Independent Streak Mag-Jan/ Feb 2018

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan ./ Feb. 2018

I nterv i ew w i th actress & di rector K aren A l l en M iam i F ilm F est iv al James Cromw el l h onored F ilm R ev iew : Th e E ar t h is F lat Sav e th e Date: Boynton Beach Fi l m Festi v al

Wh en i s Sw edeFest?

Film

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

R eview :

right. He also has magnificent talent. He can take a lump of clay (or other material) and turn it magically into a human replica... again the work of the devil. He hopes for some human touch and attention form his

By Rachel Gal vin parents, which is forbidden, so much that he jumps into pig poop just so he What a fascinating glimpse Sam can be bathed by them.

Wickey has presented of a reality he Meanwhile, his father is ready to was so familiar with growing up, but a leave the church despite the fears of reality hidden in mystery to most of his wife; rebelling when he can, us -- the life of the Amish. In his film whether drinking or buying a car. His about his own life, he gives an in wife gives the kids coloring books, depth look at what those who live in also forbidden. These are just a few of that culture deal with on a daily basis the many forbidden actions they and -- the fear of admonishment by a the family take that seem to powerful church, being forced to constantly be discovered and in need confess in front of the congregation of punishment. time and again after being reported by whispering voices and outright The siblings are left to listen and declarations. watch to everything going on around them.

In the story, a young boy, Samuel, has a special struggle, as he is different Eventually, the parents begin to make from the rest and, in this culture, his small changes that will slowly change actions are seen as the work of the their families lives forever. devil. Wracked with what appears to The real Samuel, Sam Wickey, plays be Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the father Jake in this film. In real life, he is bullied and misunderstood, he took his gift for sculpting and whether it's breathing loudly, Act or / Wr it er / Dir ect or Sam Wickey cr eat es turned it into a career making brilliant counting or taking his clothing t h ese am azin g scu lpt u r es. bronze sculptures constructed with off and on again at night so as nothing but a razor blade and nut 1 to get the routine perfectly pick. Some of this sculptures have

" Th e Earth i s Fl at"

been commissioned by the NBA and NFL.

From verdant green landscapes with the clip clop of horses pulling a buggy to the dimmed interiors of their humble home, the cinematography in this film adds much to the story.

Sw ede Fest Palm Beach March 24, 7 p.m.

Kelsey Theater 700 Park Ave. Lake Park, FL

You can still get your swede film in.

Deadline: March 10.

To f ind out more about t his f il m, visit ht t ps:/ / www.f acebook.com/ pg/ MyAmishWorl d.

Find them on Facebook!

Miami Fil m Fest ival March 9-18 ht t ps:/ / 2018.miamif il mf est ival .com

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan ./ Feb. 2018

Pict ured: Jackson Smit h & Jef f rey DeMunn in "A Tree. A Rock. A Cl oud." The f il m , which t akes pl ace in 1947, f eat ures DeMunn as an ol der man who passes on wisdom t o a boy (Smit h) when t hey meet in a caf e.

K a r en A l l en Talks ?A Tr ee. A Rock. A Cloud?

By Rachel Gal vin

Is it the wide smile or the knowing eyes, the curious spark or the mischievous glance, the friendly demeanor or her vulnerability? What is it that makes actress/ director Karen Allen so disarming? Humble and low key, she exudes sincerity. You would never know she has acted in big box office productions like ?Indiana 3 Jones? films or ?Starman,? or ?Animal House.?

You would not know that she has worked pretty consistently since 1978; sometimes in mainstream films, and more recently in more meaty independent roles, like her most recent in ?Year By the Sea,? which was also screened locally last year.

This reporter had the honor to spend time with her during a private interview with two other journalists, Peter Wein and Alyn Darnay, when she was here for the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival. This time, she was brought in as a director. Her film ?A Tree. A Rock.

A Cloud? was her directorial debut.

She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award and had the chance to attend the Toga party inspired by ?Animal House? held at Steve Savor's Villa de Palma and see Otis Day perform. But she did not wear a Toga since her character in the film, Katy, ?didn't even attend the party in the film.?

Her short film ?A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud? was based on a short story

by Carson McCullers, an author she fell in love with at a young age, reading everything she could find by the writer. ?I was always looking for writers who took me into a world where I Kar en Allen w it h IS f ou n der was learning and growing and Rach el Galvin seeing things through different

lenses and Carson McCullers I read for the first time at 16 or 17 years old. When I read a work I love, I will get everything of theirs ? every column, essays... I read all of her novels, poems and collected stories,? she said, adding, ?This lept off the page for me. I remember anytime somebody came over I would say, 'Do you want me to share the most beautiful short story I have ever read in my life?' And I would pull it off the bookshelf and read it to them. It is only 11 pages. I always kept it close to my heart.?

She also was drawn to what she felt were Buddhist philosophies in the piece, something she studied at the time and throughout her life.

She added, ?Carson was 25 years old when she wrote this.

What might have put this story into her mind fascinates me. The profundity of the story never left me.?

When a friend of hers who became a producer of her film started talking to her about possibly directing, she had said that she wasn't interested in directing. ?I spent most of my adult life on set and I've watched film directors have a deer in the headlights look and start weeping and I thought I don't need to go there,? she laughed, adding that when her friend suggested doing a short film, she said, ? I might try doing a short film and might try a short film that has a lot of meaning to me, something I really connect with and, as we talked, I said if I were going to do a short film, it would be this story and, out of that, we started committing to it.?

When asked about how she felt about making a film versus directing a play, she said, ?I think every film is different.

There is sometimes an incredible level of satisfaction you can feel at the end of the film. It can be overcome by pure exhaustion that only allows the satisfaction to come after you have collapsed for a couple of weeks ... some [films] more than others... You have bad weather and suddenly

have to shift into other scenes. I've been doing a lot of films in the last six to seven years. So I've become very familiar with that kind of approach. It is very satisfying because the project is so great, but very challenging because the demand is very great on time and energy, and focus. There is not a moment to be wasted. You have to show up really prepared and work every day 110 percent.?

The most challenging part, she said, was raising the money. ?I had never raised money before,? she said. ?I, somehow, thought it would be easier than it was. These days, there is a lot of competition. You know when you are making a short film, you're not asking people to invest because

FLIFF Boar d Ch air m an Jim Nor t on an d CEO & Pr esiden t Gr egor y von Hau sch w it h Kar en Allen as sh e sh ow s of f h er Lif et im e Ach ievem en t Aw ar d.

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there is no commercial outlet. You are asking people to finding a boy with presence and stillness and the ability to make contributions. While there were friends, artists and listen and react. These days, kids are to antsy, squirmy. colleagues who did step forward into help us make the They are acting like they are listening. This boy never acted film, it took three times as long as we before in his life. He was not that had anticipated. Had not an arts interested and then he came around. He organization come forward and given us is Doug Trumball's nephew,? said Allen. a grant and had not the Carson Her advice for new actors?

McCullers center in Georgia not come ?Work, study ... work with someone forward and given us a substantial really good. Don't imagine that wanting grant, it would have taken us 10 times to do it is enough. I think actors I most longer. But, in the end, we had some admire really worked at their craft. They very fortuitous things come together.? work in theater, TV, films. .. These days I She admitted that there were other think you have to do that. When there problems they encountered. are no film roles around, it is great to do ?We had a beautiful location, but had a a play. If you haven't started out lot of problems. Our card got corrupted learning the craft, it's hard to jump on on the first day and we lost the first half the stage. We see a lot of actors crash day of shooting. It was an unanticipated and burn. I'm all about finding a great difficulty,? she said. teacher,? she said.

When asked her approach as a director, Allen does some teaching herself. Once she said, ?If you take your time and she had her son, Nicholas, in 1999, she know the story and characters in the started doing smaller roles and story and cast the right people, 90 eventually more theater. When she percent of your work is done. If you moved up to the Berkshires, she started want to work hard as a director, cast the teaching at Bard College at Simon's Rock wrong person.? in Great Barrington in the theater program there.

Casting most of the roles in the movie Kar en , san s t oga, at t h e Toga Par t y at Villa De Palm a, loved seein g Ot is Day were fairly simple for her.

She also teaches Yoga and owns Karen per f or m .

Allen Fiber Arts, which opened also in ?From time that I ever imagined working Great Barrington in 2005, and celebrates on this, I always imagined Jeffrey clothing and textiles from around the world. It features her DeMunn in the role of the man and James McMenamin, own line, as well as creations from others. who plays Leo, I had directed twice in the theater and he is (www.karenallen-fiberarts.com). is such a chameleon of an actor. Leo [is such a one note character]. [I thought] if I cast James, he will make Find out more about Karen also on her IMDB.com page. him come to life.

Turns out the real challenge was 5

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

Pu blish er 's Not e A New Year is upon us... new possibilities... What do you have planned for 2018?

Remember before really taking the new year head on to bring some closure to the year that has passed. Pay those old bills, get out of old debts, clean up old messes, but don't forget your accomplishments -- write them down and cherish them. Once you have closure, get out that new calendar, clean up your surroundings and prepare for something brand new to come into your life. Be open and ready, and await 2018 with open arms.

Rachel Galvin Publisher

M i ss an i ssu e?

SEE ARCHIVES ...

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Get an ad as low as $25!

Con t act u s at w r it er r ach el@yah oo.com

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

Theat er Review : A Gent l eman?s Guide t o Love & Murder?at Broward Center for the Performing Arts

By Nil e Fort ner ?A Gentleman?s Guide to Love & Murder?is a musical comedy with a book by Robert L. Freedman and lyrics

by Freedman and Steven Lutvak. The story is based on the 1907 novel ?Israel Rank: The Autobiography?of a young criminal named Roy Horniman.

The show was on a two-week run at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

The play tells the story of Monty Navarro, played by Blake Price, who is close to a family fortune. He sets out to find success, no matter what it takes. Monty has a mistress, a fiancĂŠe, who is really his cousin; and he is always in danger of landing himself in deep trouble or even behind bars.

Monty has a lot of craziness to go through, but it?ll be worth it for his inheritance.

The Tony-winning musical was the most I have ever been 7 entertained by a play. I love the

songs, lyrics, the wardrobe, and director Peggy Hickey should be more than proud of her recreation. This really was a laugh out loud type of show.

The lyrics by Freedman and Lutvak were more than just entertaining; the songs help to move along the actual story and even give details.

The wardrobe by Linda Cho and scenic designs by Alexander Dodge really created that atmosphere of high-class, drinking lots of tea, and old-fashion British swagger.

The stage even had that high-class feeling before the show started with the red velvet curtains covering the stage. They make the most of their stage space and use little theater tricks, such as video projections, to really knock it out of the park.

Monty, sees a chance to get in on some inheritance when

he

finds out that his just-deceased mother was rejected by her wealthy family. He meets eight family members, and they all have a ruthless encounter when they are with him.

These family members were all played by the same actor, James Taylor Odom. As much as I enjoyed Blake?s performance, I have to give the edge to James. Being that talented and having the acting chops to pull that off shows how talented and dedicated he was. Everything from changing his gender, age, stage presence and voice is a transformation I?ve never seen done in such a short amount of time.

Blake Price really is one of the funniest stage actors I?ve seen. The violence reminded me something of out of a ?Looney Tunes?episode. Maybe this is the film buff that is deeply rooted in me, but a lot of this reminded me something that The Coen Brothers would have put together. At times, it had the same quirky dialogue, characters and scenes that you would find in a Coen Brothers film such as "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and "Burn After Reading."

"A Gentleman?s Guide to Love & Murder" ran through Jan. 21 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 South West Fifth Ave, Ft. Lauderdale.

Friday, Feb. 23, the Broward Center will come to life with big sunglasses and peacock feathers on outfits that were worn by Elton John. "Rocket Man: An Elton John Tribute" comes to Broward Center with prices ranging from $29.72 to $45. Elton John hits, ?Goodbye Yellow Brick Road? and of course, ?Rocket Man? will all make the playlist.

Wednesday, March 21, at 8:00 p.m. ?The Godfather of Shock and Rock? and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper turns the Broward Center into a ghoulish and always freaky and fun event. "A Paranormal Evening With Alice Cooper" offers you a chance to rock out and jam with Cooper?s hit songs, such as ?Welcome to my Nightmare? and ?No More Mr. Nice Guy." The prices for tickets is $49.50 to $129.50.

For more inf ormat ion, you may cal l 954-462-0222 or www.browardcent er.org.

Upcoming events: Future events at the Broward Center include tickets for ?Florida Grand Opera: Salome?with showings Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 8 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. with prices ranging from $21 to $200.

The untold story of the witches of Oz ?Wicked?will be shown Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 15, at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The prices are starting out at $34.50.

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

Horror Story," among so many other productions, Cromwell teamed up with PETA to take over SeaWorld?s ?Orca Encounter? show, narrating gripping exposĂŠ of cruelty in the horse-racing and pig factory farming industries, and marching against experiments on cats at the University of Wisconsin, and monkey shipments by Air France.

After the ceremonies, guests had a chance to try some of Sublime's vegan creations.

For more inf ormat ion on Subl ime, visit ht t p:/ / subl imerest aurant .com.

For more about James Cromwel l 's f il m career, visit his

Jam es Cr om w ell (Act or , PETA's Her o t o An im als Aw ar d w in n er ), Nan ci Alexan der (Su blim e Ow n er ).

Act or James Cr omwell honor ed at Sublime in Ft . Lauder dale Actor James Cromwell received PETA's Hero to Animals Award at a special dinner honoring him on Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Sublime Restaurant & Bar at 1431 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale

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Known for films like "Babe" and TV's "American

I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

Sav e th e Date: Boynton Beach Fi l m Fest The Boynton Beach Film Festival will be here before you know it! Make sure to save the date. It will be held April 17-22 at Alco Boynton Cinema, at 9764 S. Military Trail in Boynton Beach.

The Boynton Beach Short Film Festival (BBSFF) is a Florida filmmaker festival conceived by South Tech Academy students who learn filmmaking and marketing as part of their high school curriculum.

With the overwhelming success of last year's inaugural launch, BBSFF has now expanded to six days. They have even opened up submissions to middle school students, in addition to high schoolers and professionals.

In addition to locally-made films, there will also be some great short films brought in from around the world for the out of competition portion of the festival, so there will be a mix of everything for everyone.

Besides the films, there will be an opening night event, a closing night/ awards show and look for other events, like a seminar by Michael Chasin.

IS's founder, Rachel Galvin, was happy to be asked to be a jurist for this festival.

Find out more about t his f est ival at www.bbsf f .net .

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I NDEPENDENT STREAK M AGAZI NE Jan .-Feb. 2018

M iam i F ilm

F est iv al This year's Miami Film Festival will be held March 9-18 and will feature 148 films. From the opening night film "Tully," starring Charlize Theron to the closing night film, "Holy Goalie," there is plenty of cinematic fun for everyone.

Opening night will feature a gala dinner at EAST, Miami and a party at Miami Design District's Jungle Plaza.

The event wraps with an Awards Night Gala with a premier of "Holy Goalie."

In between, in addition to the plethora of films available, there will be plenty of soirees, galas, culinary events, special presentations, master classes, tribute nights, on-stage conversations and more!

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A compl et e l ist of t he Fest ival ?s sponsors is avail abl e at t he f ol l owing websit e: miamif il mf est ival .com/ sponsors-2018 For more inf ormat ion, visit miamif il mf est ival .com or cal l 1-844-565-6433 (MIFF) or 305-237-FILM (3456).