Tag: Cinema St Louis

Cinema St. Louis’ 17th Annual Robert French Film Festival Runs April 4-12

A scene from MENUS-PLAISIR – LES TROISGROS

Good food and the French are a natural combination, so it is only natural that this year’s French Film Festival in St. Louis would pair them to make French cuisine it’s theme. Cinema St. Louis dropped the “classic” in the title for it’s annual Robert French Film Festival, at the Hi-Pointe Theater, from April 4 – 12. This year’s festival is titled “Cuisine Francaise,” in celebration of St. Louis’ French heritage, and still features mostly classic French films. On the menu this year are French-language films, narrative and documentary, that have cooking, chefs, food or restaurants at their center.

Among these mouth-watering films is the acclaimed documentary MENUS-PLAISIR – LES TROISGROS, a deep-dive look at a French family of restaurateur-chefs and their Michelin-starred restaurant. Other treats are HOLY COW, SUGAR AND STARS, MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT, BABETTE’S FEAST, DELICATESSEN, and KINGS OF PASTRY, plus the animated favorite RATATOUILLE.

This year, the festival adds the local debut of two new films to the classics mix, with the premiers of the award-winning French comedy HOLY COW (VINGT DIEUX), on opening night, Friday, Apr. 4, at 7:30pm, and the biographical drama SUGAR AND STARS (A LA BELLE ETOILE) on Friday, Apr. 11. All the festival films are in French with English subtitles, except for RATATOUILLE, which is in English, and all are shown at the Hi-Pointe Theater.

The Classic French Film Festival kicks off on Friday, Apr. 4 with an opening night party, starting at 6:30pm, with food and wine provided by Parker’s Table and sweet treats from Le Macaron French Pastries. That is followed by the 7:30pm screening of HOLY COW (VINGT DIEUX), a comedy-drama from director Louise Courvoisier, in which teenager Totone finds his carefree life upended when he now has to take charge of his younger sister, which leads to a quest to win a cash competition prize for his comté cheese.

On Saturday, Apr. 5, it is DELICIOUS at 1pm, a comedy-drama set in the 1700s, about a chef who has been fired but rebuilding this life and confidence, with the help of a young woman, to open the first restaurant in France. It is followed by a D.A. Pennebaker documentary at 4pm, KINGS OF PASTRY, which features 16 pastry chefs demonstrating their artistry in a competition for the prestigious Les Meilleurs Ouvriers de France medal in their field. At 7pm, it is the crazy sci-fi/fantasy comedy DELICATESSEN, about a post-apocalypse eatery with man on the menu.

On Sunday, Apr. 6, we are treated to MENUS-PLAISIR – LES TROISGROS, from renowned documentarian Frederick Wiseman, which will be shown at 1pm at the Hi-Pointe. The 2023 documentary was universally praised by critics and won several awards. In French, “menus-plaisir” means minor pleasures, and that can include food, although food is a pretty big deal in France.

Although the documentary is French, it has no narration and there are long stretches with little to no dialog, where we just hear ambient sounds of cooking instead of music. The effect is relaxing and immersive, a more visual experience with beautiful cinematography where we are swept along in a day in the life of the multi-generation Troisgros family, that goes from shopping in the morning at a local farmer’s market, to menu planning for the week at one of their three restaurants, to food prep and lunch service at their 3 Michelin starred premier restaurant. It is an experience to savor and director Wiseman gives you the time to do that, with a four hour-running time. However, there is no need to watch the entire film to enjoy its immersive, gorgeous, relaxing experience, although if you do, you will emerge refreshed and in a glow.

The film feast – er, fest – continues on Friday, Apr. 11, with SUGAR AND STARS (A LA BELLE ETOILE) at 7pm. This biographical drama focuses on Yazid, who has had a passion for pastry-making since childhood, despite growing up in foster homes and group home care. In this film, he tries to make his dream of working with the best pastry chefs, and joining their ranks, come true.

Saturday, Apr. 12, brings that kid’s treat, the animated RATATOUILLE, at 1pm, director Brad Bird’s hit about a rat who dreams of being a chef and joins up with human to make both their dreams come true at a Paris restaurant. At 4pm, the incomparable Isabelle Huppert stars in director Claude Chabrol’s MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT, playing a concert pianist’s wife who discovers some secrets about her husband’s past. It doesn’t get more classically French than this delicious mystery.

The Classic French Film Festival closes with another quintessentially French film, the cinematic banquet of BABETTE’S FEAST, at 7pm, a drama set in late 19th century Denmark, about a mysterious housekeeper, who creates a feast that transforms life for the deeply-religious villagers.

Bon appetit!

14th Annual Robert Classic French Film Festival Honors Josephine Baker With Screening Of SIREN OF THE TROPICS

The 14th Annual Robert Classic French Film Festival — sponsored by Jane M. & Bruce P. Robert Charitable Foundation — celebrates St. Louis’ Gallic heritage and France’s cinematic legacy. This year’s featured films span the decades from the 1920s through the 1990s, offering a revealing overview of French cinema.

The festival takes place Aug. 5-7, 12-14, and 19-21.

The fest annually includes significant restorations, and this year features seven such works, including a brand-new restoration of Luis Bunuel’s “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie,” which is part of our year-long Golden Anniversaries programming, which features films celebrating their 50th anniversaries.

In honor of St. Louis’ own Josephine Baker and her installation in France’s Panthéon on Nov. 30 of last year, the fest will present her silent film debut, “Siren of the Tropics,” with an original score and live accompaniment by the Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra. Speakers will be Pier Marton and Dr. Chajuana Trawick.

https://www.cinemastlouis.org/siren-tropics

Every program features introductions and discussions by film or French scholars and critics. All films are in French with English subtitles.

The Jane M. & Bruce P. Robert Charitable Foundation is the event’s title sponsor.

FILM SCHEDULE

https://www.cinemastlouis.org/robert-classic-french-film-festival

7:30 PM FRIDAY, AUG. 5

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie/Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie

Luis Buñuel, France, 1972, 102 min., color, French, Latin & Spanish, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Cliff Froehlich, former executive director of Cinema St. Louis and adjunct professor of film studies at Webster University.

7:30 PM SATURDAY, AUG. 6

Siren of the Tropics/La sirène des tropiques

Henri Étiévant & Mario Nalpas (uncredited), France, 1927, 86 min., black-and-white, silent, DVD

With live accompaniment by the Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra

Intro and discussion by Pier Marton, video artist and self-described “Unlearning Specialist at the School of No Media.”

7:30 PM SUNDAY, AUG. 7

Beau travail

Claire Denis, Djibouti/France, 1992, 99 min., color, French, Italian & Russian, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Diane Carson, professor emerita of film at St. Louis Community College at Meramec and film critic for KDHX (88.1 FM).

7:30 PM FRIDAY, AUG. 12

Fantastic Planet/La planète sauvage

René Laloux, Czechoslovakia/France, 1973, 72 min., color, French, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Andrew Wyatt, editor of and film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ The Lens blog.

7:30 PM SATURDAY, AUG. 13

Breathless/À bout de souffle

Jean-Luc Godard, France, 1960, 90 min., black-and-white, English & French, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Kathy Corley, documentary filmmaker and professor emerita of film at Webster University.

7:30 PM SUNDAY, AUG. 14

Amélie/Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France, 2001, 122 min., color, French, DCP

Intro and discussion by Jean-Louis Pautrot, professor of French and International Studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Saint Louis University.

7:30 PM FRIDAY, AUG. 19

The Battle of Algiers/La battaglia di Algeri

Gillo Pontecorvo, Algeria/Italy, 1966, 121 min., black-and-white, Arabic & French, Blu-ray

Intro and discussion by Salim Ayoub, Bruce P. Robert Endowed Professor in French and Francophone Studies and director of the Centre Francophone at Webster University.

7:30 PM SATURDAY, AUG. 20

Le cercle rouge

Jean-Pierre Melville, France, 1970, 140 min., color, French, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Robert Garrick, attorney, former contributor to the davekehr.com film blog, and contributor to Cinema St. Louis’ The Lens blog.

7:30 PM SUNDAY, AUG. 21

Irma Vep

Olivier Assayas, France, 1996, 99 min., color, English & French, restoration, DCP

Intro and discussion by Joshua Ray, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ The Lens blog and host of The Lens podcast.

Venue: Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium in Webster Hall, 470 E. Lockwood Ave.

Tickets: Tickets are $15 for general admission; $12 for students and Cinema St. Louis members. Webster U. students are admitted free. Advance tickets can be purchased through the Cinema St. Louis website.

Passes: Two types of passes are available: Five-Film Passes are $65, $50 for CSL members; All-Access Passes are $120, and $95 for CSL members.

More Info: 314-289-4150, cinemastlouis.org

Cinema St. Louis Announces Lineup for its 28th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival – Nov. 7th – 17th

The 28th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) — held Nov. 7-17 — provides St. Louis filmgoers with the opportunity to view the finest in world cinema: international films, documentaries, American indies, and shorts that can only be seen on the big screen at the festival. SLIFF will screen 389 films: 81 narrative features, 63 documentary features, 227 shorts, and 18 film programs exclusive to the Cinema for Students program. The fest also will feature 12 special-event programs, including our closing-night awards presentation. This year’s festival has 63 countries represented.

SLIFF will present our usual array of fest buzz films and Oscar contenders, including “The Apollo,” “Atlantics,” “The Chambermaid,” “Clemency,” “Cunningham,” “A Faithful Man,” “Frankie,” “A Hidden Life,” “Just Mercy,” “The Kill Team,” “Little Joe,” “Marriage Story,” “Nomad,” “Olympic Dreams,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” “Premature,” “The Report,” “The Rest,” “Seahorse,” “The Song of Names,” “Sorry We Missed You,” “Synonyms,” “A Tramway in Jerusalem,” “The Traitor,” “The Truth,” “The Two Popes,” “Waves,” “The Whistlers,” “The Wild Goose Lake,” and “Zombi Child.”

The festival will honor a trio of significant film figures with our annual awards:

  • Josh Aronson and Brad Schiff with Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Awards
  • Lisa Cortés with a Women in Film Award.

The festival will kick off  on Thursday, Nov. 7, with the local premiere of the much-lauded “Marriage Story,” starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, and directed by Noah Baumbach. A 6:30 PM reception precedes the film and features complimentary wine and Urban Chestnut beers.

As part of the fest’s ongoing response to the Ferguson uprising, SLIFF again will feature a major stream of programming entitled Race in America: The Black Experience and offer a fourth edition of Mean Streets: Viewing the Divided City Through the Lens of Film and Television, which addresses the persistent issue of segregation.

The fest schedule, ticket and venue information, and a complete list of films (with descriptions) are available at the Cinema St. Louis website (cinemastlouis.org).

For more information, the public should visit cinemastlouis.org or call 314-289-4150.

Program Overview

SLIFF’s stellar lineup features a constellation of cinema’s brightest lights (see the SLIFF section of the CSL website for full info):

  • Major awards to significant filmmakers:
  • Women in Film Award: producer and director Lisa Cortés
  • Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Awards: director Josh Aronson and animator Brad Schiff
  • Free events: SLIFF continues its tradition of offering a large selection of free events to maximize its outreach into the community and to make the festival affordable to all. This year, we offer 64 free events, which are detailed on our website. In addition, for the 16th year, we present the Georgia Frontiere Cinema for Students Program, which provides free screenings (often with filmmakers in attendance) to St. Louis-area schools. Films are offered both at our venues and for in-school presentation. Busing reimbursement is also available.
  • Show-Me Cinema Showcase (films with St. Louis and Missouri roots or connections), including a special program focused on the much-praised short “St. Louis Superman.”
  • Mean Streets: Viewing the Divided City Through the Lens of Film and Television: SLIFF offers a fourth edition of this program, which addresses one of the most persistent and vexing issues in urban studies: segregation.
  • Race in America: 19 programs that address the black experience from multiple perspectives.
  • Human Rights Showcase: A selection of 14 documentary programs focused on human-rights issues in the U.S. and the world.
  • SLIFF/Kids Family Films, including four free programs.
  • Festival award-winners and critically lauded international films.
  • Well-regarded American indies.
  • Nearly 230 shorts from around the globe, including free family and documentary-shorts programs and two selections of the best films from the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.
  • Major documentaries, including 10 documentary-shorts programs.
  • A strong selection of animation, including two dedicated animated-shorts programs.
  • Revivals and restorations.
  • The New Filmmakers Forum (NFF), a juried competition for first-time American-independent filmmakers, with all films accompanied by their directors.

Venues

  • Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Blvd.
  • Cortex District’s Innovation Hall, 4220 Duncan Ave, No. 101
  • Missouri History Museum’s Lee Auditorium, Forest Park, 5700 Lindell Blvd.
  • Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Plaza Frontenac, Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road
  • St. Louis Public Library’s Central Library, 1301 Olive St.
  • Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington Blvd.
  • Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Blvd.
  • Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium,, Forsyth Boulevard and Chaplin Drive
  • Webster University’s Sverdrup Complex’s Room 123, 6300 Big Bend Blvd.
  • Webster University’s Webster Hall’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 East Lockwood Ave.

Ticket Info

Ticket Prices

Individual tickets are $14 each or $10 for Cinema St. Louis members and students with current and valid ID, except for the following special events (discounts do not apply and passes are not accepted):

  • Opening-Night Reception with Marriage Story $25
  • The Rats and People Motion Picture Orchestra with Sherlock Jr. $20

In addition to paid shows, SLIFF offers 64 free programs.

Advance-Ticket Sales

Online and phone sales are limited to full-price tickets only; Cinema St. Louis member and student discounts can only be obtained in person because ID is required. 

  • KDHX: Advance tickets for programs at this venue are for sale online through Brown Paper Tickets. In the “Search Events” box, enter either the name of the film or SLIFF. There is a service charge of approximately $1.69 per ticket. Print your receipt and present it at the box office to obtain tickets.
  • Plaza Frontenac: Advance tickets for programs at this venue are for sale at the Plaza Frontenac box office. Box-office hours are 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. No phone sales. For tickets online, visit Landmark Theatres website. There is a $1.75-per-ticket service charge. Pick up your tickets in advance using your confirmation number or credit card, or show the e-mail confirmation with scannable barcode to the usher.
  • Tivoli: Advance tickets for programs at this venue are for sale at the Tivoli box office. Box-office hours are 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday. No phone sales. For tickets online, visit Landmark Theatres website. There is a $1.75-per-ticket service charge. Pick up your tickets in advance using your confirmation number or credit card, or show the e-mail confirmation with scannable barcode to the usher. 
  • Webster U./Moore: Advance tickets at this venue are for sale online through Brown Paper Tickets. In the “Search Events” box, enter either the name of the film or SLIFF. There is a service charge of approximately $1.69 per ticket. Print your receipt and present it at the box office.

Day-of-Show Ticket Sales

  • KDHX, Plaza Frontenac, Tivoli, and Webster U. will open a half-hour before the first show.
  • The free events offered at Contemporary Art Museum, Cortex’s Innovation Hall, KDHX, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis Public Library, Washington U., and Webster U. require no ticket. Admission is first come, first served on day of show.
  • The free events offered at the Tivoli require a complimentary ticket that should be obtained at the box office on the day of show; advance tickets to free shows at the Tivoli can be obtained online, but a $1.76 service charge applies.

Festival Punch-Passes

  • Festival Punch-Passes are available at two levels: 6-ticket pass for $75 or 10-ticket pass for $120. Festival Punch-Passes are not valid for the Opening-Night Reception with “Marriage Story” on Nov. 7 and the screening of “Sherlock Jr.” with the performance by the Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra on Nov. 15.
  • Festival Punch-Pass-holders are required to obtain a ticket for each film attended, either in advance or day of show; a hole will be punched in the pass for each ticket purchased.
  • Festival Punch-Passes can be used to purchase multiple tickets for the same show and to obtain tickets for screenings at all venues.

CAT CLIPS: A COMPETITION IN CUTENESS Video Contest Accepting Entries – FUNdraising Event April 4th at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company

Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness! Is a FUNdraising event with adorable cat videos submitted by cat lovers produced by Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center and Cinema St. Louis.

Animal House Cat Rescue & Adoption Center and Cinema St. Louis (CSL) are excited to announce the return of Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness!

Attended by a sold-out crowd last year, Cat Clips features an exclusive screening of curated, local cat videos judged by a panel of cat-loving St. Louis celebrities – the only event of its kind in the area! Juried clips will be screened and judged on Thursday, April 4th at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company in the Grove (4465 Manchester). Top prize winners will be announced and awarded at the screening. All proceeds support the lifesaving work of Animal House in the rescue and healing of cats and kittens from the dangers of the streets – connecting them with lifelong families.

Cat Clips can be submitted at https://filmfreeway.com/CatClips . $10 donation is required for each submission. The deadline for submissions is March 21, 2019.

Awards & Prizes

All submitted videos will be juried, then the selected clips will be screened at the event. The judging panel will award a cash prize of $250 to the top clip of the evening, $100 for 2nd place and gift basket for 3rd place. The judging panel will be announced on Animal House’s website: www.stlcats.org.

Rules & Terms

Those interested in participating must submit clips that meet the following criteria:

– Run a maximum of 120 seconds, including credits (no minimum running time).
– Contain no profane language or offensive imagery; if CSL and Animal House deem a work inappropriate for viewing by audiences of all ages, it will be eliminated from consideration.
– All conceivable approaches – including experimental and narrative – are acceptable. The clips can be shot in any film or video format, in either color or black-and-white.
– Clips must have a production date no earlier than 2011.

In addition, the following conditions apply:

– Clips must be authentic, original works created by the contest entrants as the videographer.
– Videographer must have secured rights to any music, words, or images used in the work.
– Videographer will retain ownership rights to submitted works, but by submitting a clip to the competition, the owner grants Animal House the right to screen the work and use for future Animal House purposes. Submission of a clip does not guarantee its inclusion in Cat Clips event screening or otherwise use.
– All films must be submitted using FilmFreeway with a secure online screener link. An entry fee of $10.00 is required for the first submission and a reduced fee of $5.00 for subsequent submissions. Entry fees are nonrefundable. All proceeds will support the rescue and healing of kitties in-need in our community. Submission deadline is March 21, 2019.

CAT CLIPS: A COMPETITION IN CUTENESS Video Contest Now Accepting Entries – Event April 4th at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company


Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness! Is a FUNdraising event with adorable cat videos submitted by cat lovers produced by Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center and Cinema St. Louis.

Cat lovers are encouraged to submit their adorable amateur cat video footage. All submitted videos will be juried, then the selected clips will be screened at our ‘Cat Clips’ event on Wednesday, April 4th at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company in The Grove (4465 Manchester).

St. Louis’s renowned animal welfare advocate, Julie Tristan, will emcee Cat Clips and on-site judges include Best Friends Animal Society’s Senior Legislative Attorney, Ledy VanKavage and Cinema St. Louis’s Executive Director, Cliff Froelich. The judging panel will award a cash prize of $250 to the top clip of the evening and award various prizes to second and third place clips.

Cat Clips can be submitted at https://filmfreeway.com/CatClips . $10 donation is required for

each submission. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, February 28th.

Located in St. Louis’s historic The Hill neighborhood, Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a humane living space, care and adoption center for the homeless, abandoned cats of St. Louis City, providing shelter, nutrition, medical attention, socialization and love as well as our best effort at finding the kitties in our care a loving forever home.

“Animal House, now in our 8th year of rescuing cats and kittens in desperate need in our community, is proud to partner with Cinema St. Louis and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company to showcase the cuteness of cats and, to support cat rescue. Everyone who participates will be helping to save lives. Fun with a mission!” says Brandyn Jones, Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center Executive Director.

Submission Guidelines

Those interested in participating must submit clips that meet the following criteria:

  • Run a maximum of 120 seconds, including credits (no minimum running time).
  • Contain no profane language or offensive imagery; if CSL and Animal House deem a work inappropriate for viewing by audiences of all ages, it will be eliminated from consideration.
  • All conceivable approaches – including experimental and narrative – are acceptable.
  • The clips can be shot in any film or video format, in either color or black-and-white.
  • Clips must have a production date no earlier than 2011.
  • In addition, the following conditions apply:
  • Clips must be an authentic, original works created by the contest entrants as the videographer.
  • Videographer must have secured rights to any music, words, or images used in the work.
  • Videographer will retain ownership rights to submitted works, but by submitting a clip to the competition, the owner grants Animal House the right to screen the work and use for future Animal House purposes. Submission of a clip does not guarantee its use.
  • All films must be submitted using FilmFreeway with a secure online screener link. An entry fee of $10 is required. All proceeds will help support the ‘Help Us Heal’ medical fund at Animal House. Submission deadline is February 28, 2018.

For more information please contact: Brandyn Jones, Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center Executive Director, animalhouse@stlcats.org (314) 531-4626.

Cinema St. Louis & The Saint Louis Science Center Announce THE ST. LOUIS SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Cinema St. Louis (CSL) and the Saint Louis Science Center are excited to announce the first edition of a science fiction and fantasy short film contest –  an opportunity for regional filmmakers to let their imaginations shine.

This juried competition will award cash prizes to the top three entries: $500 for Best of Fest, $200 each for Best Sci-Fi and Best Fantasy selections. The winning shorts will then be featured at the Science Center’s First Fridayprogram on Friday, May 4, 2018, and will screen in the Science Center’s OMNIMAX® Theater. In addition to the three cash-prize winners, additional works will be chosen to screen throughout the First Friday program.

A four-person jury of film professionals (filmmakers, film scholars, film critics) and a scientist will select the finalists, including both the three cash-prize winners and the additional films. Jury members will be announced on CSL’s website.

Cinema St. Louis will then screen the winning film as part of the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase (SLFS). CSL will also hold the submissions for consideration in the SLFS, held annually each July at the Tivoli Theatre.

The cash-prize winners and additional works in the program will be announced on Friday, May 4, 2018, at the Science Center’s First Friday: Movie Magic.

Contest Rules & Terms

Filmmakers interested in participating must submit shorts that meet the following criteria:

  • Films must be easily categorized as science-fiction or fantasy.
  • Run a maximum of five minutes, including credits (no minimum running time).
  • Contain no profane language or offensive imagery; if CSL and the Saint Louis Science Center deem a work inappropriate for viewing by audiences of all ages, it will be eliminated from consideration.
  • Include sound (e.g., dialogue, ambient sound, effects, and/or music).
  • All conceivable approaches – including experimental, narrative, and animated– are acceptable. The shorts can be shot in any film or video format, in either color or black-and-white.
  • Films must have a production date no earlier than 2011.

In addition, the following conditions apply:

Filmmakers must have secured rights to any music, words, or images used in the work.

  • Filmmakers will retain ownership rights to submitted works, but by submitting a short to the competition, a filmmaker grants the Saint Louis Science Center the right to screen the work in its exhibition spaces. Submission of a short does not guarantee its use.
  • Filmmakers must live within a 450 mile radius of St. Louis.
  • All films must be submitted using FilmFreeway with a secure online screener link. No entry fee is required. Submission deadline is March 30, 2018.

More details and updates can be found HERE

Check Out The Program For The 15th Annual Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

filmmakers showcase

The 15th Annual Whitaker 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 15 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from July 19-23 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. There are 94 films in this year’s event.

The Showcase also hosts a free closing-night awards party on Thursday, July 23, at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room. KDHX-FM DJ Rob Levy will spin music, and Cinema St. Louis will announce the Showcase films chosen for inclusion in the St. Louis International Film Festival. Juried awards for the best Showcase films will also be given. Complimentary beer is supplied by Kräftig; cash bar for all other drinks. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Tickets for film programs from July 19-23 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 (4-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday). No phone sales, but tickets can be purchased online at http://www.landmarktheatres.com/st-louis/tivoli-theatre/film-festivals. There is a $1 per-ticket service charge; online sales are limited to full-price tickets only. The closing-night awards party is free and does not require tickets.

Highlights of this year’s Showcase include the following:

● Four Way Stop. A 17-year-old inner-city African-American, Allen (Paul Craig) is desperately trying to improve his life but lacks essential support from family: His absent father is a needy drug addict, and his seriously ill mother offers only relentless criticism. Although offered illegal work by childhood friend Tay, Allen resists the lure of the street and instead seeks legitimate employment. But in his hunt for a better job, Allen ends up jeopardizing his current fast-food position by chronically arriving late or simply failing to show. Angry at the racism he confronts and the limited options he’s given, Allen all too often engages in self-sabotage, thwarting his attempts to do the right thing.

● The Safe Side of the Fence. World War II’s Manhattan Project required the refinement of massive amounts of uranium, and St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt took on the job. As a result, the chemical company’s employees would become some of the most contaminated nuclear workers in history. This documentary both explores that legacy — St. Louis is still coping with the fallout of creating some of the world’s first nuclear waste — and tells the story of nuclear workers both past and present.

● Sleep With Me. “Sleep With Me” is a dark suburban drama focusing on Paul (Cliff Chamberlain) and Gabi (Danielle Camastra), a young couple unsuccessfully striving to start a family. Paul lives in the shadow of his overbearing father (played by veteran character actor Raymond J. Barry), and Gabi copes by engaging in risky activities that threaten to break up their marriage. Helmed by acclaimed regional filmmaker Brian Jun — whose previous features include “Joint Body” and Sundance competition film “Steel City” — this ensemble drama explores themes of sex, infidelity, and black-market drug use.

● Ferguson Matters. This provocative and compelling shorts program explores the effects of the Michael Brown shooting on Ferguson and the region, while also offering glimpses of hope and progress in the area.

● America’s Blues. Transcending generations and racial barriers, the blues laid the foundation for pop culture and virtually all American music. Through interviews with musicians, historians, professionals, and activists, “America’s Blues” offers a new angle on an established narrative, focusing on the evolution of the blues and the music’s impact on American society and culture.

● Weldonkrieg. The hobby of World War II re-enacting started in Weldon Spring, Mo., in the mid-1970s, and this documentary by “Rhineland” director Chris Grega takes a look at the origins of the event — called Weldonkreig — and chronicles its triumphant return in 2014.

● The Heroin Project. “The Heroin Project” raises awareness about the devastating impact of heroin. Although focused on events in Madison County, Ill., the film documents a widespread but underdiscussed problem that affects not just the St. Louis metro area but the entire country. Beyond the monetary cost of increased law-enforcement efforts and goods stolen from businesses, the negative effects of heroin are more accurately measured in the ever-growing number of young lives lost.

The Whitaker Foundation serves as title sponsor for the 2015 Showcase. The foundation’s twofold mission is to encourage the preservation and use of parks and to enrich lives through the arts. By supporting excellence in the arts, the Whitaker Foundation promotes art forms and institutions that challenge, entertain, and contribute to our overall quality of life.

The event’s other sponsors include Arcade Apartments, Arts & Education Council, First Rule, Kräftig, Missouri Arts Council, Missouri Film Office, Regional Arts Commission, and St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

For more information, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

https://www.facebook.com/STLFilmmakersShowcase

Sunday-Thursday, July 19-23: Film Programs
Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Blvd.
$12 each; $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members

See full schedule at www.cinemastlouis.org for times and film descriptions.

Thursday, July 23: Closing-Night Awards Party
8 p.m.-midnight at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd.
Free (donations accepted); attendees must be 21 or older; sponsored by Kräftig

LINK TO FULL PROGRAM PDF: http://cinemastlouis.org/sites/default/files/downloads/2015/SLFS_15_FINAL-web.pdf

SLIFF 2014 Review – MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS

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MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS screens tonight Friday, November 14 at 7:00 at KDHX as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival

Get ticket information here

Even though MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS may sound like just your standard rock doc about indie darlings The National, the important aspect of this unique film is the man sitting in the director’s chair. Tom Berninger is the brother to singer Matt Berninger. Aside from serving as director and editor he also is one of the main characters in the film. His slacker, bumbling goof persona is as important to the film as the band in question – maybe even more so. MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS follows Tom as he attempts to make a film about his brother’s band while on tour through Europe and the US.

The relationship between the two brothers becomes an important aspect to the film. Certain moments give way to the feeling that Tom is trying to escape from his brother’s shadow while simultaneously vying for his attention. As the film begins we learn how often the band is always on tour and that Tom barely sees his brother anymore. Filming this doc is a way to connect with him, but it is through the film process that Tom learns that this might not be the best way to rebuild their relationship.

Tom’s filming constantly gets in the way of the tour manager and other members of the band and crew. He’s hired to be a roadie on the band’s tour and his responsibilities as a roadie often falls second to his film, causing tension among everyone. His amateur filmmaking process gets in the way and when he resorts to drinking as an escape from the ridicule, he is then criticized because he “just wants to have a good time.” The major riff of course is the one between Matt and Tom. Alcohol and Matt’s concern for Tom’s lack of responsibility and direction makes the film feel heavy and downright –  the raw and emotional music of The National is a perfect fit for the proceedings.

Those looking for insight into the band and their relationships as musicians will be disappointed by the film. MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS is a film about a man trying to find himself. A story like this is relatable to most audiences regardless of their knowledge of the band. At a swift 75 minutes, MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS feels more like the “making of a documentary” than an actual feature documentary. The tortured life of an artist under pressure to succeed can be a messy and disjointed journey filled with moments of brilliance. You could say Tom’s film captures that feeling for better or for worse.

It’s an interesting experiment, especially considering the relationship between the brothers. Accepting the film for what it is and not what it could have been is important to consider, and in that regard, Tom Berninger may be strange, but this tragic portrait of his life makes him no longer a stranger to the band and its adoring  fans. He’s now a part of the family.

Cinema St. Louis Presents 14th Annual Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase July 13 – 17

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The 14th Annual Whitaker 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 16 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from July 13-17 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. There are 94 films in this year’s event.

The Showcase also hosts a free closing-night awards party on Thursday, July 17, at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room. KDHX-FM DJ Rob Levy will spin music, and Cinema St. Louis will announce the Showcase films chosen for inclusion in the St. Louis International Film Festival. Juried awards for the best Showcase films will also be given. Complimentary beer is supplied by Stella Artois; cash bar for all other drinks. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Highlights of this year’s Showcase include the following:

A Portrait of St. Louis at 250 Years. In the late 1800s, films were direct representations of life – a train entering a station, workers leaving a factory – and by the 1920s, a whole genre of cinema documenting daily life had emerged: the so-called city symphonies. In honor of the 250th birthday of St. Louis, this film offers a contemporary take on the city symphony, providing an elegant and loving collective portrait of some of the people and places that make up our city. This film, directed by Eric Wilkinson for the Missouri History Museum, is our closing-night feature presentation.

Elegy to Connie. This touching and unique documentary, directed by Sarah Paulsen, employs stop-motion animation to address the events leading up to and following the Kirkwood City Council shooting, as retold by a group of unintentional women activists who are bound together by their friendship with slain Councilwoman Connie Karr. Made in collaboration with these women, the film addresses the complicated issues surrounding the shooting – citizen representation, disenfranchisement, white privilege, alienation, post-tragedy healing – and celebrates Connie’s legacy as a leader.

When the Saints. This thought-provoking documentary, directed by Dan Parris, is the story of one man’s mission to fight sexual exploitation in the heart of Malawi, Africa. Beautiful, honest, and compelling, the film challenges viewers to care about justice for girls who are trafficked in rural Africa and to examine the ways we all either dignify or exploit our brothers and sisters.

A Short Life. A documentary directed by Derek Phillips about four young people and their battle with heroin as told through the experience of their parents.

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Against All the Odds. This informative documentary, directed by Sandra Pfeiffer, tells the story of East St Louis, an historically rich city in which the African-American population has survived some of America’s most gruesome historical events. The film uses candid interviews, rarely seen archival footage, and traditional jazz and blues recordings to provide a unique perspective on the city and its people.

A Dungeon Master’s Guide to Life. Christopher Bruemmer directed this comedic narrative feature about a down-on-his-luck dungeon master whose life spirals downward when his best friend starts dating the only girl they know.

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Tickets for film programs from July 13-17 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 (4-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday). No phone sales, but tickets can be purchased online at tickets.landmarktheatres.com. There is a $1 per-ticket service charge; online sales are limited to full-price tickets only. The closing-night awards party is free and does not require tickets.

The Whitaker Foundation serves as title sponsor for the 2014 Showcase. The foundation’s twofold mission is to encourage the preservation and use of parks and to enrich lives through the arts. By supporting excellence in the arts, the Whitaker Foundation promotes art forms and institutions that challenge, entertain, and contribute to our overall quality of life. The event’s other sponsors are the Arts & Education Council, Missouri Arts Council, Missouri Film Office, Regional Arts Commission, and Stella Artois.

For more information, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

See the full schedule at http://cinemastlouis.org/st-louis-filmmakers-showcase for times and film descriptions.

SLFS 2011 Review: Shorts Program 8, Horror Shorts

Shorts Program 8: Horror Shorts includes 8 individual short films of various styles, for a total running time of 95 minutes. Played consecutively, these films offer a broad and entertaining showcase for independent horror filmmakers in the St. Louis area.

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO (13 minutes)

Directed by Hugo Fleming, THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO is a tale of revenge, based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe. Two men (Mark Bunch and Billy Benner), with their minds altered by the effects of Budweiser 40s, wander deep into a subterranean realm, whereas only would may ultimately return. The film is more of a operatic ode to Poe, that a traditional narrative film. THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO contains no dialogue, instead told entirely by the very words of Poe himself. Illustrated by a haunting piano and vocal score (Somewhere Under the Rainbow, written and performed by Heather Rice) that draws on the dark heart of Poe’s literary horror. The cinematography (Matthew Pitzer) is eerie, capturing the cavernous early industrial setting, both ancient and chiseled by dead men’s hands. The narration, provided by Anne Williams, recalls a feminine twin of Vincent Price in his Poe era.

THE CONFINED (26 minutes)

Erin Marie Hogan plays Jackie, a young woman who witnesses her boyfriend’s murder. Traumatized by the event, Jackie slips shuts her self in, crippled by an overwhelming state of agoraphobia. Spending the majority of her time alone in her quiet house, Jackie is haunted by her memories. As with any effective horror story, the sound of the film is key. Jackie begins to notice sounds in the walls, and strange evidence of an unknown presence. With so much of horror focused on gore and violence, its nice to see new filmmakers still interested in the psychological realm of horror, infinitely more difficult to pull of, but equally rewarding, as is the case with THE CONFINED. Hogan provides a quality performance, dwelling in a descriptive silence for much of the film. Writer, director and editor Nicholas Acosta made a fine choice of utilizing a meticulously steady camera, much like what Kubrick did in THE SHINING, but juxtaposes ti with the jarring, handheld footage of old home videos. THE CONFINED should sufficiently creep you out as a haunted ghost story should.

THE DOOR (12 minutes)

Written and directed by Brent Madison, THE DOOR begins in complete blackness, challenging the audience by layering multiple pulsating, echoing sounds into a frightening, techno-atmospheric landscape through the titles, cutting immediately into Allison’s (Allison Ochmanek) nightmare. She wakes, only to find her boyfriend Chris (Christopher Howell) taken over by an evil entity shortly after. Stylistically a cross between Carpenter and Candyman, THE DOOR offers a visual intensity and possibly the highest production value of all the horror shorts, complete with special effects and the style of dialogue we’ve come to expect from enjoyable mainstream fright flicks. The woman’s “possessed” boyfriend lures her into a large, old house where she comes face to face with the creature behind THE DOOR. The film’s score (Doug Pearson) penetrates the viewer’s senses, making the biggest impact in film’s visceral assault on the viewer’s fears.

IN THE CARDS (10 minutes)

Jack and Claire (played by Burke Mohan and Brigitte Crumpton) are newly engaged, but already experiencing turbulence in their relationship. When they decide to see a fortuneteller (Terry Hampton) on a whim, they get more than they bargained for. IN THE CARDS begins as a sort of anti-romantic comedy, with heavily cliche’s flowing from the fortuneteller’s mouth. Then the cards begin to fall into fated order on the teller’s table, sending the couple into a dream-like trance, allowing them an enigmatic glimpse into their own future. At first a fairly straight-forward approach, writer and director Zach Smith uses the couple’s initial foray into their fortune as a ledge from which to leap into a much darker, visually captivating story.

OUTPOST 13 (4 minutes)

OUTPOST 13 is more science-fiction than horror, depicting the planet after we’ve already destroyed all it’s life-giving beauty. A scientist (Guy Stephens) works to save the dying planet, tucked away in a tiny laboratory where he spends his down time reliving his once beautiful planet through virtual reality. OUTPOST 13 is fully narrated, with it’s single characters uttering no dialogue on screen. The cinematography (Wyatt Weed) is highly effective and the images of Earth as it was are on a National Geographic scale, but the special effects from Pirate Pictures are what stand out in this film, providing a brutal, desolate landscape and impressive science-fiction touches to the interior and exterior of the outpost laboratory. OUTPOST 13 was written by William Hartzel and directed by Corey Logsdon.

STAIRS (6 minutes)

Further she climbs, spiraling up a seemingly endless flight of stairs, a young woman (Stephanie Sanditz) faces her deepest fears. The staircase, like something from an M.C. Escher drawing, appears to have no beginning and no end, instead pulling her repeating to a door. What lies on the other side of the door? STAIRS, written and directed by Doveed Linder, draws visually on primal human fear, much like Hitchcock’s VERTIGO drew on the fear of heights. Sanditz conveys her fear with great conviction, relying solely on her facial expressions and body language, uttering not a single word. STAIRS is not a literal film, but a cinematic interpretation of a very uncomfortable human emotional experience.

STRUMPET (14 minutes)

This is the story of a lonely traveler (Stephen J. Hefferman) who takes shelter from a ravaging storm within an old hotel, welcomed by a curiously strange innkeeper (Brian McDowell), but haunted by a deadly supernatural seductress (Emily Brown) in his sleep. What I love most abut STRUMPET is how writer and director Wolfgang Lehmkuhl perfectly captures the essence of the early silent era of German expressionist horror. The gorgeous Gothic cinematography (Michael Lowhorn) comes as close as one can reasonably expect to mimicking the visual appeal of the old film cameras of that cinematic age. The score (Kevin MaCleod and Jon Feraro) is splendidly dreadful, representing the looming horror that surely awaits. The look of the film, and even the performances, also remind me of the subtly offbeat undercurrent present in so many of Guy Maddin’s films. Personally, STRUMPET is my favorite pick of the Shorts Program 8, immersing me fully into the abyss of exquisitely frightful sensory rapture.

THE OUTSIDER: 911 – The Pilot (10 minutes)

Unfortunately, this offering from peter Carlos was the only film of this shorts program I missed.

Synopsis: In the middle of the night, something not of this Earth has come for teenager Alex Jackson.

Shorts Program 8, Horror Shorts will screen during the 2011 Stella Artois St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase at 9:30PM on Wednesday, August 17th at the Tivoli Theatre.