Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Friday, Sept 10 on Eventive!
Drama
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Friday, Sept 10 on Eventive!
Drama
(Out of Competition)
Creator Bio:
MSFF
Sunday, June 13, 2021
2021 Voices Heard Film: Epiphany
Epiphany by Andrea Ivy and Ross Bigley
Based on a true story, A young woman finds racist text messages on her boyfriend's phone.
Andrea Ivy is an actress and model, she co-wrote and produced the short film, Epiphany.
2021 Pace-setter Honoree: Portia Cobb
She studied Film at San Francisco State University where the foundations of her continued explorations as an interdisciplinary artist creating in film, Digital Video, photography and Installation-were formed.
Focused on The Documentary, her experimental narratives explore the inner landscapes of identity, memory, history and place. Through her documentation of urban and rural communities in the Americas and West Africa she draws upon these themes as a means to confront forced forgetting and resettlement.
As a Call & Response Artist in Residence at the Lynden Sculpture Garden in Brown Deer she has developed plein air performances and temporal works that include “Lizzie’s Legacy & Lizzie’s Garden” in which she has embodied the figure of her great aunt, Elizabeth Smashum, to share the history and memory of her family’s Gullah Geechee identity.
She is currently a principal researcher, leading the creative team for the UWM Gun Violence Project with Department of Communication professors Leslie Harris, Erin M. Parcell with Debra Gilispie (founder of Mothers against Gun Violence).
portiacobb.com
2021 Films: No Exit
No Exit by Auden Lincoln-Vogel
Auden Lincoln-Vogel is an American animator and experimental filmmaker. His work spans from animations about aliens to expanded cinema performances using modified upright pianos. He currently lives in Iowa, where he is an MFA candidate at the University of Iowa.
Iowa City, Iowa (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 9 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy
Running Time: 9 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy
A break from our regularly scheduled program.
Director's Bio:
Saturday, June 12, 2021
2021 Films: Reanimation of the Imagination
Reanimation of the Imagination by Tommy Simms
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Burdened with an extraordinary namesake, Dr. Thomas Frankenstein explores the depths of his imagination in order to discover an innovative way to reanimate the family legacy.
Tommy Simms is an interdisciplinary artist from Wisconsin. He perfected his stop-motion animation technique while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His senior film, “The Legend of Leatherface Larry” went on to be showcased at the Festival de Cannes. After achieving his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, Tommy co-founded Out of Toon Studios. The studio’s team is dedicated to teaching the art of animation, while also creating original films. Their animated short, “Genie Gypsy Woman,” was awarded Best Animated Music Video at the Rincón International Film Festival. In addition to the work with Out of Toon Studios, Tommy has had his animations and puppetry featured on PBS, in local theatre productions, and at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. For years he has inspired the next generation of artists, teaching puppetry and stop-motion classes at art camps across the United States. His animated adventures now continue with SIMWIG films, currently creating music videos with the surf-pop indie-rock band, Fuzzysurf.
Director Statement
Since childhood, Frankenstein has made countless appearances in my artwork. From illustrations and cartoons, to sculptures and puppets, the tale of the misunderstood monster, that Mary Shelley dreamed up 200 years ago, continues to ignite my creative spark. Unbeknownst at the time, all of these Frankenstein-inspired projects were destined to become part of something colossal. Combining live-action with stop-motion, traditional, and computer-generated animation, this film is a culmination of artistic experience. The Frankenstein Legacy lives on as Out of Toon Studios proudly presents, REANIMATION OF THE IMAGINATION.
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time:13 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy/ Sci-Fi
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy/ Sci-Fi
Director's Bio:
Director Statement
Since childhood, Frankenstein has made countless appearances in my artwork. From illustrations and cartoons, to sculptures and puppets, the tale of the misunderstood monster, that Mary Shelley dreamed up 200 years ago, continues to ignite my creative spark. Unbeknownst at the time, all of these Frankenstein-inspired projects were destined to become part of something colossal. Combining live-action with stop-motion, traditional, and computer-generated animation, this film is a culmination of artistic experience. The Frankenstein Legacy lives on as Out of Toon Studios proudly presents, REANIMATION OF THE IMAGINATION.
2021 Films: Appetite
Appetite by Stacey Maltin
Stacey is a provocative filmmaker whose work has screened in film festivals around the world. She was recently nominated for Best Director at several film festivals for her short film Jones and she won best Dramatic Short for her short film Baggage. She wrote, produced, and starred in her first feature film “Landing Up” through her production company Bold Compass Films. It premiered at Dances With Films in Los Angeles and she picked up a Best Actress as well as Best Feature nomination. Her short film "Stronger Together" was recently acquired by Shoreline Entertainment after having it's world premiere at NewFest. Her short film "Head" is streaming on REVRY and the feature film version of HEAD was an Outfest Screenwriting Lab finalist. Her work has further screened at Cinequest Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival, Flicker's Rhode Island, ITVfest, and more. The script she penned, “The Other Side” was selected by the screenwriting website THE BLACK LIST as a Top 10 Finalist in the Hasty Pudding Fellowship for a screenwriter focusing on satire and social commentary. That script was further selected to be a part of the Black List Table Reads series and was produced as a podcast starring Darren Criss, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Jerry Adler.
She is currently creating a new provocative series called Linked which premiered at Academy Award Qualifying film festival Cinequest in 2019.
She is the co-founder of production company Besties Make Movies with close collaborator Margarita Zhitnikova.
Director Statement
Appetite and desire are often used interchangeably. Food metaphors are deeply embedded into the language of sex. But having an “appetite” for something can be fleeting. One minute you crave it the next you don’t. This is where our lead character, Jack, begins his journey - hoping that his wife Ruby’s new hunger for sex outside their marriage will dissipate before she ever gets a chance to taste. Our opening scene illuminates a new world of “flexible love” where people actively meet up to find new entanglements for “whatever.” Each womxn at this party is more intimidating to Jack than the last. The womxn are confident, sensual, embracing of their own sexuality and their own desires which is not something Jack can say for himself. We don’t often see men filmed like this in cinema, where each shot is designed to make him feel at a distinct loss of control. While he’s the character we’re following, the power isn’t his.
When Jack returns to his apartment with Tanya, an asexual, vegan, the lighting shifts drastically from the erotic reds and purples of the party to the cool blues and oranges of an intimate, non-sexual encounter. This is where we flip the script on the trope that it’s womxn who stop wanting sex in marriages while their husbands fantasize about younger options. When faced with a night alone with a beautiful, young, womxn, all Jack really wants is connection (and maybe somebody to eat strawberries with).
When confronted with the reality of our own appetites, we don’t always get what we want but sometimes we get what we need.
Brooklyn, NY (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time:14 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Romance/ LGBTQQIAA
Running Time:14 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Romance/ LGBTQQIAA
Get tickets here
Jack, an aging hedge fund CEO, hesitantly acquiesces when Ruby, his wife of 25 years, suggests they check out an open love party. Thrust into a new world, he is surprised to uncover the intimacy he actually desires.
Director's Bio:
She is currently creating a new provocative series called Linked which premiered at Academy Award Qualifying film festival Cinequest in 2019.
She is the co-founder of production company Besties Make Movies with close collaborator Margarita Zhitnikova.
Director Statement
Appetite and desire are often used interchangeably. Food metaphors are deeply embedded into the language of sex. But having an “appetite” for something can be fleeting. One minute you crave it the next you don’t. This is where our lead character, Jack, begins his journey - hoping that his wife Ruby’s new hunger for sex outside their marriage will dissipate before she ever gets a chance to taste. Our opening scene illuminates a new world of “flexible love” where people actively meet up to find new entanglements for “whatever.” Each womxn at this party is more intimidating to Jack than the last. The womxn are confident, sensual, embracing of their own sexuality and their own desires which is not something Jack can say for himself. We don’t often see men filmed like this in cinema, where each shot is designed to make him feel at a distinct loss of control. While he’s the character we’re following, the power isn’t his.
When Jack returns to his apartment with Tanya, an asexual, vegan, the lighting shifts drastically from the erotic reds and purples of the party to the cool blues and oranges of an intimate, non-sexual encounter. This is where we flip the script on the trope that it’s womxn who stop wanting sex in marriages while their husbands fantasize about younger options. When faced with a night alone with a beautiful, young, womxn, all Jack really wants is connection (and maybe somebody to eat strawberries with).
When confronted with the reality of our own appetites, we don’t always get what we want but sometimes we get what we need.
2021 Films: A Life Developed
A Life Developed by Caitlin Walter
Shorewood WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time:12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Documentary
Shorewood WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time:12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Documentary
Get tickets here
Caitlin worked in film and TV production in Boston and New York for over 10 years until relocating to Milwaukee, WI and currently works as the Productions Manager for the Brewers. 'A Life Developed' is her debut short documentary.
My grandfather has always inspired me since I was a child. He lived a life that was both extraordinary and yet somehow beautifully simple. He was a photographer, a veteran, a chemist, a historian, a sailor, a traveler, an inventor, and a rare mix of left and right brain. My memories of him growing up always included him fixing or repairing something. If he saw something that could be improved upon he would research, measure, and search for the correct fix. While his repairs often could have been remedied with purchasing a new $10.00 item, he would never waste his money or mind on a quick fix. His meticulous nature was seen in everything he did. He was an avid photographer since high school and even built a dark room in his basement. It wasn’t until high school I discovered his photos from World War II. All of his original photos were beautifully maintained with notes and dates everywhere. What struck me most while looking through the photos of a man who looked more like an old Hollywood star than a 19-year-old serving in a world war, was his recollection of his experience. He was so grateful for those he met and the experiences he never would have otherwise had. He knew it was the right thing to do to serve but the gratitude was unlike anything I’d ever heard. The beautifully complex photographs belong in a museum. He would never call his work art but one look through the pages of his albums of photographs and it would be impossible to call them anything else. Before I ever had taken a film course, I knew I wanted to share his story. It wasn’t until a year ago that I finally asked my grandfather how he would feel if I brought a crew to come document his amazing photographs and stories. Luckily, for me and anyone who sees this film, he said yes.
Director's Bio:
Friday, June 11, 2021
2021 Films: You've Got It All - Rob Duzenberger
You've Got It All - Rob Duzenberger by Alexander Eberhage
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 3 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Music Video/ Comedy
This is an 80s Music video parody, The music video makes fun of songs like "Never gonna give you up" The character in the video is named Rob Duzenberger, he is one of America's beloved Pop R&B artists of the decade. He's spreading his love with the awesome power of music.
Alexander Eberhage is a young filmmaker and prop designer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who explores his passion for the past through art. He enjoys creating short films with satire and humor, as well as, serious films about dystopian societies and sci-fi worlds. He draws inspiration from the visual look and practical effects of many 80’s sci-fi films where the worlds are brought to life using old-school effects, miniatures, and matte paintings. He is currently in production with his short film Galacta Raider; A film about a group of cosmic archeologists. He plans to attend college to study film and design.
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 3 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Music Video/ Comedy
Director's Bio:
2021 Films: Kagaraja-Lord of all Animals
Kagaraja-Lord of all Animals by Lenore Rinder
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 13 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Documentary
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 13 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Documentary
Get tickets here
“Kagaraja- Lord of all Animals” is a video portrait of a wildlife activist who takes us on a surprising journey. We begin in his home city, Bangalore, India, “the largest network hub for illegal wildlife trade in the world”.
Director Statement
I am a passionate conservationist, hoping to contribute to a global dialog by utilizing the art of magical, visually persuasive, thought-provoking documentaries.
Director's Bio:
Lenore received her MFA in Film and Painting from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. A passionate painter and filmmaker, she won numerous international awards for animation, including: Best Short film (merit and lab) awards, Athens (Ohio) International Animation festival, honorable mention in the Zagreb International Film Festival for a sand animation,
16 mm. “Cannibal Soup” was screened at the Fourth Experimental Film Festival In Tokyo, Japan, and at the Sinking Creek film festival.
Recipient of Wisconsin’s Mary Nohl Suitcase Travel grant, she screened a video at IIWC (Indian Institute of World Culture) in Bangalore India in March, 2019.
Other grants include a “Film in the Cities” Minnesota, Jerome Foundation film grant, for a short animation, and an Arts Midwest Grant, through Jobs with Peace, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project consisted of six neighborhood Photo Billboards and a national traveling photography exhibit focusing on poverty titled, “Home Street Home.”
16 mm. “Cannibal Soup” was screened at the Fourth Experimental Film Festival In Tokyo, Japan, and at the Sinking Creek film festival.
Recipient of Wisconsin’s Mary Nohl Suitcase Travel grant, she screened a video at IIWC (Indian Institute of World Culture) in Bangalore India in March, 2019.
Other grants include a “Film in the Cities” Minnesota, Jerome Foundation film grant, for a short animation, and an Arts Midwest Grant, through Jobs with Peace, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project consisted of six neighborhood Photo Billboards and a national traveling photography exhibit focusing on poverty titled, “Home Street Home.”
I am a passionate conservationist, hoping to contribute to a global dialog by utilizing the art of magical, visually persuasive, thought-provoking documentaries.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
2021 Films: Save All Who Dare
Save All Who Dare by Erika Kirkstein-Zastrow
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 7 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 7 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Get tickets here
"Save All Who Dare" is a poetic film that asks the question of what truly is right or wrong during a time of crisis. A timely yet timeless piece that follows the journey of two members of a cult questioning their faith, their leaders, themselves, and what the consequences would be. An allegory for our current political and pandemic climate.
“...is walking away braver than a last stand?”
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Erika Kirkstein-Zastrow (Director/Writer/Co-Producer) – holds a BFA in Theatre and an MA in English from the U. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she is currently based. She has practiced as a dramaturg in Theatre for nearly a decade. Her career includes the creation and development of new theatrical works. In addition, she as acted as an assistant director and producer on numerous theatre productions. Her bridge into filmmaking includes training at PA Academy with Atlanta Film Society and her own independent study behind the lens. She has worked with film festivals in Wisconsin and Chicago. "Save All Who Dare" marks her filmmaking directorial debut with the aim of addressing the various existential difficulties of the current moment in a poetic manner. www.ErikaKZ.com
Director's Statement
"Save All Who Dare" questions the nature of faith when our deeply held convictions are challenged, inspired by the difficult questions I grappled with after being raised in a strict religious environment.
The text is designed to balance lyrical, otherworldly dialogue with universal feelings. The simplistic imagery is designed to juxtapose between the two timelines of conversation. The original score, composed by Jacob Handrich, was conceived as being two interwoven songs colliding by the end of the film.
The concept of the film was a collaborative effort of the artists involved. It stemmed from our feelings around the current state of our world – the political climate, pandemic, and the idea of community leaders vs. the individual. A timeless poetic piece that asks more questions than answers.
I desired to challenge myself as a director both practically and artistically. The time crunch and restrictions of production was a limit that had to be creatively worked within. The more abstract nature of the ideas presented of the film was a challenge to both ask important questions while remaining accessible to audiences.
“...is walking away braver than a last stand?”
Director's Bio:
 |
"Save All Who Dare" questions the nature of faith when our deeply held convictions are challenged, inspired by the difficult questions I grappled with after being raised in a strict religious environment.
The text is designed to balance lyrical, otherworldly dialogue with universal feelings. The simplistic imagery is designed to juxtapose between the two timelines of conversation. The original score, composed by Jacob Handrich, was conceived as being two interwoven songs colliding by the end of the film.
The concept of the film was a collaborative effort of the artists involved. It stemmed from our feelings around the current state of our world – the political climate, pandemic, and the idea of community leaders vs. the individual. A timeless poetic piece that asks more questions than answers.
I desired to challenge myself as a director both practically and artistically. The time crunch and restrictions of production was a limit that had to be creatively worked within. The more abstract nature of the ideas presented of the film was a challenge to both ask important questions while remaining accessible to audiences.
2021 Films: Wild Side
Wild Side by Brian Hansen
Brian Hansen started speed skating when he was a kid, and has been a fixture of the Pettit National Ice Center (one of only two 400-meter indoor rinks in the U.S.) for years, first as a student, now as a teacher. He’s also a three-time Olympian. He competed for the U.S. in the 2010 games in Vancouver, Canada; the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia; and the 2018 games in Pyeong Chang, South Korea.
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 14 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Sports/ Documentary
Running Time: 14 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Sports/ Documentary
After competing in 3 Olympics for speed skating, this is my story of retirement and discovering a new side of the sport.
Director's Bio:
2021 Films: No Concessions
No Concessions by Megan Massey
Megan Massey is a recent graduate from Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts where she majored in Film and minored in Creative Writing. She spent the spring of 2019 abroad in Prague, Czech Republic at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) where she spent the semester writing, producing, filming, and creating a 35mm film. This past year, she has been working as a freelance videographer.
While Megan enjoys storytelling through multiple mediums, her favorite is film. In addition to film, she writes short stories and poetry. From a young age she was heavily involved in theatre, where she developed a second family. She started onstage and transitioned to crew, costumes & props, lighting & sound, and eventually to student director, where she found a great passion. In college, Megan has created eight short films and worked on a number of sets. She hopes to continue learning and developing her skills and keep telling stories.
De Pere, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy/ Coming of Age
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Comedy/ Coming of Age
On a hot summer day, two sisters find solace in a local movie theater. Through small rebellions, they take on the world alongside each other.
Director's Bio:
While Megan enjoys storytelling through multiple mediums, her favorite is film. In addition to film, she writes short stories and poetry. From a young age she was heavily involved in theatre, where she developed a second family. She started onstage and transitioned to crew, costumes & props, lighting & sound, and eventually to student director, where she found a great passion. In college, Megan has created eight short films and worked on a number of sets. She hopes to continue learning and developing her skills and keep telling stories.
2021 Films: Pipo and Blind Love
Pipo and Blind Love by Hugo Le Gourrierec
Paris, France (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama/ Romance
Paris, France (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama/ Romance
Get tickets here
In a dehumanized world where emotions are rationed and measured by a gauge, Pipo, a factory worker falls in love with a woman sitting on a bench. He will try anything to attract her attention and seduce her with his own « language ».
Hugo is a graduate from the IECA (European Institute for Cinema And Audiovisual), which allows him to work alongside renowned directors, such as Ridley Scott, Pawel Pawlikowski, Maïwenn, Yvan Attal, Cédric Klapisch, Olivier Assayas, and more.
Director Bio:
2021 Films: Danni the Champion
Danni the Champion by Laura Cameron-Lewis
United Kingdom (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
United Kingdom (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Get tickets here
Young Danni isn’t like the other girls in town. She’d rather be watching drag races down at the airport or tearing about behind the wheel of her brother’s car, Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes blasting on the stereo. Bored of her life on the island and stifled by her passive-aggressive parents, she dreams of hitting the road and showing everyone what she can do. A powerful short from writer Iain Finlay Macleod, starring Francesca Taylor Coleman and directed by Laura Cameron-Lewis.
Produced by the National Theatre of Scotland, in association with BBC Scotland, Screen Scotland, BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine project, An Lanntair and Studio Fir Chlis with support from Hopscotch Films.
Developing new ways of making film and television with a theatrical sensibility, Laura has been experimenting with form and writing for television and is working on a full length feature film version of her theatre show 'How the Light Gets In'. Danni the Champion is her first short film as a debut Director.
Laura Cameron-Lewis Born in Fife, Laura was a member of Carnegie Youth Theatre and Kelty Musical Association before she studied on the Performing Arts NC and Acting HNC at Edinburgh’s Telford College, training includes with Derevo theatre company, Angela De Castro, and Gardzienice in Poland during her BA (Hons) Theatre (Devised) at Dartington. She then undertook an MPhil (Research) at Glasgow University in Compositional Strategies for Pervasive Performance under Dee Heddon and Simon Murray. National Theatre of Scotland work includes: Highway Diner’s, Scale of Tears; and Quantum Physical. Other theatre work includes: the new musical, How the Light Gets In with Shona Reppe, Soil and Soul and the Royal Lyceum’s The Illiad, Whatever Gets You Through the Night The Arches/Pachamama/Biphonic; (g)Host City Edinburgh’s Virtual Festival, The Selfish Giant The Arches Theatre Company, Works of Temporary Solace, This is How We Say Goodbye, Franz Ferdinant Impromptu all by Highway Diner and Dig for Fire, and Andromache by Laboratorium-33. TV work includes Gary the Tank Commander The Comedy Unit, Children of Hoarders and Demented for Studio Fir Chlis. Film work includes Whatever Gets You through the Night The Arches / Pachamama/ Biphonic / Daniel Warren, and How the Light Gets In Ootlands and Studio Fir Chlis. Laura won the Scotsman Fringe First award for Highway Diner’s Works of Temporary Solace, and was one of the key creatives on the Creative Scotland Award winning Whatever Gets You Through the Night.
Produced by the National Theatre of Scotland, in association with BBC Scotland, Screen Scotland, BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine project, An Lanntair and Studio Fir Chlis with support from Hopscotch Films.
Director's Bio:
Laura Cameron-Lewis Born in Fife, Laura was a member of Carnegie Youth Theatre and Kelty Musical Association before she studied on the Performing Arts NC and Acting HNC at Edinburgh’s Telford College, training includes with Derevo theatre company, Angela De Castro, and Gardzienice in Poland during her BA (Hons) Theatre (Devised) at Dartington. She then undertook an MPhil (Research) at Glasgow University in Compositional Strategies for Pervasive Performance under Dee Heddon and Simon Murray. National Theatre of Scotland work includes: Highway Diner’s, Scale of Tears; and Quantum Physical. Other theatre work includes: the new musical, How the Light Gets In with Shona Reppe, Soil and Soul and the Royal Lyceum’s The Illiad, Whatever Gets You Through the Night The Arches/Pachamama/Biphonic; (g)Host City Edinburgh’s Virtual Festival, The Selfish Giant The Arches Theatre Company, Works of Temporary Solace, This is How We Say Goodbye, Franz Ferdinant Impromptu all by Highway Diner and Dig for Fire, and Andromache by Laboratorium-33. TV work includes Gary the Tank Commander The Comedy Unit, Children of Hoarders and Demented for Studio Fir Chlis. Film work includes Whatever Gets You through the Night The Arches / Pachamama/ Biphonic / Daniel Warren, and How the Light Gets In Ootlands and Studio Fir Chlis. Laura won the Scotsman Fringe First award for Highway Diner’s Works of Temporary Solace, and was one of the key creatives on the Creative Scotland Award winning Whatever Gets You Through the Night.
Director Statement
I’m thrilled to be working with NTS Scenes for Survival on Iain Finlay MacLeod’s incredible monologue Danni the Champion. As a theatre director who has recently transitioned into making film and television this has been an especially exciting project to work on and it’s been an absolute honor and a joy to bring the world of Danni to life. Exploring the beauty, rhythm and sounds of the Isle of Lewis and its indigenous Gaelic culture was a key part of the work for us, and It’s especially important that young rural people and Gaelic speakers have the opportunity to see themselves in all their complexity and vibrancy on screen and on the stage. This piece is a powerful antidote to the stereotyping of places outside the cities. Growing up on the island, this is Francesca’s debut professional performance and giving a break to a person from the island and shooting this very contemporary piece on the island is a statement of intent. Dig Where You Stand. We are here, we are an innovative centre and not the edge of the world. It was a really rich process to work together to capture the sense of liveness with an almost improvisational feel in Francesca's beautiful portrayal of this fascinating and powerful character. It’s at once cinematic and yet also theatrical — it was important to me to capture the looseness, the liveness, the drive and an almost elegiac feel as the voice is swept away with the muscularity of the music. The main music in the piece (Fois Anama) is my vision of an ancient keening song, a vigil for the passage of a life from one world to the next which in this film, turns out to be a passage into the next stage of her life - breathing the Gaelic spirituality into a banging, rock and rave fused expression of contemporary life on our island. All in all, I’m honored to have been given the opportunity to bring to life the compelling thrust in the stream of consciousness of Iain Finlay’s poetic and witty storytelling. We hope that you too are swept along with her to her destiny and her discovery of agency and her own power to control her life.
I’m thrilled to be working with NTS Scenes for Survival on Iain Finlay MacLeod’s incredible monologue Danni the Champion. As a theatre director who has recently transitioned into making film and television this has been an especially exciting project to work on and it’s been an absolute honor and a joy to bring the world of Danni to life. Exploring the beauty, rhythm and sounds of the Isle of Lewis and its indigenous Gaelic culture was a key part of the work for us, and It’s especially important that young rural people and Gaelic speakers have the opportunity to see themselves in all their complexity and vibrancy on screen and on the stage. This piece is a powerful antidote to the stereotyping of places outside the cities. Growing up on the island, this is Francesca’s debut professional performance and giving a break to a person from the island and shooting this very contemporary piece on the island is a statement of intent. Dig Where You Stand. We are here, we are an innovative centre and not the edge of the world. It was a really rich process to work together to capture the sense of liveness with an almost improvisational feel in Francesca's beautiful portrayal of this fascinating and powerful character. It’s at once cinematic and yet also theatrical — it was important to me to capture the looseness, the liveness, the drive and an almost elegiac feel as the voice is swept away with the muscularity of the music. The main music in the piece (Fois Anama) is my vision of an ancient keening song, a vigil for the passage of a life from one world to the next which in this film, turns out to be a passage into the next stage of her life - breathing the Gaelic spirituality into a banging, rock and rave fused expression of contemporary life on our island. All in all, I’m honored to have been given the opportunity to bring to life the compelling thrust in the stream of consciousness of Iain Finlay’s poetic and witty storytelling. We hope that you too are swept along with her to her destiny and her discovery of agency and her own power to control her life.
2021 Films: 3:35 to Boston
3:35 to Boston by Kay Barnes
Cameron, NC (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 9 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Cameron, NC (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 9 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Director's Bio:
Director Statement
After spending years in military service and then transitioning to motherhood, both the writer, Barbara, and myself, each found ourselves feeling behind our peers. It’s hard to compete in the entertainment job market when instead of making film for the past 12 years, you've been handling national security and juggling soccer schedules for your kids. Instead of focusing on that, we're striving to use the skills we honed in the military, and as mothers, to create. In a currently divided world, we wanted to show how universally connected, yet still unique, we all actually are, no matter what background you come from. Thus, we put together a cast & crew made, of 98% women from all different parts of the world and told this story.
After spending years in military service and then transitioning to motherhood, both the writer, Barbara, and myself, each found ourselves feeling behind our peers. It’s hard to compete in the entertainment job market when instead of making film for the past 12 years, you've been handling national security and juggling soccer schedules for your kids. Instead of focusing on that, we're striving to use the skills we honed in the military, and as mothers, to create. In a currently divided world, we wanted to show how universally connected, yet still unique, we all actually are, no matter what background you come from. Thus, we put together a cast & crew made, of 98% women from all different parts of the world and told this story.
2021 Films: The Child
The Child by Becky Osman
Becky Osman is the drama coach at Monona Grove High School, with experience in theatre. This is her first time directing a film, she is grateful for the opportunity from Children's Film Academy of Madison (C-FAM) and looks forward to sharing what she's learning with her students.
Director Statement
After working on "The Child" I have discovered my passion for film making and directing. It has been an honor to be able to work with the Children's Film Academy of Madison ( C-FAM) organization. It will be fun to watch this organization grow and support our youth in the arts community.
Madison, WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Drama
Bill's life is spiraling towards rock bottom, what's it going to take to get his game back?
Director's Bio:
Director Statement
After working on "The Child" I have discovered my passion for film making and directing. It has been an honor to be able to work with the Children's Film Academy of Madison ( C-FAM) organization. It will be fun to watch this organization grow and support our youth in the arts community.
2021 Films: Diabla
Diabla by Ashley George
New York (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 15 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Horror/ Feminist/ Drama
New York (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 15 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11 on Eventive!
Horror/ Feminist/ Drama
Get tickets here
A female revenge horror about a teenage Mexican girl who finds retribution through her untapped female power and local witch culture.
Ashley George is an independent filmmaker who directs and produces a diverse array of authentic, powerful stories for global audiences. Recent films directed by Ashley include female revenge horror short, “Diabla”, which has screened for audiences around the globe and has received several honors including Best Director & Most Socially Conscious Film. She’s currently developing her feature directorial debut, WAVE MOTHER, an intimate supernatural film based in the rural Oregon countryside, while producing a slate of feature films, including Jaselle Martino’s PUNJABI FAMILY DINNER and Ryan O’Leary’s SEARCHING FOR A FORMER CLARITY.
Director's Bio
2021 Films: Chicken
Chicken by Emma Li
Platteville WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11th on Eventive!
Docuanimation/ Animation
Platteville WI (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, Sept 11th on Eventive!
Docuanimation/ Animation
Get tickets here
A mother and father tell a true story of kindness, cruelty, and a chicken.
Emma Li is a rising Senior at Harvard studying Art, Film & Visual Studies with a minor in Computer Science.
Director's Bio:
Emma Li is a rising Senior at Harvard studying Art, Film & Visual Studies with a minor in Computer Science.
2021 Voices Heard Films: An Essential Voice - Eric Von
An Essential Voice - Eric Von by Lashondra Scott & Colin Sytsma
Eric Von was a veteran journalist and is considered as a Milwaukee radio host icon. He hosted Precious Lives, a 100 part radio series about youth and gun violence in Milwaukee that aired on WUWM 89.7 FM. He was a political commentator and community advocate who was a wonderful friend and mentor to many. Many believe he was "Milwaukee's voice of reason, compassion, and anger all rolled into one." With over 25 years of broadcast experience he was also a regular panelist on Wisconsin Public Television’s, “Interchange,” a groundbreaking public affairs program. Eric lived with a chronic heart condition and it inspired him to start Brain, Brawn, and Body, a wellness website for African Americans. Eric Von passed in 2016 from his condition and this film is a tribute to the work and dedication he put into building a better Milwaukee community.
LaShondra Scott is a visionary leader on a mission to change the conditions, mindsets and attitudes of community residents through transformative and mission-driven films, television shows, podcasts and new media. LaShondra, a production executive for over 15 years, has produced, edited and directed television programing, documentaries, video and radio content that has been broadcasted on a variety of outlets including, MPTV, radio 1290 WMCS and cable outlets. Scott, President and CEO of Neo Soul Productions also creates inspiring videos for business, organizations and non-profits. LaShondra’s keen interest in her community and an intense desire to change the conditions so many of her fellow citizens experience, help her focus her eye on films that make a difference. She is a human-centric storyteller with a deep understanding of human emotions, motivations, and psychology which allows her to create and edit films and other forms of media that truly move audiences. With God’s guidance, she seeks to completely transform the mindsets and attitudes of individuals as well as provide a sense of direction and purpose for all.
For the last eight years the focus of Colin Sytsma’s work has been documentary filmmaking that contributes to the universal good and conservation of our world. Originally trained as an experimental storyteller and cinematographer at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts his work has been shown on PBS, Al Jazeera, and in film festivals around the world. Colin co-directed the feature documentary From Mass to the Mountain(2016), a story of one man’s journey of protecting rainforest and freshwater sheds in a neglected Eastern Panama. Right now Colin is the director of photography on the film When Claude Got Shot, an ITVS funded feature film following a horrific gun violence incident and its aftermath. Previous to the two feature films Colin produced Wisconsin’s Mining Standoff for the television show Fault Lines on Al Jazeera America and Al Jazeera English. Colin is also a board member of the newly created Freeland Film Festival, which is based around the concept of a world free of human and wildlife trafficking. Currently he is directing a documentary film series based on the great ape trafficking research and investigations of Daniel Stiles. Colin’s vision is to create intimate and impactful storytelling that evokes empathy and incubates change for the greater good of the world.
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Friday, Sept 10 on Eventive!
Documentary
Running Time: 5 minutes
Screening Time: Friday, Sept 10 on Eventive!
Documentary
Director's Bios:
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