YES! Weekly - April 10, 2024

This year, RiverRun begins its march toward the next 25 with its biggest festival ever, consisting of 197 screenings — 71 features and 126 shorts — representing 51 countries.

4 The 26th annual RiverRun International Film Festival, which takes place April 18–27, will host a bevy of TALENTED FILMMAKERS, some who have attended before and others for the first time.

6 April is National Poetry Month and Greensboro, North Carolina Poet Laureate JOSEPHUS THOMPSON, III is set to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Poetry Cafe. The event will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m.

6 The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Jazz Ensemble will host its annual spring concert featuring the timeless tunes of the “COOL JAZZ” era.

7 LARRY AUDAS is a natural-born broadcaster. In fact, I suspect that a boom microphone and TV monitor were suspended above his baby crib.

8 This year, Columbia Pictures celebrates its 100th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of the original GHOSTBUSTERS in true studio fashion — by making yet another sequel.

13 The roving, raucous TAN AND SOBER GENTLEMEN are rolling into the Triad, appearing at the Pilot Mountain Adventure Expo on

12; and at

THE GOOD HALF

APRIL 19 / 7:00PM

UNCSA – MAIN THEATRE*

APRIL 23 / 8:00PM

RED CINEMAS GREENSBORO

*Special Guest: Robert Schwartzman at Winston-Salem screening

THE FOG

APRIL 21 / 7:00PM

MARKETPLACE CINEMAS #1

Special Guest: Adrienne Barbeau

WILDCAT

APRIL 21 / 7:00PM

UNCSA – MAIN THEATRE

Directed by Ethan Hawke

by Southwest] do. Even then, I was at Sundance this year, and it didn’t have the enthusiasm that it did in the past. Maybe people were disappointed in the film lineup or maybe there’s still a hangover from the [Screen Actors Guild/Writers Guild of America] strikes. It’s hard to tell.”

Fish Have No Psychiatrists: A Day with Andrei Codrescu is, as the title implies, a profile of the Peabody Award-winning essayist, novelist, poet, screenwriter, and a regular commentator on National Public Radio (NPR)’s “All Things Considered” from 1983 until 2016. The film is an exploration, an interpretation, and a celebration — not just of someone Semilian admires but also considers a close friend, forever bonded by their common Romanian roots.

“I met Andrei in 1965 on the plane immigrating out of Romania and we became close friends right away,” Semilian recalled. “Andrei was essential to my pursuing the arts. Hanging out with him in Naples and Rome for six months before coming to the states was one of the best educations I ever had. We talked about art, poetry, cinema — as we walked the streets of Rome learning Italian and English and meeting an array of diverse people including poets, musicians, traveling beatniks from the world over, and even the king of the Gypsies! Remember, this was the ‘60s! And we have maintained a friendship since.”

Since then, the prolific Codrescu has published countless articles, essays, and such acclaimed books as “License to Carry a Gun” (winner of the Big Table Poetry Award), “The Marriage of Insult & Injury,” “Necrocorrida,” “A Craving for Swan” and, more recently, “No Time Like Now.” In addition to the Peabody, his numerous accolades are the Ovid Prize, the General Electric Foundation Poetry Prize, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)’s Freedom of Speech and Mayor’s Arts awards, and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) fellowships for poetry, editing, and radio.

Semilian’s inspiration for the film was, to say the least, unique.

“I was having sardines for breakfast and as I dumped the poor little silvery fish bodies missing their heads into the bowl, the words ‘Fish Have No Psychiatrists’ came to me,” he revealed. “I laughed at the mysterious and multifaceted implications of those four words together, along with their relationship to surrealism, get my creativity going and I decided to make a film.”

Initially, the film wasn’t even going to feature Codrescu, much less focus on him. “The implications and complications about the connection between one’s inner psychology and the marine environment

combined with the fact that we all originate from dish, abandoning our mother the sea to become landlocked only 265 million years ago, got my creative juices flowing and I began dreaming fish and doing research on marine life and re-reading seminal works on psychiatry.”

Semilian was already deeply immersed (no pun intended) in that concept, “[and] then I received a Kenan grant to go to New York and interview Andrei Codrescu,” he said. “At the time Andrei was investigating the impact of the current environmental situation on whales and thus our interests aligned. We were able to do a much longer interview than any other before, which freed Andrei and me to be able to better explore questions. Andrei’s imagination leaped over boundaries and so we decided to put the original idea on the back burner and make a film only about Andrei. I think I was able to manifest in this film certain cinematic ideas that have been fermenting in my mind for years.

“I did not originally intend to make a feature,” Semilian admitted. “I was targeting making a one-hour film, but the film just got longer — it must have wanted to be a longer film!”

The o cial website for The Ghost Trap is http://www.theghosttrap. com/ and the o cial website for Khanlarian Entertainment is https://khanlarianentertainment.com/. (The o cial website for Fish Have No Psychiatrists is currently under construction.) !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

WANNA go?

The 26th annual RiverRun International Film Festival will take place April 18-27, 2024. For more information, call 336-724-1502 or visit and the o cial website: https://riverrunfilm.com/.

CARIBBEAN ADAPTATION OF “THE LITTLE MERMAID” TO TAKE THE MAINSTAGE

BY LORI SMITH

Trade in your parka and rain boots for a sarong and flip-flops as we step into “Once on This Island” at Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance! Coming this May to the mainstage is this award winning Caribbean adaptation of the beloved fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid,” that will have you tapping your toes and swaying in your seat.

In almost non-stop song and dance, “Once on This Island” tells the story of a peasant girl, Ti Moune, who falls in love with Daniel, a wealthy boy from the other side of the island. The story focuses on her quest to test the strength of her love for Daniel against the powerful forces of prejudice, hatred and death.

This eight-time Tony-nominated show features music by Stephen Flaherty and book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Flaherty and Ahrens are best known for the hit musicals, “Seussical” and “Ragtime.”

Beautiful elements of Caribbean-Afro inspired dance help to emphasize the thematic juxtapositions that are carried throughout the show. Theatre Alliance is proud to welcome Liah Haith as choreographer of “Once on This Island” and her work in this show is not to be missed!

Once on This Island stars Millie Caldwell as Ti Moune, Patrick Nguyen as Daniel, Liah Haith as Mama Euralie, David Caldwell III as Tonton Julian, Car-

los Nieto as Armand/Monsieur Beauxhomme, Karla Hernandez as Andrea, Derrick Harley as Papa Ge, Morrissia Ravenell as Asaka, Jalik Roberson as Agwe, Brianna Witherspoon as Erzulie, and an incredibly talented supporting cast of storytellers!

Performance Schedule:

Friday May 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday May 11 at 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Friday May 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday May 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday May 19 at 2 p.m.

Performances are located at the Ihrie Theatre at 650 W 6th street in downtown Winston-Salem.

Tickets and information at www. theatrealliance.ws/box_o ce !

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Greensboro First Poet Laureate

Josephus Thompson III to Celebrate 15th Anniversary of The Poetry Café

April is National Poetry Month and Greensboro, North Carolina Poet Laureate Josephus Thompson, III is set to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Poetry Café. The event will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m. at the Van Dyke Performance Center located in the Cultural Arts Center, located at 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro, N.C.

The concept of The Poetry Café was cultivated by Thompson, a North Carolina poet, educator, and spoken word coach in 2009. It is a monthly open mic event in Greensboro that allows artists an opportunity to express themselves through any artistic expression such as spoken word, dance, and song. Throughout the evening, a live band and a vocalist will set the mood to assist performers.

“For the 15th anniversary, The Poetry Café is an opportunity to celebrate the community that has supported this initiative for years,” said Thompson. “I am grateful for the longevity of serving and

the arts community that appreciates that poetry is life.”

Since the launch of The Poetry Café, it has garnered 20,000 attendees from across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. Also, The Poetry Café is a nationally syndicated radio show picked up by American Public Media. For more information about The Poetry Café and to purchase tickets, please visit https://josephusiii.com. !

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N.C. A&T’s Jazz Ensemble Presents Spring Concert Featuring Tunes from Miles Davis

The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Jazz Ensemble will host its annual spring concert featuring the timeless tunes of the “cool jazz” era. The musical pieces will take inspiration from the nonet album “Birth of the Cool” by late American jazz trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis.

The concert will take place Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Harrison Auditorium, 1009 Bluford St.

Jonovan Cooper, DMA, teaching assistant professor and director of the University Jazz Ensemble, expressed enthusiasm for the concert’s unique blend of instrumentation and repertoire.

“We want to captivate audiences with a diverse array of instruments, including violin, French horn, tuba, flute, vibraphone, and the steel drum,” said Cooper.

In addition to the University Jazz Ensem-

ble, the concert will spotlight performances by the vocal and faculty Jazz ensembles, o ering a mix of jazz, neo-soul, original compositions, and favorite standards.

The N.C. A&T Jazz Ensemble has earned a reputation for excellence, performing at various venues across the state and nation throughout the school year.

The concert is free and open to the public, inviting jazz enthusiasts and music lovers alike to experience the talent and innovation of A&T’s jazz musicians.

“We invite the community to join us as we celebrate the growth and artistry of our students over the past three years,” said Cooper. “Your support helps us continue to cultivate musical excellence at A&T and prepare our students for success in the music industry.”

For more information about the concert or the N.C. A&T Jazz Ensemble, contact Cooper at jtcooper1@ncat.edu or 336-2852020. !

WFMY’s Larry Audas Signs O

Larry Audas is a natural-born broadcaster. In fact, I suspect that a boom microphone and TV monitor were suspended above his baby crib.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Larry grew up in the Chicago area, and later graduated from Bob Jones University with a B.A. in — you guessed it — “Radio & TV Production.” Afterward, Larry worked as an announcer at KQCV radio in Oklahoma City, and as a reporter for KFOT-TV there. Next stop was KPRC in Houston where he won a slew of awards as an anchor, and for his stellar news reporting. Later, in Columbia, South Carolina he won an EMMY for Most Outstanding Newscast, as well as an Edward R. Murrow award. As an anchor for KTHV in Little Rock, Arkansas, Larry won an EMMY for best newscast, and then was promoted to the front o ce as president and general manager of the station. He remained in that position until 2011 when he accepted a call to be president and GM of WFMY-TV in Greensboro.

During Larry’s tenure at WFMY the station has consistently been recognized for excellence in news programming. More importantly, Larry is responsible for WFMY winning the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters prestigious Community Involvement Award. One reason? His EMMYwinning “Read 2 Succeed” campaign which reached 100,000 urban elementary students with a compelling literacy message. Larry also launched WFMY+, a streaming channel designed to make news and entertainment programming more accessible to a wider audience.

I first met Larry when he appeared on “Triad Today” back in October of 2012, and we have stayed in touch regularly ever since. As an alumnus of WFMY, I share a common bond with Larry, but we also share a common belief that local television stations have an obligation to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Larry recently announced that he is retiring from WFMY on April 30, so I thought this would be the perfect time to talk with him about his career.

Jim: Who or what led you to a career in broadcasting?

Larry: As a high schooler I was invited to serve as the announcer for our church’s weekly gospel TV program which was broadcast on a UHF station in Chicago. That fueled my interest in television and specifically newscasting.

Jim: Your booming voice made you a great announcer, but you really distinguished yourself as a news anchor and reporter. Yet for all that talent, you ended up as an executive.

Did you always have your eye on broadcast management?

Larry: I never looked at management as a target, and as an anchorman I said, “I’d never be a news director.” But of course, when opportunity knocked, I became a news director. It is the most challenging role in any TV station, exceeding the pressure that seems obvious to those presenting on camera. I learned this first-hand. After that, I served as president and general manager for TV stations in Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The lesson here is “never say never.”

Jim: How did your background as a broadcast journalist help you become an e ective general manager?

Larry: In the past, most GM’s destined for leadership moved from sales into the corner o ce. It was uncommon for news anchors and journalists to ascend to station management. Having covered seemingly every kind of news story from hurricanes and earthquakes to jetliner crashes, national political conventions, and sports championships, I was a orded a close-up understanding of what we delivered to viewers and why broadcasting was relevant. That knowledge was foundational as I moved into GM leadership.

Jim: How has local TV news changed since you started out?

Larry: Broadcast TV is still a vital and

sometimes singularly local source of what is going on in your backyard, across the street, and in your town. Big Tech — the social media and platform companies that aggregate news and pump it to your phone or device have captured much of the revenue market as they deliver digital content. That financial aspect of nationalized content delivery is pressing local broadcast news hard. Young people and many not-so-young folks look to their phones for news. We’re there too, but what you see on an app may or may not be local, verifiable, and vetted. It would be a tragedy for local TV to follow newspapers in terms of diminished opportunity. I think Big Tech’s pipe dream is for viewers to pay for any and all fresh content. Imagine a day when you will pay, for example, to watch March Madness, the Super Bowl, or other currently free programs. We may learn the hard way that big content is not better.

Jim: Every TV station used to have a public a airs department, and air a variety of local programs in addition to News. Deregulation and corporate ownership have changed all that. How then has WFMY been able to maintain a community connection in today’s broadcast environment?

Larry: WFMY News2 has a historic place in this community and is celebrating a 75th anniversary. Part of that history is an ongoing community orientation and connection. It is seen most often in our news coverage and also in our true commitment to advancing the greater good in Greensboro and the Triad. Food and blood drives, legal help, problem solving for regular folk, and more, are part of both news and community e orts. We take pride in being part of, but also supporters of the people who live here with us.

Jim: Circling back to your comments about delivery systems, an increasing number of consumers are “cutting the cable.” How has that a ected WFMY’s traditional viewership?

Larry: It’s called viewer fragmentation. That’s a fancy way of saying that viewers have dozens if not hundreds of choices when it comes to platforms, programming, and technology.

Long gone are the days when newspaper, TV, and radio ruled the roost. We have adjusted and you’ll find WFMY online, digital, streaming, and every other place where programming is distributed.

Jim: Do you ever miss reporting and anchoring?

Larry: Yes, but not with regret. I believe God opens and closes doors, and having been both a journalist and in leadership roles is more than I deserve.

Jim: What will you be doing with your time now?

Larry: To make sure I stay out of my wife’s way I will launch TruFlex Media, a consulting business. I’ll be available to consult, mentor, and speak with those in our profession who I would hope to help. (www.truflexmedia.com)

Jim: One last thing. This fall will be my 50th anniversary of getting a job at WFMY. Are you retiring now just to avoid giving me a gold watch?

Larry: This is exactly correct. The expense of a gold watch for a journalist of your stature and local fame was a chief contributor to my exit. I’m leaving that warranted, but pricey necessity to my successor. !

JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.

Jim Longworth Longworth at Large

Larry Audas

Ghostbusters scares up a surprisingly entertaining Frozen Empire

This year, Columbia Pictures celebrates its 100th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of the original Ghostbusters in true studio fashion — by making yet another sequel.

The good news, and it may be a surprise, is that Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a worthy follow-up — certainly superior to the overblown, underwhelming 2016 reboot featuring the allgirl Ghostbusters and even its immediate predecessor, 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife .

The principals of that film — Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and the endlessly engaging Mckenna Grace — are back in action and comfortably ensconced in the rickety old New York firehouse and tooling around town in the rattletrap Ecto-1 (“Ectomobile”) busting ghosts wherever they materialize. The ghosts may change but the slapstick gags remain the same, once again putting the Ghostbusters in the crosshairs of now-mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton), who’s been wanting to bust the Ghostbusters the last 40 years.

Under the assured direction of executive producer Gil Kenan, who co-wrote the screenplay with producer Jason Reitman, Frozen Empire feels like a real Ghostbusters film. There’s a lot of ectoplasm and protoplasm on display, the usual barrage of special effects (which are up to par), and a steady stream of references to the earlier films.

That it’s dedicated to producer Ivan Reitman (Jason’s father), the creator of the Ghostbusters who died in 2022, is appropriate, because it’s a genuinely heartfelt and humorous tribute. It’s also appropriate that the film takes place in

New York City, where it all began.

An ancient artifact known as the “Orb of Garraka” is the cause of the trouble this time around. Should the power contained within be unleashed — which, inevitably it will be — all hell will break loose and the planet will be engulfed by a new ice age. So … who you gonna call?

Frozen Empire is rather top-heavy with characters, including such beloved veterans of the franchise as Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and executive producer Dan Aykroyd, which means that Rudd, Coon, and Wolfhard must graciously (and gracefully) step aside to let the limelight shine on the others. Murray simply coasts through while Hudson and Potts are polished and professional, but Aykroyd has a bit more to do, and brings a warmly paternal presence as “Dr. Ray” Stantz, whose lifelong affinity for the paranormal has hardly abated after all these years.

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There are nice contributions by Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, and particularly Emily Alyn Lind as Melody, the sad and lonely specter befriended by Grace’s Phoebe Spengler. Once Garraka makes his (its?) entrance, it’s merely a special effect, so it falls to the human characters to carry the story. Every time the momentum starts to flag or the visual effects threaten to trample the narrative, something — and it’s usually Grace — brings it back to earth. If there’s an anchor in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire , it’s undoubtedly Mckenna Grace. The novelty may have worn off, but the nostalgia factor is suitably amped up to accommodate and please fans of the franchise. There’s a comfortable vibe to the proceedings. Playful and sweet natured to the core, Frozen Empire is very much a family movie, both in concept and execution. Dario Marinelli’s jaunty score is an homage to Elmer Bernstein’s original, and it’s even nice to hear Ray Parker Jr.’s original theme song — which was inescapable back in the day — played over the end credits.

Yes, the Ghostbusters are back, perhaps not in peak form but certainly good form, good enough to eagerly anticipate yet another go-round with the spirit world when the time comes. !

See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.

Mark Burger Contributor

RiverRun 2024: Bigger than ever and raring to go!

Last year, the RiverRun International Film Festival marked a major milestone when it celebrated its 25th anniversary. This year, RiverRun begins its march toward the next 25 with its biggest festival ever, consisting of 197 screenings — 71 features and 126 shorts — representing 51 countries. The 26th RiverRun festival opens on April 18 and runs through April 27. Festival passes are currently available at https:// riverrunfilm.com/festival-passes/ and single tickets at https://riverrunfilm. com/.

Rob Davis, RiverRun’s executive director, made the announcements last Tuesday in Winston-Salem at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts and Wednesday in Greensboro at the Carolina Theatre, accompanied by a 15-minute clip reel highlighting the selections and special guests for the 2024 festival. There was even a message by WinstonSalem Mayor Allen Joines, a long-time proponent of RiverRun currently running for his sixth term and recorded prior to a trip overseas. “I wish RiverRun a very successful film festival this year and I look forward to seeing you at the movies,” he said.

As always, Davis thanked the staff, volunteers, and sponsors of the film

festival, many of whom have a longstanding history with the event — and, of course, the audiences. “We are delighted to welcome our audiences back for another year of incredible screenings and inspiring conversations,” he said. “This year’s festival includes a phenomenal slate of diverse and exciting films from across the globe. We are particularly excited about the RiverRun BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Film Program, which this year will focus on contemporary Sudanese films.”

“Our 26th festival includes multiple

world premieres, North American premieres, and North Carolina premieres,” added Mary Dossinger, RiverRun’s programming director. “We are so proud to have a lineup of films that will truly move audiences as we celebrate the very best in world cinema.”

RiverRun 2024 kicks off April 18 with a pair of high-profile films: Writer/editor/first-time director Josh Margolin’s award-winning action/comedy Thelma (7 p.m., Hanesbrands Theatres), starring June Squibb, Richard Roundtree (in his final feature), Parker Posey,

Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell; and writer/producer/director Barnaby Thompson’s self-explanatory documentary feature Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story (7:30 p.m., Reynolds Place Theatre).

“

Thelma was the darling at the Sundance Film Festival,” said Davis, “and I think (distributor) Magnolia Pictures acquired it before the first screening was over. It’s playing at RiverRun, then at the Miami and Cleveland film festivals — so we’re in good company. It is hilarious, such a fun film, and I’m so glad we got it.”

Mad About the Boy , which is narrated by Alan Cumming and features readings by Rupert Everett, is a profile of the legendary playwright, entertainer, raconteur, and all-around talent Noel Coward (1899-1943). “It covers the broad spectrum of Coward’s life and career in spectacular fashion,” said Davis.

This year’s centerpiece film is writer/ producer/director Stephen Soucy’s feature debut Merchant Ivory , (8 p.m., April 24, Hanesbrands Theatre), a documentary that profiles the partnership of producer Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, whose esteemed collaborations include A Room With

Mark Burger Contributor

PHOTO BY RICHARD CLABAUGH Rob Davis makes remarks at the RiverRun launch party.

a View (1986), Howards End (1992), and The Remains of the Day (1993).

Davis, who had talked about landing the film for months, is delighted to have finally done so. “It is a phenomenal documentary that movie lovers will love,” he said. “It focuses not only on the Merchant/Ivory partnership but also their long relationship with screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins, whose scores were a major component of their best films. Being a fan of his work, I was delighted that he gets the credit he deserves in the film.”

Each year, the RiverRun International Film Festival leaves a few spaces open for potential late entries. This year, there were three films considered for the closing-night spot. At the eleventh hour, Davis was approached with Mr. Blake at Your Service! , a whimsical comedy/drama starring John Malkovich and Fanny Ardant. Davis made no guarantees then sat down to watch it.

“I jumped off the couch and immediately called Mary Dossinger,” he recalled with a laugh. “I said ‘I think I’m watching our closing-night film right now!’ She watched it and agreed immediately. I think it’s one of Malkovich’s best-ever performances, and Fanny Ardant is superb. I’m so thrilled we’re showing it.”

Mr. Blake at Your Service! will be shown at 8 p.m., April 25 at RED Cinemas in Greensboro and 7:30 p.m. April 27 at the UNCSA - Main Theatre in Winston-Salem. (Incidentally, the other three films are also playing at this year’s festival, just not closing night).

“This year’s RiverRun festival is remarkably diverse and wide-ranging and presents the festival in full post-COVID recovery,” said Foster Hirsch, noted film historian, best-selling author (“Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties”), and a member of the festival’s advisory board. “This singularly well-run festival is an important showcase for both new and experienced filmmakers, and as a source of civic pride for Winston-Salem.”

The virtual screening component, which allows audiences to watch RiverRun films at home and was a godsend to many film festivals during the COVID pandemic, is still present but not to the same extent as years past. Some distributors and filmmakers didn’t offer that option this year, and both the RiverRun program and website indicate which screenings are available virtually and those that are in-person only. In terms of virtual screenings, “as a consumer, I like it because it’s convenient,” Davis said. “But as the executive director of a film festival, there are two reasons I don’t: You never know exactly

what kind of audience is watching, and I have to think that very rarely is one person watching for each ticket sold; I’m sure there are more than one. So, in that regard, the festival isn’t making as much money from a ticket for a virtual screening. It’s a double-edged sword.”

Once again, RiverRun will pay tribute to film talent by presenting three Master of Cinema awards — actresses Adrienne Barbeau and Constance Towers Gavin, and editor Kate Amend — and an Emerging Master award to filmmaker Robert Schwartzman. All four are scheduled to attend the festival.

“Adrienne Barbeau has a fan base that includes theater lovers, film lovers, and the many folks who have seen her vast television work,” observed Davis. “We are delighted we have a Master of Cinema who also is represented in this year’s festival in Tyler Savage’s short film Oddities . Her award will be presented at a screening of The Fog and if you know the story, it was April 21 when a shipwreck occurred off the coast of Antonio Bay, California, and it was April 21 when the dead pirates returned to terrorize the town. We are not responsible for what may happen when we show the film on April 21 at Marketplace Cinemas!”

A veteran of stage, screen, and television — as well as of numerous humanitarian causes — Constance Towers Gavin appeared in the Samuel Fuller classics Shock Corridor (1963) and The Naked Kiss (1964) and a pair of John Ford Westerns: The Horse Soldiers (1959) and Sergeant Rutledge (1960). She will receive her Master of Cinema award at a screening of the latter film at 7:30 p.m., April 26 at UNCSA — Main Theatre.

“I first saw Constance Towers on Broadway in the revival of The King and I and was an immediate fan!” Davis said. “Constance has had an amazing career,

and we are thrilled she is receiving our Master of Cinema award at a screening of Sergeant Rutledge .”

“I will be interviewing Master of Cinema Constance Towers, who is now one of the few surviving actors to have worked with legendary directors John Ford and Samuel Fuller — both twice,” Hirsch said. “We will be screening Ford’s late and underrated Western Sergeant Rutledge , which has a timely racial theme.”

Kate Amend will receive her Master of Cinema award during a free panel entitled “Editing the Documentary,” hosted by Peter Gilbert at Hanesbrands Theater at 4 p.m., April 27 at Hanesbrands Theatre. Amend edited The Long Walk Home (1997) and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000), both of which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

“I’m extremely honored and touched to be receiving this Master of Cinema award and it’s incredible to be included among such distinguished previous honorees,” Amend said. “I’m also deeply moved that the festival is honoring me as an editor. It’s an acknowledgment of the importance of our art form which is sometimes referred to as ‘invisible.’”

“Kate Amend is the foremost editor working in documentary film today and is no stranger to RiverRun, having been to the festival with several of her films in the past,” Davis said. “She recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cinema Editors (ACE) at their annual Eddie Awards ceremony. Kate is not only an exceptional editor but also a documentary director of note, and we are honored she is visiting RiverRun again to receive our Master of Cinema award.”

Actress Adrienne Barbeau Filmmaker Robert Schwartzman

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RIVERRUN

Amend was recently profiled in both the ACE magazine Cinema Editor and The Hollywood Reporter . As a RiverRun veteran, she’s looking forward to this return engagement.

“The first time I was invited to RiverRun was to serve on a documentary jury,” she recalled. “It was a wonderful experience. The festival just has good vibes in every way — from the staff, the audiences, and the fellow filmmakers. I felt welcome and appreciated immediately the feeling was mutual. I also love the town, the venues, UNCSA, and the parties! The last film of mine screened there was Feminists: What Were They Thinking , which is one of my favorite films that I’ve edited. The Women’s Movement changed my life and it’s why I became a filmmaker, and the film featured many of the women who inspired me and continue to do so, especially director Johanna Demetrakas.”

The multi-talented Robert Schwartzman, who will receive his Emerging

Master of Cinema award at a screening of his film The Good Half at 7 p.m., April 20 at UNCSA — Main Theatre, began his career as guitarist and lead vocalist for the pop/rock group Rooney, acted in such films as 1999’s The Virgin Suicides , which was written and directed by his cousin Sofia Coppola, then moved into directing with the award-winning drama Dreamland (2016). His awardwinning rock documentary Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary was screened at last year’s festival, and this year he returns with the comedy/ drama The Good Half , featuring a starstudded cast including Nick Jonas, David Arquette, Elisabeth Shue, Steve Park, Brittany Snow, and Alexandra Shipp.

“I’m always reminded of Los Angeles for some reason when I listen to the music of Rooney, the band founded by Robert Schwartzman and featuring him on lead vocals and guitar,” Davis said. “When he turned to film, it was first as an actor and while he’s terrific in front of

Join us for our first two trivia nights! April 16 — Just Joey | May 7th — AC Prizes for the top two scoring teams!

the camera, he has proven to be equally adept behind the camera since he started directing. It takes an immensely talented filmmaker to segue between documentary and narrative stories, and he has proven himself capable of both. We had his documentary about The Zombies, Hung Up on a Dream , at last year’s RiverRun and we’re delighted to feature his new narrative, The Good Half , this year!”

In 2018, Schwartzman and Cole Harper co-founded Utopia, a film distribution and sales company that specializes in independent and documentary cinema.

For several years, Marketplace Cinemas in Winston-Salem has hosted RiverRun events during the festival and throughout the year, and it’s been a pleasurable partnership according to Zack Fox, Marketplace general manager and himself an award-winning independent filmmaker, whose short film Spirit of the Cinema played at the 2022 festival.

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“Every year is a thrill to work with the team at RiverRun,” said Fox. “This year’s line-up is simply tremendous and by far their best yet. It’s 26 years of work and dedication that has cultivated this year’s line-up of films and special guests. After the incredible success of Karen Allen attending the 2024 festival at our cinema (for a retrospective screening of Starman ), we are honored to host Adrienne Barbeau this year (for the April 21 screening of The Fog ).”

The ongoing relationship between Marketplace Cinemas and the RiverRun festival has been mutually beneficial, Fox observed. “RiverRun has provided our cinema with a new and fresh indie film-going audience that we have stayed to keep up with throughout the year with great success with their special ‘during-the-year’ programs and our normal weekly film bookings. We have heard from many of our loyal customers that they never even considered attending a RiverRun movie until we partnered with them for screenings at our cinema. Working with RiverRun has been a wonderful experience for everyone. We already have plans in the works for the next year’s worth of events with them, so keep an eye out. It should be a grand year!”

This marks Davis’s eighth year as RiverRun executive director and he’s clearly as enthusiastic as ever about bringing the magic of movies to films fans in the Piedmont Triad. “Goodness, yes!” he said. “It’s hard work but it’s fun — but I could not do it without our staff, our volunteers, and our community supporters. We really are a team.”

For more information, call 336-7241502 or visit the official RiverRun website: https://riverrunfilm.com/. !

See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2021, Mark Burger.

The Good Half

Thelma

The Roving Wonders of Tan and Sober Gentleman

The roving, raucous Tan and Sober Gentlemen are rolling into the Triad, appearing at the Pilot Mountain Adventure Expo on April 12; and at the Flat Iron in Greensboro on April 13. O ering a “raucous celebration of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, with drinking, dancing, and merriment galore,” the Tan and Sober Gentlemen blend the furry and fun between traditional Celtic and Appalachian old-time music, with punk-spirited intensity, for a righteously energetic hootenanny.

“This music carries a lot of important cultural weight, but it is — and always was — dance music,” said bassist Ben Noblit. “Basically, it’s a LOT of fun.”

“To use a big oversimplification, all that old-time ‘hillbilly music’ comes from the marriage of two immigrant instruments: the Irish fiddle and the African banjo,” he explained. “Nowadays, Irish and American folk music are two separate things, but they share a lot of DNA. We’re trying to re-integrate them, playing Irish melodies with Southern rhythms, stu like that.”

With a sound that’s been dubbed a “mix of moonshine and rocket fuel,” the six-piece Tan and Sober Gentlemen swirl together on the lash as an “Irish-American hillbilly band,” harkening tradition with a fresh holler — crooned and cultivated in the red clay Carolina dirt.

“Being from the South, and not from the city, we grew up playing string band music, not punk rock, so the base is di erent,” Noblit said, clarifying their “Celtic punk grass” leanings and the confounding nature of nomenclature. “Coming up with a hooky catchphrase has been the bane of my existence,” he admitted. “Often folks see ‘Celtic punk’ and think ‘Dropkick Murphys’ or the northeast Celt-punk sound — which there ain’t nothing wrong with, we love it — but we don’t have much rock music in us, if at all.”

“We’ve got shu es and two-feels — acoustic instruments — instead of backbeats and electric guitars,” Noblit continued, musing the expanse of

Hillbilly music. “It’s an old radio term, an umbrella covering country music, bluegrass, old-time, gospel, and that sort. So it covers all of our various backgrounds.”

Think Irish tunes and twanged-out numbers less in styles of Dropkick and Cadillacs — and more in keys of Poguetry.

“Oh, the Pogues. Of course, the Pogues,” Noblit said, bridging their collective Celtic influence. “Our fiddler, Eli Howells, is particularly influenced by the likes of John Doyle, Liz Carroll, Jane Macmorren, and Martin Hayes. [Vocalist] Courtney [Barefoot] loves Luke Kelly. I could listen to the Dubliners 40th anniversary concert on repeat for an entire tour.”

Getting to the grassier end of the line, Noblit considers banjoist Tucker Galloway “our bluegrass heart,” carrying influence from “the second generation guys like Doc Watson. Though collectively, we probably are most influenced by whoever was in the hundreds of bluegrass jams we’ve played in our whole lives.”

“Locals like the Doc Branch Band, Kickin Grass, and the Bluegrass Experience are up there, too,” Noblit added — as a band of N.C. natives, local love runs as hard as Galloway picks. “In terms of songs, we try and keep a relatively even mix of music from each tradition,” Noblit explained, weighing the balance along the Celtic-bluegrass spectrum.

“But we try and have ‘em all sound like us. We are all Americans, so even if we’re singing a traditional Irish ballad it’s gonna have a Southern twang and be played with a three-finger banjo. Basically, we’ll take music from anyone, but we’re not trying to ape any particular sound.”

“That said,” he continued, “any highenergy string band that me and Alan saw live during our teenage years were definitely a huge inspiration.” Bandmates over the years, and best friends since the ripe old age of six, Alan Best serves selections of mandolin, accordion, and whistle work in the band. “Stylistically we can be quite di erent,” Noblit noted. “We’ve got some core philosophies in common, like a love for folk dance music and hatred of sweet gums. They’re trash trees.”

Trash trees and tunes in-tow, their friendship helped their music blossom in ways Noblit finds “hard to collapse that one into a few sentences.”

“We’ve been stealing things from and influencing each other our whole lives,” he said. “We don’t fit into the exact same

boxes though, which makes our relationship a lot more interesting. We both help to broaden each other’s horizons.”

As for the rest of the lot: “long story short, I had been playing in an Irish folk band at the Tir Na Nog in Raleigh, that, while it eventually fell apart, gave me the idea for what Tan and Sober would be. Alan was my first call, and then we started looking for others. Within a year the rest had jumped on board.”

On board and along for the ride, the band has taken four trips across the pond on top of a pounding tour schedule filled with festivals a’plenty. Plus, two proper records (2019’s “Veracity” and 2022’s “Regressive Folk Music”) under their belts and a new live album in the works.

Across their catalog, hyped variations of traditional tunes and folk ballads resonate — coming into their own from both Celtic callings and Appalachian hollers. Their take on “Follow Me up to Carlow” made the Chapel Hill radio station, 97.9 The Hill’s list of the “100 best local songs of all time.” While other Irish standards like “Foggy Dew” or “Banks of the Roses” ring hearty with the American twist of “Knoxville Girl” (a song itself a murder ballad reiteration of the 19thcentury Irish tune “The Wexford Girl”); and more contemporary numbers like Fred Eaglesmith’s “30 Years of Farming,” a song Noblit considers “more and more relevant by the day.”

“There were five working dairies within walking distance of my home when I was little. Now there’s only one.”

Sharing an upbringing in Alamance and Durham Counties, Galloway, Noblit and Best’s roots run the banks of the Haw River — making the eponymous Haw River Ballroom the prime selec-

tion for recording the Tan and Sober live album; which they did in January, to a sold-out crowd of more than 800.

“That place is home,” Noblit said. “We grew up near there, fished in the river down the hill. Alan once made puppets in the same space before it became the Ballroom. And Tucker’s family was employed by the mill before it shut down.”

“That was the best crowd we’ve ever had. Not only in numbers, but those are our people — they’re our friends, neighbors, relatives — they know the songs, and they give us our energy right back. What a night.”

Matching the Gentlemen’s energy is no easy feat. Considering themselves a live band “first and foremost,” their energy defies (and electrifies) the acoustic standard — harnessing a raucous reputation at shows and festivals across the U.S. and Ireland.

A live band lives on the road, after all. From Bristol to Shakori and Irish fests up and down the coast — the Tan and Sober Gentlemen are Heavy Rebel revelers with festival dates plugged through the summer: including N.C.’s Merlefest (“a bucket list item, for sure”) Boonerang, and the Pilot Mountain Expo. They’ll tool around a number of festivals around the U.S. before hopping the pond for their fifth tour in Ireland to play the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann (the national festival of Irish traditional music), come August.

“It’s an honor beyond our wildest dreams,” Noblit said. But before kicking their heels across the ocean, they’ll get up close with Greensboro folks — likely literally rubbing elbows in the Flat Iron’s intimate hallway stage. “Good thing we’re very comfortable in each other’s personal space,” Noblit said, smirking at the prospect of thumping a big ol’ upright bass in smaller places. “Floors are better than stages,” he shrugged, with warm memories of Triad shows long past.

“Tis all chasing the ghost of Heavy Rebel, anyway,” he added. “Someone throw PBR cans at me please.” Sláinte to that.

The Tan and Sober Gentlemen roar and roll across the Triad, with shows at the Pilot Mountain Expo on April 12 and the Flat Iron in Greensboro on April 13. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.

Katei Cranford

Contributor

Tan and Sober Gentleman

PHOTO BY DIGITAL BUTLER

last call

[

1. GEOGRAPHY: The island of Ibiza belongs with which European country?

[

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of flamingos called?

[

3. MOVIES: What is the name of the island terrorized by a shark in Jaws?

[4. U.S. STATES: Which state capital has the highest elevation in the United States?

[5. ANATOMY: Where is the corpus collosum located?

[

6. LITERATURE: Who wrote the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are”?

[

7. TELEVISION: Which 1970s TV show had a spino hit with Laverne & Shirley?

[

8. MATH: How many sides does a dodecagon have?

[

9. ASTRONOMY: Which one of the planets in our solar system has the Great Red Spot?

[

10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president ended the military draft?

answer

10. Richard Nixon.

8. 12. 9. Jupiter.

7. Happy Days

6. Maurice Sendak.

5. In the brain. It connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

4. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

3. Amity Island.

2. A amboyance.fl

1. Spain.

© 2024 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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Week of April 15, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Rumors of a change in the workplace could make you a mite uneasy about going ahead with implementing your ideas. Best advice: Ignore the talk and proceed as planned.

[

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

Everyone has an opinion on how to handle a recent business suggestion. Thank them for their advice, then go ahead and follow your own fine instincts.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) While home is your main focus this week, new issues in the workplace need your attention as well. Take things step by step. Pressures will ease in time for weekend fun.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Be less rigid when handling a relationship problem. You might believe you’re in the right, but try to open your mind up to the possibilities of facts that you’re currently unaware of.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Leos and Leonas run at a hectic pace throughout much of the week. But by the 22nd, the

Lions’ dens become a “purrfect” place for you Fine Felines to relax in over the weekend.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Change is favored early in the week. This should make it easier for you to reassess your plans for handling a troubling professional relationship. Good luck!

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A suggestion from a colleague could give your professional project a longneeded boost. Meanwhile, someone close to you still needs your emotional support.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Before complying with a colleague’s request, check to see that the action benefits all, not just one person’s agenda. Continue firming up any travel plans.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your social life is on the upswing, and the only problem is deciding which invitations to accept. Enjoy yourself before settling down for some serious work next week.

[cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) With your creative aspects on high, you might want to restart your work on a project that you put aside. Your efforts will bring a surge in your self-esteem.

[AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) While you’re generous with others, be sure that you’re not overlooking your own needs. Take time to assess your situation and make adjustments where necessary.

[PIsces (February 19 to March 20) Being applauded for your achievements is great, but watch out that you don’t start acting like a star. It could lose you valuable support with your next project.

[BorN THIs week: Your strong belief in justice along with your leadership qualities help you protect the rights of others.

answers

[crossword]

crossword on page 11

[weekly sudoku]

sudoku on page 11

© 2024 by King Features Syndicate

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