10-13
’11
Malco Feb. oxfordFilmfest coM
This project partially funded by a grant from the Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau
OxfOrd StudiO 8 1111 Jackson avenue West
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Festival Schedule 2011 • Unless otherwise indicated, all films will screen at Malco’s Oxford Studio Cinema (s1 = screen 1, s2 = screen 2, s3 = screen 3) • All films contain adult content and are not recommended for children under 18 unless otherwise indicated. • All times are tentative and subject to change. Refer to our website (oxfordfilmfest.com) for the latest info on guest scheduling, panel, and event info.
THURSDAY February 10 LYRIC THEATER
6:00pm Thacker Mountain Radio 7:30pm Festival Intro 7:45pm Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
Screen 1
8:15pm Spanola Pepper Sauce Company 8:45pm Brother’s Justice
Screen 2
11:00am When the Hurlyburly’s Done + First Sunrise 11:00am SHORTS BLOCK: Conlang + FRIDAY April + Seeing + Untitled + February 11 11:40am TWO GATES OF SLEEP 1:15pm Films of Les Blank: THE BLUES ACCORDING TO Antiquities Three LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS + DRY WOOD 1:00pm Our Time Together + Screens 3:00pm 5:30pm 7:40pm 8:30pm 10:10pm
Queen’s Day + WHERE I BEGIN MISSISSIPPI INNOCENCE Sexting + Pillow BROTHERHOOD LATE NIGHT BLOCK: Shock + Monster Hunt with James and Kevin + Blood Therapy + Happy Face + Night of the Punks + Murderabilia + River City Dead
PASSENGER PIGEONS 3:45pm BEIJING TAXI 5:15pm Robert Box: Perfect for the Kitchen + SOUTHERN BELLE 7:00pm MISSISSIPPI INNOCENCE 8:30pm Mozambique + God’s Square Mile 10:15pm EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE
Screen 3 11:00am 11:45am 1:30pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 8:00pm 9:30pm
Robyn Hitchcock in Memphis THE GIRLS IN THE BAND SPEED PITCH PANEL Skimming the Surface + The Mud and the Blood THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH: AN URBAN HISTORY The World of Film Festivals + God of Love + S&M LAWN CARE Skip Town + WORST IN SHOW THE SECRET TO A HAPPY ENDING
10:00am ANIMATION BLOCK: Prayers for Peace + The SATURDAY Thomas Beale Cipher + The Birds Upstairs + February 12 The Sasquatch and the Girl + Amazonia + All Three in Your Head + Ninjas vs. Guilt + Irasshai + Screens
10:00am The World of Film Festivals + God of Love + S&M LAWN CARE 12:15pm Skimming the Surface + The Mud and the Blood 12:45pm THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH: AN URBAN HISTORY 2:30pm Robyn Hitchcock in Memphis 3:15pm The Girls in the Band 5:00pm Skip Town + The Happy Poet 7:00pm BEIJING TAXI
10:00am MASTER CLASS: How to make a trailer to promote your film 11:20am Our Time Together + PASSENGER PIGEONS 2:00pm EXPERIMENTAL BLOCK: Roundabout + Yellow Moon + Inside Out/Side Out + The Conjure Woman + Voice on the Line + Flutter + Self-portrait Sleep Paralysis + Aliki + A Movie by Jen Proctor + Wrestling with my Father + Dance of Princess Hiroshibelle 3:30pm WORST IN SHOW 4:45pm Sand + Grounded by Reality 5:20pm WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER? 6:20pm SHORTS BLOCK: Conlang + April + Seeing + Untitled + Antiquities
11:00am TBA, Check oxfordfilmfest.com for details SUNDAY February 13 12:30pm ANIMATION BLOCK 2:00pm Grounded by Reality + MISSISSIPPI Three INNOCENCE Screens
11:00am When the Hurlyburly’s Done + First Sunrise 11:40am TWO GATES OF SLEEP 1:10pm Sexting + Pillow 1:45pm BROTHERHOOD 4:00pm THE HAPPY POET 4:20pm WORST IN SHOW 5:30pm ALL WORK
11:00am Robert Box: Perfect for the Kitchen + Sand 11:25am EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE 1:45pm Mozambique + God’s Square Mile 2:50pm SOUTHERN BELLE 4:20pm WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER? 5:20pm BILL LILLY BUILDS A GREENHOUSE
Stationary Guard Robot + For a Fistful of Snow + The Life and Times of a Dust Bunny 11:10am MISSISSIPPI MUSIC VIDEO BLOCK 12:15pm PANEL: CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL ADAMS 1:30pm The Hanging of Big Todd Wade 2:00pm MISSISSIPPI DOCUMENTARY BLOCK: When Cotton Blossoms + The Sad Waltz + The South Will Rise Again + Brown Family Dairy + Smokes and Ears + Valentease 4:45pm MISSISSIPPI NARRATIVE BLOCK: Blood Feud + The Mistake + Lukos + Treat or Eat 6:00pm Arkansas Traveler 6:25pm 25K 8:30pm AWARDS CEREMONY (included with Saturday pass, multi-day passes, and VIP passes) 9:45pm PARTY at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center (separate ticket required for day and multi-day passes; admission included with VIP pass)
4:00pm Queen’s Day + WHERE I BEGIN
FREE Thursday, Feb. 10, 9:30am
MEEK HALL AUDITORIUM (UM Campus) ELSEWHERE PANEL: Conversation with Casting Agent Tracy Kilpatrick
EVENTS
Friday, Feb. 11, 9:00 am
FULTON CHAPEL (UM Campus) PANEL: Conversation with Film and Music Producer Andrew Meyer
Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:00am-2:00pm Family-Friendly Films
LAFAYETTE COUNTY-OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY (401 Bramlett Blvd.) 10:00am The North Star + Safety Smart: About Fire + This Way Up + The Trampoline 10:45am Opposite Day • 12:00pm Second Chances • 12:30pm My Dog Skip
TICKETS? See page 3
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Welcome to the eighth annual Oxford Film Festival. We are pleased to present a slate of films appealing to a variety of interests, but with one thing in common: they reflect the spirit of independent filmmaking. From narrative features and shorts to documentary features and shorts to animation and experimental shorts, there really is something for everyone. What makes a film festival different from your average weekend at the movies? There’s the opportunity to see films that normally don’t make it to our neck of the woods, but a film festival also offers a chance to interact with the filmmakers themselves. Ask your burning questions during the Q&A sessions, or approach a filmmaker in the Malco lobby. That’s why they’re here: to get feedback from their audiences in a way that isn’t possible with a DVD sale. Create a login with our online catalog, Festival Genius, and leave comments for the filmmakers, especially for the ones who couldn’t join us. Buy a ticket to Saturday night’s after-awards party at the Powerhouse, and mingle with the filmmakers before they leave on Sunday.
Roll Credits... Eighth Annual Oxford Film Festival (2011) Executive director: Molly Fergusson Co-directors: Micah Ginn, Michelle Emanuel, Melanie Addington Hospitality coordinator: Diala Chaney Volunteers Coordinator: Kristin Rogers Transportation Tsar: Danny Watson Special Events Coordinator Joe York Interns: Amanda Malloy, Jillian Pecoraro, James Robertson Technical Staff: Matthew Graves, Greg Gray, Andy Harper, Sarah Kellum, “Cookie” Chris Williams, Joe York Experimental Curator: Brooke White Screening Tsar: Laura Sheppardson Jury Wrangler: Arik Sokol Staff Photographer: Danny Klimetz
Many of our filmmakers are just starting their careers, while others are veterans of the festival circuit. Some are returning to Oxford after having their films in previous years of our festival. They are as happy to be here as we are to have them. We welcome your feedback! Please send your comments to info@oxfordfilmfest.com, or write a note on your audience ballot. It is because of your feedback that we try to program many of our blocks twice, and – this year – have brought back passes to individual films. We are proud to give you a reason to leave your house on a cold (possibly wet) February weekend. We hope you love the films we have programmed as much as we do. Enjoy the show! Molly, Micah, Michelle, Melanie
Screening Committee: Wayne Andrews, Valena Beety, Katherine Rhodes Fields, Lance Herrington, Tracy Case Koslowski, Joshua First, Minjoo Oh, Emmy Parkes, Antonio Reyes, Annie Thomas, Jimmy Thomas, Durant Thompson, Annette Trefzer, Tamara Warhol, Alyssa Wilson Poster and Ad Design: Amy Woodward Evans / Wide Eye Design Program Design: Susan Bauer Lee / Cool Dog Creative Special Thanks To: Aidan Addington, Harry Addington, Lynda Addington, Bill Beckwith, Bradley Bishop, Elliott Chaney, Phillip Chaney, Daisy Cheng, John Currence, Dianne Fergusson, Joyce Freeland, Courtney Hall, Meta Poole Ginn, JoJo Ginn, Erik Jambor, Nathan McDaniel, Kathryn McGaw, Johnny McPhail, Susan McPhail, Carol Mockbee, Karen Scott, Barton Segal, Kevin Stuart, Smith Stuart, Ethan Stuart, and the citizens of Oxford.
Advisory Board Joey Lauren Adams, John Currence, Sam Haskell, Ray McKinnon, Donna Ruth Roberts, Neil White The Oxford Film Festival is an independent non-profit organization with 501c3 status. All donations are tax-deductible. Contact us! info@oxfordfilmfest.com or call 877.560.FILM oxfordfilmfest.com Find us on Facebook and Twitter….
february 10-13, 2011
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Double Feature!
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Thacker Mountain Radio + Opening Night Films @ the Lyric Theater
Thursday, Feb. 10 starting at 6:00pm Tickets = $20, general admission to benefit both Thacker Mountain Radio and the Oxford Film Festival and support the arts in Mississippi The Oxford Film Festival and Thacker Mountain Radio -- a live, unrehearsed broadcast out of Oxford that features literary readings and an eclectic mix of musical performances to “cheering, footstomping, applauding spectators” -- have teamed up to celebrate a weekend of movies with an opening night extravaganza. 6:00pm Thacker Mountain Radio Special guests: documentary filmmaker Les Blank, author Michael Adams (Showgirls, Teen Wolves and Astro Zombies: A Film Critic’s Year-long Quest to Find the Worst Movie Ever Made) and musical guests Robert Belfour, Kenny Brown, and more special guests.
Michael Adams
Les Blank
7:30pm Festival introduction with previews
10:00pm After-party at the Lyric (Cash bar) Tune in to the live broadcast on Rebel Radio 92.1 FM, or the rebroadcast on Saturdays on Mississippi Public Radio at 7:00pm.
script and facing rejection at every turn, Shepard shows that there is no obstacle too great for an iron will. Pulling Hollywood buddies into the mix, Shepard does not take ‘no’ for an answer, and gets banned from televised awards shows in the process.
7:45pm Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980). Directed by Les Blank. Filmmaker scheduled to appear. German film director Werner Herzog had made a bet with once-fledgling director Errol Morris that, if Morris made a film, Herzog would eat his shoe. Morris went on to film Gates of Heaven, so Herzog kept his promise.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the Film Festival’s website (oxfordfilmfest.com), the Lyric’s website (thelyricoxford.com), or at the door on opening night.
8:15pm Spanola Pepper Sauce Company. Directed by Ray McKinnon. Filmmaker scheduled to appear. This heartwarming story explores the life of Tookie Spanola, the founder and owner of the Spanola Pepper Sauce Company, and some of the changes that have taken effect during his tenure. 8:45pm Brother’s Justice. Directed by Dax Shepard and David Palmer. Filmmaker scheduled to attend. With the help of his buddy, producer Nate Tuck, and motivated by Box Office statistics, actor Dax Shepard (Parenthood, Baby Mama) has made a decision to leave comedy to pursue his dream of becoming an international Martial Arts action star. Lacking any formal training, with no funding for his blockbuster
TICKETS! Thursday, Feb. 10
Friday, Feb. 11
Brother’s Justice
WHERE TO GET THEM? Tickets for the 2011 Oxford Film Festival can be purchased 1) in advance online at both oxfordfilmfest.com and thelyricoxford.com and 2) at The Lyric Theater during its regular operating hours, and 3) in person at Festival venues between Thursday through Sunday, February 10-13, 2011.
Saturday, Feb. 12
Sunday, Feb. 13
$20 all (no student rate) 3-day pass: Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday = $30 regular / $25 student Day pass: Friday, Saturday, OR Sunday = $15 regular / $12 student Individual pass**: $8 regular / $6.50 student Opening night gala fundraiser for OFF + Thacker Mountain Radio
Saturday after party at the Powerhouse (9:45pm to 12:00am) = $15 all (no student rate)
** NOTE: an individual film pass ALLOWS admission to a single film block, but does not GUARANTEE seating. Seats are first come, first serve. In the event that a screening room is at capacity, the film pass can be used for another film at the same time, or for the film at an alternate screening time.
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Dear Filmmakers and all, Welcome to Mississippi and the Eighth Annual Oxford Film Festival. The Mississippi Film Office has been a proud supporter of the festival since its inception and is happy to be a part of this great and growing festival. In addition to providing a great venue for Mississippi filmmakers and presenting far ranging independent film to an audience from throughout the South, we are happy to show off Mississippi to all of the visiting filmmakers. Oxford and locations throughout the state have supported location film production for almost 100 years, and we look forward to supporting the industry long into the future, wherever and however filmmaking may advance. Our Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program will be a part of that future. A cash rebate program, we return to you 20% of your local spend and non-resident payroll and 25% of your resident payroll within 45 days of completion of your production in Mississippi. Our low $20,000 minimum spend makes it possible for shorts, experimental, and ultra-low budget projects to participate. And there are additional tax exemptions and reductions dedicated to the development and support of the film industry. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 601-359-3297. Have a great time in Oxford and in Mississippi…and for you filmmakers, we look forward to working with you on your next film. Thanks for coming to the Oxford Film Festival; we’re glad you’re here. The Mississippi Film Office Ward Emling Nina Parikh Betty Black
Dear Visitors, On behalf of the Board of Aldermen and the citizens of Oxford, I wish to extend a warm welcome to you while you are here for the 2011 Oxford Film Festival. We are glad to have our own film festival as a place for sharing knowledge, educating viewers and artistic expression. In addition to its charm and hospitality, Oxford offers excellent venues for film observation. We are proud of past festivals in terms of attendance and content and we are glad to see the event continue to grow. While you will be occupied by the festival’s activities, we hope there will also be time for you to get acquainted with Oxford. Please enjoy the natural beauty of the campus of the University of Mississippi, the friendly scale of our streets and neighborhoods, and the excellent restaurants and shops. Thank you for contributing to its growing list of things to do and see. Enjoy your visit and please let us know if we can help you in any way while you are here. With best wishes, Sincerely, George G. Patterson
Dear friends, Welcome to the eighth annual Oxford Film Festival. This event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our talented filmmakers, writers and producers in Mississippi. I hope you will enjoy your visit to one of my favorite towns. The Oxford Film Festival is a chance to tell the stories of Mississippi, both those about the past and the present. After all, our citizens are known for their ability to tell a colorful tale. We hope you will learn a bit more about our state through the films shown here this weekend. This festival also is a great way to show to North Mississippi to the world. Film lovers from all corners come here to sample our outstanding food, visit our rolling hills and see true Southern hospitality. Marsha and I appreciate your participation to make the Oxford Film Festival a great event. Enjoy the show.
Sincerely,
Haley Barbour
february 10-13, 2011
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afterwards. NOTE: Filmmakers must sign up in advance for the speed pitch session. Anyone is welcome to sit in and observe the panel without participating in the speed distribution.
Thursday, Feb. 10, 9:30am, Meek Hall Auditorium (UM Campus)
Friday, Feb. 11, 1:30pm, Screen 3
FREE to students and the general public
Included with an individual film block pass, a Friday day pass, a multi-day pass, or any VIP pass
Working primarily as a casting agent, Tracy Kilpatrick has worked with the Coen Brothers, Robert Zemeckis, Adrian Lyne, Tony Scott, and Denzel Washington, and won an Emmy award in 2008 for the mini-series John Adams. She has associate produced one small film and has others in development.
Todd Gilchrist, Moderator Todd Gilchrist is a film critic and entertainment reporter for Moviefone/ Cinematical, The Wall Street Journal, Box Office Magazine, and Hollywood News among several other outlets. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of IGN DVD and Senior Editor at IGN Movies, and has been a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association since 2005. You can follow his coverage of the entertainment industry by subscribing to his Twitter feed (@mtgilchrist).
Conversation with Film and Music Producer Andrew Meyer Best known for his work on Fried Green Tomatoes, Better off Dead, The Breakfast Club, and his work with A&M Records. His recent film, Losers Take All, was shot in Memphis. Friday, Feb. 11, 9:00 a.m., Fulton Hall (UM Campus) FREE to students and the general public Andrew Meyer has over 30 years experience as a film producer and executive in the record business. He served as President of Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss’ A&M Films, Robert Redford’s Wildwood Productions, and Norman Lear’s Act III Productions. Notable among the many films he has produced, Fried Green Tomatoes was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and The Breakfast Club was named by Entertainment Weekly as the “Best High School Movie of all time.” His production company, A&M Films, produced Alan Parker’s Birdy, which was selected as the recipient of the Grand Prix Special Jury Prize at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. He recently completed filming Losers Take All in Memphis, “a rock n’ roll film from the DIY era,” starring Kyle Gallner (Nightmare on Elm Street). Meyer is currently executive producing Smokestack Lightning, about the legendary Howlin’ Wolf. After teaching screenwriting to the Graduate Master of Professional Writing Program (MPW) at the University of Southern California, he is currently a Professor in the School of Film and Digital Media and Performing Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Speed Pitch Panel Speed Pitch is a great way to meet lots of distributors and producers in a quick, no-pressure environment. The ‘speed pitching’ will take place in fast turnaround, one-to-one, round table sessions with representatives from production companies and independent distribution companies. You have 2 minutes to pitch your film or idea. When done, we will have a panel discussion about what distributors saw that was good and ideas on how to improve your first impression with a distributor. You will have the opportunity to ask questions
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2011 Panels
Conversation with Casting Agent Tracy Kilpatrick
Tracy Kilpatrick, Producer Working primarily as a casting agent, Tracy Kilpatrick has worked with the Coen Brothers, Robert Zemeckis, Adrian Lyne, Tony Scott, and Denzel Washington, and won an Emmy award in 2008 for the mini-series John Adams. She has associate produced one small film and has others in development. Debra Zimmerman, Women Make Movies Since 1983, Debra Zimmerman has been the executive director of Women Make Movies, a non-profit NY based film organization which supports women filmmakers, and has become the largest distributor of films by and about women in the world. She has moderated panels and given master classes at the Sundance Film Festival, MIPDOC and Reel Screen as well as film festivals in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. She has been closely affiliated with the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) as the co-host of the Talk of the Day and as a tutor for their Summer Film Academy. Paola Freccoro, Crowdstarter.com Paola Freccero is a New York-based film industry executive who, in collaboration with Liz Ogilvie, has just launched CrowdStarter, a company dedicated to strategic marketing and distribution for independent films. Most recently, Freccero was the president of distribution for the now-shuttered B-Side Entertainment, after serving as co-executive director of the Tribeca Film Festival and SVP, spearheading Tribeca’s digital distribution and web development efforts.
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Steven Beckman, Cinetic Rights Management Steven Beckman focuses on domestic film acquisitions at Cinetic Rights Management, sister company of Cinetic Media. He identifies and acquires relevant film content for CRM, and strategizes the projects’ distribution and release into the marketplace. His previous industry experience includes The Weinstein Company, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox, Marc Platt Productions and Hock Films. He has also produced a number of independent documentaries and concert films. Beckman graduated from New York University with a B.A. in history and minor concentrations in economics and cinema studies. Ryan Watt, Paper Moon Films Ryan Watt co-founded Paper Moon Films LLC in 2009 with Nick Case to develop films in the southern region and guide them through all stages of production and distribution. The inaugural Paper Moon film Open Five by Kentucker Audley premiered on the festival circuit in 2010 and the The Romance of Loneliness by Sarah Ledbetter and Matteo Servente is preparing for a 2011 shoot. Watt is the executive producer of Daylight Fades, the latest feature film by Old School Pictures, and serves as the Director of Marketing at New School Media Group, specializing in marketing solutions that utilize video and audio production. Securas Consulting Group acquired his technology firm Metro Backup in 2006, where he served as Director of Marketing until late 2008. Watt graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a degree in Marketing. Nick Case, Paper Moon Films Nick Case produced Cam Archer’s Wild Tigers I Have Known, executive produced by Gus Van Sant, which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. The film was distributed through IFC Films. Case also produced Archer’s second feature Shit Year starring Ellen Barkin, which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. His other previous work includes Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental documentary 11th Hour, which premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. Case began his career as a production assistant on the Oscar-nominated 21 Grams, after graduating from Ole Miss with a degree in Marketing. Andrew Meyer, Producer Film and music producer Andrew Meyer is best known for his
work on Fried Green Tomatoes, Better Off Dead, The Breakfast Club, and his work at A&M Records. His recent film, Losers Take All, was shot in Memphis, and he is currently a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design. (For more about Andrew Meyer, see page 5.) Jeff Scheftel, Producer Jeff Scheftel is a prolific documentary film producer, with his work screening on both screen and television. In partnership with Xenon Pictures, he made Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory, and the award-winning Welcome to Death Row. Scheftel served as the director of production for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), has been an associate producer on the last eight GRAMMY broadcasts, and has directed the GRAMMY person of the year event, which has honored legendary artists. Several of his projects have made lasting impact among Oxford Film Festival audiences, including Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life, TV Junkie (OFF 2007), and last year’s winner of Best Documentary Feature, The Last Survivor (OFF 2010). Screening at this year’s festival is The Girls in the Band, on which he was a consulting producer. He has also served as a lecturer at UCLA, and is a regular judge and panelist at international film festivals.
Master Class: How to Cut a Great Trailer and Promote Your Film on the Festival Circuit Filmmakers and film fans are invited to learn more about how to put your best foot forward with the perfect trailer to promote your film. Danny Retz, veteran editor, will share tricks of the trade as a professional and teacher in the film world to help you create the right product to promote your film. Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:00am, Screen 3 Included with a Saturday day pass, a multi-day pass, or any VIP pass Danny Retz Florent “Danny” Retz has more than 30 years experience as an editor/ assistant editor in feature films in Hollywood. He has worked for every major studio and numerous independents. His credits include RoboCop, Robocop III, Cutthroat Island, Rambo (First Blood Part II), and The Substitute 3. Danny, as he prefers to be known, is a native of New Orleans and earned a BA in Communications from Loyola University in 1974. Aside from his movie career, Mr. Retz has had a varied professional life, including having been a soldier (with a tour of duty in Viet Nam), a bartender, an event coordinator at the Superdome,
february 10-13, 2011
an unemployment counselor and a sewer inspector. Since 2008 he has held the position of Artist-in-Residence, Post Production, at the University of New Orleans. This new venture into education allows Danny to share his movie making knowledge and experience, ranging from his early days of cutting film on a Moviola to today’s electronic editing workflow, with the young filmmakers of today and tomorrow.
Conversation with Film Critic and Author Michael Adams and film critic James Rocchi Saturday, Feb. 12, 12:00pm, Screen 1 Included with an individual film block pass, a Saturday day pass, a multi-day pass, or any VIP pass Michael Adams, Author Michael Adams is a Sydney-based film writer and broadcaster. He is the author of Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro Zombies: A Film Critic’s Year-Long Quest To Find The Worst Movie Ever Made (HarperCollins, 2010) and host of The Movie Club on Showtime (Australia). From 2002 to 2010, he was the Reviews Editor for the Australian edition of Empire magazine. His writing on film has appeared on Movieline and The Wrap and in FHM, Rolling Stone and Interview. In 2009, he wrote Shining Lights, a book based around interviews
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with Australian Oscar winners Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, 662.832.9895 Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush, and in 2008 he made a brief but forgettable appearance as a zombie in George A. Romero’s zombie film Survival Of The Dead. He has also written a script for the thriller TV series Too Twisted and launched WordyMofo, a digital pop culture magazine. He presently resides in Australia’s first “smart house” where he, his partner Clare and their daughter Ava are guinea pigs testing new energy-efficient appliances as part of a year-long project for EnergyAustralia. James Rocchi, Moderator James Rocchi is a film critic and entertainment journalist who has covered the world of movies for outlets including MSN Movies (where he currently writes as a staff critic and columnist), Redbox’s redblog, AOL’s Cinematical.com, AMCtv.com, E! Online, Mother Jones Magazine, Netflix and more. A member of the L.A. Film Critics Association, the Broadcast Film Critics of America and the Online Film Critics Society, he has covered the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, Oxford, Palm Beach, and South by Southwest Film Festivals, and has appeared as a critic and commentator on CBS-5 San Francisco, CNN, the Independent Film Channel and A&E’s Biography. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he lives and works in Los Angeles.
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Family-Friendly Films:
Kid’s stuff
a For children of all ages Saturday, 10:00am to 2:00pm
Free Films at the Lafayette County/Oxford Public Library
401 Bramlett Blvd. Working with KidsFirst.org, as well as some selected filmmakers, we have selected a slate of family-friendly programming to screen at the Public Library. No ticket is required. Come and go….
Coming Summer 2011:
Character Animation Workshop June 7 – June 9, 2011 (9:00am-12:00pm) for ages 14 through 18 Instructor: Sim Dulaney, Jackson Academy Location: Univ. of Mississippi (classroom TBD) Cost: $100 for 9 contact hours + course materials Space limited to 20 participants Register at oxfordfilmfest.com
10:00 am to 12:00pm, appropriate for ages 4-12 10:00am The North Star, 15 minutes In this classic storybook about lifelong learning, The North Star inspires learners of all ages to navigate their full potential and follow their dreams. Narrated by Tim Curry. 10:15am Safety Smart: About Fire, 12 minutes “Get down, get out and stay out!” That’s just one of the lessons Timon and Pumbaa share to help students understand what to do in a fire emergency. 10:30am This Way Up, 4 minutes 9-year-old Jimmy Apollo uses his imagination and a cardboard box to strength his relationship with his gadget-obsessed father. The catalyst that ignites Jimmy’s imagination and later his father’s is through a cardboard box from a new TV. 10:35am The Trampoline, 6 minutes When Brian takes his daughter, Lucy, to the meadow he played in as a boy, they discover an unexpected surprise waiting for them. 10:45am Opposite Day, 1 hour and 21 minutes Ever wonder what it would be like if everybody switched places and kids ran the world? Ariel Winter, French Stewart, Renée Taylor, Pauly Shore and Dick Van Patten star in this wild family comedy about a science-experiment-gone wrong that makes everyone in a small town suddenly swap identities: parents act like kids! Their kids behave like adults! A bickering young brother and sister must find a way to save their upside-down town before this reverse spell takes over the globe. 12:00pm to 2:00pm, appropriate for ages 5+ 12:00pm Second Chances (Filmed at the Oxford Boys and Girls Club ), 8 minutes followed Q&A session It’s a big world and it’s easy to make big mistakes. But sometimes, all you need is a second chance.
12:30pm My Dog Skip 1 hour 35 minutes Who says a best friend has to be human? Not Willie Morris, who receives a talented terrier named Skip for his birthday. With Skip’s remarkable and unconventional help, they turn bullies into friends, tangle with hapless moon shiners and even win the affection of the prettiest girl in school. Shining with warmth and humor, My Dog Skip unleashes a story that will have the entire family sitting up and begging for more. Starring Frankie Muniz, Kevin Bacon. Based on the book by longtime Oxford resident Willie Morris.
Participants will learn the history of animation, the basic principles of animation, the basic elements of character design, the elements of a storyboard, and the basics of movement when creating the illusion of life in a two-dimensional character drawing. In addition, participants will create a character of their own design, a model sheet of their character in various poses, and a series of drawings on animation bond paper that when flipped show their character in action. Participants will receive a sketch book, color pencils, and an animal figurine upon which their character creation is based. DAY 1 – TUESDAY, JUNE 7TH • Tools of the Animator • History of 2D & 3D Animation • Elements of Character Design • Create a Character – (Paper and pencil) DAY 2 – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH • Character - Finalize • Elements of a Model Sheet • Create a Model Sheet of Character • Principles of Animation – (Basic concepts with an inanimate object) DAY 3 – THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH • Principles of Animation – (Finalize movement of inanimate object) • Principles of Animation – (Movement with character) • Giving Voice to a Character • Participants share their character, model sheet, and animation with class
february 10-13, 2011
Documentary Feature Michael Rose Michael Rose heads up his own boutique production company that specializes in factual programming for television. He has directed, written, produced and or executive produced over two hundred programs on a variety of topics that have aired around the world. Rose discovered the power of media to make social change and decided to find a way to channel his interests into filmmaking. His first film at the UCLA film school prompted an ongoing research and advocacy effort that has shut down a nuclear reactor, halted the ocean disposal of nuclear waste, and stopped a California valley from becoming a nuclear dump. His biography of labor leader Walter Reuther won a local Emmy. Kim Voynar Film critic Kim Voynar is features editor for Movie City News, “Hollywood’s homepage,” where she reviews films and writes two regular columns. Prior to joining Movie City News, she was managing editor for Cinematical. When she’s not watching a movie, traveling to a film festivals or writing, she stays busy homeschooling, gaming, and going to anime cons with her four youngest kids, two stepsons and husband Mike.
oxfordfilmfest.com
Skizz Cyzyk Skizz Cyzyk has spent most of the past 17 years serving as Founder/ Festival Director for MicroCineFest; Programming Manager for the Maryland Film Festival; Advisory Board member/juror/technical crew for the Slamdance Film Festival; technical supervisor/ projectionist for the Atlanta Film Festival; and a jury member at Sidewalk, Indie Memphis, and many other festivals. He has been making films since 1983, having recently completed Freaks In Love, a feature documentary chronicling Alice Donut’s first quarter century in underground rock. His current project, Hit & Stay, is a feature documentary about how much the antiwar movement has been influenced by activists like the Catonsville Nine.
Narrative Feature Steve Montal Steve Montal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Caucho Technology, a global leader in web server software. Montal has collaborated with over 100 film festivals serving as board member, programmer, jury, organizer and panelist. Working with the American Film Institute, he launched the Silverdocs Film Festival and served as Director of Educational and Special Program Development. His producing credits include “Viva Terra Viva,” a television concert event for UNICEF that was broadcast to over 100 countries and seen by 500 million people for the benefit of the Amazon. Montal was the founding associate dean of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking and is currently on the faculty of San Diego State University.
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Who’s Judging Whom?
Our judges will determine winners in each of our categories. The winning films will be announced at the awards ceremony at 8:30pm at Malco Studio Cinema (Screen 1). Winners will receive the Spirit of the Hoka, a beautiful statuette created by renowned sculptor Bill Beckwith in the likeness of the Chickasaw Princess Hoka in 1835. This year, the inaugural Lisa Blount Memorial Acting Award will be presented to the strongest independent performance that shows an actor or actress willing to take risks for their art. Lisa Blount, an award winning actress from Arkansas, was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1983 for her breakout role in An Officer and a Gentleman, and received the Best Actress prize at the 2004 Stockholm Film Festival for her lead role in the independent feature film “Chrystal.” Along with her husband Ray McKinnon and co-producer Walton Goggins, Lisa also took home an Academy Award for their Live Action Short “The Accountant.” Lisa passed away in 2010 shortly after accepting the role of juror for this year’s Oxford Film Festival. All films on the lineup – including those not in competition – are eligible for the coveted Ron Tibbett Audience Award, named for the founding director of the Magnolia Film Festival in Starkville, the first independent film festival in Mississippi. This award will be announced online after the Festival ends on Sunday, February 13.
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James Rocchi James Rocchi is a film critic and entertainment journalist who’s covered the world of movies for outlets including MSN Movies (where he currently writes as a staff critic and columnist), Redbox’s redblog, AOL’s Cinematical.com AMCtv.com, E! Online, Mother Jones Magazine, Netflix and more. A member of the L.A. Film Critics Association, the Broadcast Film Critics of America and the Online Film Critics Society, he’s covered the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, Oxford, Palm Beach, and South by Southwest Film Festivals, and has appeared as a critic and commentator on CBS-5 San Francisco, CNN, the Independent Film Channel and A&E’s Biography. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he lives and works in Los Angeles.
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Heidi Van Lier Heidi Van Lier is an indie filmmaker living in Los Angeles. She has made 3 feature films, Chi Girl, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival; Monday, which screened as a special screening at the Slamdance Film Festival and American Decaf, which will make the festival rounds soon. She is currently shooting her 4th feature, Ice Cream Cake. Heidi now programs for the Slamdance Film Festival, and continues to counsel 20-30 filmmakers about festival strategy every year while speaking at film festivals and schools across the country. Her new book, The Indie Film Rule Book, is a textbook at film schools and is available at lulu.com. It is a strategic guide for indie filmmakers.
Documentary Short/Narrative Short Mark Bell A veteran of the film festival circuit, Mark was an associate producer of the Slamdance Film Festival and has also acted as a videographer/reporter for both Slamdance and the Seattle International Film Festival. In 2003, Mark became Senior Account Executive of Film Threat DVD before becoming Editor-in-Chief of FilmThreat.com from 2005-2009. In 2010, Mark became owner and publisher of Film Threat after purchasing Film Threat from founder Chris Gore during the Sundance Film Festival. Mark has appeared as a film pundit on G4 TV’s Attack of the Show, and has been a juror and featured panel speaker at numerous film festivals. Kelly Williams Kelly Williams has been involved with the Austin Film Festival since 2001. In 2004, he became the Film Program Director. While at AFF, he helped to establish Animated Short, Documentary Feature and Documentary Short competitions. He also began the Funniest Filmmaker in Austin contest for local comedy filmmakers in 2006. He is a co-founder and former programmer of the Salvage Vanguard Micro Cinema in Austin. In addition, he has produced numerous award-winning short films, including the Student Academy Award nominee Perils in Nude Modeling (which screened at over 100 festivals), and also wrote and directed the award winning short film Richard and the documentary short Sid Smith for Congress. Jen Yamato Jen Yamato is the new West Coast Editor for Movieline. Previously, she was an editor for the movie review website
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Rotten Tomatoes, and freelanced for several movie websites including Cinematical, FEARnet, CNN, Movies.com and Film.com, where she wrote about film and DVD news, interviewed celebrities, and covered film festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto as well as the annual Comic-Con International.
Experimental/Animation April Grayson Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, April left the south for 10 years to study racial reconciliation throughout the world. In 2001, April and her husband moved to Mississippi, where she worked on several films and television documentaries, including the PBS series The Blues and The Murder of Emmett Till. In 2009 she earned a Master of Fine Art (MFA) in Film from the San Francisco Art Institute, where her graduate project was a film-based installation on the legacy of the cotton industry in the United States. Since August 2008, April and her family have been based in Vancouver, BC, where she works in film, video, and photography and teaches alternative filmmaking at an arts centre. Robin Salant Robin Salant is an artist currently residing in Memphis, Tennessee. Having worked for Indie Memphis as festival photographer for several years, Salant took on the role of Festival Coordinator in 2010, expanding the festival to include a fine art film and video installation space showcasing the work exceptional regional artists. Salant designed and directed the 2010 Indie Memphis Freedom Series, programming twenty six short and feature length films and more than a dozen special guests including filmmakers and relevant local specialists. In 2010, Salant’s experimental short film, tempo began touring the festival circuit, officially selected at Indie Grits Film Festival, SENE Arts:Film Festival, awarded a cash prize at Athens International Film & Video Festival, and most recently screened the Indie Memphis 13th Annual Film Festival. Salant holds a BA in Drama/Performance Arts, and an MFA in Photography/Installation. Michael Chaney Michael Jackson Chaney is a professor of Film and Television and Sound Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.
february 10-13, 2011
Prior to teaching he worked as a television producer in New York City for clients such as Hearst Publications, the Seagram Company, and the New York Times. He has been a consultant and special events programmer for the Savannah Film Festival since its inception in 1998. His film and time based media work address the interplay of spirituality and social constructs. He uses multiple channel video, film and sound as well as performance. His time based media work has been exhibited internationally. His short films have been included in numerous international film festivals. Born in Greenwood and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, he holds a B.F.A. from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and an M.F.A. from Tufts University/The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He has completed post-graduate studies in theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN.
Mississippi Films (Narrative and Documentary) Jack Barbera Jack Barbera received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1976, and began teaching the same year at The University of Mississippi where he is now a Professor of English. In addition to literature courses, he teaches several different film courses at the University of Mississippi, and last year directed the first film thesis in the Honors College. His only attempt at filmmaking, the nine-minute The Janitor, was accepted for screening and shown at the Silver Images Film Festival (Chicago) in 1997. Barbera has lectured on film at several scholarly conferences, and has published essays on the film, Tomorrow, and on the uses of the Vertigo Shot. In addition to judging for the Oxford Film Festival, he also serves as a judge for the Magnolia Film Festival in Starkville. Alan Arrivée Alan Arrivée is a filmmaker and writer who joined the faculty of the University of Mississippi in 2010 as Assistant Professor of Cinema in the Department of Theatre Arts. His short film Silent Radio, which he wrote and directed, was awarded Best Foreign Film and Best Cinematography at The European Independent Film Festival 2007 in Paris, and additional awards at several American film festivals, having been an official selection at over twenty festivals. He received story credit on the feature film The Road to Empire, directed by Michael Sibay, which received the Platinum ‘Remi’ Award for Best Work-InProgress at the 2007 Houston WorldFest. His plays have been performed in Chicago, Los Angeles and at various universities, and his short play The Original I.Q. Tester was a finalist for the 2007 Heideman Award. Arrivée is also a professional actor and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity as well as the University Film & Video Association
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and the Austin Film Society. He received both his B.S. in Communication/Theatre and his M.F.A. in Writing for the Screen and Stage at Northwestern University. He serves yearly on the jury of the European Independent Film Festival in Paris where he also teaches workshops on writing and filmmaking. Elizabeth Dollarhide Elizabeth Dollarhide has worked in film and video for nearly twenty years, beginning with Huck Finn in Natchez. After working on several projects in Mississippi, Chicago and Baltimore with Llewellyn Wells, she moved to Los Angeles where she ran the production company of Lawrence Kasdan and was a producer on his last film Dreamcatcher. She also worked as a writer/producer of DVD documentaries for several movies, including Cinderella Man, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, The Weather Man and re-releases of Backdraft, The Accidental Tourist, Wyatt Earp, Parenthood, as well as a HBO First Look show on Cinderella Man and promotional video for Silverado. She recently relocated from California to Oxford/Taylor and has several projects in development, including two original feature animation films and two adaptations of novels.
M I K E
S T A N T O N
P H O T O G R A P H Y
www.fairtrade-photos.com Oxford, MS | 601-594-6042
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All Work
Mississippi Narrative / Non-Competition, 1 hour 25 minutes
Mississippi Narrative, 1 hour, 7 minutes
Directed by: Billy Chase Goforth
Directed by: Robert Davis
Screening: Saturday, 6:25pm (S1), after Arkansas Traveler
Screening: Sunday, 5:30pm (S2)
Two bail recovery agents encounter drug runners, corrupt cops, and other trouble when they find a treasure map promising $25,000. World Premiere; Cameo from UM Football Coach Houston Nutt.
Steven, an all around good kid, starts to fail both emotionally and physically in areas where he had once been successful. His brother, jealous of Steven’s accomplishments, helps him to decline. Only his friend, Luke, along with a mental counselor, seem to want to help. Cast and crew were students at Oxford High School when filmed. Filmed on location in Oxford, Miss.
2011 Films
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25K
Aliki
Amazonia Animation, 5 minutes
Experimental, 5 minutes
Directed by: Sam Chen
Directed by: Richard Wiebe
Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block
Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block An encounter with a flamingo at an ancient salt lake in Cyprus. Director’s mother raised in Bruce, Miss.
All in Your Head Animation, 4 minutes Directed by: John Spottswood Moore Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block Screening: Sunday, 5:30pm (S2) A young man with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder finds a nickel on the ground.
In the dangerous world of the Amazon Rainforest, finding a meal proves to be an impossible task for a little treefrog named Bounce. His luck changes when he meets Biggy, a blue-bellied treefrog who takes him under his guidance and shows him the ways of the jungle in this animated journey set to Beethoven’s Symphony No.8.
Animation Block Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) This block of programming is not intended for children under 15. Please refer to “Children’s Films” in this A-Z listing for more family-friendly fare. -- Prayers for Peace -- The Thomas Beale Cipher -- The Birds Upstairs -- The Sasquatch and the Girl -- Amazonia -- All in Your Head -- Ninjas v. Guilt -- Irasshai -- Stationary Guard Robot -- For a Fistful of Snow -- The Life and Times of a Dust Bunny
Antiquities Narrative Short, 20 minutes Directed by: Daniel Campbell Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S2), Saturday, 6:25pm (S3) in Shorts Block Terrance, a minimum wage employee at the local antique mall, has his life thrown out of
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balance by love, deceit and his mean spirited boss in this offbeat, romantic comedy. Co-star Jennifer Pierce Mathus lives in Oxford, Miss.
April Narrative Short, 22 minutes Directed by: Mike Piccirillo
Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S2), Saturday, 6:20pm (S3) in Shorts Block
Starting at a new high school can feel like the greatest challenge to a teenage girl. Popularity is social currency and not fitting in can feel like the end of the world. This revealing year-in-the-life documentary follows the first known instance of an undead citizen attending a public high school. Follow April Poplewski’s high school experience through her eyes. Lumber in her shoes as she experiences all of the peer pressures, “in-crowd” influences and struggles to be accepted in a high school that initially fears and denies her. Producer Barry Barclay is from Jackson, Miss.
Arkansas Traveler
Narrative Short / Teaser Screening / Non-competition, 10 minutes Directed by: Sean Bridgers and Ffish
Screening: Saturday, 6:00pm (S1), screens with 25K
Waylan McGlawhorn is a Confederate soldier who, upon learning of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, embarks on a journey home to Arkansas. While on his odyssey he comes across Myrtle, a damaged woman who is determined to survive.
Award Ceremony
Get the “skinny” on all things Southern… Literature Food Art
Music Film
Writing
Culture Video
Saturday, 8:30pm (S1) The Oxford Film Festival presents the Spirit of the Hoka award, designed by Oxford sculptor Bill Beckwith, to the winners in several categories. In 2011, our winners will receive a cash prize and industry review in addition to their statuette. After party at the Powerhouse requires a separate ticket.
SAVE THE DATE!
9th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 9-12, 2012
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Subscribe today!
www.oxfordamerican.org
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Beijing Taxi
Blood Feud
Documentary Feature, 1 hour 18 minutes
Mississippi Narrative, 17 minutes
Directed by: Miao Wang
Directed by: Johnson Thomasson
Screening: Friday, 3:45pm (S2), Saturday, 7:00pm (S2)
Screening: Saturday, 4:45pm (S1) in Mississippi Narrative Block
Three taxi drivers connect a morphing cityscape and a lyrical journey through Beijing as the city undergoes a profound transformational arch to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Bill Lilly Builds a Greenhouse Mississippi Documentary, 1 hour Directed by: Thad Lee Screening: Sunday, 5:20pm (S3) The Clarks hire builder Bill Lilly to re-build their guest house after a fire. Bill plans and builds an energy-efficient three-bedroom home out of three shipping containers, and powers it with solar and geo-thermal energy. To compete in the Mississippi Home Corporation’s Growing a Greener Mississippi contest, Lilly has just four months to start and complete the building process. Filmed in Oxford, Miss.
The Birds Upstairs
Wes James, a young man from El Paso, is the son of a DEA agent investigating the powerful Navarro Cartel. When Wes’s father is killed by one of the Navarro drug princes, Wes takes justice into his own hands and goes on the offensive against the Cartel. He quickly gets in over his head and must fight for survival. Crew was from Mississippi, and some portions of the film were shot on location in state.
Blood Therapy Late Night/Mississippi Narrative, 8 minutes Directed by: Valarie O. Morris Screening: Friday, 10:25pm (S1) in Late Night Block A man must learn to embrace change before he can discover his true self. Duane P. Craig (actor, makeup f/x artist) lives in Horn Lake, Miss.
Animation, 9 minutes
The Blues According to Lightnin’ Hopkins
Directed by: Christopher Jarvis
Documentary Short / Non-Competition, 31 minutes
Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block
Directed by: Les Blank
Frustrated attempts to bear children overwhelm the lives of an aristocratic, avian couple in the early nineteenth century.
Disclaimer Views expressed in the screened films are of the filmmakers, and not necessarily shared by the Oxford Film Festival. Presentation of films does not mean that the Oxford Film Festival promotes the behavior contained therein.
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Screening: Friday, 1:15pm (S1), screens with Dry Wood A portrait of the great Texas bluesman, ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins. The film includes interviews and a performance by Hopkins. Filmed in 1970. Filmmaker Les Blank is scheduled to attend and will be a guest on Thursday’s Thacker Mountain Radio.
SAVE THE DATE! 9th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 9-12, 2012
february 10-13, 2011
Rebel Realty and Property Management, LLC
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Pamela C. Roberson, Broker/Owner Cell: (662) 816-6262 Office: (662) 513-6262 Email: info@rebelrealtyandmanagement.com
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Brotherhood Narrative Feature, 1 hour 30 minutes Directed by: Will Canon Screening: Friday, 8:30pm (S1), Sunday, 1:45pm (S2), after Sexting and Pillow
College freshman Adam Buckley (Trevor Morgan) finds himself blindfolded in the back of a van, dealing with the fact that he has to rob a convenience store as the final step of his initiation into the Sigma Zeta Chi fraternity. Minutes later he finds himself dealing with the fact that a fellow-pledge just got shot while doing it.
Brother’s Justice Narrative Feature / Non-competition, 1 hour 25 minutes Directed by: David Palmer and Dax Shepard Thursday (at the Lyric Theater), 8:45pm after Spanola Pepper Sauce Company With the help of his buddy, producer Nate Tuck, and motivated by Box Office statistics, actor Dax Shepard has made a decision to leave comedy to pursue his dream of becoming an international Martial Arts action star. Lacking any formal training, with no funding for his blockbuster script and facing rejection at every turn, Shepard shows that there is no obstacle too great for an iron will. Pulling Hollywood buddies into the mix, Shepard does not take ‘no’ for an answer, and gets banned from televised awards shows in the process.
Brown Family Dairy Mississippi Documentary, 15 minutes Directed by: Eric Griffis, Tyler Keith, and Meghan Leonard Screening: Saturday, 2:50pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block Follows Billy Ray Brown, son of late author Larry Brown, and his family’s start-up of a dairy farm in Yocona, Mississippi as they produce and prepare milk for market. Subject and crew are from Oxford, Miss.
Children’s Programming Lafayette County-Oxford Public Library Saturday, 10:00am to 2:00pm, (401 Bramlett Blvd.) 10:00am-12:00pm, (Shorts) The North Star, Safety Smart, This Way Up, The Trampoline; (Feature) Opposite Day 12:00pm-2:00pm (Short) Second Chances; (Feature) My Dog Skip
The Conjure Woman Experimental/Non-competition, 5 minutes Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block Video by: Christen Goguen; music by: John Latartara A visual response to the song “The Conjure Woman” by the band Cornstar consisting of found footage of 8 mm films from the 40’s and 50’s. The nostalgic melancholia of the musical composition combined with the repurposed images create a mysterious backdrop of longing for times and places that no longer exist. John Latartara, a member of the band Cornstar, is an associate professor of music theory and music technology at the University of Mississippi, Oxford
Conlang Narrative Short, 15 minutes Directed by: Marta Masferrer Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S1), Saturday, 6:20pm (S3) in Shorts Block Conlang, short for constructed language, is a unique comedy about secret crushes, extreme linguistics and the language of love.
Conversation with Michael Adams, moderated by James Rocchi Saturday, 12:15pm (S1) Michael Adams, Australian film critic and author of the book Showgirls, Teen Wolves, and Astro-Zombies: A Film Critic’s Year-long Quest to Find the Worst Movie Ever Made, talks to MSN Movies critic James Rocchi.
Conversation with casting agent Tracy Kilpatrick on Film Casting Thursday, 9:30am, Meek Hall Auditorium (UM campus) Free to students and public
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february 10-13, 2011
aaa Casting agent Tracy Kilpatrick, who has worked with the Coen Brothers, Robert Zemeckis, among others, and won an Emmy award for the “John Adams” mini series. Working through the process of developing or making a film gives her a better perspective on the process and the financial aspects of filmmaking. For a full bio, please refer to page 5.
Conversation with Andrew Meyer, Film and music producer Friday, 9:00am, Fulton Chapel (UM Campus) Free to students and general public Legendary film and music producer Andrew Meyer, best known for his work with Fried Green Tomatoes, Better Off Dead, and The Breakfast Club discusses his recent film shot in Memphis, Losers Take All, and his work with A&M Records. For a full bio, please refer to page 5.
The Dance of Princess Hiroshibelle (Der Tanz von Prinzessin Hiroshibelle) Experimental, 9 minutes Directed by: Volker Schütz Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block An experimental film about a princess, dancing, the view through a pinhole camera, the ether sound of a theremin, about ghosts, about war and about being dead. Only air. And even that is not strictly necessary. National Premiere
Dry Wood Documentary Short / Non-Competition, 37 minutes Directed by: Les Blank Screening: Friday, 1:45pm (S1), after The Blues According to Lightnin’ Hopkins A portrait of black Creole life in the Louisiana Delta, accompanied by the hot sounds of Zydeco music. Filmed in 1973. Filmmaker Les Blank is scheduled to attend and will be a guest on Thursday’s Thacker Mountain Radio.
Call 601.359.3297 For your Mississippi Location and Production Guide P. O. Box 849 Jackson, Mississippi 39205 www.mississippi.org/film
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Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone
by slowing down and speeding up elements to emphasize the ephemeral nature of their fleeting existence.
Documentary Feature, 1 hour 43 minutes
For a Fistful of Snow
Directed by: Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler Screening: Friday, 10:15pm (S2), Sunday, 11:25am (S3) From the shifting faultlines of Hollywood fantasies and the economic and racial tensions of Reagan’s America, Fishbone rose to become one of the most original bands of the last 25 years. With a blistering combination of punk and funk they demolished the walls of genre and challenged the racial stereotypes and political order of the music industry and the nation. Telling it like it is, the iconic Laurence Fishburne narrates a story about music, history, fear, courage and funking on the one.
Experimental Block Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) -- Roundabout -- Yellow Moon -- Inside Out/Side Out -- The Conjure Woman -- Voice on the Line -- Flutter -- Self-portrait – Sleep Paralysis -- Aliki -- A Movie by Jen Proctor -- Wrestling With My Father -- Der Tanz von Prinzessin Hiroshibelle -Devolution
First Sunrise Narrative Short, 11 minutes Directed by: Kenneth Price Screening: Friday 11:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:00am (S2) screening with When the Hurlyburly’s Done An American teaching in Japan finds acceptance through a journey to witness the first sunrise of year. (In Japanese with English subtitles.)
Flutter Experimental, 5 minutes Directed by: Jaime Johnson Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in Experimental Block Flutter is an exploration of moths in mid-flight during a brief moment of captivity. Taking on a dream-like quality, the moths become a metaphor of transience and time, described
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Animation, 6 minutes Directed by: Julien Ezri Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block A long time ago, terror, loathing and power reigned over the Wild Wild North. The foolishness of the inhabitants led them to battle for anything, even snow.
The Girls in the Band Documentary Feature, 1 hour 21 minutes Directed by: Judy Chaikin Screening: Friday, 11:45am (S3), Saturday, 3:15pm (S2), after Robyn Hitchcock in Memphis In the world of jazz, women have long been marginalized as singers or piano players. Little has ever been documented about the enormously talented female trumpet players, saxophonist and drummers who struggled for recognition but were cut off from any meaningful employment by men who didn’t want women on their bandstands. This film traces the history of the all-girl bands and the struggles of the handful who broke through the male bastions, and brings us into the present day, where brilliantly gifted young women are going toe-to-toe with the finest jazz musicians of their day. World Premiere; subject is from Piney Woods, Miss.
God of Love Narrative Short, 18 minutes Directed by: Luke Matheny Screening: Friday, 6:05pm (S3), Saturday, 10:05am (S2), screens with The World of Film Festivals and S&M Lawn Care A lovestruck, loungesinging darts champion finds his prayers are answered -- literally -- when he mysteriously receives a box of loveinducing darts.
february 10-13, 2011
R&B Feder
Charitable Foundation for the Beaux Arts P.O. Box 1943 Ocean Springs, MS 39566 rnbfeder@cableone.net
Inspiring Diversity and Exploration
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God’s Square Mile
Happy Face
Documentary Short, 35 minutes
Late Night/Narrative Short, 15 minutes
Directed by: Rachel Julkowski
Directed by: Franklin P. Laviola
Screening: Friday, 8:45pm (S2), Sunday, 2:00pm (S3), screens with Mozambique and Southern Belle
Screening: Friday, 10:35pm (S1) in Late Night Block
God’s Square Mile tells the candid story of a town unwilling to compromise its beliefs in love, faith, or community. From the undeveloped sand dunes, scrub oak, and sea of the 1869 Jersey Shore to present day Ocean Grove, New Jersey’s billowing American flags and prohibition against the sale of alcohol, God’s Square Mile examines Ocean Grove’s work in cultivating a precarious balance between preserving its Christian heritage and embracing diversity.
Grounded by Reality Documentary Short, 8 minutes Directed by: Phoebe Brown and Elizabeth Strickler Screening: Saturday, 4:45pm (S3), screens with Sand and What if Cannabis Cured Cancer; Sunday, 2:00pm (S1) with Mississippi Innocence Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at age 19 months, Jessica Blinkhorn took her last steps at three years old, but that didn’t keep her from drawing on the walls of her home. Recognizing her talent early on, her family encouraged her artistry. Today, even as she loses her ability to draw, Jessica keeps finding ways to create.
The Hanging of Big Todd Wade Mississippi Narrative / Non-Competition, 10 minutes Directed by: Micah Ginn Screening: Saturday, 1:30pm (S1)
A Hollywood starlet hides out in a rehab facility on Long Island, but when her agent tracks her down and attempts to whisk her back to LA, things get ugly.
The Happy Poet Narrative Feature, 1 hour 25 minutes Directed by: Paul Gordon Screening: Saturday, 5:20pm (S2), screens with Skip Town, Sunday, 4:20pm (S2) Bill, an out-of-work poet, puts his heart, soul, and last few dollars into starting an all-organic mostlyvegetarian food stand, but complications with the business jeopardize his dreams for a hot dog-free future.
Master class: How to Cut a Great Trailer and Promote Your Film on the Festival Circuit Saturday, 10:00am (S3) Included with ticket or pass. Veteran editor Danny Retz uses professional tricks of the trade to help you create the right product to promote your film. For a full bio of Retz, please refer to page 7.
Inside Out/Side One Experimental, 5 minutes
Oxford, 1893. Big Todd Wade faces the gallows for a crime he did not commit. Will his alibi be revealed before it is too late? Film created by Oxford Film Festival as a community film project with the participation of Kodak, Panavision, and Magnolia Hill Entertainment.
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Directed by: Matt Meindl Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block A short film exploring the texture and tangledup nature of memory. The past comes alive collage-style through a shifting landscape of trees, shadows and tattered strips of wallpaper.
february 10-13, 2011
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Late Night Block Friday, 10:10pm (S1) If you’re looking for something different, maybe a bit twisted, then look no further than these late night offerings. -- Shock -- Monster Hunt with James and Kevin -- Blood Therapy -- Happy Face -- Night of the Punks -- Murderabilia -- River City Dead T-Shirt Printing & Design 662.236.1985 fax 662.281.0247 inkspot199@hotmail.com
The Life and Times of a Dust Bunny Animation, 1 minute Directed by: Emily Hamel
1711 East University Avenue Oxford, MS 38655
Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block An animated short on the trials and tribulations that Dust Bunnies must overcome.
Lukos
7E SHARE BECAUSE WE CARE
Ink Spot.indd 1
1/5/10 10:30:23 AM
Mississippi Narrative, 11 minutes Directed by: Michael Williams Screening: Saturday, 5:15pm (S1) in Mississippi Narrative Block Lukos, overwhelmed with guilt and anxiety, tries to cope with what is inevitably about to happen, however, Laura, the sole person who knows his secret, is willing to take the risk to do what she can to help. Cast and crew from Mississippi and filmed in state.
Since 1982, Oxford and Lafayette County’s volunteer agency providing the opportunity for those who have enough to eat to share with those who lack sufficient food. Phone: 662-832-8001 Email: oxfordfoodpantry@yahoo.com On Molly Barr Rd., next to the Oxford Police Department A 501c3 non-profit charitable organization Advertisement provided by Ronald Lee and Sabra Olson Laumbach
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Mississippi Documentary Block
The Mistake
Saturday, 1:30pm (S1) -- When Cotton Blossoms -- The Sad Waltz -- The South Will Rise Again -- Brown Family Dairy -- Smokes and Ears -Valentease -- Bill Lilly Builds a Greenhouse
Mississippi Narrative, 11 minutes
Mississippi Innocence
Natalie wakes up in a stranger’s bed with no recollection of how she got there. Cast and crew from Mississippi and filmed in state.
Mississippi Documentary / Sneak Preview / Noncompetition, 1 hour Directed by: Joe York Screening: Friday, 5:30pm (S1), Friday, 7:00pm (S2), Sunday 2:00pm (S1) Mississippi Innocence tells the story of Levon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer, two Mississippi men who combined spent over 30 years in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. In 2008, due to new investigations conducted by The Innocence Project, a group that helps free the wrongfully incarcerated through DNA testing, both Brooks and Brewer were exonerated and released from prison. This documentary chronicles the systemic flaws in the criminal justice system that led to their wrongful convictions and traces the story of those who worked tirelessly to secure their eventual release from prison. Features interviews with John Grisham, Barry Scheck, and Peter Neufeld. Brooks and Brewer are scheduled to attend.
Directed by: Michael Williams and April Wren Screening: Saturday, 5:05pm (S1) in Mississippi Narrative Block
Monster Hunt with James and Kevin Late Night/Narrative Short, 8 minutes Directed by: Stacey Shirley Screening: Friday, 10:15pm (S1) in Late Night Block The title pretty much says it all. James and Kevin hunt monsters. When they’re asked to evict a vampire from a vacant house, things don’t go exactly as planned.
A Movie by Jen Proctor Experimental, 12 minutes
Mississippi Music Video Block Music Video, 1 hour Screening: Saturday, 11:10am (S1) West Coast / Junk Culture (Oxford) If Snakes Were On Your Plane, I’d Be The First In Line To Administer The Anti-Venom / Cory Taylor Cox (Oxford) Acting Out for Love / Stacy Robinson (Southaven) Coma Boy / TTOCS Rekarp (Jackson) Line Up / Good Paper (Oxford) Intent to Distribute / Stork & Nick B. (Oxford) Carpetbaggers Live in Mississippi / The Cooters (Oxford) Hold On / Avenue Hearts (Oxford) Cold Red Clay / T.B. Ledford (Jackson) 976-EVIL / Astrocasket (Tupelo) There Goes Santa Claus / Jeff Allen (Oxford) Mississippi Queen / Nash Street (Starkville) Shadow of a Cross / Tyler Keith and the Apostles
Mississippi Narrative Block Saturday, 4:45pm (S1) Blood Feud -- The Mistake -- Lukos -- Treat or Eat
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Directed by: Jennifer Proctor Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block A loving remake of Bruce Conner’s seminal 1958 found footage film A Movie using appropriated material from video sharing sites YouTube and LiveLeak.
Mozambique Documentary Short, 14 minutes Produced by: Neal Baer Screening: Friday, 8:30pm (S2), Sunday, 1:45pm (S3), screens with God’s Square Mile and Southern Belle Alcides Soares is a sixteen-year-old AIDS orphan, one of half a million living in Mozambique today. An American television writer (Neal Baer) and
february 10-13, 2011
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movie director (Chris Zalla) gave Alcides a movie camera and taught him how to shoot. The result is a moving chronicle directed by Alcides himself. His journey to find a family and make a new life in a country that has been ravaged by AIDS is a story repeated millions of times everyday throughout Africa.
The Mud and the Blood: Oystering in the Low Country Documentary Short, 12 minutes Directed by: George Motz Screening: Friday, 3:35pm (S3), Saturday, 12:20pm (S2), screens with Skimming the Surface and The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History Collecting and roasting oysters is a specialty of the South and one of the best places to enjoy this Southern treat is the low country of South Carolina.
Murderabilia Late Night/Narrative Short, 30 minutes Directed by: David Matthews Screening: Friday, 11:10pm (S1) in Late Night Block Murderabilia is a grim, atmospheric film that plunges into the seedy underbelly of a profoundly macabre market--the buying and selling of murder-related collectibles. The film follows a compulsive collector as he tracks down a specific artifact that was involved in the brutal murder of a young woman. The journey leads him to a reclusive online vendor--a man whose unexpected offer forces the collector to confront the nature of his obsession. Filmed in Jackson, Miss. with a local cast and crew.
My Dog Skip Children’s film, 1 hour 35 minutes Directed by Jay Russell Saturday, 12:30pm (Public Library) Who says a best friend has to be human? Not Willie Morris, who receives a talented terrier named Skip for his birthday. With Skip’s remarkable and unconventional help,
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they turn bullies into friends, tangle with hapless moon shiners and even win the affection of the prettiest girl in school. Shining with warmth and humor, My Dog Skip unleashes a story that will have the entire family sitting up and begging for more. Starring Frankie Muniz, Kevin Bacon. Based on the book by longtime Oxford resident Willie Morris.
Night of the Punks Late Night/Narrative Short, 19 minutes Directed by: Dan Riesser Screening: Friday, 10:50pm (S1) in Late Night Block The Brain Deads, a small town punk band, head to their first out of town gig, only to discover that the only fans at the show are bloodthirsty, punk rock demons from hell, ready for a ritualistic sacrifice.
Ninjas vs. Guilt Animation, 4 minutes Directed by: David Chai Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block Nobu the Ninja breathes a sai of relief after being consoled by his pal Pierre, over a cup of coffee and some penetrating advice.
The North Star Children’s film, 15 minutes Saturday, 10:00am (Public Library) In this classic storybook about lifelong learning, The North Star inspires learners of all ages to navigate their full potential and follow their dreams. Narrated by Tim Curry.
SAVE THE DATE! 9th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 9-12, 2012
february 10-13, 2011
aaa Opposite Day Children’s film, 1 hour 21 minutes Directed by: R. Michael Givens Saturday, 10:45am (Public Library) Ever wonder what it would be like if everybody switched places and kids ran the world? Ariel Winter, French Stewart, Renée Taylor, Pauly Shore and Dick Van Patten star in this wild family comedy about a science-experiment-gone wrong that makes everyone in a small town suddenly swap identities: parents act like kids! Their kids behave like adults! Can a bickering young brother and sister find a way to save their upside-down town before this reverse spell takes over the globe? Anything can, and will, happen when kids rule on OPPOSITE DAY!
Our Time Together Narrative Short, 14 minutes Directed by: David R. Lipson Screening: Friday, 1:00pm (S2), Saturday, 11:20am (S3), screens with Passenger Pigeons As Mark spends countless days and nights alone, his secret infatuation with a girl at a Seattle record store has become the only escape from his suffocating routine. But as his longing grows, Mark’s desperate attempt to reconnect to the outside world forces him to confront something else entirely.
Passenger Pigeons Narrative Feature, 1 hour 47 minutes Written and Directed by: Martha Stephens Screening: Friday, 1:30pm (S2), Saturday, 11:50am (S3), after Our Time Together Set among the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky, Passenger Pigeons is a story about finding hope and beauty in the dark hills of Appalachia. The film quietly interweaves four separate story lines over the course of a weekend as the town copes with the death of a local miner.
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Pillow
Queen’s Day
Narrative Short, 19 minutes
Narrative Short, 8 minutes
Directed by: Miles B. Miller and Joshua H. Miller
Directed by: Jeffrey W. Ruggles
Screening: Friday, 7:50pm (S1), Sunday, 1:10pm (S2) after Sexting
Screening: Friday, 3:25pm (S1), Sunday, 3:00pm (S1), screens with Where I Begin
A Southern Gothic tale of two brothers who go to desperate measures to please their overbearing mother. World Premiere
An ordinary morning takes an interesting turn when a new couple finds themselves crossing into uncharted territory. Queen’s Day is a story of love, toast, and the small, seemingly mundane discoveries that can change everything.
Prayers for Peace Animation, 8 minutes Directed by: Dustin Grella Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block Pastels on a slate chalkboard underscore life’s impermanence as the artist confronts the memory of his younger brother killed in Iraq. Subject’s mother is from Pontotoc, Miss.
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History Documentary Feature, 1 hour 19 minutes Directed by: Chad Freidrichs Screening: Friday, 4:00pm (S3), Saturday, 12:45pm (S2), after Skimming the Surface and The Mud and the Blood Destroyed in a dramatic and highly-publicized implosion, the PruittIgoe public housing complex has become a widespread symbol of failure amongst architects, politicians and policy makers. The Pruitt-Igoe Myth explores the social, economic and legislative issues that led to the decline of conventional public housing in America, and the city centers in which they resided, while tracing the personal and poignant narratives of several of the project’s residents. In the post-War years, the American city changed in ways that made it unrecognizable from a generation earlier, privileging some and leaving others in its wake. Simultaneous World Premiere with the Big Sky Film Festival (Missoula, Montana)
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River City Dead Late Night /Mississippi Narrative, 19 minutes Directed by: Daniel Lee Screening: Friday, 11:40pm (S1), in Late Night Block Oxford’s own Johnny McPhail stars as hard-boiled detective Dodge Dakota. Dodge fights crime in River City. But when the notorious Fourth Reich crime gang led by Patricia Hitler hatch a new plot, can Dodge stop them? Victoria Valance is a mysterious woman from his past who re-emerges after being thought dead for 25 years. Can Dodge solve the case? Will the dead walk the earth again to feed on the living? River City Dead takes one part noir film, one part comic book, and one part exploitation horror movie, and mixes them together in a delightful cocktail of fun! Filmed in Blue Springs and Tupelo, Miss. with a local cast and crew.
Robert Box-Perfect for the Kitchen Documentary Short, 5 minutes Directed by: James Reford Screening: Friday, 5:15pm (S2), Sunday, 11:00am (S3) An early morning trick of the light sent an art career in a new direction. The nostalgia of food is the niche that artist Robert Box has found for himself. After years of trying to sell his work on the streets of New York the line he often hears about his paintings is that they are ‘perfect for the kitchen’.
february 10-13, 2011
aaa Robyn Hitchcock in Memphis Documentary Short / Non-competition, 30 minutes Directed by: Peter Gilbert Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S3), Saturday, 2:30pm (S2), screens with The Girls in the Band The film gives a fly-onthe-wall perspective of singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock’s creative process as he records new songs at Ardent Studios with Jody Stephens (Big Star), and culminates with his live acoustic performance, which closed the 2009 Indie Memphis Film Festival. Photo by Robin Salant courtesy of Indie Memphis
Roundabout Experimental, 8 minutes Directed by: Peter Byrne and Carole Woodlock Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block Roundabout is an inquiry into landscape and memory. We use gesture, layering, randomness, pattern and color to evoke a sense of becoming. We weave live action footage, with hand-drawn and computer generated composite animation sequences in order to establish a shifting layered sense of time and place. A fragmented sense of place evokes a shifting center and viewpoint in which we seek to unearth the interaction and collapsing of virtual and real spaces.
S&M Lawn Care Narrative Feature, 1 hour 19 minutes Directed by: Mark Potts Screening: Friday, 6:35pm (S3), Saturday, 10:40am (S2), after The World of Film Festivals and God of Love Sal and Mel are the best lawn mowers in town. That is, until Drake moves in. With his sexy assistants, Drake begins to dismantle Sal and Mel’s company and dreams.
SAVE THE DATE! 9th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 9-12, 2012
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The Sad Waltz
The Sasquatch and the Girl
Mississippi Documentary , 10 minutes
Animation, 3 minutes
Directed by: Richard Ward
Directed by: Trevor Knapp Jones
Screening: Saturday, 2:20pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block
Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block
Between 1969 and 2010, Pass Christian, Mississippi, was virtually destroyed by two hurricanes and seriously impacted by the BP oil spill. Drawing on home movies and other archival materials spanning more than 50 years, this film chronicles the joys and sorrows of this coastal town from the 1950s through the summer of 2010.
This shadow play by a mysterious storyteller tells the story of why the Sasquatch must hide from humans today.
Safety Smart: About Fire Children’s film, 12 minutes Saturday, 10:15am (Public Library) “Get down, get out and stay out!” That’s just one of the lessons Timon and Pumbaa share to help students understand what to do in a fire emergency. From smoke alarms, fire escape plans and preventative measures such as not playing with matches, Timon and Pumbaa review their Safety Smart Checklist full of valuable and life-saving fire safety information.
Sand Documentary Short, 10 minutes Directed by: Cari Ann Shim Sham Screening: Saturday, 4:45pm (S3), screens with Grounded by Reality; Sunday, 11:05am (S3), screens with Robert Box: Perfect for the Kitchen A rhythmic and visual collage, the film ‘Sand’ tells the story of the personal history and evolution of sand dance as it is passed down from father to son. Starring the emerging tap artist Kenji Igus and his father Darrow Igus.
Second Chances Children’s film / Mississippi Narrative, 8 minutes Screening: Saturday, 12:00pm (Public Library) Written and directed by Deepak and Nitin Mantena It’s a big world and it’s easy to make big mistakes. But sometimes, all you need is a second chance. Filmed at the Boys and Girls Club of Oxford.
The Secret to a Happy Ending Documentary Feature / Non-Competition, 1 hour 41 minutes Directed by: Barr Weissman Screening: Friday, 9:30pm (S3) This is a film about the redemptive power of rock-and-roll, told through the music and bawdy history of the Drive-By Truckers. It’s a film about the American South, where rock was born, and about one band’s daily struggle to make art, make love, and make a living. With unparalleled access, the film documents three critical years of touring and recording as the Truckers struggle to overcome the trauma of divorce and survive a near breakup in their persistent quest for “The Secret to a Happy Ending”.
Disclaimer Views expressed in the screened films are of the filmmakers, and not necessarily shared by the Oxford Film Festival. Presentation of films does not mean that the Oxford Film Festival promotes the behavior contained therein.
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february 10-13, 2011
© Kodak, 2011. Kodak and Vision are trademarks.
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Seeing
Shorts Block
Narrative Short, 8 minutes
Narrative Short
Directed by: Tony Bloodworth
Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S2) and Saturday, 6:20pm (S3) Conlang -- April -- Seeing -- Untitled -- Antiquities
Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S2), Saturday, 6:25pm (S3) in Shorts Block A photographer invites a call girl into his home but as he questions his decision he finds that he may get more than he bargained for. Producer Barry Barclay is from Jackson, Miss.
Self-Portrait Experimental, 3 minutes Directed by: So Hyung Choi
Skimming the Surface Documentary Short, 7 minutes Directed by: Tim Arnold and Landon Lott Screening: Friday, 3:30pm (S3), Saturday, 12:15pm (S2), screens with The Mud and the Blood and The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History A brief look into the early effects of the Gulf coast oil spill, focused on Plaquemins Parish, Louisiana.
Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block Utilizing old, black-and-white family photos of several generations, images are reframed the images, creating an evolving, multiple layered image that is ambiguous, ethereal and at times, gruesome.
Sexting Narrative Short, 8 minutes Directed by: Neil Labute Screening: Friday, 7:40pm (S1), Sunday, 1:00pm (S2), screening with Pillow People are not who they seem when a misdirected text message leads a young woman (Julia Stiles) to meet with the wife of her boyfriend and ask what is really going on in their relationship.
Shock Late Night / Mississippi Narrative, 4 minutes Directed by: Chris Spear Screening: Friday, 10:10pm (S1) in Late Night Block A dark, creepy house. A young couple. And the things that go bump in the night. Filmed in Jackson, Miss., where the cast and crew also stayed.
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Skip Town Narrative Short, 4 minutes Directed by: Banner Gwin Screening: Friday, 8:00pm (S3), screens with The Secret to a Happy Ending, Saturday, 5:00pm (S2), screens with The Happy Poet A contemporary silent film based on the experimental piano composition by Nico Muhly, with a narrative structure derived from the work of short form authors Raymond Carver, Larry Brown, and Vladimir Nabokov, using only basic silent film era aesthetics and techniques. Actor Jimmy Hall is a University of Mississippi alumnus and former football player for the Ole Miss Rebels.
Sleep Paralysis Experimental, 4 minutes Directed by: Kory Drahos Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block This self portrait project depicts the artist’s sleep paralysis sleep disorder. Drahos is a student in the University of Mississippi’s Department of Art
february 10-13, 2011
aaa Smokes and Ears Mississippi Documentary / Non-Competition, 20 minutes Screening: Saturday, 3:05pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block Smokes & Ears tells the story of the Big Apple Inn in Jackson, Mississippi. Known as “Big John’s” by its faithful customers, the Big Apple Inn’s defining duo of pig ear sandwiches and hot smoked sausage sandwiches (known as “smokes”) has kept folks coming back again and again for over 70 years, and counting. Features performances by Bobby Rush and Jesse Robinson. Produced by Joe York and Scott Barretta for the University of Mississippi Media & Documentary Projects Center and the Southern Foodways Alliance
LOFT Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow
The South Will Rise Again Mississippi Documentary, 16 minutes Directed by: Ben Guest Screening: Saturday, 2:40pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block A short documentary about race, and the symbols of racism at the University of Mississippi.
Southern Belle Documentary Feature, 1 hour 15 minutes Directed by: Kathy Conkwright and Mary Makley Screening: Friday, 5:15pm (S2), Sunday, 2:50pm (S3), after Mozambique and God’s Square Mile The Civil War may be long over but the spirit of rebellion is hard to extinguish in the South, even in something as innocent as a girls’ summer camp. Southern Belle is a unique insider’s look at the 1861 Athenaeum Girls School where young women from around the world eagerly sign up to become that iconic and romantic image of southern identity: the southern belle, replete with hoop skirt, hat and gloves, singing the region’s anthem, Dixie.
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Spanola Pepper Sauce Company
This Way Up
Narrative Short / Non-Competition, 7 minutes
Children’s film, 4 minutes
Directed by: Ray McKinnon
Saturday, 10:30am (Public Library)
Screening: Thursday (at the Lyric Theater), 8:30pm with Brother’s Justice This heartwarming story explores the life of Tookie Spanola, the founder and owner of the Spanola Pepper Sauce Company, and some of the changes that have taken effect during his tenure.
Speed Pitch Panel Friday, 1:30pm (S3) Speed Pitch is a great way to meet lots of distributors and producers in a quick, no-pressure environment. The ‘speed pitching’ will take place in fast turnaround, one-to-one, round table sessions with representatives from production companies and independent distribution companies. You have 2 minutes to pitch your film or idea. When done, we will have a panel discussion about what distributors saw that was good and ideas on how to improve your first impression with a distributor. You will have the opportunity to ask questions afterwards. NOTE: Filmmakers must sign up in advance for the speed pitch session. Anyone with a ticket or pass is welcome to sit in and observe the panel without participating in the speed distribution. Moderator: Todd Gilchrist (Cinematical); Panelists: Tracy Kilpatrick (producer), Debra Zimmerman (Women Make Movies), Paola Freccero (Crowdstarter.com), Steven Beckman (Cinetic Rights Management), Ryan Watt and Nick Case (Paper Moon Films), Andrew Meyer (producer), Jeff Scheftel (producer). For full bios, please refer to page 5.
Stationary Guard Robot Animation, 2 minutes Directed by: Randall Hopkins Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block Stationary Guard Robot is stationary.
9-year-old Jimmy Apollo uses his imagination and a cardboard box to strength his relationship with his gadgetobsessed father. The catalyst that ignites Jimmy’s imagination and later his father’s is through a cardboard box from a new TV.
The Thomas Beale Cipher Animation, 10 minutes Directed by: Andrew S. Allen Screening: Saturday, 10:00am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S1) in Animation Block Professor White, cryptographer extraordinaire, is on the trail of the notoriously uncrackable Thomas Beale cipher, a century-old riddle hiding the location of a fortune in gold that has tormented its pursuers since inception. But White is not alone: a shadowy forces are tight on his tail.
The Trampoline Children’s film, 6 minutes Saturday, 10:35am (Public Library) When Brian takes his daughter, Lucy, to the meadow he played in as a boy, they discover an unexpected surprise waiting for them.
Treat or Eat Mississippi Narrative, 11 minutes Directed by: April Wren Screening: Saturday, 5:30pm (S1) in Mississippi Narrative Block After being told a story about a child eater who eats kids on Halloween, Katy is afraid that her first time trick-or-treating might also be her last. Cast and crew from Mississippi and filmed in state.
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february 10-13, 2011
aaa Two Gates of Sleep Narrative Feature, 1 hour 18 minutes Directed by: Alistair Banks-Griffin Screening: Friday, 11:40am (S1), Sunday, 11:30am (S2) after First Sunrise and When the Hurlyburly’s Done After preparing for their mother’s imminent death, two brothers go on an arduous upriver journey to honor her final request. Portions of the film were completed in Poplarville, Miss.
Untitled Narrative Short, 9 minutes Directed by: Chad Hartigan Screening: Friday, 11:00am (S2), Saturday, 6:25pm (S3) in Shorts Block Don and Dixie confront their relationship issues at the beach.
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407 Jackson Avenue Mon. - Fri. 10-6 • Sat. 10-4 236.6507
Valentease Mississippi Documentary, 17 minutes Directed by: Tobie Baker Screening: Saturday, 3:25pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block Valentease, a short documentary, provides a peak into Oxford’s first vaudeville burlesque revue.
Voice on the Line Experimental, 5 minutes Directed by: Kelly Sears Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block The era of nuclear anxiety, red scare paranoia and covert CIA plots forever changed how we engaged with the telephone.
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Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
When the Hurlyburly’s Done
Documentary Short / Non-Competition, 20 minutes
Narrative Short, 15 minutes
Directed by: Les Blank
Directed by: Hanna Maria Heidrich and Alex Eslam
Screening: Thursday (at the Lyric Theater) 8:00pm, after Festival intro
Screening: Friday, 11:10am (S1), Sunday, 11:10am, (S2) after First Sunrise
German film director Werner Herzog had made a bet with once-fledgling director Errol Morris that, if Morris made a film, Herzog would eat his shoe. Morris went on to film Gates of Heaven, so Herzog kept his promise. Filmed in 1980. Filmmaker Les Blank is scheduled to attend and will be a guest on Thursday’s Thacker Mountain Radio.
She will bleed to death. Jacob is holding Gwynn in his arms. A love stronger than death, that’s what they promised to each other. Should he take her to hospital, where her husband and his men are waiting, or rather escape?
What If Cannabis Cured Cancer?
Narrative Feature / Sneak Preview, Non-Competition, 1 hour 30 minutes
Documentary Feature, 1 hour
Directed by: Thomas L. Phillips
Directed by: Len Richmond
Screening: Friday, 3:25pm (S1), Saturday, 3:20pm (S1) after Queen’s Day
Screening: Saturday, 5:20pm (S3), Sunday, 4:20pm (S3) Could the chemicals found in marijuana prevent and even heal several deadly cancers? Discover the truth about this ancient medicine as world renowned scientists in the field of cannabinoid research explain and illustrate their truly mind-blowing discoveries. Using original and archival footage, the film presents controversial but highly convincing evidence that this forbidden herb has healing properties beyond any other plant on the planet. A powerful and eye-opening film about the future of cannabis, and perhaps even the future of medicine.
When Cotton Blossoms
Where I Begin
A decade after a tragic event, Jacob decides to return home to his small southern roots, only to find that the past is not really the past and that people may change but they never forget. His unexpected homecoming once again intertwines him with the family, friends and the town he left in his wake. Jacob searches for his way back home, but can you ever really go home? Co-producer and co-writer Melanie L. Addington is from Oxford, Miss., and the film was shot on location in Oxford, Scobie and Sardis, Miss.
Mississippi Documentary, 30 minutes
The World of Film Festivals
Directed by: Scott A. Magie
Narrative Short, 5 minutes
Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S1) in Mississippi Documentary Block
Directed by: Jim Jacob
In 1909, a young man named Laurence Jones stepped off the train in Braxton and walked into the piney woods of rural Mississippi. With only a dream and a simple faith in divine guidance, he overcame tremendous odds to create a school for the sons & daughters of former slaves: The Piney Woods Country Life School. Exactly 100 years later, Dr. Jones’ inspiring true story is celebrated on film using an artistic blend of archival & reenacted imagery. Subject is Piney Woods School in Mississippi.
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Screening: Friday, 6:00pm (S3), and Saturday, 10:00am (S2), screens with God of Love and S&M Lawn Care This film is a summary of the variety of locales and activities which one may encounter in the realm of film festivals.
february 10-13, 2011
aaa Worst in Show Documentary Feature, 58 minutes Directed by: Don R. Lewis and John Beck Screening: Friday, 8:00pm (S3), Saturday, 3:30pm (S3) The camera is cast on the competitors in the annual “Worlds Ugliest Dog Contest� which takes place each summer in Petaluma, CA. Simultaneous world premiere with San Francisco Indiefest.
Wrestling with my Father Experimental, 5 minutes Directed by: Charles Fairbanks Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block My father was a wrestler before me. You never stop being a wrestler.
Yellow Moon Experimental, 3 minutes Directed by: Dan Inglis Screening: Saturday, 2:00pm (S3) in the Experimental Block An experimental presentation of a voyage to a strange moon and an encounter with its unexpected inhabitants. National Premiere
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SPONSORS
a $10,000 Magnolia Hill Entertainment Malco
R&B Feder Charitable Foundation for the Beaux Arts Wilson Roberts
Dianne Fergusson The 512 Bed & Breakfast Garden and Gun Ann Gill
Media and Documentary Projects, University of Mississippi
$1,000
Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau
Janice and Walt Antonow
High Point Coffee
Panavision
Bullseye 95.5
Holli’s Sweet Tooth
Donna Ruth Roberts
Chik-Fil-A
Honey Bee Bakery
Downtown Inn
Honest Abe’s
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Little Dooey
$5,000 Metrocast Rock Star Taxi Yoknapatawpha Arts Council
$2,500 Captured Photography City Grocery Restaurant Group Cundiff & Company FedEx Kodak The Lyric Theater Nautilus Publishing Oxford American
Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow Ronald Lee and Sabra Olson Laumbach Lazy Magnolia Newk’s Express Café
Johnny and Susan McPhail Old Venice Pizza Company Oreck Oxford Center for Cosmetic and General Dentistry
$500
Oxford Film Festival Fan Club, Birmingham
College Weekends
Oxford Film Festival Fan Club, Dallas
Vickie Cook
Percy Law Firm
Downtown Grill
Andrew and Joann Stefani
Fête et Cie
Stubblefield Dental
First National Bank of Oxford
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Ink Spot
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McAlisters
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Oxford Bank Association Oxford Bicycle Co.
Under $250
Proud Larry’s
A+ Catering
Roosters Hubert and Rose Spears University Museum
$250 Lynda and Harry Addington Bottletree Bakery Delta Magazine Dr. Pepper Bottling Company Elliott Logic
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Laura Harper
Obys Baptist Memorial Hospital of North Mississippi NMRC Foster Grandparents La Rousse Salon and Spa Farese Family Dental Callahans Castle Hill Resort Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory Howorth and Associates Architecture
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Family-Friendly * This category is screening for free at the Lafayette-Oxford Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 12 and is not in competition. My Dog Skip The North Star Opposite Day Safety Smart: About Fire Second Chances This Way Up The Trampoline
Documentary Feature Beijing Taxi Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone The Girls in the Band The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History The Secret to a Happy Ending * Southern Belle What If Cannabis Cured Cancer Worst in Show
Late Night Blood Therapy Happy Face Monster Hunt with James and Kevin Murderabilia Night of the Punks River City Dead Shock
Documentary Short The Blues According to Lightning Hopkins * Dry Wood * God’s Square Mile Grounded by Reality Mozambique The Mud and the Blood Robert Box-Perfect for the Kitchen Robyn Hitchcock in Memphis * Skimming the Surface Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe * Experimental Aliki The Conjure Woman * The Dance of Princess Hiroshibelle Flutter Inside Out/Side One A Movie by Jen Proctor Roundabout Sand Self-Portrait Sleep Paralysis Voice on the Line Wrestling with my Father Yellow Moon
Mississippi Documentary Bill Lilly Builds a Green House Brown Family Dairy Mississippi Innocence * The Sad Waltz Smokes and Ears * The South Will Rise Again Valentease When Cotton Blossoms Mississippi Music Video (listed by band) All will screen Saturday, 11:10am (S1) Jeff Allen (Oxford) / There Goes Santa Claus Astrocasket (Tupelo) / 976-EVIL Avenue Hearts (Oxford) / Hold On The Cooters (Oxford) / Carpetbaggers Live in Mississippi Cory Taylor Cox (Oxford) / If Snakes Were On Your Plane, I’d Be The First In Line To Administer The Anti-Venom Good Paper (Oxford) / Line Up Junk Culture (Oxford) / West Coast Tyler Keith and the Apostles (Oxford) / Shadow of a Cross T.B. Ledford (Jackson) / Cold Red Clay Nash Street (Starkville) / Mississippi Queen Stacy Robinson (Southaven) / Acting Out for Love Stork & Nick B. (Oxford) / Intent to Distribute TTOCS Rekarp (Jackson) / Coma Boy
Mississippi Narrative 25K * All Work Blood Feud Blood Therapy The Hanging of Big Todd Wade * Lukos The Mistake Murderabilia River City Dead Shock Treat or Eat Where I Begin * Narrative Feature Brotherhood Brother’s Justice * The Happy Poet Passenger Pigeons S&M Lawn Care Two Gates of Sleep
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Genre List
Animation All in Your Head Amazonia The Birds Upstairs For a Fistful of Snow Irasshai The Life and Times of a Dust Bunny Ninjas vs. Guilt Prayers for Peace The Sasquatch and the Girl Stationary Guard Robot The Thomas Beale Cipher
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Narrative Short Antiquities April Arkansas Traveler * Conlang First Sunrise God of Love Happy Face Monster Hunt with James and Kevin Night of the Punks Our Time Together Pillow Queen’s Day Seeing Sexting Skip Town Spanola Pepper Sauce Company * Untitled When The Hurlyburly’s Done The World of Film Festivals Panels and Workshops Conversation with Tracy Kilpatrick (casting agent) Conversation with Andrew Meyer (film and music producer) Conversation with Michael Adams How to Cut a Great Trailer and Promote Your Film on the Festival Circuit (Master class) Speed Pitch Panel
For screening times, please refer to the A-Z listing, or oxfordfilmfest.com (* = Non-Competition)
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