Vox Magazine

1 1 . 0 3 . 1 6 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

TEA READS

Sit down, take a sip and taste the leaves PAGE 17

ROLL THE DICE

Indie fundraising meets boardgame invention PAGE 4

LIGHTS, CAMERA, TRACTION The Citizen Jane Film Festival returns for its ninth year to bring underrepresented voices into focus PAGE 6

First-year festival director barbie banks

widens the scope to create a diverse festival.

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE This weekend is the ninth Citizen Jane Film Festival. Get to know the issues at the forefront of the festival and the films that infuse creativity and diversity into their story lines. PAGE 6 NEWS & INSIGHT MU professor Mark Swanson launches his Euro-style board game, Feudum, into the growing billion-dollar hobby games market with a Kickstarter campaign. PAGE 4

ONLINE

November 3, 2016 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 36 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN

HOPEKITS HIT THE STREETS MU graduate Clara Kohrs recently created a startup called MN hopekits in Minneapolis. The nonprofit addresses poverty and vagrancy by providing zip bags filled with living essentials such as food, clothing and advice. Learn what happened when Kohrs brought some of her anti-poverty bundles to CoMo for MU’s Homecoming.

MUSIC Jazz man Jimmy Greene discovered a new reason to play the sax after a family tragedy.

Check out the musician’s Grammy-nominated album in time for his return to Murry’s on Sunday night. PAGE 5

SYNCING TO SEDARIS Author and humorist David Sedaris visited the Missouri Theatre last week, leading one passionate fan to share her Sedaris stream of consciousness with the world.

THE SCENE Columbia residents don’t have to travel the world to grab international eats. Your foodie passport has already been stamped, and your plane to gastronome paradise is now boarding. PAGE 14

YOUR GUIDE TO CITIZEN JANE FILM FEST Headed to the festival this weekend? Stay updated on all things Citizen Jane by following Vox movie reviews and blog updates online.

Soap operas are not dead. In fact, two locals are filming one called Nettle Pointe in and around Columbia. Explore the production of the three-part Midwestern dramedy. PAGE 15

EDITOR’S LETTER

ARTS & BOOKS Venture into artist Stacy Self’s studio Wildy’s World, a home for Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival relics and alter-ego creations, nestled in the North Village Arts District. PAGE 16 A hot cup of tea and a good book go together like an angry patriot and Boston Harbor. Explore five special book-tea pairings and stay warm and enlightened this fall. PAGE 17 Q&A Former teacher Suzanne Luther shares her passion in founding the Four Quarters Art House project, which uses art to convert old homes into vibrant new businesses. PAGE 18 COVER DESIGN: JULIA TERBROCK COVER PHOTOS: CARSEN SIKYTA

CHRISTINE JACKSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714

We’re social.

Vox Magazine @VoxMag @VoxMagazine Vox Mag

Columbia is a good place to live if you like movies. We’ve got colleges with film programs, a couple of great theaters, various organizations that host film series and several filmmakers in residence. We’re also home to not one, but two amazing film festivals.

True/False owns the spring, but fall belongs to Citizen Jane Film Festival.

This weekend more than 6,000 people will join festival organizers and students of Stephens College’s film program to celebrate women in film.

And that’s something we need right now.

This election season, which comes to a close Tuesday (thank God), has exposed a lot of misogyny and sexism. While some people have made it their mission to silence women and their stories, Citizen Jane gives women a space to share those stories on screen.

In this week’s feature package (Page 6) you can learn about the many voices of Citizen Jane and the stories they tell. Want to know where the festival is headed? Read our profile of new Citizen Jane director Barbie Banks (Page 7). Need help understanding intersectionality? You’ll find our story about race, gender and film on page 10. Just want some recommendations for the weekend’s many events? Get suggestions from directors (Page 13) and follow the tips and tricks from CJ insiders (Pages 11 and 13), and you’ll be good to go.

But you won’t learn much unless you attend. So head downtown this weekend. Take in some art. See a couple of films. Join in the conversations.

There are a lot of voices out there worth hearing, and for one weekend only, they’re gathered here. All you have to do is listen.

VOX STAFF Editor: Christine Jackson Deputy Editor: Dan Roe Managing Editor: Madison Fleck Creative Director: Ben Kothe Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Madalyne Bird, Elizabeth Sawey Photo Editor: Mary Hilleren Online Editor: Lea Konczal Multimedia Editor: Mitchel Summers News & Insight Editors: John Bat, Katelyn Lunders The Scene Editors: Kelsie Schrader, Jessica Sherwin, Brooke Vaughan Music Editors: Marlee Ellison, Meredith McGrath Arts & Books Editors: Katie Akin, Luria Freeman Contributing Writers: Bobby Ceresia, Corin Cesaric, Mitchell Forde, Max Havey, Kelsey Hurwitz, Lis Joyce, Rick Morgan, Rachel Phillips, Karlee Renkoski, Stephanie Sandoval, Alex Schiffer, Tyler Schneider, Guimel Sibingo, Mike Tish, Carolina Vargas, Catherine Wendlandt, Clara Wright, Taylor Ysteboe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAN DURAN, ROTTEN TOMATOES, KAYONA EBONY BROWN AND CLARA KOHRS

RADAR

Vox’s take on the talk of the week

Written by: Katie Akin, Meredith McGrath, Kelsie Schrader and Jessica Sherwin

GET OUT AND GO

WOMEN BEHIND THE LENS

Election Day is finally around the corner (Nov. 8, for those of you living under a rock). Here’s what you need to know about voting in mid-Missouri.

Happy Citizen Jane weekend! The festival celebrates women in film, particularly women filmmakers. Here’s how we imagine some famous movies would have played out if they had been made by women.

6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

POLLS ARE OPEN

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STATUTORY MEASURE TO BE VOTED ON

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE MISSOURIAN’S VOTER’S GUIDE voterguide.columbiamissourian.com

Sub-sational

It’s National Sandwich Day! Lettuce celebrate this a-mayo-zing holiday. We don’t know where you’ll be chowing down, but we’ll be grabbing a hoagie from one of the many shops within 0.3 miles of our office to make the most of this PB&Day. SUB SHOP

VOX

Uterus vs. them

broadway

JIMMY JOHN’S

elm st

UPRISE BAKERY

cherry st

A new study on birth control injections for men found the shots were about 96 percent effective. The DUH! trial was cut short, however, after some participants complained the drugs affected them hormonally, causing mood swings, libido changes, depression and acne. “WE KNOW!” said all women who have ever taken birth control.

INGREDIENT PICKLEMAN’S

hitt st

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Twitter announced last week that it will discontinue the six-second video app, Vine, in the coming months, much to the displeasure of internet users with shot attention spans. Here’s to a wonderfully strange, meme-filled three years, (that’s 15,768,000 Vine-lengths).

ninth st

POSITIONS TO BE ELECTED

GONE WITH THE WIND: Scarlett O’Hara tells Rhett Butler a thing or two about consent.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: By Gandalf’s beard! At least one woman joins the Fellowship.

RETURN OF THE JEDI: Slave Leia becomes a symbol for fighting the patriarchy not a sexy object for Lucasfilm merchandising to capitalize upon.

R.I.P. VINE, 2013-16

SUBWAY J CAFE

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NEWS & INSIGHT

The game of his life After decades of playing board games, MU advertising professor Mark Swanson asked himself a question that has taken five years to answer: “What would be the ultimate game?”

In Swanson’s mind, it’s Feudum, a new Euro-style board game that he hopes to release by next October. Feudum puts players in a strange land filled with mountains and monsters. Each player has been banished from his or her homeland and must reclaim his or her honor by seizing control of various guilds.

Euro-style games rely on strategy rather than luck and include multiple paths to victory. The Settlers of Catan, the most popular game of this style, challenges players to strategically dole out resources and negotiate trades in hopes of outwitting opponents.

Swanson recruited Justin Schultz in June 2012 to create the artwork and iconography for the game after seeing one of Schultz’ posters in downtown Columbia. Schultz, who is from Brandon, Mississippi, says this is by far the longest project he’s ever worked on.

“This is all so new to me,” he says.

“Even though it’s been going on for a long time, we’re getting to this point where it’s real.”

Like many game designers, Swanson is using Kickstarter, a global crowdfunding platform, to raise money

MU professor Mark Swanson prepares for the release of the Kickstarter campaign to make Feudum a reality BY WILL JARVIS

Artist Justin Schultz (left) worked with Mark Swanson to design the game. Schultz says he did the icons for the game to make sure they are fluid with his overall design.

for the large-scale production of his game. The Kickstarter page for Feudum lists a goal of $49,000, which Swanson says he calculated based on costs for design, production, shipping and other parts of the game-making process.

If there’s a good time to get into the board game industry, it’s now. Thanks to Kickstarter and the influx of games that have been created with crowdfunding, board game sales grew 56 percent from $160 million in 2014 to $250 million last year, according to market research by ICv2.com, a pop culture products site. In

2014, The Guardian declared this era the “golden age” of board games, thanks to the online communities built around the industry.

Feudum’s Kickstarter campaign is set to begin Nov. 10, and backers can earn different rewards based on their pledge amount — $59 or more gets you a copy of the game (the suggested retail price is $79) — and pledging more money earns backers limited-edition coins, pieces and tokens.

Jamey Stegmaier, a board game designer and experienced crowdfunder,

THE PROCESS BEHIND THE GAME

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Brainstorm game ideas Swanson asked himself questions such as, “What themes do I like?” and tried to create the mechanics of a game to achieve him theme.

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Begin the Kickstarter campaign Swanson set up shipping and manufacturing details with a China-based manufacturing facility in August 2015 and fulfillment companies in June 2016 before he chose the date to begin accepting pledge money from his Kickstarter campaign. In anticipation of the campaign, Swanson is posting frequent updates and promotions for the game on Feudum’s Facebook page, which has more than 1,000 likes, and Board Game Geek, a forum for discussion about the industry.

Create the rules He had to decide on rules such as how many shillings (currency) to begin with and how the game progresses. Swanson is excited to unveil what he calls an “economic ecosystem” in his game, which funnels the money and resources from one guild to the next.

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Play test the game Swanson brought his conceptualized game to Valhalla’s Gate Games and Magelings Games, both in Columbia, and asked for feedback. He didn’t want one strategy for winning the game to be too effective, and this process of play-testing helped him make adjustments to the game.

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Find them online: Website: oddbirdgames.com Facebook: facebook.com/feudum Kickstarter: oddbirdgames.com/feudum

Nubb and Cory Taylor Cox. Later, Schultz received an email with the subject, “Random guy with a dream.” Swanson had a clear idea of what he wanted, and Schultz helped produce the work that will appear on the box, cards, pieces and board.

Look inside Feudum’s road to reality

Design the artwork Swanson found artist Justin Schultz after seeing his work on a band poster downtown for Dubb

has designed a variety of Euro-style games, and he raised $1.8 million for his game Scythe on Kickstarter last year. He says crowdfunding is one of the most important steps in getting a board game published.

“Kickstarter is really good, not just at raising money, but also gauging demand for a product,” Stegmaier says. “That’s a huge part of it and a huge reason why a lot of these projects don’t fund. A lot of projects don’t fund because people don’t want them.”

While teaching and spending his nights working on the game, Swanson says he’s invested tens of thousands of dollars into the project, even taking out a home equity loan in order to cover expenses for the game.

The limited reviews thus far have been positive, and initial interest in the Kickstarter page has made Swanson confident.

“Mark has done a fantastic job of building a deep, immersive world,” says fellow game creator and founder of Druid City Games, James Hudson in a video review after playing Feudum.

Will it all work out?

“God, I hope so,” he says, smiling.

6 The catapult from sketch to finished product (top) is part of an expansion game, “Windmills & Catapults,” which will be produced if pledges reach $69,000. In Feudum, players can tame and control the monster (bottom).

Turn the idea into a reality Once the project is funded, Swanson says he will use the money to pay for the production, storage and shipping of the games. If all goes according to plan, Feudum will be available to the public next October, marking the end of a six-year journey.

PHOTOS BY AND COURTESY OF JOSH HAILEY AND MARK SWANSON

MUSIC

102.3 BXR

Jimmy Greene, a Connecticut native, is an assistant professor of music and coordinator of jazz studies at Western Connecticut State University.

Music for when words fail

After a devastating family tragedy, jazz saxophonist Jimmy Greene turned to music to express what words could not

BY CAMERON EVANS Jimmy Greene, one of jazz music’s most well-respected contemporary tenor saxophonists, has a powerful message to share with audiences.

Greene and his wife, Nelba Márquez-Greene, lost their 6-year-old daughter Ana Márquez-Greene in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. Greene’s 2016 two-time Grammy-nominated album, Beautiful Life, is dedicated to Ana as a celebration of the life she lived.

The album combines Greene’s refined style of instrumental jazz with spiritual songs by incorporating ballads, spoken word and a children's choir.

“When we performed for the first time after the album was released, a friend of Ana’s mentioned to my wife that, although she really liked the music, it was slow and sad,” Greene says.

This observation motivated Greene to make another album, due out in 2017 that will more closely reflect Ana’s vibrant spirit and her love of dancing and singing.

For the 22nd season of the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series, Greene will play with his quartet, which has performed at jazz venues and festivals all over the world, including France, Russia, Brazil and Israel.

This will be Greene’s second Jazz Series appearance. In October 2012, he PHOTO COURTESY OF JIMMY KATZ AND DENA KATZ

performed in Columbia two months before Ana’s death.

In the same way that music has impacted his life, Greene says he hopes the music performed at his show in Columbia will inspire the audience and leave them feeling a sense of relief from whatever is troubling their lives.

In response to his daughter’s death, Greene asks his fans to join him and his wife in the initiatives of The Ana Grace Project, which include training and counseling services, scholarship funds and music education.

Josh Chittum, a media and public relations spokesperson for “We Always Swing,” says Greene fits well into the lineup this year, especially when juxtaposed with the Oct. 23 show by tenor sax player Donny McCaslin.

“McCaslin is going to be pushing further out, more boundaries, and Jimmy’s much more straight ahead,” Chittum says. “It was an opportunity with both of them to showcase how different two jazz quartets led by a tenor player can be.”

JIMMY GREENE QUARTET Murry’s, Nov. 6, doors at 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m.; shows at 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m.; $20–$45, 449-3009 ext. 1, wealwaysswing.org

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MUSIC MATTERS GET THE OFFICAL BXR APP

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This year’s Citizen Jane Film Festival isn’t just breaking the “celluloid ceiling.” It’s a space where diverse groups of women can tell stories.

THE

CREDIT THEY

DESERVE IN AN INDUSTRY DOMINATED BY MEN, women’s voices are sorely needed. Directors such as Agnès Varda, whom many call mother of the French New Wave movement; Julie Dash, the first American black woman to produce a full-length feature film with a general theatrical release; and Sofia Coppola, the first American woman to win a Golden Lion, the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, have broken ground with their films and artistic ingenuity, paving the way for more women to get into the arena.

Enter the Citizen Jane Film Festival, a testament to this progress and a space where women can show their films on silver screens. Regardless, we still can see the lack of equality in filmmaking.

Just nine percent of directors in 2015 working on the top 250 domestic grossing films were women, according to a study sponsored by The Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film. This percentage has not increased since 1998. In these same films, women made up 11 percent of writers, 22 percent of editors and 6 percent of cinematographers. Citizen Jane’s directors, programmers and attendees want to put women in film on an equal footing. Every film at Citizen Jane is directed by a woman (or women), giving their audiences a unique perspective.

On the issue of race, the coordinators have taken a step further this year. As unequal as representation in the film world is for women, it’s even 6

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worse for women of color — an example of the need for awareness of intersectionality in filmmaking. The sole female director of color to win an Oscar this year, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is a clear example of this. The Citizen Jane team acknowledges that to fight for one underrepresented group in film, they must fight for all underrepresented groups. With 12 directors of color represented in this year’s festival and eye-opening films and programs such as the #BLACKLIVESMATTER shorts program, Margaret Byrne’s Raising Bertie and Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, it’s clear the festival is expanding for everyone.

The festival has grown as much as it has changed. When Citizen Jane began in 2008, it had 1,200 attendees. By 2010, it had more than doubled to 3,043, and it’s now pushing close to 6,500. The number of features and shorts programs has also nearly doubled since 2008, with 15 features and eight shorts programs on the schedule this year.

It’s a weekend packed full of educational, empowering and exciting films, discussions and activities promoting women and their filmmaking skills. When attendees are exposed to a viewpoint they don’t always see, the festival makes an impact. Sure, the film industry still has a way to go, but Citizen Jane is moving it forward.

— Marlee Ellison and Kelsie Schrader

Barbie Banks is Citizen Jane Film Festival’s new director. Her experience in education, social work and with True/False Film Fest has helped her reach out to film students at Stephens College and kick off a well-rounded festival.

BANKING

ON Citizen Jane Film Festival’s new director didn’t expect to work with film, but her passion for it influenced where she is today.

BY RILEY BEGGIN

BARBIE

At age 22, Barbie Banks watched director Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning, and her life changed. The documentary about New York City drag queens was the first of many films Banks would champion as a method for gaining insight into other people’s experiences.

“Film has two purposes: to entertain and to be used as a tool for empathy,” Banks says.

Now, 12 years later, showing people life-changing films is Banks’ full-time job as the director of Citizen Jane.

After a national search, Banks became the director of the festival in May. She succeeded Paula Elias as Citizen Jane’s lead organizer. Over the past five months, she and her team have put together the ninth annual festival, which takes place at Stephens College and throughout downtown Columbia Nov. 3–6.

Citizen Jane champions women in the arts by screening films made by female directors and connecting festivalgoers and Stephens film students to movies by women around the world. Banks says she never intended to work in film nor event planning, but her interests merged to bring her to where she is today.

PHOTO BY ERIN BORMETT

“It seemed like a perfect fit,” Banks says. “And then on top of it, it happens to be a feminist film festival, which is what I stand for and what I fight for every day.”

Originally from Pevely, Missouri, Banks moved to Columbia in 2005 after completing her undergraduate degree in social science education at William Woods University in Fulton. She worked as a residence hall coordinator at MU, and in 2007, she began her master’s degree in social work in policy, planning and administration at the university. In 2010, she began working at Columbia Public Schools and entered the world of film festivals as a volunteer for True/False Film Fest. After a stint as the festival’s travel and hospitality coordinator in 2012, she was hired by Citizen Jane for the same role.

Banks says her background in education influences the way she leads the festival.

“While we do Citizen Jane for Columbia and for women filmmakers, ultimately it is for our students,” Banks says.

Ruth Ann Burke, the box office manager for Citizen Jane, says Banks’ history in Columbia’s film community and experience with “i believe having more True/False is a major benefit to the festival.

“She understands women in anything Columbia and the film and art lovers in this is going to make it community,” Burke says.

She says Banks will make Citizen Jane even stronger stronger and better. as it grows.

As director, her goal is because they really do to increase Citizen Jane’s visibility and to bring the festival closer to downtown change the world when Columbia so more community members will feel comfortable accessing they work as one.” it. She says Citizen Jane is expanding its footprint to ­­— barbie banks other venues downtown, including the North Village Arts District and The District.

“Citizen Jane is a gift to the community and a lot of people have not unwrapped it yet,” Banks says. “We’re trying to spread the word a little more in Columbia.”

Banks is hopeful that her debut as festival director will go smoothly and bring plenty of attendees.

Most of all, she is excited to showcase spectacular, woman-directed films. Her most anticipated is Love Stinks, a coming-of-age short film by Canadian director Alicia Harris, which will screen at the Emerging Voices shorts program.

“I believe that having more women in anything is going to make it stronger and better,” Banks says.

“Because they really do change the world when they work as one.”

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CITIZEN JANE FILM FEST 2016 Tracy Droz Tragos spent many of her childhood summers and winters in Rich Hill, Missouri. Her most recent film will premiere on HBO later this year.

Rich Hill, a documentary co-directed by her cousin and long-time Columbia resident Andrew Droz Palermo that played at the 2014 True/False Film Fest, is about young boys in a rural Missouri town, and Abortion: Stories Women Tell is Missouri-focused. But Tragos’ projects thematically inform one another based on the human experience and, as such, bring out the humanity in people in order to foster understanding.

“In Rich Hill, the filmmaking there is really exceptional,” says David Wilson, co-conspirator of True/False Film Fest. “Not only does it have exemplary style, but they also were able to give voice and depth to the boys in the film in a way that very few films do. They really gave them the space to be fully realized people and not caricatures.”

For Abortion: Stories Women Tell, Tragos had the same goal: to stay out of the way and allow for the subjects on both sides of the abortion argument to be seen as equal human beings with different opinions.

This is part of the reason Barbie Banks, first-time director of the Citizen Jane Film Festival, chose Tragos’ film.

“What is good about this film is, while it is political because the idea of abortion is political, it really is more about the women who have to make that decision and how it affects their life and their health,” Banks says.

That’s what makes Tragos so special as a filmmaker. She is able to counter whatever opinions she might have with the fundamental goal of telling other peoples’ truths, whatever those truths might be, so viewers can better understand one another on a humanistic level.

Filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos emphasizes the humanity of her subjects “It’s got to be okay to hear from people you don’t rather than her opinions BY LIS JOYCE agree with,” Tragos says. “We’re all human beings, and we all share a lot. The more we can come from Tracy Droz Tragos is disarmingly sweet, almost quiet after spending years with poor families, she says she that place of shared humanity and what we do have in upon first meeting. She’s controlled, logical and it believes that not having the option to have an abortion common; I think that’s very, very important.” becomes immediately clear that divisiveness has no keeps women trapped in poverty. “You’ve got to have Three of the women from Tragos’ film will be at place in her storytelling. some personal decision-making,” she says. “If a woman the Q&A following the screening of Abortion: Stories “I like to think that I am capable of hearing from does not have that for herself and her body, Women Tell, a brave choice in a contentious people and giving dignity to stories that perhaps I she is indeed a second-class citizen.” state regarding abortion. Cinematographer Abortion: Stories don’t necessarily agree with,” Tragos says.

But these personal opinions aren't often Women Tell and MU professor Kamau Bilal, one of the That’s not to say that she doesn’t have her own shown because, when it comes to filmmaking, Saturday, 2:30 few men involved with the film, will also be p.m., Macklanburg opinions about topics.

Tragos says her opinion has no place in part of the Q&A. One of Tragos’ subjects Playhouse, Take Tragos’ most recent film, Abortion: Stories telling other people’s stories. She does her will be seeing the film for the first time.

Sunday, 12:30 Women Tell, for example. The documentary follows best to eliminate bias throughout the process.

Tragos’ respect for her subjects is what p.m., The Tiger a large contingent of women — girls as young as 16 “It’s not about living in an echo sticks out strongest for Wilson.

Hotel and women older than 40 — as they navigate the chamber and only hearing from people “That moment when you’re tasked with many issues and obstructions surrounding female I completely agree with,” Tragos says. telling someone else’s story — with taking reproductive rights in Missouri, a state with only one “It’s really about doing deep listening. Who cares their voice and their person and putting it on screen — abortion clinic, which is in St. Louis, for its population ultimately what I think? I’m not an arbiter of right is a really, really sort of fraught moment in filmmaking of more than 3 million women. and wrong.” and for filmmakers.” Wilson says. “It’s surprising how In Tragos’ view, guns have more rights and more Looking at Tragos’ films, it’s easy to assume the few filmmakers really take care of their subjects as protection under the law than women in Missouri. And common denominator is Missouri. Her celebrated film carefully as Tracy does.”

STORIES THROUGH THEIR EYES

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS TRAGOS

THE 2016 CITIZEN JANE FILM MATRIX

No matter what you’re looking for, the Citizen Jane Film Festival has a flick for every film lover Features

Shorts

UPLIFTING

DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST

THE WEDDING INVITATION

Three best friends take matters into their own hands as they attempt to find wedding dates.

FAMILY FUN!

Julie Dash’s landmark 1991 film follows a black family living on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina as they prepare to migrate north.

BY MAX HAVEY

This selection of shorts, most of them animated, is perfect for the whole family.

OVARIAN PSYCOS

This film centers around a tough, all-female bicycle crew in East Los Angeles which seeks to protect their neighborhood from rampant violence.

GIRL ASLEEP

An Australian teen on the edge of adulthood is flung into a new world during her surprise birthday party. There, she faces her fears and desires.

MIXTAPE

GIRL FLU

This group of shorts balances emotional highs and lows, with each film playing off the previous one.

A young girl’s world is rocked when she gets her first period after moving to a new town. She and her free-spirited mother work to make sense of this new “normal.”

THE VIEW FROM TALL

ARTSY

This collection of shorts shows the many ways dance and film work together.

NAKOM

A medical student returns home after his father dies suddenly. He confronts his family’s crippling debts and decides whether or not he'll return to school.

THE LURE

A lighthouse keeper’s wife is struggling to keep her life together while caring for her sick husband when a mysterious stranger washes up on the shore of her home.

MS.OURI MADE

SECRET LIVES OF GIRLS

Showcasing the visions of the next generation of directors, this collection features work from burgeoning filmmakers 18 or younger.

Get spooked by these shorts, which seek to take audiences to the darker corners of the mind.

TO KEEP THE LIGHT

In this horror musical, two mermaid sisters with dreams of a better life begin working in a Polish nightclub.

This collection features some of the best films directed by women from the Show-Me State.

CITIZEN JANE UNDER THE MOON

RAISING BERTIE

This documentary follows three young men in North Carolina as they deal with their school closing, young adulthood, systemic racism and violence in their community.

A WOMAN, A PART

A Los Angeles actress bored with her role on a successful TV show unceremoniously absconds to New York City to reinvent herself.

DRAGONFLY

An artist seeking to rediscover her creative spark goes home to care for her ailing mother and uncovers family baggage and a childhood mystery.

EMERGING VOICES

This grab bag of shorts gives up-and-coming directors a chance to show off their directorial visions.

ON THE FARM

A sex worker living in Canada notices the disappearance of many women with whom she works and partners with the police and a social worker to find the truth in this film based on true events.

NO LIGHT AND NO LAND ANYWHERE

A woman in search of her estranged father travels from London to Los Angeles.

MAINSTREAM

DANCE+FILM

A teen girl finds friendship with her therapist as she faces a crisis following a sexual encounter with one of her teachers.

#BLACKLIVESMATTER ABORTION: STORIES WOMEN TELL

Missouri women experiencing restrictive abortion laws share their stories, offering viewers a new perspective on abortion.

This group of shorts showcases work featuring protagonists of color, and seeks to inspire change.

HEAVY PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITIZEN JANE FILM FESTIVAL

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CITIZEN JANE FILM FEST 2016

RACE AND THE FEMALE EXPERIENCE AT CITIZEN JANE The inclusive festival sought out films about race and emboldens the directors who make them

BY MAX HAVEY

Earlier this year, Beyoncé dropped her long-awaited visual album Lemonade, which features work from many artists of color, both in front of and behind the camera. Artists such as director Melina Matsoukas, cinematographer Khalik Allah and poet Warsan Shire find their influences interspersed among vignettes.

The last 20 minutes or so of Lemonade — #BLACKLIVESMATTER specifically the Saturday, 7:30 p.m., sequences with Macklanburg all the women Playhouse around the outdoor dinner Daughters of the Dust table and Saturday, 5 p.m., walking along Macklanburg the beach Playhouse — borrows Nakom heavily from Saturday, noon, the film Macklanburg Daughters Playhouse of the Dust.

Sunday, 5:30 p.m., This 1991 The Warehouse work is one Theatre of the hotly Raising Bertie anticipated Friday, 7:30 p.m., films at this The Tiger Hotel year’s Citizen Saturday, 9:30 a.m., Jane Film Macklanburg Festival and Playhouse tackles the subject of race.

Daughters of the Dust, directed by Julie Dash, holds the distinction of being the first theatrically released American film directed by a black woman. The film focuses heavily on the lives and Gullah traditions of a black family from the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina as they plan to travel North to join the Great Migration. The film is also notoriously hard to find. Daughters of the Dust was featured in Slate’s Black Film Canon earlier this year, so when other film festivals began to get this new, restored version of the film, features programmer Greta Hagen-Richardson knew it needed to be at Citizen Jane. “It was just such an easy thing to choose,” Hagen-Richardson says. “It has never had more notoriety than it does right now because of Beyoncé.”

Films such as Daughters of the Dust and others at the festival such as Nakom and Raising Bertie fit perfectly with 10

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“we wanted to make sure that people of color were represented with as much impact as possible.”

-amy sharland, submissions manager and shorts programmer Citizen Jane’s mission to encourage and embolden filmmakers to continue telling the stories of women. This year, they are trying to make this especially true for women of color. According to a 2015 study sponsored by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women make up only 9 percent of directors on top-250 films. Women of color in filmmaking make up a small fraction of that. “Even if our program was 15 women of color, it still wouldn’t be enough for me,” Hagen-Richardson says. “We really try to look around, but there are so many constraints,” such as budget and access difficulties.

One of this year’s shorts programs, #BLACKLIVESMATTER, highlights minorities. Amy Sharland, the submissions manager and shorts programmer for Citizen Jane, also wants this particular program to be a showcase for work featuring protagonists of color.

“We decided that it was an important issue, especially with what has been going on in our country,” Sharland says.

“We wanted to make sure that people

of color were represented with as much impact as possible.”

This shorts program includes films such as Tina Gharavi’s People Like Us, which examines the staggeringly high incarceration rate among black men, focusing specifically on Louisiana State Penitentiary. Another short, Olivia Peace’s Pangaea, follows a young girl trapped on the roof of her home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Kayona Ebony Brown’s short film, Of Music and Men, offers a fresh take on race by subverting it. Her short follows a young black woman trying to start her own independent record label in Washington, D.C. Brown’s protagonist is not defined by her race; she is instead defined by her drive and entrepreneurial spirit. “Black stories don’t have to be ‘black’ stories,” Brown says. “She is overcoming the same things as any millennial woman. She just happens to have a certain hue and a certain amount of melanin.”

Margaret Byrne’s documentary Raising Bertie offers a perspective on

Of Music and Men, a short film by Kayona Ebony Brown, features a black female protagonist trying to make it in the music business. Kenya Shaw (played

by Brown) tries to start an independent record label in Washington, D.C., and might find the right guy to fall for.

the way race manifests itself in the rural community of Bertie County, North Carolina. The film tracks the lives of three young black men following the closure of the alternative school they attended. Though Byrne is white, she took the time to understand the community and embedded herself in their lives, giving her film a sense of authenticity. In particular, Raising Bertie explores the rural issues that affect these young men, such as lack of transportation to get to and from jobs.

Much like Brown’s short, it seeks to highlight the issues of these young black men and paint them as multifaceted people — there is more to them than being minorities.

“One big takeaway from this film, for me is that young black boys aren’t allowed to be young kids,” Byrne says.

The documentary offers yet another dynamic way in which women are tackling the complex issues of race as filmmakers. As a result, they are showcasing the stories that can be told by voices you don’t always hear.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYONA EBONY BROWN

BREAKING INTO THE ‘BOYS’ CLUB’ Minorities in their field, local women filmmakers face unique challenges while kickstarting their careers BY CAROLYN HEGER Livvy Runyon first fell in love with filmmaking when she received a camera for her 17th birthday. It was then that the Rolla, Missouri, native, now 22, decided to pursue a career in film.

Runyon, a May 2016 Stephens College graduate, focused her job search on positions at Latin American nonprofits. She accepted a gig as a videographer for Mayan Families in Panajachel, Guatemala, but she also received an offer to be a social media coordinator for a nonprofit in Haiti.

Runyon, Yuting Jiang, 25, and Katina Bitsicas, 27, are some of the many women connected to Columbia who are making it in the filmmaking industry.

Jiang earned her master’s degree with a photojournalism focus from MU’s School of Journalism in August. She works as a multimedia intern at the Palm Beach Post. Bitsicas is a video artist and assistant teaching professor of digital storytelling at MU. Although they have landed jobs, women in film still face challenges in school and their careers.

At MU, only 20 of the 76 students majoring in film studies in the fall 2016 semester are women, according to the Division of Enrollment Management. From August 2015 to May 2016, seven female MU students obtained bachelor’s degrees in film studies, and the program awarded degrees to nine male undergraduate students.

Yet in the filmmaking industry, only 25 percent of directors, producers, writers, editors, executive producers and cinematographers were women, according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University’s “Women in Independent Film” 2016 report.

Jiang says women’s clear minority status in the filmmaking industry can set them back long term.

LIVVY RUNYON, VIDEOGRAPHER

YUTING JIANG, MULTIMEDIA INTERN

KATINA BITSICAS, VIDEO ARTIST AND PROFESSOR

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CITIZEN JANE TIPS AND TRICKS TIP #1 TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE EVENTS

To Suzy Day, a Citizen Jane attendee since 2009, the festival is all about accessibility. Free events give everyone the opportunity to experience female filmmaking regardless of his or her ability to pay for a festival ticket.

Traditional events such as the Citizen Jane Summit on Thursday from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Historic Senior Hall at Stephens College, which features a panel of women in the film industry speaking in front of a public audience, will return this year. Festival director Barbie Banks says Kinetoscopes, which are small venues that fit one or two people and showcase short films, are a must-see this weekend. They will be at Macklanburg Playhouse, Warehouse Theatre and the Box Office at Columbia Foyer. The GreenHouse Theatre Project will pop up on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Walnut Street Theater with its secret 20–25 minute performance. One new event is a night of scary films at Logboat Brewing Company, which will take place Friday at 10 p.m

PHOTOS BY ERIN BORMETT AND COURTESY OF YUTING JIANG AND LEEANN LOWRY; ILLUSTRATIONS BY JULIA TERBROCK

“It can be difficult for women filmmakers to get enough resources to get equal opportunities with men.”

Runyon echoes Jiang’s words. Several times, she has felt like an outsider on male-dominated film crews.

“I’ve often been on crews where I feel like it is a boys’ club,” she says. “Sometimes, women get put on the outskirts, even if they may be more experienced doing something or know a little more about a camera than a man.”

Bitsicas says that although she has witnessed inequality between men and women in the filmmaking industry, the art world has made some strides toward fairness.

During her undergraduate studies at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, Bitsicas says her community was all MS.OURI MADE SHORTS female, “so we were able to take PROGRAM on the world and support each Sunday, other. When I was in graduate 3 p.m., school (at the University of Macklanburg South Florida), my community Playhouse was a mixture of male and female, and we were really supportive of each other.”

Bitsicas stresses the importance of filmmakers finding a community that welcomes their artwork and respects them, regardless of their gender.

Films from these three women appear in Citizen Jane Film Festival's Ms.Ouri Made shorts program, which features short films from nine female filmmakers with ties to the Show-Me State. The Ms.Ouri Made program will show Runyon’s Home, Bitsicas’ Hypnagogic Regression, and a film that was part of Jiang’s master’s project, Mazy.

TIP #2

Mix it up When scheduling your day, avoid filling it with similar films or topics. Veteran Citizen Jane attendee Suzy Day aims for a balance of upbeat, educational and dramatic films, as too much of one genre can take an emotional toll — especially if you only see dramatic or documentary films.

Another factor in her decision-making is the director. It’s a good idea to find films from underrepresented groups of women, such as women of color, members of the LGBTQ community and younger women. “It benefits me because they’re going to bring a different lens to the film festival,” Day says.

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CITIZEN JANE FILM FEST 2016

BEYOND THE SCREEN After the movies are over, art, parties and panels keep the films’ ideas alive BY KARLEE RENKOSKI

Citizen Jane Film Festival is more than a weekend in movie theaters, more than listening to female directors tell you why they chose one scene over another and more than simply going home after seeing a film and saying it was pretty good. It combines film and interactive events to get you talking and thinking. "(Events) give space for not just processing the ideas of the films themselves but space to interact with each other and filmmakers in a kind of more relaxed way,” festival manager Sarah Haas says. This year’s festival transcends the films to create conversations with its art installations, classes, parties and receptions.

ART AROUND THE TOWN

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.”

This quote from Yoko Ono is embroidered on recycled material and hangs above a 10-foot-tall woman wrapped in 42 yards of recycled upholstery fabric. The statue, called “Alice” for the first female director, Alice Guy-Blaché, stands at The Tiger Hotel wearing a dyed wedding dress top from the 1960s and a skirt made from strips of plastic bags embroidered with names of historic feminists. “I made her larger than life to represent the strength women have in their struggle to be heard, valued and reckoned with in the past, present, future,” artist Sasha Goodnow wrote in an email.

Other art installations will be scattered throughout

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the festival this year, such as a face cutout to take pictures in, “Glitch [Insert Your Face Here]." It will be at The Tiger Hotel throughout the weekend.

“Women on the Moon,” features paintings of a night sky with phases of the moon ranging across panels and a mountain landscape in the foreground. Every other moon features a woman in the filmmaking industry.

The piece was made by art director Erika Adair, will be at Macklanburg Playhouse and Warehouse Theatre during the festival. Art is an important companion to Citizen Jane because “it’s turning a seemingly normal space into an environment filled with sights and sounds of the festival,” Adair wrote in an email.

When: Throughout the festival Where: The Tiger Hotel, Macklanburg Playhouse, Warehouse Theatre and other festival locations

BACK TO SCHOOL

Four free Citizen Jane Film School panels will feature screenwriters, actresses and women in comedy from around the country. Join a discussion about what it looks like to work behind the camera in comedy at “You Made it Funny,” or learn about historic women at “When Women Ran Hollywood: Meet 5 Female Screenwriters Who Helped Invent Hollywood.” If you’re interested in the challenge of turning yourself from an actress to a director, check out “Leading Ladies.” Lastly, learn how screenwriters become activists for diversity within the film industry at “Outside the Writers Room: The Role of Screenwriter as Activist.”

When: Friday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: Columbia Access Television Studio A

Citizen Jane Film Festival hosts parties for guests and volunteers each year. This year's Late Night Dance Party will be hosted at The Social Room for the first time.

LET’S TALK

In addition to the opening reception that kicks off the festival, Citizen Jane recognizes young filmmakers at the Secret Lives of Girls Reception, which gives people a chance to mingle and allows time for older and more experienced filmmakers to have conversations with younger ones. Haas says it’s important for audiences to find inspiration in the young filmmakers’ work and make them feel welcome. The reception is open to those who have tickets to the short film Secret Lives of Girls, which will play after the reception.

When: Saturday, noon–1 p.m.

Where: Walnut Street Theater

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

Every year, Citizen Jane gets people pumped for the festival through its parties, and this year’s annual Late Night Dance Party will enjoy a new venue, The Social Room. Entry is by password only, so check the Citizen Jane twitter account (@citizenjanefilm) on Saturday, and get ready to show off your moves.

When: Saturday, 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Where: The Social Room PHOTO COURTESY OF CITIZEN JANE FILM FESTIVAL DOC TEAM

TIP #3

­B Y MIKE TISH

SPEAKING OF GRUB...

Only two venues on Stephens’ campus will only provide snacks, so for attendees looking to fill up, local shops might be the best bet. For those wanting to support female-owned restaurants, Banks suggests Range Free, Main Squeeze or Peggy Jean’s Pies. For sustenance close to a venue, there might be no better option than Glenn’s Cafe or the Velvet Cupcake Cafe.

Both are connected to The Tiger Hotel, in which the opening night reception and several films throughout the weekend will be hosted.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Directors featured at Citizen Jane discuss their own films and others they are eager to see

BY RICK MORGAN

Daughters of the Dust Directed by Julie Dash

In addition to showing her own film in the festival, McMillian is excited to watch Daughters of the Dust. Surprisingly, the 1991 film by director Julie Dash is not easy to find; McMillian says she tried purchasing it on Amazon, but copies are elusive. The film is set on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, where Gullah culture, which developed during slavery, has endured into the 20th century. It was the first American film by a black female director to have a general theatrical release.

Saturday, 5 p.m., Macklanburg Playhouse

Dragonfly Directed by Cara Greene Epstein and Maribeth Romslo

Unresolved family baggage —something most viewers can relate to — is prominent in Dragonfly.

A struggling artist returns home to help her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and must navigate turbulent relationships from her past. She discovers an old mailbox from her childhood and decides to reconnect with a magical pen pal she had as a child.

“Dragonfly deals with difficult subject matter with a lot of heart and a lot of humor,” co-director Cara Greene Epstein says.

Saturday, 10 a.m., The Warehouse Theatre Sunday, 12:30 p.m., The Warehouse Theatre

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF ROTTEN TOMATOES, AMANDA GOTERA, CITIZEN JANE FILM FESTIVAL AND DIONNA MCMILLIAN; ILLUSTRATIONS BY JULIA TERBROCK

TIP #4 CJFF

HOW TO GET AROUND CITIZEN JANE Although the festival won’t provide transportation, Banks says Citizen Jane is set up to be “as walkable as possible.” The longest distance between venues is from the Stephens campus to The Tiger Hotel — roughly a 15-minute walk. Festivalgoers trying to avoid that hike should look out for the golf carts that provide free rides (tips recommended) around downtown. Columbia buses will be running regular weekend schedules, but it would probably be cheaper just to drive yourself around if you can. Parking will be available and free in the Stephens College visitor lots, as well as the local parking garages.

If you want to know more about the lineup at Citizen Jane this year, what better place to start than with the directors themselves? Vox interviewed directors Dionna McMillian, Cara Greene Epstein and Amanda Gotera about their films, as well as others they’re excited to see, to help with your “must-watch” list.

Love, New York Directed by Dionna McMillian

This short follows a lactose-intolerant actress going to an important audition, who grabs the wrong cup of coffee on the way. Director Dionna McMillian says this film gives viewers a break from the stressful grind of everyday life with a quick laugh. And despite its comedic tone, Love, New York features an inspirational element.

“It’s kind of exploring what it means to keep having to fight as an artist to get out there, even though things are very tough,” McMillian says.

Saturday, 2:30 p.m., The Tiger Hotel Sunday, 5:30 p.m., Walnut Street Theater

Middle Witch Directed by Amanda Gotera

The View from Tall Directed by Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss

Middle Witch follows teenager Tasha Garza, who is training in the supernatural. A giant bird kidnaps Tasha’s sister, and the young heroine must come to the rescue.

Director Amanda Gotera believes this film will appeal to viewers who are attracted to surreal fantasy films, such as The NeverEnding Story (1984) and Labyrinth (1986).

“There might be giant fish and monster birds and people turning into stone in my movie,” Gotera says.

“But the most important part is the relationship between girls who are figuring out how to grow up.”

Greene Epstein also recommends festivalgoers see The View from Tall.

The film follows a 17-yearold girl who becomes a pariah at her school after classmates discover that she’s developed an intimate relationship with a teacher. She ends up in therapy and forms a bond with Douglas, the therapist who is supposed to be treating her. Douglas uses a wheelchair and faces his own internal struggles.

“They are really exciting and unique voices,” Greene Epstein says of directors Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss.

Saturday, 5 p.m., The Warehouse Theatre

Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Walnut Street Theater

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THE SCENE

Around the town, around the world

A breakdown of where Columbia restaurants fall on the scale of authenticity

BY KELSIE SCHRADER

Traveling is an exhilarating experience. But for those of us who don’t have the time or money to hop on a plane abroad (a.k.a. most of us), Columbia’s many eateries offer glimpses of new places and cultures. Alex Winkler, a senior at MU and a seasoned traveler who recently began his travel business, Global Hiker, says people can explore the world in their own cities and backyards. Winkler, who is developing an app that customizes people’s travel experiences to fit their interests, has traveled to 23 countries and 23 states. He used his and his business partners’ experiences to inform our rankings.

Though nothing is as good as the real deal, these are the local restaurants that give people a small taste of other cities and countries.

The pairings are based on the restaurant’s staff and atmosphere, the availability of competitors in Columbia and the overall food and space authenticity. The closer a restaurant is to the center of the bullseye, the more closely it matches its city or country.

Save the money and the jet lag, and get an imitation travel experience right here in Columbia.

MEXICO

EL MAGUEY Surprisingly non-Americanized food for a chain restaurant. Latin music and decorations help set the tone.

901 E. NIFONG BLVD.; 874-3812; MON., WED., SUN. 11 A.M. TO 9 P.M.; TUES., THURS. 11 A.M. TO 10 P.M.; FRI.–SAT. 11 A.M. TO 10:30 P.M.

THAILAND

BANGKOK GARDENS The owners set their restaurant apart from others in CoMo with incredible decor and good, authentic food.

811 CHERRY ST.; 874-3284; MON.-FRI. 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M.; 5–9 P.M.; FRI. 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M.; 5–10 P.M.; SAT. 11:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M.; 5–10 P.M.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

FRETBOARD COFFEE Minimalistic garage-vibe with a friendly, southern hospitality mood.

1013 E. WALNUT ST.; 227-2233; MON.–FRI. 7 A.M. TO 6 P.M.; SAT. 8 A.M. TO 6 P.M.; SUN. 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M.

JAPAN

GEISHA SUSHI BAR AND KAMPAI Music and ambiance make for an authentic environment, but the food is more of an American-Japanese fusion.

GEISHA: 804 E. BROADWAY; 777-9997; MON.–WED. 11:30 A.M. TO 2 P.M.; 5–9 P.M., THURS., FRI. 11:30 A.M. TO 2 P.M.; SAT. 5–9:30 P.M. KAMPAI: 907 ALLEY A; 442-2239; MON.–SAT. 11:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M.; 5–10 P.M.; SUN. 5–9 P.M.

LOUISIANA

CHINA

TURKEY

COFFEE ZONE The music and photos on the walls provide a Middle Eastern backdrop for an afternoon cup of joe.

11 N. NINTH ST.; 449-8215; MON.–SAT. 6:30 A.M. TO 9 P.M.; SUN. 8 A.M. TO 9 P.M.

BAMBOO TERRACE There is way more than Americanized orange chicken on this menu made by a staff that knows what it’s doing.

CZECH REPUBLIC/ GERMANY

JAZZ, A LOUISIANA KITCHEN Beads and jazz, what more could you want? Maybe Cajun food, which they have, too.

217 N. STADIUM BLVD.; 443-5299; SUN.–MON. 11 A.M. TO 9:30 P.M.; TUES.–THURS. 11 A.M. TO 10 P.M.; FRI.–SAT. 11 A.M.–12 A.M.

3101 W. BROADWAY; 886-5555; SUN.–THURS. 11 A.M. TO 9:30 P.M.; FRI.– SAT. 11 A.M. TO 10 P.M.

GÜNTER HANS High-quality beer imported straight from Europe meets a well-decorated space and delicious pretzels.

7 HITT ST.; 256-1205; MON.-THURS. 4–11 P.M.; FRI. 2 P.M. TO 1 A.M.; SAT. 11 A.M. TO 1 A.M.

INDIA

INDIA’S HOUSE The environment isn’t much, but the food is the most authentic of Columbia’s Indian cuisine.

1101 E. BROADWAY; 817-2009; TUES.–SUN. 11 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M.; 5–9:30 P.M.

GREECE

G&D STEAKHOUSE A decades-old, Greek family-owned establishment that serves up gyros and other Greek dishes.

2001 W. WORLEY ST.; 445-3504; MON.–SUN. 11 A.M. TO 9 P.M.

PORTLAND, OREGON

CAFE BERLIN Think artsy vibes and a hipster attitude with plenty of local and organic foods to go around.

220 N. TENTH ST.; 441-0400; MON.–SUN. 8 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

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PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF MARYSSA GREENAWALT, KATIE HOGSETT, MEGHAN KRANE, FRETBOARD COFFEE AND BANGKOK GARDENS

THE SCENE

Days of their lives

DIY art and a passion for Columbia are at the center of Nettle Pointe, a local soap opera project. BY BROOKE VAUGHAN In February 2014, Dan Fister, Sasha Goodnow and Ivy Lynch converged in a chilly wood and hashed out the world of Nettle Pointe. All members of the local arts scene, the three worked on realizing Goodnow’s longtime dream to create a soap opera.

Goodnow and Fister, both 29, are in the midst of filming their three-episode dramedy about a fictional small town experiencing social, cultural and environmental tension. The town’s thriving mixed-berry crop, once a symbol of prosperity, is now being challenged by a psychoactive drug called nettle.

Fister finds his artistic outlet in writing music; Goodnow writes screenplays and produces short films. “Since it’s me and Dan’s baby, I’m interested in seeing how weird we can get with it,” Goodnow says.

Paula Elias, director of strategic partnerships at StoryUP, a virtual reality media company, has worked with Goodnow for previous Citizen Jane Film Festivals and says technology has influenced the accessibility of film projects. “In an age where people can tell their own stories — especially at

a local level — whether it’s fiction or documentary, these stories are more possible than ever,” she says. “I don’t think there’s any more positive way to transmit culture than through film.”

Creating a soap opera allowed Goodnow and Fister to play off their local cast, experiment with moods and create low-budget scenes by highlighting mid-Missouri people, agriculture and music in a personal and comedic way.

Fister says the project is “a humble Columbia showcase.”

THE PEOPLE Columbia has a thriving community of vibrant, artistic individuals — many of whom Goodnow and Fister incorporate into their work. “There’s this part of Columbia that is very focused on community and lifting each other up and letting people express themselves,” Goodnow says. By nurturing their casts’ specific talents, tailoring roles and allowing people to blossom in their respective positions, Fister says they can highlight the artistic avenues of Columbia.

Dan Fister, co-creator of Nettle Pointe, works with actors on set.

Updates on filming and production can be found at sashagoodnow. tumblr.com

SMALL-TOWN FEEL Goodnow shot scenes of the soap opera at different locations throughout Columbia and mid-Missouri, including small farms, parks, conservation areas and forests. The plot is moved along by local businesses and nature scenes, “sort of connecting people to place,” Fister says, by reminding people of their relationship with nature and agriculture.

Goodnow says the town of Nettle Pointe has a “Midwest vibe,” and they’ve always tried to be authentic to the small-town feel.

THE MUSIC Goodnow and Fister describe the music of Nettle Pointe as experimental, full of

young talent and niche sounds. Music is a constant for the co-creators, and they tried to replicate that lifestyle within the soap opera.

Nettle Pointe aims to showcase the talents and DIY aspects of the Columbia community by incorporating local talent in music, dance, set design, makeup and costume design.

The first episode of the three-part series is planned to be released on Goodnow’s YouTube account before 2017. In the meantime, Goodnow and Fister are filming the second and third episodes, which Goodnow hopes to have finished and edited by August in time for the 2017 Citizen Jane Film Festival.

No Fee November is here.

Apply for free the entire month!

Use code: NoFeeNov16

Get started at Apply.CCIS.edu or call (573) 875-7610 PHOTO COURTESY OF SASHA GOODNOW

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ARTS & BOOKS

In her studio: Wildy’s wondrous world Local artist gives everyday items new life with her unique aesthetic

BY ABRIANA GREEN Two years ago, Stacy Self, who often goes

by Wildy, moved from Willow Springs, Missouri, to Columbia for the local art culture. Now, she is living out her dream of owning her own studio — Wildy’s World in Columbia’s North Village Arts District on East Walnut Street — a few doors down from Ernie’s Cafe. Self says she wouldn’t have opened her own studio anywhere else. Being in Columbia’s art district was a necessity.

When Self began her career as an artist at age 19, her work had an angry and dark tone. It wasn’t until she gave birth to her first child that she decided to take a new approach. Her art became about “joyful vibrations” and giving people character that they can’t find in photography.

Self’s art isn’t new to Columbia.

Her work has been displayed in a few galleries, several events and at the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival prior to opening her own studio.

Vox stopped by Wildy’s to peek into her creative space.

ART THAT LIVES OUTSIDE The first piece of art Self made in Columbia was created at Artists for Justice, an event held in Peace Park a few weeks after the August 2014 shooting of Michael Brown. She had a sketch from the past that she knew was great for the event. She held a pop-up event to paint the piece in real time. The large canvas depicts people of different colors and ages holding hands in unity.

When Self is in her studio, the piece is kept outside for passersby to see, and at the end of the day, she brings it inside for safekeeping.

Self’s playful nature and charming quirks are translated into the fun pieces that adorn the walls of her studio, Wildy’s World. Her talent for turning everyday items into unique masterpieces makes this artistic haven an eclectic addition to The District.

As Self walked around her studio, she switched earrings to her own molded pair. Blue, green, pink, glittered, matte, shiny, long and twisty earrings are in her office, waiting to be sold.

wearing masks, but one is finished and the other is not. Self is still completing this year’s work. She says the painting needs more texture and detail so the “joyful vibrations of life” can be evident.

OFF THE CANVAS Self’s artwork goes beyond the canvas.

Hats, masks and earrings lie around her studio. The foyer displays a lot of canvas work, but on the corner of a long brown table rest five painted white hats; four of the hats are Cat in the Hat styles. Self says

a friend of hers had the white top hats in his attic and asked her if she could do something with them. She added color and personality. Now, every time Self sees a white hat in a store, she buys and paints it.

Gunk, which Self playfully refers to as her alter ego, can be found hanging on the lamp in her showroom. If asked about Gunk, Self is happy to put on the mask, which is made from cereal boxes and paint and stomp around in a monstrous portrayal.

ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ FESTIVAL For the past two years, Self has attended Roots N Blues with canvases ready for the community to paint. In her studio there are two pieces from this year and last year’s festivals sitting side by side for comparison. Both works portray dancers

A whimsical orange and blue member of Self’s collection of painted top hats. She often finds new hats in thrift stores.

Gunk, Self’s alter ego made of cereal boxes and paint, is perched upon a lamp, waiting for Self to bring it to life.

Self’s studio, Wildy’s World, took residence in Columbia’s North Village Arts District on East Walnut Street five months ago.

THE UNFINISHED ART Self has a red binder full of sketches with notes, some of which she plans to turn into real pieces soon. One of her old sketches rests on the table of her art room on a canvas. She made it years ago, and it’s finally ready to be painted. Self says so many of her works go unfinished because of all the other ideas in her mind.

Hanging on one of her walls is a mostly finished piece she started a year ago, which depicts autumn.

Similarly, a painting of lions that her 12-year-old daughter B started nine years ago hangs above a doorway. Over the years, friends and fellow artists have contributed to the unfinished work. Now that it has a home in Wildy’s World, Self anticipates that the additions will continue.

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PHOTOS BY CARSEN SIKYTA

ARTS & BOOKS

Read it, and steep Cuddle up with your favorite mug and one of these reads B Y KELSEY HURWITZ The perfect cup of tea can add a new dimension to your reading experience. The comforting warmth of a mug in your hand and the alluring scent wafting through the air tease the senses while your herbal bliss cools to the perfect temperature to sip.

Trying to read while enjoying a drink that affects your mood could influence your connection with the novel, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Vox reached out to Kaley Gann, general manager at Kaldi’s Coffee, for her experteas, and made a few pairing recommendations to guide you through upcoming releases.

Nov. 8, $28

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, has written her first thriller. The Chemist follows a retired U.S. government secret agent who is tempted into one last mission. However, this assignment sucks her further into the life she’s trying to leave.

Pair with: GREEN TEA

Pair with: PEPPERMINT TEA

This cheery choice will complement the witty, light-hearted tone of Kendrick’s essays.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling Accio screenplay! J.K. Rowling’s first screenplay, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, comes out the same day as the premiere of the film. America in the ‘20s, a missing briefcase, mystical animals on the Nov. 18, $24.99 loose and some good old-fashioned magic make this screenplay exciting and full of adventure.

Pair with: ENGLISH BREAKFAST TEA

For a novel that is sure to send your blood pressure through the roof, green tea will provide the perfect calming balance. “It’s very grounding and meditative,” Gann says.

N O V E M B E R :

Nov. 15, $26.99

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick Fans of Anna Kendrick’s hilarious Twitter account, rejoice! Scrappy Little Nobody is a collection of autobiographical essays written by the aca-awesome actress. The mixture of Kendrick’s witty voice and affinity for awkward situations makes this a must-read.

Although this screenplay takes place in the U.S., it is akin to the bustling British world of Harry Potter, which makes this the perfect pairing.

3 - 6

Nov. 22, $15.99

Over the Edge by Meredith Wild Over the Edge is the third installment of The Bridge Series.

Olivia Bridge came to New York City seeking a break from her painfully perfect good-girl lifestyle, but she wasn’t expecting to find herself in the middle of a love triangle filled with confusion and sexual tension.

Pair with: CINNAMON APPLE TEA

A read such as this deserves a tea that’s just as spicy. The cinnamon kick matches Liv’s heated encounters with her suitors.

Nov. 22, $26

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher Carrie Fisher recently came across journals she wrote during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, and she is sharing selected entries in The Princess Diarist. In addition to Star Wars stories, Fisher writes about Hollywood and the craziness that comes with being a young celebrity.

Pair with: CHAMOMILE TEA

The golden hue matches C-3PO’s shiny exterior, and the delicate flavor mimics the fragility of celebrity status at a young age.

Break out the fine china for a regal touch. Enjoy this you will.

Take our quiz to find your personalized pairing online at VOXMAGAZINE.COM

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1 0 - 1 3

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1 7 - 2 0

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2 0 1 6

“Aim for the heart... if you can find it!”

A Comedy-Thriller by Gerald Moon

Adults Students Seniors

12 $ 10 $ 10 $

1800 Nelwood Drive; Columbia, MO | 573.474.3699 | www.cectheatre.org “Corpse!” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON/ LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY; AMAZON/ TOUCHSTONE; AMAZON/ ARTHUR A. LEVINE BOOKS; AMAZON/ WATERHOUSE PRESS; AMAZON/ BLUE RIDER PRESS

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Former Jefferson City teacher SUZANNE LUTHER rehabs houses with the help of local artists to benefit homeless youth

S

uzanne Luther is spending her retirement demolishing old cabinets and scraping and sanding the baseboards of two older homes in Jefferson City.

Luther, who graduated from MU with an art degree, retired from teaching the art and gifted programs at elementary and middle schools in Jefferson City two years ago. She launched Four Quarters Art House in April 2015. The business enlists the help of local artists to convert old homes into bed-and-breakfasts. Although not a nonprofit itself, the project donates at least 10 percent of its profits to nonprofits such as HALO and Common Ground, which both work to lessen youth homelessness.

Through Four Quarters Art House, Luther unites four distinct yet related components in her work: art, service, community and business.

Since the project’s inception, Luther has purchased and begun renovations on two older houses in Jefferson City with the help of friends, family and fellow artists in the community.

Vox sat down with Luther to discuss her project and future plans.

What inspired Four Quarters Art House?

I’ve been trying to think for years, “How can I use my strengths to make a difference?” Homelessness is horrific on its own, but when you think of the number of homeless children … I wanted to start there. I wanted to do something that would make a 18

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real difference. I can’t pinpoint a day or time, but it morphed from other projects I worked on.

What goals do you have for the project?

I want to rehab buildings that aren’t ideal residential buildings so that when I’m finished, you have those four parts, the four quarters. You have the art quarter because the artists come in and help with the renovation and then their work is also displayed. You have the service quarter because whatever it’s zoned for, that income is coming in and a portion goes back to the entities that alleviate homelessness. You have the community quarter because it’s taking places that sometimes were an eyesore or weren’t ideal residential properties, and now they’re functioning places. And then the business quarter because I plan to make a profit, so I become part of the business world, too.

Where do you see Four Quarters Art House in five to 10 years?

Oh, I’ve got a vision! I see artists coordinating a business that also provides a service. I see that expanding so that we’re not just funneling money into entities that help homelessness, but we start bringing the homeless individuals into the artistic process.

How will you integrate the people you serve?

The building next door is empty, and what I’d like

to see there is a place where artists can come in and teach. You know how in third-world countries, they’ll create jewelry or something, and then they become more independent and have something that’s satisfying to do? I think that would be great right there to have studios and not just teach people to paint or do creative writing or theater but then also have it become a tourist attraction as an art center.

I just see this as something that could snowball because it’s being fueled by that creative energy.

Has anything surprised you during this process?

It’s exciting that when you start something like this, you start to find out how many people have the same motivation, the same desires. They might not have the same vision of how to do it, but it’s been exciting to see how many more friends I’ve made and just a peek at what’s possible.

What has been the most rewarding moment of creating your new project so far?

I don’t have just one. It’s rewarding to me when I go to bed at night, and I’m in this house, and I know things may not have progressed as I may have originally visualized, but those are just details. I know this is working.

— KATY CORNWALL PHOTO BY STEPHANIE MUELLER

THE TO-DO LIST

this week in Columbia

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

The Price Is Right Live!

Mizzou Men’s Basketball vs.

University of Central Missouri

This hit interactive stage show gives participants the chance to come on down to win. Prizes include appliances, vacations and more. Play classic games such as Plinko, Cliffhangers and the Big Wheel.

Friday, 7–10 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $25–$35, 882-2121

Missouri Contemporary Ballet

This local dance company shares another unbelievable show. “Surge” will present its collection and worldwide debuts with graceful choreography by Artistic Director Karen Mareck Grundy and choreographer Fernando Rodriguez. Fri.–Sat., 7–10 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $10–$40, 882-3781

CIVIC Peter Ostrum: Film to Farm

Veterinarian Peter Ostrum (Charlie, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is your golden ticket to celebrating International One Health Day. This is a day aimed at bringing together studies of humans, animals and the environment, and Ostrum will present a lecture to get you in the healthy holiday spirit. Today, noon to 1 p.m., Bond Life Sciences Center, Monsanto Auditorium, Free, 882-0093

It’s in the Bag Fundraiser 2016

Get a jump on your holiday shopping and purchase gently used handbags, gift baskets, drawings and more at this silent auction benefitting the Human Environmental Studies Alumni Organization Scholarship Fund. Attire is business casual, and cash and checks are accepted. Today, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Gwynn Hall, 117 Gwynn Lounge, $25, 884-5958

FOOD & DRINK Paleo Cooking Date Night

Spice up your relationship by cooking together. On the menu are a pizza spaghetti bake, salad and caramelized peaches. Cook, eat and enjoy the break from doing the dishes. Friday, 6–9 p.m., Dimensions In Wood, Inc., Old U.S. 40, $75 per couple, 268-2248

MUSIC Protomartyr with The Gotobeds and New Tongues

Formed in the Detroit music scene in 2008, this band’s grim post-punk sound and baritone vocals were inspired by its city.

Tonight, 8 p.m., Cafe Berlin, $12, 441-0400

Bart Crow with Brad Cunningham Band

This troubadour has logged many hours on the road playing shows across the country the past couple of years. The Texas native has talents in roots and rock songwriting.

Crow self-produces his albums without the help of major record labels. Tonight, 8 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $10, 874-1944

HOLIDAY GIFT SETS HAV EA RR I VE

Head to Mizzou Arena to see the men’s basketball team play University of Central Missouri in the season opener. Friday, 7 p.m., Mizzou Arena, $5–$25, 882-6501

D!

SCREEN Certain Women (R)

The lives of three strong-willed women intersect in mid-America, where each struggles against obstacles to blaze her own trail. A lawyer navigates office sexism, a mother clashes with the men in her life when she tries to build a new home, and a law student finds herself in a complicated relationship with a ranch hand.

RT RUNTIME = 1:47

iquo

L Beer •

apor

ne • V i W • r

Doctor Strange (PG-13)

After a car accident impairs Dr. Stephen Strange’s use of his hands, he turns to a mystical enclave for healing. Now he must choose between his old life or assuming a powerful position as he embarks on a battle against dark forces.

F, R RUNTIME = 1:55

Hacksaw Ridge (R)

When Desmond T. Doss is drafted into WWII, he takes up an unpopular pacifist stance. Despite this, Doss wins the Congressional Medal of Honor in this true story of an ostracized soldier.

F, R RUNTIME = 2:19

The Handmaiden (NR)

Japanese aristocrat Lady Hideko lives a privileged life. Little does she know the new handmaiden is plotting with a con man to rob her of her inheritance.

RT RUNTIME = 2:47

A Man Called Ove (PG-13)

World-weary Ove is 59 years old and known as the neighborhood’s most sullen occupant. However, when a new family moves in, a friendship begins.

RT RUNTIME = 1:56

Still playing The Accountant (R) F, R Boo! A Madea Halloween (PG-13) F, R The Girl on the Train (R) F, R Inferno (PG-13) F, R Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (PG-13) F, R Keeping Up with the Joneses (PG-13) F, R Kevin Hart: What Now? (R) R The Magnificent Seven (PG-13) R Max Steel (PG-13) R Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (PG-13) F, R Ouija: Origin of Evil (PG-13) F, R Storks (PG) R Sully (PG-13) R

Theaters F = Forum R = Regal

RT = Ragtag = Available in 3-D

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