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ST. LOUIS FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE Begins This Sunday at The Tivoli
Shorts programs, narrative features, documentaries, and free Stella Artois – St. Louis style!
The St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis, serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screens works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives or films with strong local ties. The various film programs that will screen at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar Blvd) from July 14-18, 2013 serve as the Showcase’s centerpiece. The programs range from full-length fiction features and documentaries to multi-film compilations of fiction and documentary shorts. Many programs include post-screening Q&As with filmmakers. Filmmakers of all ages within a 120 mile radius of St. Louis are strongly encouraged to submit their works, or at the very least attend the event to celebrate with us and the amazingly talented St. Louis filmmakers.
Highlights of this year’s fest include:
Something in the Water: A St. Louis Rockumentary directed by Kathy Bratkowski – plays Sunday, July 14th at 2:30pm
“Something in the Water” looks back at the unique set of circumstances that electrified the classic-rock music scene in St. Louis in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The documentary chronicles the advent of free-form radio at stations such as KSHE, the storied concerts at the Mississippi River Festival (MRF) and Superjam, and the area musicians who used St. Louis stages to reach a national audience. Featuring rare interviews, archived MRF concert footage, and photos from the musicians themselves, “Something in the Water” is a funny, honest, and unique account of “ground zero for rock and roll,” as told by those who played a major role in the emergence of classic rock in St. Louis. Interviewees include Rich Dalton, Mark Klose, David Grafman, Mark Boatman and Roger Boyd of Head East, Pat and Danny Liston of Mama’s Pride, Steve Scorfina of Pavlov’s Dog, Supe Granda of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Lyle Ward, Ron Elz, Bob Heil, Steve Schankman, and Joe Edwards.
Go South for Animal Index: A Fable of Los Alamos directed by Chris King – plays Sunday, July 14th at 7:15pm
Based on a poem of the same name by Stefene Russell, “Go South for Animal Index: A Fable of Los Alamos” follows four storylines: the development of the nuclear bomb on a secret military base; the nuclear-waste-related illness of a tribal girl living on the edge of the base and her mother’s attempt to heal her through traditional ceremonies; the travels of the widow and daughter of a scientist who dies on the base and the mother’s attempt to cheer up the girl as they seek a new home after their eviction; and the drafting into military service of a vendor of stuffed animals, who then defects from the base on foot. All of these storylines intersect dramatically in the context of the first successful test of the atomic bomb. A genre mash-up, “Go South for Animal Index” has experimental elements but narrative clarity. A “silent” featuring no spoken dialogue, the film instead is edited to a rock-musical setting of Russell’s poem. It’s also a zombie movie. The large ensemble cast includes many well-known St. Louisans: former fire chief Sherman George, in his film debut; international burlesque stars Lola van Ella and Kyla Webb; African-dance impresario Mama Lisa Gage; architectural historian and preservationist Michael R. Allen; and the poet herself, who also is an editor for St. Louis Magazine and an indie-film actress.
Lake Windfall directed by Roger Vass Jr. plays Tuesday, July 16th at 9:30pm
In this provocative portrait of the interactions among deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people, brothers Matt and Drew and a trio of friends get together for a camping trip, but their weekend of male bonding turns nightmarish after an apocalyptic event. An authentic look at different hearing-loss experiences, the film demonstrates how critical effective communication is to our collective survival
And then there are the shorts – lots of ’em. Experimental Shorts, Life Lesson Shorts, Documentary Shorts, Comedy Shorts, Fantasy Shorts, Love and Loss Shorts, Identitty Crisis Shorts, Relationship Shorts, and of course Thriller Shorts.
And of course, my favorite: The Closing-Night Awards Party – Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room Thursday, Jul 18th at 8:00pm
KDHX-FM DJ Rob Levy will spin music, Cinema St. Louis will announce the Showcase films chosen for inclusion in the Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, and a jury will give awards to the best Showcase films. Complimentary Stella Artois and cash bar. Attendees must be 21 or older.
For a complete rundown of all of the films showing, visit Cinema St. Louis’ page at http://www.cinemastlouis.org/st-louis-filmmakers-showcase
Or download a PDF of the official program HERE.
http://www.cinemastlouis.org/sites/default/files/downloads/2013/2013_STL_FMS_8%205x11_WEB.pdf
Tickets are on sale now for all film programs from July 14-18 at the Tivoli are $12 each; $10 for students with valid and current photo ID and for Cinema St. Louis members with valid membership cards. Advance tickets are on sale at the Tivoli Theatre box office (5-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday). No phone sales, but tickets can be purchased online (see below). Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis.
July 14th at 2:30pm
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