6 PM.
Student filmmakers comprise a special group of independent filmmakers. They have not yet made the connections required of professional filmmakers, but they have fresh ideas and new visions to share. We wanted to celebrate their youthful exuberance by giving them their own section in our festival. Our goal was to attract local college and high school students, encourage them to submit and attend the festival. We wound up attracting students mostly from our area, but also from across the country and as far away as Australia.
And don’t miss a special announcement from Alvernia University about their Short Video Competition coming March 24, 2017!
It is our hope that ReadingFilmFEST inspires students to learn the craft of filmmaking. The world needs films and today’s student filmmakers are tomorrow’s Academy Award winning directors, producers, and videographers.
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Panelist Biographies John Hoskyns-Abrahall
along with his wife Winnie Scherrer is the principal of Bullfrog Films, the oldest and largest publisher of videos and films about the environment in the United States. Founded in 1973, Bullfrog Films has been honored with a retrospective screening at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and with a special award from Medikinale International in Parma, Italy. Their goal is to bring together programs that point the way to a new paradigm for living happily, healthily and sustainably. John began his professional career as part of the Film Division of Rodale Press, where he and Winnie made six films. Mr. Hoskyns-Abrahall is in charge of acquisitions and relations with filmmakers.
Zach Alexander is an inde-
pendent filmmaker. Since graduating from the University of Vermont in 2014, filmmaker Zach Alexander has screened a short film at Cannes, collaborated with Werner Herzog, worked at arthouse distributors Kino Lorber and BOND/360 in Manhattan, founded a production company and a filmmaker collective in Brooklyn, NY. He enjoys wearing many hats in the entertainment industry, but loves directing his own work more than anything else.
Kelly DeVine, Impact Campaign Consultant. Kelly DeVine is a longtime programming and acquisitions executive with distribution expertise for engaging audiences with innovative content. She was a key member of the acquisitions team at IFC-TV covering the independent feature film market and she has served as content consultant to Cinetic Management and the Tribeca Film Institute. A frequent juror, panelist and reader for grant programs, she also consults on national distribution and engagement strategies for major award-winning documentaries such as BULLY, HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, REVOLUTIONARY OPTIMISTS and is currently consulting on projects with Story Matters on a variety of impact related projects.
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Matt Fotis
is an Assistant Professor and Co-Chair of the Theatre Department at Albright College, where he teaches screenwriting, acting for the camera, and improvisation. He is the author of Long Form Improvisation & American Comedy: The Harold and The Comedy Improv Handbook, as well as numerous award-winning plays and screenplays.
Ann Gillette worked in casting and
as a producer in our regional market for over twenty years. She has worked on over 600 projects including: feature films, television, commercials, industrials and live productions. Ann is also a highly-respected commercial/TV/ film acting and media coach. Her coaching style focuses on the practical and ‘real-life’ aspects of auditioning as well as the realities and expectations required of an actor in the business.
Regan Hines is a filmmaker who is
motivated to make compelling films that shed light on social and political issues that both entertain audiences and move them to bring about change. Hines directed Incarcerating US to put a spotlight on a problem that is out of sight and out of mind for many Americans to illustrate the scope of the problem and the need for fundamental change. As a partner at Life is My Movie Entertainment, Hines works on building the catalogue of films produced and distributed by collaborating on projects in different stages of production and directing films on topics that he is passionate about.
Sue Lange is a writer, producer,
actor and musician who has written plays, books, screenplays, and a newspaper column. Her latest film, A PERFECT YOU, is currently screening at festivals internationally and has been nominated for Best Comedy and Best Production Design in the 2016 Southampton International Film Festival.
Matthew Lipke started off
al, and graduated in the top 10 of his class. Ready’s practice here in Reading is focused primarily on business law and civil litigation.
creating short films with his friends and family, eventually learning more and more about the art as time went on. By age 22, he had directed and produced three feature length films under his company, Lipke Productions, LLC. Matthew currently resides in New York City, freelancing in the film and television production world. He continues to pursue his passions behind the camera by being heavily involved in numerous film and television productions, including “Murder My Tweet”, shot in NYC. Under his company, Matthew is producing several upcoming projects, including a documentary and web series.
Tracy Schott, ReadingFilmFEST
Director. Tracy is the Producer/Director of FINDING JENN’S VOICE, a documentary film that examines intimate partner homicide, a leading cause of death during pregnancy. Tracy and Kelly are creating a community engagement campaign, utilizing the film as a tool for social change.
Jordan Zakarin is a journalist
and filmmaker living in New York City. He has been a staff writer at The Hollywood Reporter, BuzzFeed, Yahoo and now Inverse.com, where he works as the senior entertainment editor. His short film “Murder, My Tweet” was screened at the Portland Film Festival and previous shorts have been featured by Time. com, Slash Film, Entertainment Weekly, Macleans, and other major publications.
Santo D. Marabella is the Ex-
ecutive Producer of ReadingFilmFEST, and the ReadingFilm Film Commissioner. Santo wrote the screenplay for LOCATION! LOCATION! a short narrative film to promote Greater Reading as a location destination for film, TV and video production.
John Putch is often referred to
Joel Ready, Esq. is an attorney
in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 2009, he obtained his undergraduate degree in media production and launched a media company called Ready Media, which creates narrative projects for various clients. He graduated from the Regent University School of Law in Virginia in 2015. During his law school career, he worked for a Justice on the Supreme Court of Virginia, helped write a brief for the Supreme Court of the United States, obtained Regent Law’s “Eagle Award” for the top class grade from a former US Attorney-Gener-
BIG STARS IN SHORT MOVIES
PHOTO CREDIT: © KATE FRIEND - KEIRA KNIGHTLEY IN ‘STEVE’
as an independent film “real McCoy”. One of his first indie efforts, “Valerie Flake,” landed him at the ‘99 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. John is the son of the late actress Jean Stapleton and theater producer William Putch. Experienced in both Drama and Comedy, John’s other notable films include the cult indie favorites: BACHELORMAN, MOJAVE PHONE BOOTH and the ROUTE 30 TRILOGY films. TV directing includes: Blackish, Rush Hour, The Middle, Body Of Proof, Scrubs, Cougar Town, My Name Is Earl, Ugly Betty, Grounded For Life, Outsourced, and multiple television movies and mini-series.
Available on channel 573 channel 292
facebook.com/shortshd
channel 1789 channel 1789
www.shorts.tv
channel 603 channel 1789
twitter.com/shortshd
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Hospitality, Parties and Receptions ReadingFilmFEST will have plenty of opportunities to mix, mingle and have a great time meeting and making old and new friends! Filmmakers love to party, and the last we checked, so does Greater Reading! So it’s a perfect match! The Opening Gala Reception will be a special affair, featuring a cocktail party provided by the DoubleTree by Hilton, and entertainment by Marty Mellinger. The paparazzi will be there in full force. Don’t miss this chance to get your picture snapped with a filmmaker! This event is open only to All Access Pass holders! Happy Hours and After Parties abound during the festival at Cheers, The Speckled Hen, The IA Club, The Abe Saloon, and the wonderful Mike’s Tavern. Each of these receptions is being hosted by a business or organization, which will be on hand to say hello! Many thanks to our reception hosts, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lisa Tiger Homes, Berks Packing Company, and Bullfrog Films. In recognition of the newly branded Pennsylvania’s Americana Region, our Awards Reception will have a decidedly down home feel! Held in the Cohen Gallery at the GoggleWorks, which will be showcasing GoggleWork’s artists, we’ll have music by Caroline Reese, food by PJ Whelihan’s and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, and the best that Berks County has to offer in beer and wine! Please join us on Sunday at Reading Movies 11 & IMAX for the Made in Reading Shorts, followed by a Q&A with John Putch about shooting in small towns, the Awards Ceremony and Reception, and then close the festival with us as we screen Putch’s film, THE FATHER AND THE BEAR. We guarantee you’ll be smiling all the way home!
Parties Schedule!
Friday November 11 4:30 PM Happy Hour at Cheers - hosted by the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry 5:30 PM Opening Gala – presented by DoubleTree by Hilton 9:30 PM After Party at The Speckled Hen hosted by Lisa Tiger Homes 11:30 PM After After Party at IA Club Saturday, November 12 4:30 PM Happy Hour at The Abe Saloon – hosted by Berks Packing Company 9:30 PM After Party at Mike’s Tavern – hosted by Bullfrog Films Sunday, November 13 5:00 PM Awards Reception at The Cohen Gallery at GoggleWorks hosted by Pennsylvania’s Americana Region
ReadingFilmFEST would like to thank its sponsors for their support!
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Special Closing Night Screening of The Father and the Bear ReadingFilmFEST is pleased to present a very special screening of John Putch’s THE FATHER AND THE BEAR as our closing night film on Sunday at 7 PM at Reading Movies 11 & IMAX. John Putch’s directing credits include many film and television productions such as ATLAS SHRUGGED and Cougar Town, as well indie favorites, the ROUTE 30 trilogy. THE FATHER AND THE BEAR is Putch’s most personal film to date. The story is about a retired character actor (WIL LOVE) with diagnosed dementia, who longs to perform at his beloved summer theater one last time. Against his daughter’s wishes (DENDRIE TAYLOR), he accepts a role from the newly installed artistic director (DAVID DeLUISE) who is unaware of the man’s condition
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The film was shot entirely on location in Putch’s hometown of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania at the Totem Pole Playhouse, a summer stock theater, which his late father WILLIAM PUTCH guided as artistic director for 30 years from 1954-1983. Putch’s mother, actress Jean Stapleton, passed of dementia in 2013. The film stars WIL LOVE, one of Totem Pole’s veterans, whose career performing there spans over 40 years. Putch’s use of archival material both still and Super-8 of the theater, and Love’s performances are expertly woven into the story which also stars DAVID DeLUISE as the theater’s new artistic director. ReadingFilmFEST is thrilled that John Putch will be here to share his film and his story with us! John will speak about filming in Pennsylvania following the Made in Reading block at 3:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, and be available for Q&A after his film’s screening on Sunday evening.
Made in Reading What do classic cars, perfection, the good ole’ days, substance abuse, and making ends meet have in common? They are all featured in our Made in Reading Shorts! Our town has experienced a number of fiscal and social challenges, but we’re working hard to spur growth and prosperity again. It’s said that economic development begins with community pride, so what better way to show our pride than to show off our town on the big screen? But we do more than celebrate these films with screenings for you. ReadingFilm, a program of Pennsylvania’s Americana Region, helps filmmakers realize their vision by providing support and assistance that “Makes Movies Happen” here. Among the Made in Reading Shorts highlighted at this year’s FEST, ReadingFilm is proud to have shared our concierge-like service with at least two of the six filmmakers, plus several more from last year’s FEST! ReadingFilm is ready when you are to Make Movies Happen here!
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