Since our last two NWFF Digests (our weekly e-newsletter) have been devoted to our current financial crisis, I haven’t been able to post the usual plugs and event listings. So, here they are. Mark your calendars!
In association with the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, Wave Books is organizing and hosting three days of poetry, August 14th through 16th, featuring film screenings, a book arts presentation, art exhibitions, local bookstore discounts, and readings by Wave’s stable of contemporary poets.
Each afternoon, rare footage from the San Francisco State University Poetry Archive will be playing in the Henry Art Gallery auditorium. This footage has been expertly reproduced: black and white, few edits, no splicing or second takes. Most of the footage comes from the National Educational Television Outtake Series, produced from 1965-1966. From the Poetry Archive: “These are extraordinary black-and-white documents, focusing on single poets typically in their home environment reading and discussing their art.” The schedule of films is available on the festival website.
Three day passes are available for $75/$50 for students. Day passes are available for $25 at Pilot Books in Capitol Hill or Open Books in Wallingford.
For the film schedule, and to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.wavepoetry.com/catalog/79
Festival information on the Poets & Writers website: http://www.pw.org/content/wave_books_henry_gallery_host_three_days_poetry_seattle
Pilot Books blog: http://www.pilotbooksseattle.com/wordpress/?cat=5
The Stranger: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/07/05/catching-a-wave/?oid=1785317&show=comments&display=&sort=desc
Skateboard Film Fest!
The mission of The Skateboard Film Festival is to enable, nurture, promote and encourage the next generation of skateboard filmmakers to inspire, lead and entertain the world with their stories and creativity. The festival weekend will feature independent skateboard films from all over the world and will host the premier of “A Day at the Park” by local filmmaker Scott Yamamura and a special west coast screening of “Skatopia: 88 Acres of Anarchy.”
Dates and times:
Friday evening, August 14th; Doors at 7:30 p.m.- 11 p.m.
All day Saturday, August 15th; Doors at 12 noon – 11 p.m.
Film trailers and ticketing info please visit http://www.theskateboardfilmfestival.com and follow us at http://www.twitter.com/skatefilmfest .
Call for Entries
CRY America Seattle Action Center & Tasveer present “My Vision and Dream for Children” – a short film competition
Illiteracy, child labor, malnutrition, preventable diseases, gender discrimination and child abuse are injustices faced by millions of children on a daily basis. But not for long, we hope… because no matter how difficult the journey, if each of us believes in doing what’s right, all children will have their right to live, learn, grow and play.
CRY America believes in a just world in which all children – regardless of gender, class, caste, faith, color, race, physical and mental ability etc. – have an equal opportunity to develop to their full potential and realize their dreams.
Participate in CRY America‘s ‘My Vision and Dream for Children’ campaign – tell us what you believe. What is your vision/dream for children?
Maximum Duration: 10 mins.
Criteria the films will be judged on include:
1. Originality
2. Concept/ design – how it relates to the theme of the contest
3. Innovativeness/ creativity
4. Clarity of theme
Deadline for submitting films: September 16, 2009
The winning entries will be shown at the International South Asian Film Festival (ISAFF) organized by Tasveer in October.
For more information about the ‘CRY – My Vision’ campaign, please check http://www.cryseattle.org/filmfest/
Questions? You can contact us at myvision@cryseattle.org
ARTIST TRUST ANNOUNCES 2009
EDGE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR FILMMAKERS
:: :: ::
Application Deadline: September 15, 2009
Artists who reside in Washington State are encouraged to apply to the 2009 EDGE Professional Development Program for Filmmakers.
“I learned a lot and met many good people. The course reinvigorated my interest and helped focus me on future goals.” — FILM EDGE Graduate, 2008
The EDGE Program offers a comprehensive survey of professional practices through a hands-on, interactive curriculum that includes instruction by professionals in the field, as well as specialized presentations, panel discussions and assignments. The EDGE Program provides artists with the relevant and necessary entrepreneurial skills to achieve their personal career goals and the opportunity to build community through peer support and exchange. Topics specifically addressed include:
how to promote and market films, independently and in festival circuits
how to build strong business plans for film projects
how to find funding for film projects through grants, investors and other sources
The EDGE Program is open to emerging or mid-career filmmakers. Applicants must be residents of Washington State but cannot be graduate or undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program. Applicants must commit to completing the entire 50-hour program. Limited financial assistance and travel stipends for artists applying from outside King County are available.
Artist Trust will offer one cycle of EDGE for Filmmakers in 2009:
Seattle: October 23rd- December 11th, $400 (Meets on two Fridays and six Saturdays.)
EDGE applications and guidelines are available at the Artist Trust office, on the website (www.artisttrust.org/pro_resources/edge), or by sending a self-addressed, stamped, business-sized envelope to: EDGE Application, Artist Trust, 1835 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122-2437.
Completed applications may be hand-delivered or mailed to the address above by 5:00pm on September 15th, 2009. Artist Trust is located on the corner of 12th Avenue and East Denny Way in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. Mailed applications must have a US Postal Service postmark dated on or before September 15th, 2009.
Artist Trust is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to support and encourage individual artists working in all disciplines in order to enrich community life throughout Washington State.
THIS WEEK AT THE GRAND ILLUSION CINEMA
This week, we present the critically acclaimed documentary THE GARDEN, and offer up one last Late Night shot at the inexplicable DUNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM. Please note that from now on, we will only send out printed calendars to Grand Illusion members, so now there’s even one more reason to join our cause and keep independent Seattle cinema going strong.
THE GARDEN is an engaging and powerful look at the famous political and social battle over the largest community garden in the U.S (located in south central Los Angeles). A follow-up to Scott Hamilton Kennedy’s award-winning documentary, OT: OUR TOWN, THE GARDEN shows how the politics of power and greed (backroom deals, land developing, green politics, money) tragically intersect with working class families who rely on this communal garden for their livelihood. Equal parts THE WIRE and HARLAN COUNTY, USA, THE GARDEN exposes the fault lines in American society and raises crucial and challenging questions about liberty, equality, and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable among us. Kenneth Turan of the LA Times said: “It’s tempting to call THE GARDEN a story of innocence and experience, of evil corrupting paradise, but that would be doing a disservice to the fascinating complexities of a classic Los Angeles conflict and an excellent documentary that does them full justice.”
Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Friday August 7th – Thursday August 13th
THE GARDEN
Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy
(2008 / USA / Color / Video / 80min.)
SHOWS daily at 7pm & 9pm
PLUS 5pm Saturday & Sunday
Visit the website: http://www.blackvalleyfilms.com/
Even though the classic sci-fi is over, you can still enjoy one of the worst pieces of baklava ever made: DUNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM. The Grand Illusion remembers the time when the mythic struggle of a good rebellion fighting against an evil empire filled our young little minds with visions of epic space battles and action figures. While we eagerly awaited to see how it would all play out, young kids on the other side of the world were marveling at an alternate universe. One where the hero was a fat, hairy Turkish guy who works out with boulders to hone his skills, instead of a scrawny kid with a feathered blond quaff who uses a wrinkly, green midget to hone his. A galaxy far, far away where instead of loveable Abbott & Costello-esque robots, and a sinister, black-caped menace you get shag-rug monsters, toilet paper mummies and an honest-to-goodness goateed, red devil! It’s all so strange and different, yet so familiar. Oh yeah… that’s because this film straight up steals scenes and
music from those big Hollywood blockbusters that you grew up with. Truly amazing!
Friday August 7th & Saturday August 8th
DUNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM
Director: Cetin Inanc
(1982 / Turkey / Color / Video / 91min.)
In Turkish w/ English subtitles
SHOWS at 11pm ONLY!
Watch the trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrx7BZkmmcI
The WASHINGTON GROWN FILM FESTIVAL is on the horizon, and we still want to hear from YOU. If you have a vision you’ve been longing to share, then share it with us.
Here’s what were looking for:
The best of local comedy, horror, horror/comedy and “other” live action or animated. Your feature-length-flick or short(s) can be filmed in ANY FORMAT but the festival will be projected digitally so please send us a disc (attention Beny) with a brief synopsis or e-mail a youtube link to:
info@grandillusioncinema.org.
We thank you for all your submissions but screen time is limited so not all films can be guaranteed a time slot.
Keep up with us on the Internet!
Follow us on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-WA/Grand-Illusion-Cinema/18369682366
Or twitter: https://twitter.com/gicinema
And, of course, myspace: http://www.myspace.com/grandillusioncinema
We’ve made it really easy for you to help the Grand Illusion out by donating to us via the Internet! We rely on your generous contributions as well as your memberships, volunteering, and continued patronage.
Thank you!
Go to Network for Good and search for us by name, or use the address:
https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/MakeDonation.aspx?
ORGID=134273973
You can also add us as a Cause on Myspace & facebook! You’ll have to add
the “causes” application first, then search for us and add us to your “causes” list. It’s a little more work, but the good it does is well worth it.
Thanks again,
The Grand Illusion Cinema
1403 NE 50th St
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 523.3935
http://www.grandillusioncinema.org
Dead Bird Movement presents
DEAD BIRD DOUBLE FEATURE
Where: 33 South Hanford Street, Seattle, Washington 98134
When: August 21, 23, 27, and 29th at 7:30pm
Tickets: $18/advance, available at Brown Paper Tickets
$12-$30/sliding-scale at the door
Info: http://www.deadbirdmovement.com
Director/Choreographer/Dancer: Jessie Smith
Live Original Music: Jeffrey Mitchell
Film Cinematography: Ben Kasulke
Film music: Jherek Bischoff
About the show:
During the last two weeks of August, Dead Bird Movement will commandeer the top floor of a SoDo building and convert it into a temporary gallery and theater. This will be the home of Dead Bird Double Feature, an event that portrays dance through the lens of multiple mediums and contrasting moods. Doors open at 7:30 for people to explore the gallery installation Left and Leaving. At 8:30, the audience will be lured into the theater for the live dance/music performance Thrashoholic.
Left and Leaving is the gallery premiere of director/choreographer Jessie Smith’s latest experimental dance film. The film features Berlin’s colorful industrial rubble, a bright orange tutu, athletic movement, dirt, and a bit of blood. It weaves together the exterior and interior world of a lone girl on the thread of a dance. The film also features frenetic cinematography by Ben Kasulke and a soundtrack by Jherek Bischoff that ranges from orchestral to metal to pop. Additionally, the installation includes photographs and video sculptures that elaborate specific details from the film.
The second portion of the evening is Thrashoholic, a live duet between dancer/choreographer Jessie Smith and drummer Jeffrey Mitchell. After a sold-out tour of Boston, Reno, Oakland, and Los Angeles, Dead Bird brings home what has come to be known as their signature piece. From beginning to end Thrashoholic is a full on endurance blowout. It is built of 50 short contemporary dance solos cut and spliced together. The movements run the gamut of extremes, ranging from precise adagios to thrashing outbursts. Mitchell’s drumming follows a similar trajectory to that of Smith’s dance, mixing metal beats with complicated polyrhythms. Smith and Mitchell are a dynamic pair as they blend fierce rock sensibilities with meticulous technique. This powerful duo wills each other on and on, through exhaustion, and into an intoxicated collapse.
The gallery will be available for free viewings on August 26. (No performance will occur on this date.) Schedule appointments by emailing deadbirdmovement@gmail.com.
*Photos available at http://www.deadbirdmovement.com/pressphotos.html
*Video excerpts can be seen at http://www.deadbirdmovement.com/upcoming.html (then click on Thrashoholic or Left and Leaving.)
Dead Bird Double Feature is made possible in part by grants from Artist Trust, 4Culture, Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation, and City of Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
About Dead Bird Movement:
Jessie Smith’s Dead Bird Movement is a Seattle-based modern dance and film production company. Dead Bird pulls from a gifted group of outsider artists on a project-to-project basis to create multi-disciplinary works. Since being founded in 2005, Dead Bird Movement has quickly earned acclaim as an ambitious, exciting, young company. It has produced numerous live dance works and screened its experimental short films in festivals across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Dead Bird’s aesthetic is both exhilarating and disturbing. Smith’s choreography challenges physical strength and endurance in a way that accentuates the nuances of the body. Her wild, bruising movement embodies an urgent necessity that couples punkish physicality with sharp line and then snarls the mixture. Dead Bird Movement’s pieces are intelligent and infused with the honesty of struggle. In them, Smith explores extremes and the contrast between ugliness and beauty.
About the Performers and Collaborators:
Jessie Smith is an emerging choreographer/performer/filmmaker. She is Artistic Director of Dead Bird Movement as well as a founding/current member of Implied Violence, an experimental theater ensemble. Smith has received such prestigious honors as 911 Media Arts Center Artist in Residence, Watermill Center Residency, and The Stranger Genius Award. Smith also works as a freelance dancer and currently performs with Amy O’Neal and Zeke Keeble’s company locust.
Jeffrey Mitchell has been playing drums since he was twelve years old. He has performed with The Sacramento Mandarins Drum Corps, countless Reno metal bands and improvisational jazz groups, Seattle’s experimental theater ensemble Implied Violence, and most recently Dead Bird Movement. Mitchell has also been a percussion consultant for EDGE Drumline and the percussion caption head/composer/drill coordinator for North Valley High School.
Benjamin Kasulke is a Seattle-based Director and Director of Photography. He received his BS in Cinema Production from Ithaca College following additional study at the Filmová a Televizní Fakulta Akadmie Muzickych Umní, Prague’s National Academy of Film. He has been fortunate to work with award-winning filmmakers Guy Maddin and Lynn Shelton. He received two awards for his Cinematography on Shelton’s “We Go Way Back” from the Slamdance and Torun Film Festivals. Ben was also honored to work with Director Linas Phillips on his award-winning documentary “Walking To Werner”. Kasulke‘s work has been seen worldwide at the Toronto, Berlin, New York, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Cannes Film Festivals.
Jherek Bischoff is a Seattle-based composer/musician currently playing in The Dead Science. Formally, he was a member of The Degenerate Art Ensemble and Xiu Xiu.
